Creating Equitable Literacy Learning Environments

Helen Adam is an Associate Professor at Edith Cowan University, Western Australia and a 2022 Churchill Fellow. Her research focuses on culturally responsive and equitable literacy education. She has published extensively on anti-bias and equitable education through diverse literature in leading educational journals.

'This inspiring book is a must read for all who care about advancing equity in education through literacy. Engaging and accessible, it includes a model for creating equitable learning environments that integrate three dimensions: quality instruction, opportunity, and representation. Rich perceptive vignettes showcase this evidence-informed model in action and practical ways forward are also offered. This wise and important book deserves to be widely shared to enable culturally responsive practice that enables all children to read proficiently and for pleasure.'Teresa Cremin, Professor of Education (Literacy), The Open University, UK'Adam's book provides an unapologetic testament to teaching reading in ways that honour children and families whilst reflecting their passions, beliefs, and literacy practices. The current literacy education crisis attacks what children bring to classrooms. While adopting packaged materials that supposedly serve all children is tempting, Adam refutes this approach's facility, reminding educators to leave space for exploration, creativity, and the important contributions of cultural and linguistic differences. This much-needed work challenges deficit perspectives and advocates for genuinely inclusive literacy environments.'Catherine Compton-Lily, University of South Carolina, USA; John C. Hungerpiller Professor'Having worked with Associate Professor Adam for many years, and seeing her work develop over time, I can categorically say this book is a must-read for policy makers and educators. We are what we see, or in this case, read. Our children deserve to grow up seeing an accurate representation of themselves in the literature they consume and their teachings from a young age. This book will help pave the way for culturally responsive learning that empowers our children and young people now and into the future.'Jacqueline McGowan-Jones, Commissioner for Children and Young People (Western Australia)

• Foreword Preface and Acknowledgments 1. Introduction: The Reading Equity Dilemma2. Theoretical Framework for Equitable Literacy Learning Environments3. Quality Instruction: Rethinking 'Best Practice'4. Opportunity Inequities in Access to Reading5. Representation in Reading Materials6. Disrupting Prejudice Through Children's Literature7. The Model for Equitable Literacy Learning Environments8. Culturally Responsive Literacy in Action: An Exemplar of PracticeMikayla King and Helen Adam9. Policy and Practice10. Conclusion: Towards a New Paradigm in Reading EducationAppendix: Research Methodology Index