Working to create more diverse language arts curricula and more just communities

March 4, 2022

Drs. Kati and Mike Macaluso know that everyone loves a good book. As faculty in the Institute for Educational Initiatives, they will tell you that it is hard to overstate the ways that literature can affect our emotional, intellectual, and social lives. From the earliest days of elementary school, the stories and characters we read about help to shape our view of the world and our place in it. The perspectives represented in the pages we read and discuss as children and teenagers provide raw materials that are used to build the commitments that define us. 

Nowhere is this impact clearer than in questions of justice. Scholars have long noted the narrative-driven ability of literature to foster empathy with others, including those with whom we may not directly interact. Some literary scholars refer to this as “figurative migration.” Reading about the experiences of individuals who have experienced and responded to injustice can be a uniquely meaningful way to advance our own understanding of and commitment to a just society, especially for young readers.

Research by the Macalusos and others, however, has found that English language arts (ELA) education at both the middle and secondary level does not always live up to its potential to promote positive change. Decades-long trends in national ELA curriculum have created obstacles to literature’s potential to inspire social change. Most of the texts taught in schools, for example, present consistently white, male, monocultural perspectives, characters, and authors. Yet information about pedagogical practices around justice and literature in Indiana remains relatively scarce, so the Macalusos surveyed more than 700 middle and high school ELA instructors across the state. The results of their study suggest that Indiana mirrors many of the national trends in this area. Most books being formally assigned, read, and discussed in Indiana ELA classrooms feature white, male, monocultural perspectives, characters, and authors.

Distressed by these findings, the Macalusos designed the next stage of their research to better understand and support teacher motivations and positive practices around justice. Supported by a Community Impact Grant from the Center for Social Concerns, they now host a series of “social justice teacher book clubs” where middle and high school teachers can explore and discuss new texts with more diverse voices. The response has been consistently positive, with seats for each session filling quickly. Many K-12 teachers have never had a professional development opportunity like this to discuss and learn about justice topics and themes. 

Two insights have consistently arisen in these discussions. First, the ELA curriculum in Indiana, even in light of national conversations around justice issues, has been slow to change. Syllabi and standards remain largely the same from year to year. Second, most participating teachers do want new and updated curricular materials for their classrooms, but with limited resources, finding and adopting these texts has been challenging. Many participants have said that they were unsure how to talk about justice issues with their students. Themselves experienced educators, the Macalusos offer an important resource for teachers in this position, providing vetted texts, potential language, and funds for teachers to acquire books for their classrooms. More than one participant has already purchased books for new class-wide discussions of justice. Based on the positive response and these insights, the Macalusos hope to scale up the project in the future, potentially expanding beyond Indiana.