Multilingual Literacy

This book investigates multilingual literacy practices, explores the technology applied in different educational frameworks, the centrality of multilingual literacy in non-formal, informal and formal educational contexts, as well as its presence in everyday life. Thematically clustered in four parts, the chapters present an overview of theory related to multilingual literacy, address the methodological challenges of research in the area, describe and evaluate projects set up to foster multilingual literacy in a variety of educational contexts, analyze the literacy practices of multilinguals and their contribution to language and literacy acquisition. This volume aims to initiate a change in paradigms, shifting from structured and conservative problematizations to inclusive and diverse conceptualizations and practices. To that end, the book showcases explorations of different methodologies and needs in formal and non-formal educational systems; and it serves as a springboard for developing multivocal participatory spaces with opportunities for learning and identity-building for all multilinguals, across different settings, languages, ages and contexts.

The research in this unique collection lies at the interface between the fields of bilingualism and literacy. It deepens our understanding of the significance of reading and writing as social practices and opens up new lines of inquiry for research on multilingualism. The authors incorporate theoretical and methodological insights from both fields and provide detailed accounts of everyday practices of reading and writing in different multilingual settings. The focus is primarily on linguistic minority groups in Britain and on the language and literacy experiences of children and adults in rural and urban communities. Together, the chapters of the volume build up a rich and illuminating picture of specific ways in which literacy is bound up with cultural practices and with different ways of seeing the world. They also address fundamental questions about the relationship between language, literacy and power in multi-ethnic contexts.

Within a clear conceptual framework, this book explores ways that teachers, reading specialists, administrators, and teacher educators can provide more effective literacy instruction to K-9 students from diverse ethnic, cultural, and linguistic backgrounds. Cutting-edge theory and research is interwoven with detailed case studies that bring to life the complexities of teaching in today's multicultural and multilingual classroom. Topics covered include: *How and why culture matters in literacy instruction *Drawing on students' multiple literacies in the classroom *Motivating and engaging English-language learners *Steps that teachers can take to heighten their cultural awareness and skills *Tapping into family and community resources for literacy learning

This book investigates multilingual literacy practices, explores the technology applied in different educational frameworks, the centrality of multilingual literacy in non-formal, informal and formal educational contexts, as well as its presence in everyday life. Thematically clustered in four parts, the chapters present an overview of theory related to multilingual literacy, address the methodological challenges of research in the area, describe and evaluate projects set up to foster multilingual literacy in a variety of educational contexts, analyze the literacy practices of multilinguals and their contribution to language and literacy acquisition. This volume aims to initiate a change in paradigms, shifting from structured and conservative problematizations to inclusive and diverse conceptualizations and practices. To that end, the book showcases explorations of different methodologies and needs in formal and non-formal educational systems; and it serves as a springboard for developing multivocal participatory spaces with opportunities for learning and identity-building for all multilinguals, across different settings, languages, ages and contexts.

This hands-on guide shows elementary school teachers how to create multilingual classroom communities that support every learner's success in reading, writing, and general literacy development. The author provides a practical overview of key ideas and techniques and describes specific literacy activities that lead to vocabulary and oral English proficiency. Instructional chapters will help teachers create a language-rich classroom environment, scaffold reading and writing tasks to match students' needs, and use students' language backgrounds as a bridge to literacy learning in English. As with all titles in The Practitioner's Bookshelf Series, this resource includes many user-friendly features such as bulleted summaries and checklists as well as photographs of linguistically diverse classrooms modeling the types of instructional interactions described in the book.

Literacy has traditionally been associated with the linguistic and functional ability to read and write. Although literacy, as a fundamental issue in education, has received abundant attention in the last few decades, most publications to date have focused on monolingual classrooms. Language teacher educators have a responsibility to prepare teachers to be culturally responsive and flexible so they can adapt to the range of settings and variety of learners they will encounter in their careers while also bravely questioning the assumptions they are encountering about multilingual literacy development and instruction. The Handbook of Research on Cultivating Literacy in Diverse and Multilingual Classrooms is an essential scholarly publication that explores the multifaceted nature of literacy development across the lifespan in a range of multilingual contexts. Recognizing that literacy instruction in contemporary language classrooms serving diverse student populations must go beyond developing reading and writing abilities, this book sets out to explore a wide range of literacy dimensions. It offers unique perspectives through a critical reflection on issues related to power, ownership, identity, and the social construction of literacy in multilingual societies. As a resource for use in language teacher preparation programs globally, this book will provide a range of theoretical and practical perspectives while creating space for pre- and in-service teachers to grapple with the ideas in light of their respective contexts. The book will also provide valuable insights to instructional designers, curriculum developers, linguists, professionals, academicians, administrators, researchers, and students.

During the past decades, literacy has gradually become a major concern all over the world. Though there is a great diversity in both the distribution and degree of literacy in different countries, there has been an increasing awareness of the number of illiterates and the consequences of being illiterate. However, literacy is no longer seen as a universal trait. When one focuses on culturally-sensitive accounts of reading and writing practices, the concept of literacy as a single trait does not seem very feasible. A multiplicity of literacy practices can be distinguished which are related to specific cultural contexts and associated with relations of power and ideology. As such, literacy can be seen as a lifelong context-bound set of practices in which an individual's needs vary with time and place. This volume explores the use of literacy outside the mainstream in different contexts throughout the world. It is divided into four sections. Section 1 presents an anthropological perspective--analyzing the society and the individual in a society. Section 2 presents a psychological perspective--focusing on the individuals themselves and analyzing the cognitive and affective development of young children as they acquire literacy in their first and second languages. Section 3 presents an educational perspective--highlighting the variations in educational approaches in different societies as well as the outcomes of these approaches. Section 4 summarizes the studies presented in this volume. Both theoretical issues and educational implications related to the development of literacy in two languages are discussed. An attempt is also made to open up new directions in the study of literacy development in multilingual contexts by bringing these various disciplinary perspectives together.

How can linguistics help teachers of English language learners (ELLs) improve their instruction? What specific competencies do ELLs need to build in order to speak, listen, read, and write in a new language? Now revised and expanded with a broader view of literacy, this book has guided thousands of inservice and preservice teachers to understand the processes involved in second-language acquisition and help ELLs succeed. The authors explain relevant linguistic concepts with a focus on what works in today's diverse PreK-12 classrooms. Effective teaching strategies are illustrated with engaging classroom vignettes; the volume also features instructive discussion questions and a glossary. (First edition title: Teaching Reading to English Language Learners.) New to This Edition *Chapter on digital learning, plus new content on digital technology throughout the book. *Broader view of literacy; increased attention to oral language and writing as well as reading. *Even more user friendly--additional classroom suggestions from real teachers, vignettes, and examples and graphics illustrating linguistic concepts. *End-of-chapter "challenge questions" that inspire deeper reflection. *Coverage of timely topics, such as numeracy and the language innovations of text messages. This e-book edition features 18 full-color figures. (Figures will appear in black and white on black-and-white e-readers).