Reading the Rainbow: LGBTQ-Inclusive Literacy Instruction in the Elementary Classroom

Language and Literacy

by Caitlin L. Ryan, Jill M Hermann-Wilmarth (With)

Winner of the 2018 Literacy Research Association's Edward B. Fry Book Award Drawing on examples of teaching from elementary school classrooms, this timely book for practitioners explains why LGBTQ-inclusive literacy instruction is possible, relevant, and necessary in grades K–5. The authors show how expanding the English language arts curriculum to include representations of LGBTQ people and themes will benefit all students, allowing them to participate in a truly inclusive classroom. The text describes three different approaches that address the limitations, pressures, and possibilities that teachers in various contexts face around these topics. The authors make clear what LGBTQ-inclusive literacy teaching can look like in practice, including what teachers might say and how students might respond. Reading the Rainbow is designed to be interactive, providing readers with opportunities to consider these new approaches with respect to their own classrooms and traditional literacy instruction. Book

Genres: Education, Teaching, LGBT, Nonfiction, College, Queer

160 pages, Paperback

Published April 27, 2018

Reviews

[Kris Patrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading the Rainbow gave me some new talking points, and I like how it was organized into three approaches.

Relieved to know that Indiana is not one of seven states with laws that expressly forbid discussing LGBTQ people or topics at all or allow only negative discussions. Sad, but not surprised, to learn Indiana is not one of thirteen states with nondiscrimination laws that apply to schools and protect students on the specific basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.

[Tanyx · Rating 4 out of 5]

So sad that I never got this kind of education. While it does mention CA as having the most inclusive schools, it wasn't in my experience. I remember one lesson in 7th grade health where the teacher pronounce TRANS-GEN-DER as if he had never spoken it before. Another teacher in high school had us read poems from a gay poet but didn't get into a lot of detail.
My wish is that every ELA teacher reads this book and takes serious action to make sure queer students are heard.

Merged review:

Interesting introduction! While not comprehensive, I appreciated the variety of tools it used to address queer education. Would be interesting to see a version for HS education.