Chapter 4: Storybook Reading: What We Know and What We Should Consider

We are at an interesting point in the teaching and learning of literacy in North America. Influenced principally by the fields of linguistics and psychology, reading and writing have until recently been conceived of as a set of skills which, when mastered, are transferable from one context to another. However, the evolving work of ethnographers and sociolinguists in different social and cultural contexts has helped us to begin to understand literacy as social practice (Barton, Hamilton, & Ivanic, 2000; Gee, 1996; Street, 1995). For as Clay (1993) explained, the literacy practices engaged in by a particular cultural group, the meanings ascribed to literacy, and the ways in which literacy is mediated is determined by the values and beliefs of the group. We believe it is important to foreground the notion of literacy as social practice for several reasons. First, we want to recognize that what counts as literacy can differ markedly from one context to another. Second, because literacy practices differ across contexts, we believe that making universal assumptions about the importance of any particular literacy practice or event is unwise and can disadvantage some children. Third, because literacy practices are socially constructed, particular literacy events or activities or practices will be quite heterogeneous. It is in this light that we examine storybook reading in this chapter.