Working towards more socially just futures: five areas for transdisciplinary literacies research

Abstract

AbstractPolicy‐makers and provincial governments have a responsibility to prioritise equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility (EDIA) with approaches that leverage both intersectionality and transdisciplinarity, especially when looking at literacies research. Supported by a federally funded knowledge synthesis grant that surveyed the scope of EDIA in Canadian schools, this article focuses on youth marginalisation to address literacies learning. The authors address five concepts from a three‐phase literature review to examine inclusive practices that respect, acknowledge and address EDIA in K‐12 education. Across reviewed studies, there is an underlying trajectory outlining methodological challenges in implementing EDIA practices. We advance anti‐racist and abolitionist approaches by addressing five areas: (1) making learning more accessible by adopting culturally responsive pedagogy informed by local cultures, languages and values; (2) pursuing sustainable professional development in culturally inclusive teaching practices; (3) creating safer school environments that nurture community‐driven relationships between parents, students and their teachers; (4) reforming educational policies to concretely address structural racism, discrimination and misrepresentation of socially marginalised students by disrupting what is conceptualised and accepted as ideal culturally responsive pedagogy; and (5) prioritising community perspectives and input curriculum decisions to support underrepresented students. Ultimately, this article echoes this issue's orientations as it explores transdisciplinary practices composing an evolving understanding of literacies.