Abstract
This chapter seeks to interrogate and disrupt dominant perceptions and narratives that subjugate students of color and those from underrepresented groups – as a means of disrupting deficit and models that frame views of students of color and others from marginalized communities. The chapter is grounded on the critical literacies advancement model to frame the understanding of how teachers and faculty can develop certain non-traditional critical literacy skills to reframe their perceptions and advance equity and social justice. The critical literacies of focus in this instance include racial and cultural literacies, which the authors argue can lead to more informed behaviors and actions with the intent of promoting positive social change. By developing racial and critical literacies, the authors discuss how teachers and faculty can navigate their teaching careers in ways that create environments that promote learning and success for of all students.
TopIntroduction
The coronavirus (the disease that causes the COVID-19 illness) outbreak disrupted life across the globe and created multiple crises in the global economy, health, and education (Robinson et al., 2022). Notwithstanding, the impacts of the virus have taken a heavy toll on the world and while it is important to not lose sight of the magnitude of the human loss suffered as a result, it is also important to maintain a laser-focus on the ways in which various sectors of our communities have responded to and suffered during and as a result of the global pandemic.
For education in particular, schools across the globe faced closings spurred by widespread lockdowns (UNESCO, 2020). These closings resulted in rapid shifts to online learning, and while distance and online education have been expanding rapidly for over a decade (Mellieon & Robinson, 2020) across a wide spectrum of learners including retirees and baby boomers (Edwards & Robinson, 2019), being prepared to teach and learn in this environment was not the only challenge that teachers and students faced. In fact, in this chapter, we argue that although teaching modality and practical skills teachers require to effectively teach students in times of rapid change (such as in the context of a global pandemic) are important (see Robinson & Stojanović, 2021), there are other challenges regarding teaching and learning that have direct impact on student achievement.
Particularly at the K-12 level, parents and other stakeholders have always sought to advocate that schools provide quality education in nurturing environments for children from diverse backgrounds (Banks, 2006; Darling-Hammond, 2000; Delpit, 1995; McKenzie & Scheurich, 2008; Pang 2007) including emphasis on leadership and administrative responsibilities (Webb-Johnson, & Carter, 2007). As we strive to meet the challenges of improving the academic achievement for marginalized students, researchers are beginning to explore the cultural awareness and beliefs of teachers (Williams, 2010). When examining the research to improve the education of these students, mounting evidence suggests that cultural awareness and teacher beliefs may have an impact on the academic achievement of these students (Irvine, 2003). Researchers have long concluded that teachers’ beliefs appear to be the best predictor of teacher behavior, while also influencing teacher’s perceptions and practices (Bandura, 1986; Brown, 2004; Dewey, 1933; Pajares, 1992; Rokeach, 1968). This is significant as we contemplate the role of teacher perceptions across the entire educational spectrum.
Relatedly, in higher education institutions, issues of diversity are becoming even more pertinent as the student demographic continues to change (Robinson & Henriquez-Aldana, 2020). Additionally, research shows that the discourse around diversity and inclusion in higher education tends to be framed in terms of faculty diversity (see Banda, et al., 2017; Stanley, 2006; Turner et al., 2008) and is often related to some benefit for students. These benefits are discussed in the academic literature in a variety of ways often in terms of pedagogical approaches (see Antonio 2002; Umbach, 2006) curriculum development (Banda et al., 2011; Robinson & Lewis, 2011), curriculum relevance (Sealey-Ruiz, 2007) and historic responsiveness (Muhammad, 2020), primarily as a means of having a positive impact on student retention and matriculation.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Critical Literacies: As our lives become more dependent on technology and with changing student demographics and globalization, there are new conceptualizations of what it means to be literate and how to teach literacy skills (Vasquez, 2017 AU66: The in-text citation "Vasquez, 2017" is not in the reference list. Please correct the citation, add the reference to the list, or delete the citation. ; Robinson, 2020 ). Critical literacies refer to these non-traditional literacy skills that include engaging with new modalities of learning and being in today’s globalized world in ways that can help to advance diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging through a social justice agenda for global citizenship.
Cultural Literacy: In this chapter, we approach cultural literacy as an ongoing objective that is intertwined with the overarching goal of global citizenship. Wood, Landry, & Bloomfield (2006) AU67: The in-text citation "Wood, Landry, & Bloomfield (2006)" is not in the reference list. Please correct the citation, add the reference to the list, or delete the citation. define it as
Racial Literacy: Categorized as a social justice literacy in the CLAM ( Robinson, 2021 ), racial literacy refers to the ability or skill of understanding and interpreting the world with a critical lens, where one is acutely aware of the role of race. In terms of education and the classroom, this means racial literacy can be considered a curricular approach as well as a pedagogical orientation ( Green et al., 2021 ) and includes understanding and deciphering racialized systems, hierarchies, and structures of the world (Sealey- Ruiz, 2013).
While we provide definitions here, we also provide some antonyms to help our full understanding of the concepts of cultural literacy and racial literacy. These include concepts such as: oppression, racism, hegemony, intolerance, inequity, discrimination, marginalization, microaggressions, misconceptions, intolerance, stereotyping, cultural imposition, racism, colorism, exclusion, just to name a few. The essence is that if we develop these critical literacies and embrace cultural and racial literacies as important values in the classroom and in society in general, we can make positive steps to eradicating these negative experiences and oppressive structures that jeopardize global citizenship.
Critical Literacy: As critical literacy proponents, we argue for a broad systematic and curricular approach which includes innovative and strategic approaches to teaching and learning that focuses on using literacy for social justice in marginalized and disenfranchised communities. More specifically, critical literacy is not a neutral approach but more so a political one that refers to the ability to read texts (not limited to print) and interpret them in ways that allow for analysis, critique, and transformation of norms, rule systems, and practices which govern social life ( Luke, 2004 ). It is an active and reflective approach to reading and writing with the goal of understanding power, inequality, and oppression through investigating and questioning using a multiple perspective lens. Critical Literacy forms the bedrock of the Critical Literacies Advancement Model, the theoretical framework used in this chapter.
This is not a new concept, and in fact, is connected to or considered synonymous to several concepts in academic literature: cultural/intercultural awareness, cultural/intercultural sensitivity, cultural/ intercultural adaptation, cultural/intercultural effectiveness, cultural/intercultural competence, cultural/intercultural humility. Just to mention a few. Cultural literacy is important to achieve any degree of skill or ability to appropriately negotiate the implications of a diverse organizational setting, including a classroom. The necessity for multicultural education and cultural literacy is best defined not by a discrete endpoint, as in the notion of competence, but more so as a kind of active, prolonged engagement as in the case of cultural humility. It is important not to narrowly define cultural literacy in a way that can point to a demonstrable mastery of a finite body of knowledge but to be broad in scope to reflect the dynamic nature of culture and attribute the required respect and humility with its appreciation and understanding.
the ability to read: understand and find the significance of diverse cultures and, as a consequence, be able to evaluate, compare and decode the varied cultures that are interwoven in a place. It allows one to attribute meaning and significance to anything seen and produced. It is a form of cultural capital that enables us to act sensitively and effectively in a world of differences (p. 20)
Also: for context, it is important that we provide key definitions and explanations of our understandings of some key terms we use in the chapter, for example, critical literacy, critical literacies, racial literacy, and cultural literacy.