Equitable Literacy Instruction for Students in Poverty

Differences in performance between students living in poverty and more advantaged students are reflective of an opportunity gap, as opposed to a gap in student ability. Walker-Dalhouse and Risko focus on disparities in literacy achievement that might be attributed to color-blind practices, deficit mindsets, low expectations, or context-neutral practices. Situating literacy learning within a comprehensive view of literacy development, they provide a set of instructional practices that will best support students living in poverty. Specifically, vignettes from kindergarten through middle school classrooms are used to demonstrate practices that address critical areas of the reading process; are responsive to students' racial, ethnic, cultural, gender, and linguistic histories and assets; attend to students' strengths and needs; and go beyond short-term gains on high-stakes tests to support optimal and sustainable learning. The text features vignettes from leading literacy scholars, including Elizabeth Baker, Susan Cantrell, Jill Lewis Spector, Allison Skerrett, and Kelly Wissman. Readers can use this resource to transform schools into nurturing and vibrant communities that are committed to change, equity, and diversity.

Book Features:

• Provides recommendations and detailed guidance for enacting literacy instruction that will close opportunity gaps for students living in poverty.
• Demonstrates high-quality literacy instruction implemented in K-8 classrooms.
• Presents instruction that is responsive to differences and honors the languages, literacies, and cultural resources that students bring to their learning.
• Offers specific recommendations and practices that can guide advocacy for change.

Doris Walker-Dalhouse is a professor of literacy at Marquette University, professor emerita at Minnesota State University Moorhead, past president of the Literacy Research Association, and member of the Reading Hall of Fame. Victoria J. Risko is professor emerita at Vanderbilt University, past president of the International Literacy Association, and member of the Reading Hall of Fame. They are coauthors of Be That Teacher! Breaking the Cycle for Struggling Readers.