Writing workshop, as conceived by Donald Graves and other US researchers in the 1980s, positively transformed the writing instruction of many teachers. However, others experienced considerable challenges as they tried to create workshop classrooms. This article examines the three historical conditions that defined workshop: (1) choice, (2) time…

In this paper, we consider how teachers and teacher educators may foreground relationships, experiences, pasts, and possibilities to more fully recognize and extend already-present literacy practices of youth of color as strengths from which more equitable curriculum and teaching opportunities may be designed and enacted. We assert theoretical…

This critical reflective essay highlights three significant moments in one White woman's ongoing efforts to move beyond performative equity work. Through this narrative, the author sheds light on the unspoken rules of Whiteness that limited her engagement with race, reflecting on ways that colorblind etiquette prevented her from seeing her Black…

In high accountability cultures, primary phase literacy education tends to focus on improving children's test scores. Driven by each country's performance in international league tables, this results in narrow, predominantly skills-based programmes designed to address attainment gaps. While scores may have been enhanced in recent years, there is…

This article explores some of the intersections and relationships between 'knowledge' and 'social justice' particularly as manifest in the context of English school music education. It takes as its starting point the tensions resulting from different understandings of these terms as revealed in the Society for Music Analysis's (SMA) report…

This policy brief provides recommendations that address dual language bilingual education and House Bill 3 (HB3) Texas Early Childhood Literacy & Mathematics Proficiency Plans requirement. How can the HB3 Texas Early Childhood Literacy & Mathematics Proficiency Plan requirement set appropriate reading goals for dual language students…

Statistical literacy is critical for all sociology students because it facilitates academic and professional success, high-paying jobs, and informed citizenship. Most students, however, lack adequate statistical literacy to engage with sociological research. Within that general deficit, there are gender, racial, and social-class differences, with…

For two decades, the state role in educating children before kindergarten has been growing, and it is accelerating. Enrollment in state-funded preschool today far exceeds that in federal Head Start, and states are the dominant provider at age 4, serving about half of all four-year-olds who attend any preschool program. New universal preschool…

Access to core subject-area curriculum for students from immigrant backgrounds who are learning the dominant language of instruction has long been a barrier to equitable education around the world, especially in secondary schools. This article explores the promise of Complex Instruction (CI) to address barriers to access for such multilingual…

Thirty years ago, the World Health Organization (WHO) Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion created a paradigm shift in addressing major public health challenges. Traditional approaches to health education focused on personal health 'risks' and lifestyle choices were quickly overshadowed by the attention given to more comprehensive policy and…

Among the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the fourth one is about ensuring "inclusive and equitable quality education" and promoting "lifelong learning opportunities for all". This goal (SDG 4) is subdivided into 10 targets, the sixth of which concerns youth and adult literacy and numeracy. This article…

Canada prides itself for being multi-cultural, valuing diversity, and having educational outcomes that have been identified as excellent and equitable with above average performance and lower than average impact of socio-economic status and immigrant status in PISA. The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, plus policies concerning child care,…

This essay integrates pieces and parts of three recent talks given at three separate professional conferences, all with a common goal of commenting on the future of the field. "The Field" is offered as a placeholder to allow individual members of the community to make connections to their own professional identities. Community wisdom…

This article evaluates the progress in literacy among the Indian states, from an age-cohort perspective. It argues that age-cohort analysis offers a robust understanding of the dynamics of literacy progress. The article clearly brings out the fact that, despite the accomplishment of universal elementary education, achieving the goal of full…

Current political and social climates have pushed conversations about equity and inclusion to the forefront. At the same time, lawmakers in more than half of US states are pushing legislation that would limit discussion of these issues in schools. Educators must consider the best ways to continue conversations of equity and inclusion without…