Papers by Jennifer M Graff
Journal of Language and Literacy Education, 2013
Inspired by her attendance at the inaugural JoLLE Activist Literacies conference, the author rumi... more Inspired by her attendance at the inaugural JoLLE Activist Literacies conference, the author ruminates on the ways in which children's literature and activitist literacies are inextricably wed and manifested in myriad ways. References to a sampling of children's literature spanning genres and grade levels, websites, and affiliated articles provide opportunities for readers to further recognize how children's literature can be both tools of and for activist thought and action.
Reading Research Quarterly, 2009
M any people consider books to be one of life's treasures and often embark on pleasurable and tra... more M any people consider books to be one of life's treasures and often embark on pleasurable and transformative literary journeys. Unfortunately, struggling readers' journeys are often arduous, if not painful. Recent reading mandates under No Child Left Behind often limit the scope of literary resources purchased with federal funds and appear to alter conceptions of what reading is and what quality texts are, without necessarily including student readers' input. The dissonance between what teachers and students consider "engaging reads"
Talking twice: Representations of language brokering in children's literature
Reading, Readin', and Skimming: Preadolescent Girls Navigate the Sociocultural Landscapes of Books and Reading
Globalization and immigration: Aligning education with shifting demographics
Whether it's the blues, swing, bebop, cool jazz, Latin jazz, or fusion, jazz music is integral to... more Whether it's the blues, swing, bebop, cool jazz, Latin jazz, or fusion, jazz music is integral to American culture. In fact, some contemporary hip-hop artists are recognized for the jazz influences in their music (e.g., Common, The Roots, Yasiin Bey/Mos Def), while some jazz artists infuse their work with hip-hop rhythms, moods, and form (e.g., Robert Glasper, Esperanza Spalding; Dennison, 2012; Irwin, 2012). Here, our review of just some of the jazz picturebooks of the last decade (2003-2013) is inspired by the cool jazz classic "Take 5," written in quintuple (5/4) time and popularized by the Dave Brubeck Quartet. Thus, our book collection is organized into five sections: The Blues: Establishing Some of Jazz's Roots, The Voices and Victories of Jazzwomen, The Journeys of Jazzmen, Connecting Children and Communities Through Jazz, and Syncopated Jazz Verse. Although some books correspond with multiple categories, we attempted to group titles by their most salient features. Table 1 provides a legend of symbols so you can see information about each book at a glance.
In this column, we pay homage to jazz by examining picturebooks about the “cool cats” of jazz and... more In this column, we pay homage to jazz by examining picturebooks about the “cool cats” of jazz and the evolution of jazz music.
English Teaching: Practice and Critique, 2010
Contemporary issues in education should include conversations about immigration which has shaped ... more Contemporary issues in education should include conversations about immigration which has shaped our past, defines our present, and will enrich our collective future. This article explores a cadre of K-12 and collegiate United States (US) educators' participation in a graduate course on the construction of immigrants in multicultural literature and the ways in which the educators constructed themselves and immigrants during and after the course. Specifically, the article addresses how the immersion in and discussion of literature involving immigrants can cultivate educators' awareness of hegemonic policies and practices toward immigrants in the US. Engaging in a multilayered analytic method interweaving thematic analysis with critical discourse analysis, the author shares educators' oral and written discourses which both reinforced and countered prevailing socio-political constructions of immigrants in the US. Their discourses also illuminated the interplay between thought and action as indicators of ideological shifts. The author concludes with a discussion of issues surrounding the power of stories as mediums for personal and social change, the use of language as a social act, and educators as aspiring agents of change.
Conveying a Stance of Religious Pluralism in Children’s Literature
Children's Literature in Education, 2010
Religious discrimination is a global concern, as social dissonance and devastating violence resul... more Religious discrimination is a global concern, as social dissonance and devastating violence result from religious intolerance. In order to develop socially competent, global citizens and create a peaceful society, religious diversity must be explored in public school classrooms; yet it ...
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Papers by Jennifer M Graff