Geosemiotics←→Social Geography: Preschool Places and School(ed) Spaces

Abstract

The purpose of the present article is to attend to the theoretical and methodological implications of expanding a view of geosemiotic to include a social geography lens. A Geosemiotics←→social geography approach creates possibilities to more fully attend to the dynamic and dialogic relationship of material, spatial, and social resources as mediators of literacy interactions. The article begins with a brief history of geosemiotics, advocating for the integration of social geography when attending to place semiotics specifically. This argument is situated within the existing landscape of spatialized literacy research, and illustrates one methodological approach found to be useful when applying an analysis informed by both theoretical perspectives. An analysis of early literacy interactions of one preschool classroom serves as an example to highlight the utility of this approach when investigating the social production of school[ed] spaces. Implications for literacy theory, methods, and instruction are discussed.