Supporting Literacies for Children of Color: A Strength-Based Approach to Preschool Literacy

A comprehensive theory-to-practice guidebook, Supporting Literacies for Children of Color argues for a new strength-based view of teaching to support the literacy talents and abilities of preschool-aged children of Color.

The early childhood field is at a critical juncture in preschool literacy education as educators confront an ever-changing array of curricular approaches and assessment measures while still trying to meet the social, cultural, language, and literacy needs of individual children. By integrating parent and teacher literacy perspectives, as well as calling on the author’s own decades of teaching, this book offers practical tools and strategies for culturally responsive pedagogy and demonstrates effective methods for using oral language and multilingualism to celebrate and deepen the literacy capabilities of children of Color.

Featuring examples of children’s literacy processes and products both at home and in preschools to illustrate effective instructional strategies, as well as boxes noting important ideas and strategies in each major section, this text will guide students and educators toward creating a supportive learning environment for children of Color.

Daniel R. Meier is Professor of Elementary Education at San Francisco State University, USA, and works as a literacy instructor in local preschools. He is the co-author of Documentation and Inquiry in the Early Childhood Classroom (Routledge, 2017) and co-editor of Narrative Inquiry in Early Childhood and Elementary School (Routledge, 2016), Educational Change in International Early Childhood Contexts (Routledge, 2014), and Nature Education with Young Children (Routledge, 2013).