RES 5535: Race, Class, and Gender in Literacy Research (summer 2010)

I was fascinated by the Henry and Staples articles. The study participants were students of African American and African Caribbean teenagers that did not fit into the mainstream culture of school. I was impressed with the dedication of Henry and Staples to involve and engage this group of students the way that they did. Both the teenage girls and boys needed and outlet a way to speak out and change their ideas about their culture. The research studies gave these students a voice that they did not have in the regular school day. The studies gave the students a connection to others in their culture and allowed them to freely share their ideas.

Henry’s research Speaking Up and Speaking Out was very important to the success of the African Caribbean Girls. As the article stated they had “learned” to be silent or complacent in the classroom. The silence and non- speech is a text in itself. The girls did not feel comfortable enough to share their ideas or make connections. They did not have a voice. I love the way that Henry built her research frame. She wanted to see the social and cultural world from the girls’ perspective. In order to develop the girls’ voice and connection to literature she added writing into the research. “Reading and writing activities together promote greater learning then when they are treated as a separate subject.” Also like the way that voice was defined in the research. It was stated that when someone has voice they have a strong sense of identity and are able to express point of view, “voice is power- power to express ideas and connection, power to direct and shape individual life towards a productive and positive fulfillment for self, family, community, nation and the world.” This is a very powerful statement. Everyone not matter gender of race should review this definition and examine their life and thinking. Are we all doing this? If we were then the world would be more productive and positive!

Staples also built his framework for his study around the same ideas. He wanted African American Teenagers to look at literacy work in an alternative way. He wanted the African American Students to connect and question the literacy works and films. He was also giving the African American males a voice to discuss and question works of literacy. This was not something that teachers gave these students the opportunity to do in a regular learning environment. They struggled with literacy. I believe that they struggled because they could not relate to the literacy. They needed to make connections and evaluate and discuss literacy and media of their own culture. The students needed to be engaged in their learning. By allowing the students to create their own framework for learning they were engaged and invested in their learning. They were able to communicate together in a respectful and positive way.

Both of these studies showed the dedication of the researchers and the care that they have for their students. They were not just doing a research project it turned into a valuable communication tool to bridge the gap between the culture and literacy. The researchers were not afraid to modify their study. It was truly an Action Research study that provided students with positive role models and learning that was so desperately needed for those students. They gained their confidence in voice and were engaged and building literacy learning and connections that will last them the rest of their life.
Angie Somers