The Stance, the Text, and the Talk: Three Components of a Critical Race-Oriented Interactive Read Aloud

Authors

Rebecca Witte, Michigan State UniversityFollow

Abstract

The flexible structure of an interactive read aloud (IRA) provides a platform to address issues of race for those educators who have the desire, but may not know how or where to start. Using a visual of a three circle diagram, the paper illustrates the importance of aligning a critical racial stance, the text, and the talk together to maximize student learning. One text, Can I Touch Your Hair? (Latham & Waters, 2019) is highlighted as a model to show the possible convergence of the three components. In addition, the author notes the importance of reflexivity and provides suggestions on further personal and professional learning. Education-focused resources helpful for developing a justice-oriented stance, selecting high quality texts, and suggestions for classroom discussion are noted throughout the paper.

Author Bio

Rebecca Witte is a doctoral student in the Curriculum, Instruction, and Teacher Education program at Michigan State University. She is interested in the intersection of elementary literacy practices and racial literacies. She can be reached at wittereb@msu.edu

Recommended Citation

Witte, Rebecca (2022) "The Stance, the Text, and the Talk: Three Components of a Critical Race-Oriented Interactive Read Aloud," Michigan Reading Journal: Vol. 54: Iss. 2, Article 8.
Available at: https://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/mrj/vol54/iss2/8