Black students and families in the United States have been consistently underserved by educational institutions and their curriculum. Scholars are increasingly aware of the opportunity gaps that arise as a result of Eurocentric standardized pedagogy and curriculum, and educators have turned to scholarship such as critical race theory to combat racial inequity; however, current legislation threatens such antiracist tools. As the National Council of Teachers of English reports in “Educators’ Right and Responsibilities to Engage in Antiracist Teaching”, over half of the country is burdened with “legislation either passed, pending, or under discussion [that] would severely limit K-12 and university educators’ ability to engage with critical race theory and antiracist teaching” (2021). What do these restrictions mean to the educator who wishes to validate, discuss, and foster the experiences of Black students? How can we, as engaged teachers, practice and foster cultural literacy skills that encourage students to find appreciation for a diverse world? How does one ensure Black students see themselves in what is being taught? My research investigates all of these questions through the lenses of English Education and linguistic justice concluding that antiracist teaching in the ELA classroom remains possible and crucial, even at a time where legislation challenges it. I explore the origins of and literature that uses Ebonics (also known as African American Vernacular English (AAVE)), as a way to help educators make learning more representative and equitable. The products of my research will include free, adaptable lesson plans and research-based resources to help teachers of all disciplines encourage their students’ critical media and cultural literacy skills as they tackle the opportunity gap in their own classrooms.

Author: Tyler Clark

Published in: London International Conference on Education (LICE-2023)

• Date of Conference: 13-15 November 2023
• DOI: 10.20533/LICE.2023.0008
• ISBN: 978-1-913572-66-2
• Conference Location: St Anne’s College, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK