Learning to “brave up”: Collaboration, agency, and authority in multicultural, multilingual, and radically inclusive classrooms

Abstract

The Summer Language Academy (SLA) is an innovative and intensive summer program for high-school aged newcomers/new Americans, English learners, and emergent bilinguals, as well as for teachers working with them.  In the SLA, students and educators collaboratively explore questions of identity, language, and culture through high-interest texts, arts-based curriculum, and redefinition of teaching and learning as reciprocally shared endeavors. In this article, we examine SLA implementation and impact in two neighboring districts, focusing on the opportunities and tensions that arise when new and veteran educators are challenged to increase their consciousness and capacity regarding multicultural, multilingual, and radically inclusive teaching.