Rethinking Early Literacies

by Mariana Souto-Manning, Haeny S. Yoon

Rethinking Early Literacies honors the identities of young children as they read, write, speak, and play across various spaces, in and out of pre/school. Despite narrow curricular mandates and policies, the book highlights the language resources and tools that children cultivate from families, communities, and peers. The chapters feature children’s linguistic flexibility with multiple languages, creative appropriation of popular culture, participation in community literacy practices, and social negotiation in the context of play. Throughout the book, the authors critically reframe what it means to be literate in contemporary society, specifically discussing the role of educators in theorizing and rethinking language ideologies for practice. Issues influencing early childhood education in trans/national contexts are forefronted (e.g. racism, immigration rights, readiness) throughout the book, with a call to support and sustain communities of color.

262 pages, Paperback

Published January 23, 2018

Reviews

[Jodi Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I appreciate the critical theory behind this book, I am not crazy about the topic of early literacy and I found the book a bit repetitive. The ideas presented are interesting and a worthwhile read for those who teach early literacy.