Concetta A. Williams is an assistant professor of English at Chicago State University. Her research focuses on using literature to examine the experiences of urban youth, broadening the definition of literacy in an effort to better identify and understand perceptions of literate behavior in academic settings, and working with diverse student populations (first-year, first-generation). Lydia Magras is an independent scholar whose research interests include Urban and Cultural Literacies, Spirituality and Literature, and Women’s Literature. She has presented her research before the National Council of Black Studies, the Association for the Study of African American History and Life, and the Conference of Religion, Literature, and the Arts.

What I Learned and What I Learnt: Teaching English While Honoring Language and Culture at a Predominantly Black Institution is edifying scholarship that explores the important connection between race, class and literacy. Williams and Magras combine history, pedagogy and activist education to provide a seminal text on African American literacy and the strategies needed to insure student readiness and success. Well researched and comprehensive, What I Learned and What I Learnt is necessary for all educators.

• ForewordAbul PitrePrefaceIntroductionChapter 1: Unpacking the History of African American Vernacular EnglishChapter 2: Teacher Perceptions of Their Students Who Speak African American Vernacular EnglishChapter 3: Closing the Gap: Connecting Students and Partnering AAVE and Collegiate CompositionChapter 4: Pedagogical Techniques for Teaching AAVE SpeakersChapter 5: What We Learned and What We LearntReferencesIndexAbout the Authors