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This article was downloaded by: [Fondren Library, Rice University ] On: 22 November 2014, At: 07:47 Publisher: Routledge Informa Ltd Registered in England and Wales Registered Number: 1072954 Registered office: Mortimer House, 37-41 Mortimer Street, London W1T 3JH, UK Childhood Education Publication details, including instructions for authors and subscription information: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/uced20 Global Literacy: Perspectives, Contexts, and Challenges Sandra J. Stone Co-Editor a , James P. Christie b , Ann Katrin Svensson c & Eunhye Park d a Literacy and Early Childhood Education , Northern Arizona University , USA b Curriculum & Instruction , Arizona State University , USA c Educational Research , Jönköping University , Jönköping , Sweden d Ewha Woman's University , Seoul , Korea Published online: 18 Jul 2012. To cite this article: Sandra J. Stone Co-Editor , James P. Christie , Ann Katrin Svensson & Eunhye Park (2000) Global Literacy: Perspectives, Contexts, and Challenges, Childhood Education, 76:6, 340-341, DOI: 10.1080/00094056.2000.10521178 To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00094056.2000.10521178 PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR ARTICLE Taylor & Francis makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of all the information (the “Content”) contained in the publications on our platform. However, Taylor & Francis, our agents, and our licensors make no representations or warranties whatsoever as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability for any purpose of the Content. Any opinions and views expressed in this publication are the opinions and views of the authors, and are not the views of or endorsed by Taylor & Francis. The accuracy of the Content should not be relied upon and should be independently verified with primary sources of information. Taylor and Francis shall not be liable for any losses, actions, claims, proceedings, demands, costs, expenses, damages, and other liabilities whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with, in relation to or arising out of the use of the Content. This article may be used for research, teaching, and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution, reselling, loan, sub-licensing, systematic supply, or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at http:// www.tandfonline.com/page/terms-and-conditions

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Page 1: Global Literacy               : Perspectives, Contexts, and Challenges

This article was downloaded by: [Fondren Library, Rice University ]On: 22 November 2014, At: 07:47Publisher: RoutledgeInforma Ltd Registered in England and Wales Registered Number: 1072954 Registered office: MortimerHouse, 37-41 Mortimer Street, London W1T 3JH, UK

Childhood EducationPublication details, including instructions for authors and subscription information:http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/uced20

Global Literacy: Perspectives, Contexts, andChallengesSandra J. Stone Co-Editor a , James P. Christie b , Ann Katrin Svensson c & EunhyePark da Literacy and Early Childhood Education , Northern Arizona University , USAb Curriculum & Instruction , Arizona State University , USAc Educational Research , Jönköping University , Jönköping , Swedend Ewha Woman's University , Seoul , KoreaPublished online: 18 Jul 2012.

To cite this article: Sandra J. Stone Co-Editor , James P. Christie , Ann Katrin Svensson & Eunhye Park(2000) Global Literacy: Perspectives, Contexts, and Challenges, Childhood Education, 76:6, 340-341, DOI:10.1080/00094056.2000.10521178

To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00094056.2000.10521178

PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR ARTICLE

Taylor & Francis makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of all the information (the “Content”)contained in the publications on our platform. However, Taylor & Francis, our agents, and our licensorsmake no representations or warranties whatsoever as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitabilityfor any purpose of the Content. Any opinions and views expressed in this publication are the opinionsand views of the authors, and are not the views of or endorsed by Taylor & Francis. The accuracy ofthe Content should not be relied upon and should be independently verified with primary sources ofinformation. Taylor and Francis shall not be liable for any losses, actions, claims, proceedings, demands,costs, expenses, damages, and other liabilities whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly orindirectly in connection with, in relation to or arising out of the use of the Content.

This article may be used for research, teaching, and private study purposes. Any substantial orsystematic reproduction, redistribution, reselling, loan, sub-licensing, systematic supply, or distribution inany form to anyone is expressly forbidden. Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at http://www.tandfonline.com/page/terms-and-conditions

Page 2: Global Literacy               : Perspectives, Contexts, and Challenges

Sandra J. Stone, Co-Editor

iteracy can enrich lives, increase self-respect, open doors of opportunity, and furnish people with a voice. &I a broader scale, literacy can enhance economic and- social development i d lay foundations for social justice. As countries around the world seek to promote literacy and combat illiteracy, the authors in this issue of Childhood Education remind us how complex perspectives and contexts affect the challenge of reaching those goals.

Ros Fisher, Maureen Lewis, and Bernie Davis describe the implementation of the National Literacy Strategy (NLS) in England. Effective literacy strategies were selected for a national curriculum that attempted to affect not only what was taught in the schools, but also how it was taught. This article examines whether the NLS changed teachers’ practices. Although initial results are positive, the authors question if progress canbe sustained through superficial change that does not address teachers’ pedagogical styles.

Jeehyun Lee, Eunhye Park, and Heejin Kim focus on the sociocultural perspective of literacy learning in Korea. Educators’ views of what is appropriate instruction for young children are challenged by the social issue of parental anxiety regarding limited spaces for admission to college. Parents inappropri- ately choose a drill-and-practice approach using extensive worksheets; they seek to ensure that their children gain reading and writing abilities at an early age. The authors suggest that literacy instruction should include characteristics of the language and the sociocultural climate, while at the same time being developmentally appropriate.

Ignacio Dalton provides a review of the political contexts of literacy in Argentina. He connects the many years that Argentinians lived under dictatorships to an extreme control of teaching methodology, which, in turn, has repressed literacy. Now, however, Paulo Freire’s pedagogy of freedom, the move to a democratic government, and research on how children learn to read and write (i.e., emergent literacy) have influenced new trends in literacy instruction. Dalton suggests that the work is still not complete, and that political and educational changes must continue to provide a climate that encourages different ways to promote literacy learning, such as linking literacy and play. Dalton then describes his literacy/ play research project, which, he believes, is a successful way to develop emergent literacy abilities.

Nigel Hall (England) moves the literacy discussion to the personal level. He presents the literacy strategy of ”interactive writing” with young children as a way to provide children with a voice in their own education. Hall thoughtfully challenges our view of literacy learning as a process of ”control” over what children can say, do, and write through endless teacher-directed lessons. He sensibly presents interactive writing as one way to allow children to use their own words to get teachers to listen to them.

In Sweden, and other Nordic countries, there has been a growing interest in young children’s literacy development. Anders Amqvist describes how “different traditions” have influenced the debate and

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Page 3: Global Literacy               : Perspectives, Contexts, and Challenges

practice of literacy learning in preschool and pri- mary schools. One tradition focuses on meaningful, playful contexts for the introduction of letters and words, whereas the other tradition supports wait- ing until children are linguistically prepared to read and write, thus delaying formal instruction until they enter the primary school. Amqvist suggests, based on research projects, that literacy learning could begin earlier by using linguistic games in a playfulway, andthat stimulationof linguisticaware- ness influences a child’s ability to read and write.

Laurie Makin, Jacqueline Hayden, and Criss Jones Diaz discuss how Australian children from sociocultural minority groups are less likely to be successful in mainstream school contexts. Their project mapped existing literacy practices and identified ways to better support young children’s literacy development in early childhood class- rooms. They suggest closing the link between theory and practice, developing a more positive approach to diversity, communicating with par- ents, and providing staff with more knowledge about bilingual and biliteracy development.

Norbert Francis and Rafael Nieto Andrade focus on the challenge of literacy and multilingualism in Mexico. These authors provide a review of Mexico’s history, which includes the first-known widespread experiment in bilingual literacy in the Western Hemisphere between European and in- digenous languages (dating back to the 16th cen- tury). The authors note that the current academic disparities between minority language children and majority language children have prompted educators to consider bilingual literacy. This ar- ticle describes three different projects that pro- mote biliteracy and the maintenance and revitalization of indigenous languages. The au- thors put forththeissueoflinguistichumanrights- a child’s right to gain access to the linguistic means for his or her cognitive and academic development.

Asha Saini reports on the rich literacy history of India as a backdrop to India’s present-day aggres- sive initiatives to reach the goal of national lit- eracy. In her historical review, Saini takes the reader along a time line of an India with strong literacy traditions, where most Indians partici- pated in free education, to an India under foreign

domination, where literacy was not available for all. Despite the push for equitable and quality education since independence, high rates of illit- eracy and poverty remain constant challenges. Saini describes two programs that have helped India to steadily decrease the illiteracy rate. Even so, she notes that the literacy goal is still a vision, rather than a reality.

Finally, Patricia Corson from Canada reminds us of the challenge to meet the needs of linguisti- cally and culturally diverse children and their families. She suggests that an anti-bias approach (one of inclusion and positive self-esteem for all) is crucial to literacy. As multilingual classrooms become the norm in many cities, it is imperative to create programs, particularly for young children, in which minority languages are maintained and valued, while at the same time developing domi- nant language and literacy skills so that children can succeed in the dominant society.

In this issue of Childhood Education, the authors consider the complex historical, political, and cul- tural contexts of literacy. They embrace a common goal of freedom to research and experiment with new ideas and literacy strategies. The articles highlight the importance of meaningful contexts for literacy development, the developmental na- ture of literacy acquisition (e.g., emergent literacy), the foundational relationship between language and literacy, and the challenges of multilingual societies. The authors strongly support programs and contexts to promote and sustain literacy learn- ing for all. Finally, they recognize how closely literacy is tied to the issues of social justice, including promoting linguistic freedom, considering children’s voices, and creating an anti-bias curriculum that erases disparities, so that all can have access to literacy and the subsequent opportunities for a fruitful, fulfilling life.

Guest Editors Sandra J . Stone is Associate Professor, Literacy and Early Childhood Education, Northern Arizona University. James P. Christie is Professor, Curriculum 6 Instruction, Ari- zona State University. Ann Katrin Svensson is Assistant Professor, Educational Research, Jbnkt.+ping University, Jbnkaping, Sweden. Eunhye Park is Associate Professor, Ewha Woman‘s University, Seoul, Korea.

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