ERIC Number: EJ1235180
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2019
Pages: 22
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: EISSN-1559-9035
EISSN: N/A
"We're Rural Not Dumb": An Examination of Literacy Sponsorship
Franzak, Judith K.; Porter, Heather D.; Harned, Courtney
Journal of Language and Literacy Education, v15 n2 Fall 2019
The study explores how literacy sponsorship (Brandt, 2001) is constructed in a United States rural region by focusing on the discourse of rural teachers and students. Data included interviews with teachers and students, classroom observations, an environmental print literacy scan, and analysis of community and classroom-based texts. A multi-cycle coding approach was used to develop thematic findings. Overall, the findings demonstrate that schooling and teachers serve as the recognized literacy sponsors in the community while the role of parents as active literacy sponsors and place-based literacies went unrecognized. Two aspects of sponsorship were apparent: 1) the value of interpersonal relationships and 2) the adherence to normative, placeless English language arts curricula. Instead of seeking out local texts, participants demonstrated their professionalism as stewards of the educational trust enacted in these communities which does not accommodate critical perspectives. Implications for literacy educators include the need for the larger community of critical literacy educators to addresses rural learners as central to our collective work at both the policy and research level.
Descriptors: Literacy Education, Rural Schools, Teacher Attitudes, Student Attitudes, Parent Role, Teacher Role, Interpersonal Relationship, Language Arts, Curriculum, Critical Literacy, Rural Education, Grade 6, Grade 7, Grade 8, Grade 9, Grade 10
Department of Language and Literacy Education at the University of Georgia. 315 Aderhold Hall, Athens, GA 30602. Tel: 706-542-7866; Fax: 706-542-3817; e-mail: jolle@uga.edu; Web site: http://jolle.coe.uga.edu
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Education; Grade 6; Intermediate Grades; Middle Schools; Grade 7; Junior High Schools; Secondary Education; Grade 8; Grade 9; High Schools; Grade 10
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A