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“My Name is Alejandro!” The Importance of Children’s Names to Cultural
Identity and Early Literacy Development
AnnMarie Alberton Gunn, PhDAlejandro Brice, PhDBarbara Peterson, MA
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Overview
1. To explore the significance of children’s names to their cultural identity and to culturally responsive teaching practices
2. To consider multicultural children’s literature to
foster culturally responsive teaching practices
3. To consider research and related literacy activities
that feature names to foster early literacy learning
and classroom community built on cross-cultural
understandings
Alejandro’s Story
• Born in Cuba• Spoke Spanish in the home.• English first spoken in Kindergarten.• Family became U.S. citizens after 5 years
(when Alejandro was in 2nd grade).• Parents changed name from Alejandro (birth name) to
Alexander so that he would fit in.• As a professional, changed name back for ethnic and
cultural identity.• Continues to meet resistance (“Why can’t he just be
Alex?”, “What is this name change all about?”)• Resistance to other using “Alejandro” is overt and
covert
Resistance is Futile,• You will be assimilated!
Communication
Home Cultural Identity
School Identity
Name Identity and Culturally Responsive Teaching
Self Esteem Interrelatednessof Factors
Child’s name
Child’s Name and Identity
• Child’s name in print is a positive reinforcer and gateway to literacy.
School Identity
Communication
Self-esteem
Home Cultural Identity
School Identity
and School
SuccessMatute-Bianchi, 1986;Barajas & Pierce, 2001; Creese et al., 2006
Name Identity
Progression of Factors
Family Structure **Family Structure **
Gender Roles *Gender Roles *Collectivistic vs. Individualistic
Orientations **
Collectivistic vs. IndividualisticOrientations **
Role of Education ***Role of Education ***
Languages Spoken *Languages Spoken *Parental Roles ***Parental Roles ***
TitleTitle Cultural Identity
Home Cultural Identity
* Clark, E., H. (2007). "I'm a product of everything I've been through": A narrative study of the cultural Identity construction of Bosnian Muslim female refugee students. Dissertation, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL.
Race *Religion *
Role of the homeland *
** Schwartz et al., 2007
*** Plaza-Coral, D., A. (1998). Australian Spanish-speaking background secondary school students and the construction and reconstruction of their cultural identity: A "wog" experience. Dissertation, University of Wollongong, Australia.
Self Esteem
• Latino students have a stronger identification with family than school (Devos et al., 2010);
• Language plays a role in identification Devos et al., 2010);
• L1 proficiency has direct paths to reading, math, & science (Guglielmi, 2012);
• English literacy develops math and science performance (Guglielmi, 2012)
Communication
• Culturally responsive teaching (CRT) may include:– Text Talk (Conrad, Gong, Sipp, & Wright,
2004). Build on students’ language; legitimize real life experiences; scaffolded questions and answers, vocabulary activities; challenge ideas presented in texts. Talk surrounding the reading.
– Reading comprehension strategies (Underwood, 2009);
Communication
CRT continued-– Classroom management (developing personal
relationships with students; creation of caring communities, clearly stated and enforced expectations) (Brown, 2004);
– Inclusion, Attitude (favorable learning dispositions), Meaning (include student perspectives and values), and Competence (promoting student learning) (Wlodkowski & Ginsberg, 1995);
– Motivation is inseparable from culture
School Identity (why are DLLs not succeeding?)
• Theory 1: Mismatches in culturally learned verbal and nonverbal communication styles; different speech communities or speech networks (Erickson, 1987);
• Theory 2: Perception that school success will not enable their progress (Erickson, 1987);
• Theory 3: Attitudes toward DLLs affect their learning (Lambert, 1973)
School Success
Literacy Success
Culturally Responsive Teaching
School Identity
Literacy Pathway
Summary
• One’s name identity is developed from home cultural identity, self-esteem, and communication abilities-> School Identity;
• School identity and culturally responsive teaching -> Literacy Success;
• Literacy Success-> School Success!
Four Phases of MulticulturalismBanks (2001)
• Additive Approach• Reading tales that are representative of
demographics, talk about culture
Multicultural Literature that Embraces Names
• Our ProcessPre Discussion
Multicultural Literature Yes/noFocus is appropriate for pre-k through third grade
Yes/no
Read and Evaluate
Content Area 1-2-3-4-5Focus of Content is Name The book is about the child’s
name 1-2-3-4-5
Multicultural The book has a multicultural focus in regards to characters, setting, content
1-2-3-4-5
Self- Awareness of Identity Character is aware of a conflict, identity, pride that is associated with the Name
1-2-3-4-5
Quality piece of literature Likeability, plot, high quality illustrations
1-2-3-4-5
My Name is Maria IsabelAda, A.F.
The Name JarChoi, Y.
My Name is YoonRecorvits, H. (2003)
The Three Names of MeCummings, M.
René Has Two Last Names /René Tiene Dos ApellidosColato Lainez, R.
My name is SangoelWilliams, K. L. & Mohammed, K.
Call Me Little Echo HawkEchoHawk, T.
Infusing a Multicultural FocusBooks that feature names with an early childhood literacy focus
Children’s Names:A Window to Emergent Literacy• Children’s written representation of their own names may
serve as a “window” into their developing base of emergent literacy knowledge.
• Across cultures, children commonly recognize their written names at a very young age, and often begin conventional writing by writing letters in their names.
• Name recognition and name writing has been shown to
be a significant predictor of children’s early literacy achievement.
e.g. Bloodgood, 1999; Both-DeVries & Bus, 2010; Haney, 2002; Puranik, Lonigan, & Kim, 2011; Welsh, Sullivan & Justice, 2003
Professional Resources for Featuring Names in Early LiteracyName Wall Activities, Literacy Centers & Thematic lessons…
• See online handout for extensive list of resources and lesson links! • Consider: How can you transform these curricular activities towards a multicultural perspective?
Building Name Recognition & Community: That’s My Name!
• Highlight children’s names within classroom environmental print and routines– cubby labels– helper charts – sign-in lists– children’s daily work
Link Name Labels to Identity
• Incorporate names into interactive word walls and personal dictionaries…
Feature Names in Emergent Literacy Activities & Practices
• Utilize names in lessons on letter/sound awareness and word analysis
Feature Names in Emergent Literacy Activities & Practices
• Incorporate names into interactive lessons on phonemic and phonological awareness
Feature Names in Emergent Literacy Activities & Practices
Clap it, sound it, chant it, stomp it, count it out!
• Incorporate names into interactive lessons on phonemic and phonological awareness
Feature Names in Emergent Literacy Activities & Practices
Word Analysis with Names
• Word analysis activities with names• ANDY CANDY CAN
MAN
How many words can you make from the letters in your name?
Transforming Curricular Activities…
How can we design name-based early literacy activities to foster personal/cultural identity and literature-based connections?
How can you design name based early literacy activities to effectively foster personal and literature-based connections?
Transforming Curricular Activities…
Feature Names in Emergent Literacy Activities & Practices
Feature Names/Identity and Multiple Perspectives with Literature
Feature Names in Emergent Literacy Activities & Practices
Emphasize writing for meaningful and authentic purposes.
Feature Names in Emergent Literacy Activities & Practices
Name Song/Poem Center: Sung to the tune of Twinkle Little Star or Frère Jacques
Name songs/chants, poems and games celebrate children’s names and support early language and literacy development
• Feature names in shared writing activities and writing centers.
Feature Names in Emergent Literacy Activities & Practices
The Importance of Name Writing & Cross-Linguistic Diversity
• Incorporate names in shared reading and writing activities
Feature Names in Emergent Literacy Activities & Practices
Feature Names in Emergent Literacy Activities & Practices
Consider how to connect skill-based centers with meaning and identity…
Feature Names & Identity in Personalized and Class Books
Books with children’s names boost literacy engagement, identity, and community.
Alphabet Books as Mentor Texts
Children’s Names in ABC Class Books…
Consider how to incorporate elements of personal identity and appreciation of diversity in the creation of class books as multicultural texts.
• Alphabet awareness, rhyming, and varied verbs with children’s names:
• Jessie Sike rides her bike….Kikki Wong hops along.
Early Literacy Books that Feature Children’s Names
Authoring Books that Feature Children’s Names
• The Important Book
by Margaret Wise Brown• The important thing about ________ is
__________________________________.
He has ______________ and _________________.
He is _____________, __________ and likes _______________.
But the most important thing about Morgan is
__________________________________.
Mentor Texts for Class Books Featuring Children’s Names & Identity
• The Important Book
by Margaret Wise Brown• The important thing about ________ is
__________________________________.
He has ______________ and _________________.
He is _____________, __________ and likes _______________.
But the most important thing about Morgan is
__________________________________
Mentor Texts for Class Books Featuring Children’s Names & Identity
that he is full of energy.
funny athletic
blue eyes.
skateboarding
that he is full of ENERGY!
blonde hair
Morgan
Authoring Books that Feature Children’s Names & Identity
Researching Name Origins,Personal and Cultural Naming Stories
http://www.behindthename.com/
http://www.babynamewizard.com/voyager#
Class Writing Projects:“All About Me” Books & Poetry
Acrostic Poetry
Feature Names in Emergent Literacy Activities & Practices
Feature Names in Emergent Literacy Activities & Practices
Name songs/chants, poems and games celebrate children’s names and support early language and literacy development
See circle time video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0LM2KmiW7M
Personalize & Connect to Meaning
Technology Integration
• Foster multimodal literacies• Explore construction of identity texts through autophotography
Technology Integration and Multimodal Literacies
• Digital story apps• http://storykeepers.wikis
paces.com/iPad+StoryTelling+APPS
• “All About Me” multimedia posters with Glogster EDU• http://edu.glogster.com/
www.wordle.com and www.tagxedo.com
http://www.makeandtakes.com/all-about-me-wordle-for-kids
Technology Integration: Wordle & Tagxedo
Technology Integration: KidPix & PowerPoint Books
In Summary…
• Educators can use literacy tools such as multicultural literature to
• Foster awareness of the importance of names as central to personal and cultural identity
• Challenge practices that marginalize children’s names
• Educators can foster early literacy learning through
• Intentional planning of instructional activities that highlight children’s names and identities
• Design of literacy activities that embrace diversity, are personally meaningful, and literature-based
QUESTIONS? COMMENTS?
