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The Complexities and Promise of Standing beside Indigenous Literacy Scholars: A Language Curriculum Analysis

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Title: The Complexities and Promise of Standing beside Indigenous Literacy Scholars: A Language Curriculum Analysis
Language: English
Authors: Katie Brubacher, Jacqueline Filipek
Source: Journal of Teaching and Learning. 2025 19(1):85-106.
Availability: Journal of Teaching and Learning. 401 Sunset Ave. Faculty of Education, University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario, Canada N9B 3P4. Tel: 519-253-3000 Ext. 4068; e-mail: jtl@uwindsor.ca; Web site: https://ojs.uwindsor.ca/index.php/JTL
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 22
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Education
Descriptors: Indigenous Populations, Indigenous Knowledge, Elementary School Students, Literacy, Canada Natives, Foreign Countries, English Instruction, Language Arts, Curriculum Implementation, English Curriculum, Critical Literacy, Textbook Selection, Language Dominance, English Only Movement
Geographic Terms: Canada
ISSN: 1492-1154
1911-8279
Abstract: Literacy is an essential component of any elementary-school classroom. To address shifting understandings of literacy and how to teach it, Alberta has developed a new language-arts curriculum. This curriculum, however, was developed in a context where schools have a long history of not serving Indigenous children well, including not meeting their needs through literacy programs (Hare, 2011). Alberta Education, through the English Language Arts and Literature (ELAL) curriculum, claims to better address those needs. The purpose of this research is to examine how the ELAL curriculum and its implementation aligns with the field of language and literacy, and in particular, Indigenous literacy scholarship, namely Peltier's (2016/2017) Wholistic Anishinaabe Pedagogy and Reese's (2018) Critical Indigenous Literacy. Data included both an analysis of the curriculum and semi-structured interviews with literacy instructors/scholars and in-service teachers. There were several key findings: English only processes, sparce attention to feelings throughout the curriculum, an absence of critical literacy, and inappropriate text selection. This paper is significant, as it shows the complexities and promise of being a non-Indigenous literacy scholar, thinking deeply about places of resonance and tension in literacy in ways that Indigenous scholars are already writing about.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2025
Accession Number: EJ1471965
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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  Data: The Complexities and Promise of Standing beside Indigenous Literacy Scholars: A Language Curriculum Analysis
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  Data: Journal of Teaching and Learning. 401 Sunset Ave. Faculty of Education, University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario, Canada N9B 3P4. Tel: 519-253-3000 Ext. 4068; e-mail: jtl@uwindsor.ca; Web site: https://ojs.uwindsor.ca/index.php/JTL
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  Data: 1492-1154<br />1911-8279
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  Data: Literacy is an essential component of any elementary-school classroom. To address shifting understandings of literacy and how to teach it, Alberta has developed a new language-arts curriculum. This curriculum, however, was developed in a context where schools have a long history of not serving Indigenous children well, including not meeting their needs through literacy programs (Hare, 2011). Alberta Education, through the English Language Arts and Literature (ELAL) curriculum, claims to better address those needs. The purpose of this research is to examine how the ELAL curriculum and its implementation aligns with the field of language and literacy, and in particular, Indigenous literacy scholarship, namely Peltier's (2016/2017) Wholistic Anishinaabe Pedagogy and Reese's (2018) Critical Indigenous Literacy. Data included both an analysis of the curriculum and semi-structured interviews with literacy instructors/scholars and in-service teachers. There were several key findings: English only processes, sparce attention to feelings throughout the curriculum, an absence of critical literacy, and inappropriate text selection. This paper is significant, as it shows the complexities and promise of being a non-Indigenous literacy scholar, thinking deeply about places of resonance and tension in literacy in ways that Indigenous scholars are already writing about.
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    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 22
        StartPage: 85
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Indigenous Populations
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Indigenous Knowledge
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Elementary School Students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Literacy
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      – SubjectFull: Canada Natives
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: English Instruction
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Language Arts
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Curriculum Implementation
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: English Curriculum
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Critical Literacy
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      – SubjectFull: Textbook Selection
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Language Dominance
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      – SubjectFull: English Only Movement
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      – SubjectFull: Canada
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      – TitleFull: The Complexities and Promise of Standing beside Indigenous Literacy Scholars: A Language Curriculum Analysis
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