Eighteenth International Conference on Diversity in Organizations, Communities & Nations

Abstract

This paper introduces a framework for culturally responsive teaching/instruction and services, and demonstrates its application to Native American children within the provision of early language and literacy services and support. Culturally Responsive Early Literacy Instruction: American Indian/Alaska Native (CRELI) is a personnel preparation project at the University of Kansas and funded by the U.S. Department of Education: Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP). CRELI addresses the personnel needs for speech-language pathologists with knowledge and experiences in early literacy instruction as well as cultural competency for serving American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) people. CRELI relies on the collaboration of project faculty, graduate student scholars, and two nearby educational entities: Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation Early Childhood Center and Little Nations Academic Center at Haskell Indian Nations University. CRELI scholars, leaders, and partners have developed several four-day language and literacy units around published, tribally-specific storybooks. The author will provide rationale and components of culturally responsive teaching/instruction, especially as is it generally applies to diverse NA communities. They will also discuss the role and responsibilities of speech-language pathologists in reading and writing, with focus on emergent and early literacy. Last, the author will share the development, components, and lessons from some of the culturally-specific language and literacy units that CRELI has developed and implemented with NA children and the CRELI education partners. Attendees will be encouraged to identify the need and development of culturally responsive literacy units specific to the cultural groups in their community.