BREAKING THROUGH BORDERS: RECONCEPTUALIZING LANGUAGE AND LITERACY PEDAGOGY FOR ENGLISH LEARNERS

Abstract

As the linguistic and cultural diversity of the classroom continues to evolve, English learners (ELs) are not able to meet the academic expectations within the current American educational system, which leads to ELs’ over-enrollment in remedial courses, over-representation of low scores on standardized tests, and disproportionate high school drop-out rates (United States Department of Planning, 2016). Sociocultural theory of language and learning development states, learning is situated within the communities and social interactions individuals mediate which develop a knowledge bank known as funds of knowledge (Moll et al., 1992; Street, 2015; Vygotsky, 1978). The theoretical framework of this practitioner research project drew upon ELs’ funds of knowledge and culturally relevant pedagogy to ground transformative critical literacy instruction within the secondary setting. Data included sources relevant to evaluating current academic and literacy expectations within the academic setting, classroom literacy practices through observations and interviews, student interviews, student artifacts, field notes, practitioner reflection, member checking, and critical migration memoirs. Data consisted of thematic coding to break down core themes related to students' academic funds of knowledge obtained outside of the classroom, relevant for learning in the academic setting. Through the evaluation of ELs’ funds of knowledge and literacy practices, within and beyond the boundaries of the classroom, ELs can negotiate spaces to gain access and eliminate borders.