A major theme that I found throughout all of the readings was that it is important that educators teach in a culturally responsive way and help to bridge the gap between different cultures and the required curriculum. In the Gay Article, it states that culturally responsive teaching is validating to students. I feel that this is important because everybody, young and old, want to feel validated. When student's individual culture is recognized and celebrated within the classroom, their comfort levels increase and they become more motivated to learn.

In Gallego, one of the things that jumped out at me was "rather than attempt to their students' literacy to vocational aspirations ('You need to learn to read so you can get a good job'), they assert that literacy is a tool of liberation, both personal and cultural" (Gallego et al, 150). We have been talking in class about how it is important to connect school literacy with home literacy. We have discussed that children should know how literacy applies to the real world (careers, bus schedules, maps, menus, etc..). This quote from Gallego forced me to think about it in a different way. I feel that it is important to do both. As educators, we should absolutely connect home literacy with school literacy, but we should also inform students how their literacy will empower them. Being explicit in your instruction and making sure that your students understand why you are doing something is very important because it helps to validate their learning.

"Acceptance of children's choice of language fosters the formation of a child's sense of self as an able learner and problem-solver" (Gallego & Hollingsworth, 176).

I love this quote because it forced me to think in new ways about language. Connecting the articles to the text book, one of the major themes was that teachers should not take away student's individualism by taking away their right to use their own language. For example, the articles expressed the idea that African American students who speak Ebonics should be allowed to do so in the classroom. Before reading these articles I personally believed that Ebonics should not be used in the classrooms. I felt as though it would hinder learning. After reading, however, I see how taking this from your students could actually hurt them.

I also enjoyed reading about the field trips that the students took in Gallego and Hollingsworth. Teachers decided to take their students to a car dealership and a local radio station to show them how multiple literacies are needed for each location. At the car dealership, children learned what information they could get from reading a car sticker, and also how computers were necessary in every day business. This stood out to me because I would have never thought that taking my students to a car dealership would benefit them in any way. Seeing how literacy was being used in real life helped to validate the student's learning. Now I recognize that there are plenty of different locations that could foster students learning about literacy.

After reading both the textbook and the articles, I found that there were two major themes. The first main idea is that there are multiple literacies, and that all types of literacies need to be recognized. One idea that stood out to me is that teachers often look at children entering kindergarten as "literacy deprived," however, they actually know a lot about literacy. They have been exposed to other people, signs in the community, books, pictures, movies and television and many other things. It is important to recognize this and to treat all students as though they have the ability to read and write. (Bell & Jarvis)

The second major theme throughout the readings is that literacy in home and school need to be connected. What generally occurs is that literacy in schools is limited to reading and writing, while literacy in society includes much more than just those two things. I think that this is so important to recognize! Nell Duke also touches on this point in her article titled Genres at home and at school: Bridging the known to the new. She states that "when schools actively attempt to link children's home and school literacies, students' literacy development is facilitated" (p 30). I think that consistency in any area of learning is beneficial to students, especially when home and school are connected.

One of my favorite quotes from the readings is from the Gallego & Hollingsworth text. "The flexible use of multiple sign systems supports students in bringing their personal and sociocultural strengths as meaning makers into school and gives them access to a wider range of connections from their lives outside of school. Literacy should not be a different event in school than in their lives in the community and in their homes" (p 44). This quote does a great job of summarizing the two major themes from our readings. It states that students should have the opportunity to express their thoughts and ideas in many different forms, and that schools should teach literacy in a way that will benefit them outside of the classroom.

The multiple readings that I completed on these particular ideas have convinced me that this is the best way to go when teaching literacy. When I have my own classroom full of students, I plan on including brochures, maps, menus, and various other types of items that are important in society. I hope that by including these in my classroom, my students will become excited and motivated to use them.