Co-editor’s introduction: Humanizing pedagogy, research and learning

Abstract

Drawing on humanizing pedagogy (Fránquiz & Salazar, 2004; Salazar, 2013) and on humanizing research methods (Paris & Winn, 2013), bi(multi)lingual and bi(multi)literacy scholars agree that children’s and young adult literature offers mirrors and windows to readers (Bishop, 1990) for humanizing learning. The mirror offers a reflection of reader’s identities, languages, cultures, or experiences. When readers do not see genuine representations of themselves reflected in the stories they hear and the books they read, their educational future is threatened and sense of belonging in the wider community is reduced.While books-as-mirrors are needed to build strong, competent, and confident learner identities, windows are also needed. These windows must offer realistic views of the world and the people that live in it. Accordingly, all readers need books that are both mirrors of their own lives and windows into the lives of others. Such a perspective, however, is about disrupting and not promoting single stories about any particular cultural group. The idea for quality children’s and young adolescent literature is to examine books that offer possibilities beyond any one single story Adichie (2009). Rather than promoting the “correct” way of seeing, speaking, believing or being, readers are invited to explore a broad range of characters, cultural and linguistic representations, and storylines. Why does this matter to the readership of the Bilingual Research Journal? We offer the following considerations.