Although names play a critical role in early literacy and language learning, the names of children who are linguistically and/or racially minoritized are often changed or mispronounced in schools. In this workshop, we'll explore how an inquiry into names and naming practices through reading, writing, art, and talk can strengthen children's community and belonging in early childhood and elementary classrooms. Participants will explore connections between children’s names and early literacy learning, write and share about their own name stories, learn from qualitative research that documented how elementary school students composed poetry about their names, and consider ways that they might bring similar practices into their own classrooms. Participants will leave with practical ideas to implement in a beginning-of-year name inquiry unit as well as titles of picturebooks that can support this learning.
In this session, you will:
Deepen your understandings of the significance of children's names in literacy learning and identity affirmation.
Explore possible texts and activities that can anchor a mini inquiry unit focused on names.
