Intermediate teachers are invited to focus on considerations for selecting ELA and cross-curricular Literacy instructional resources.
For decades Dr Rudine Simms Bishop has encouraged us to consider the influence our instructional texts have on our learners. Her concept of reading with "Mirrors" that affirm the richness of readers’ identities; authentically voiced texts providing "Windows" into the life of another person; and "Sliding Glass Doors" that invite readers to sit with the writer in their unique experiences. Dr Debbie Reese contributed an additional layer with "Curtains". "Curtains", a response by Indigenous authors to the harming misrepresentations by non-Indigenous writers who write with false authority about Indigenous experiences, serve to protect what Indigenous communities do not want to share. Windows, Mirrors and Sliding Glass Doors + Curtains support us in understanding how texts impact classroom engagement, identity development, learners’ growing perception of the world around them and their sense of being valued in their school communities. They provide guidance for our decisions about which instructional materials to bring to our learners.
We will consider messages communicated by our resources and routines, criteria and resources that support us in our decision making, and processes for retiring and refreshing instructional materials that do not serve our learners. We will focus on ELA, but will also consider cross-curricular literacy routines and opportunities.
