"This book will share the benefits of empowering and engaging students at all levels of education through the use of academic discourse. Presented in this book is a critical examination of discourse, types of discourse, and how discourse can be used to empower students. The book will provide insights for educators to become more knowledgeable, and therefore better equipped, to create spaces through discourse where cultural competence is cultivated. Readers will: Examine discourse as power; connections between discourse practices, culture, language, and identity; and how teachers promote culturally and linguistically sustaining discourse practices in classroom communities. Consider classroom structures that emphasize instructional conversations, equitableparticipation, and extended student dialogue. Explore instructional approaches to minimize traditional teacher-centered discourse patterns and emphasize opportunities for students to engage in authentic academic conversations while developing linguistic competence. Interrogate and grapple with assumptions and biases around specific language standards; whose voices are included or excluded; and how voices are honored in the classroom"--
Stacie Finley is an assistant professor of literacy at Missouri State University. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology, a Master of Science in Elementary Education from Missouri State University, and a Doctor of Philosophy in Reading Education from Auburn University. Prior to teaching in higher education, she was an elementary school teacher, in addition to being appointed an ELA Curriculum Assistant and Literacy Leader Trainer. She currently teaches undergraduate and graduate literacy courses, while also researching literacy instruction with an emphasis on dialogic discourse and academic language, educator preparation, and ParentScholar experiences.
Pamela Correll, Ed. D. is an Assistant Professor of Literacy at Missouri State University. She teaches undergraduate and graduate level courses in literacy education and conducts research related to culturally responsive instruction and multilingual learners. Her research interests include pre-service teacher preparation and instruction for linguistically diverse students.
Cathy Pearman , Ph.D., is a professor in the College of Education at Missouri State University, Springfield, MO where she teaches both graduate and undergraduate literacy education courses. Her research interests include reading comprehension, technology/literacy interactions of young children, differentiation of instruction, and English acquisition in the middle grades. In addition, she is active in the field of educator preparation at the state level. Email: cathypearman@missouristate.edu
Stephanie Huffman is the department head for the Reading, Foundations, & Technology department at Missouri State University. This is currently her 21st year in higher education. She has published over 35 peer-reviewed articles, book chapters, and edited books in the field of library science, instructional technology, diversity, and leadership. Her research interests include diversity, distance education, technology planning and leadership, literacy, and teacher leadership.
