Positioning Theory Sociocultural Positioning in Literacy: Exploring Culture, Narrative, Discourse, and Power in Diverse Educational Contexts, 2011
This volume is the first book published in the field of education, and particularly literacy and ... more This volume is the first book published in the field of education, and particularly literacy and language education, that exclusively uses positioning theory. Chapter authors use positioning theory as a guiding framework to examine teaching and learning in literacy-related contexts. These contexts include a range of literate practices, participants, and settings. Authors examine how teachers respond to multicultural texts, how adults guide children to appropriate academic discourse, how children engage in meaningful talk about texts—or avoid that talk, and how researchers write up and position themselves and their participants. Throughout the book, literacy practices, whether involving children or adults, are viewed as situated social processes contingent upon cultural contexts and the meaning-making systems used within such contexts. Each section of three chapters is preceded by framing discussion from the editors. Each section is followed by commentary from scholars in the field.
Uploads
Papers by Mary McVee
~“The studies collected in this book explore a complex social psychological phenomenon or perhaps one should say cluster of phenomena from several points of view. By adopting Positioning Theory as their analytical tool, all sorts of illumination is cast by the authors on the manifold ways that the struggle for literacy by learner and teacher alike is embedded in very complex patterns of conventions, beliefs, and practices. Positioning theory discourages “quick fix” research. The research reported here with its concrete presentation of real-life excerpts from the world of lived experience is admirable in its richness and dicersity.” Rom Harré, Linacre College, Oxford and Georgetown University, Washington, DC.
~“Overall, I believe the volume presents a focused and extremely thoughtful elaboration of how one theoretical lens can enhance our collective understanding of literacy and diversity in educational settings.” Deborah Hicks, Professor, University of Cincinnati.
The rich illustrations of practice encourage both discussion of practical challenges and dilemmas and conceptualization beyond the specific cases. Historically, issues in New Literacy Studies, multimodality, new literacies, and multiliteracies have primarily been addressed theoretically, promoting a shift in educators’ thinking about what constitutes literacy teaching and learning in a world no longer bounded by print text only. Such theory is necessary (and beneficial for re-thinking practices). What Multimodal Composing in Classrooms contributes to this scholarship are the voices of teachers and students talking about changing practices in real classrooms.