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A Critical Analysis Exploring the Role of African American English and American Sign Language in Shaping Literacy Development.

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Title: A Critical Analysis Exploring the Role of African American English and American Sign Language in Shaping Literacy Development.
Authors: Lawton, Alexis1 alexis.lawton1@gmail.com, Embry-Wright, Kinya2
Source: Language, Speech & Hearing Services in Schools. Apr2026, Vol. 57 Issue 2, p645-660. 16p.
Subject Terms: *Black English, *Language & languages, *Culture, *Students with disabilities, *Speech-language pathology, *Teaching methods, *Multilingualism, *Academic achievement, *Literacy, *Sign language, *Language acquisition, *Communication barriers, Social theory, Linguistics, Deafness, Health equity, Hard of hearing people, Psychosocial factors, Professional competence
Abstract: Purpose: This critical literature review examines how African American English (AAE) and American Sign Language (ASL)--including Black ASL--shape literacy development in Black Deaf students. It situates these linguistic systems within broader historical and contemporary contexts of literacy acquisition, highlighting systemic inequities in educational practices that marginalize nonstandard dialects and visual languages. Understanding these dynamics is essential to developing more inclusive and effective literacy instruction that honors the linguistic identities of Black Deaf learners. Method: Drawing from sociocultural theory, (socio)cognitive theory, poststructuralism, and critical race theory, this literature review employs a thematic synthesis to analyze how these frameworks illuminate the complex interplay between language, identity, and literacy development among Black Deaf students. The review integrates empirical and theoretical studies across hearing and Deaf populations, situating findings within broader historical and societal literacy trends. It also addresses contemporary challenges such as multilingualism and the role of nonpublic educational settings in shaping literacy outcomes. Results: The findings reveal that prevailing educational systems frequently rely on deficit-based models that marginalize AAE and ASL, thereby limiting literacy opportunities for Black Deaf students. The literature advocates for a shift toward diversityaffirming frameworks that recognize AAE and ASL as vital cognitive and cultural assets supporting literacy acquisition. Key themes include the importance of culturally responsive pedagogy and inclusive educational policies that validate students' linguistic identities, dismantle systemic biases, and foster equitable literacy development. These insights underscore the need for educational practices that integrate students' home languages and social contexts to promote academic success. Conclusions: Affirming AAE and ASL in educational settings is essential for promoting equitable literacy development. The review recommends integrating these theoretical perspectives into policy reform and within the fields of education and speech-language pathology. Future research should explore the roles of family, community, and multimodal literacy practices in supporting Black Deaf learners across diverse educational contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Language, Speech & Hearing Services in Schools is the property of American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Education Research Complete
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  Data: A Critical Analysis Exploring the Role of African American English and American Sign Language in Shaping Literacy Development.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Lawton%2C+Alexis%22">Lawton, Alexis</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo><i> alexis.lawton1@gmail.com</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Embry-Wright%2C+Kinya%22">Embry-Wright, Kinya</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Language%2C+Speech+%26+Hearing+Services+in+Schools%22">Language, Speech & Hearing Services in Schools</searchLink>. Apr2026, Vol. 57 Issue 2, p645-660. 16p.
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  Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Black+English%22">Black English</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Language+%26+languages%22">Language & languages</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Culture%22">Culture</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Students+with+disabilities%22">Students with disabilities</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Speech-language+pathology%22">Speech-language pathology</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teaching+methods%22">Teaching methods</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Multilingualism%22">Multilingualism</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Academic+achievement%22">Academic achievement</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Literacy%22">Literacy</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Sign+language%22">Sign language</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Language+acquisition%22">Language acquisition</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Communication+barriers%22">Communication barriers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+theory%22">Social theory</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Linguistics%22">Linguistics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Deafness%22">Deafness</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Health+equity%22">Health equity</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Hard+of+hearing+people%22">Hard of hearing people</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Psychosocial+factors%22">Psychosocial factors</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Professional+competence%22">Professional competence</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Purpose: This critical literature review examines how African American English (AAE) and American Sign Language (ASL)--including Black ASL--shape literacy development in Black Deaf students. It situates these linguistic systems within broader historical and contemporary contexts of literacy acquisition, highlighting systemic inequities in educational practices that marginalize nonstandard dialects and visual languages. Understanding these dynamics is essential to developing more inclusive and effective literacy instruction that honors the linguistic identities of Black Deaf learners. Method: Drawing from sociocultural theory, (socio)cognitive theory, poststructuralism, and critical race theory, this literature review employs a thematic synthesis to analyze how these frameworks illuminate the complex interplay between language, identity, and literacy development among Black Deaf students. The review integrates empirical and theoretical studies across hearing and Deaf populations, situating findings within broader historical and societal literacy trends. It also addresses contemporary challenges such as multilingualism and the role of nonpublic educational settings in shaping literacy outcomes. Results: The findings reveal that prevailing educational systems frequently rely on deficit-based models that marginalize AAE and ASL, thereby limiting literacy opportunities for Black Deaf students. The literature advocates for a shift toward diversityaffirming frameworks that recognize AAE and ASL as vital cognitive and cultural assets supporting literacy acquisition. Key themes include the importance of culturally responsive pedagogy and inclusive educational policies that validate students' linguistic identities, dismantle systemic biases, and foster equitable literacy development. These insights underscore the need for educational practices that integrate students' home languages and social contexts to promote academic success. Conclusions: Affirming AAE and ASL in educational settings is essential for promoting equitable literacy development. The review recommends integrating these theoretical perspectives into policy reform and within the fields of education and speech-language pathology. Future research should explore the roles of family, community, and multimodal literacy practices in supporting Black Deaf learners across diverse educational contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
  Group: Ab
  Data: <i>Copyright of Language, Speech & Hearing Services in Schools is the property of American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=ehh&AN=192859149
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1044/2025_LSHSS-25-00122
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 16
        StartPage: 645
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Black English
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Language & languages
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Culture
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Students with disabilities
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Speech-language pathology
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Teaching methods
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Multilingualism
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Academic achievement
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Literacy
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Sign language
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Language acquisition
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Communication barriers
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Social theory
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Linguistics
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Deafness
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Health equity
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Hard of hearing people
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Psychosocial factors
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Professional competence
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: A Critical Analysis Exploring the Role of African American English and American Sign Language in Shaping Literacy Development.
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            NameFull: Lawton, Alexis
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            NameFull: Embry-Wright, Kinya
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            – D: 01
              M: 04
              Text: Apr2026
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
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            – TitleFull: Language, Speech & Hearing Services in Schools
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