“What’s the Use?”: Undoing, Decolonizing, Liberating, and Righting Literacies Assessment in Turbulent Times

Authors

  • Dr. Michelle Honeyford
  • Dr. Jennifer Watt University of Manitoba

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.20360/langandlit29724

Keywords:

literacies pedagogies, assessment, equity, decolonizing, writing, reading

Abstract

In this conceptual paper, we draw upon Ahmed (2019) and ask “what’s the use of assessment?” The Reimagining Literacies Assessment knowledge mobilization project contributes examples from research and pedagogy in classrooms with young children, in a Cree language immersion program, in anti-racist creative writing classrooms, and in research in reading instruction and assessment. Undoing, decolonizing, liberating, righting become concepts to think through the use of assessment and to propose critically urgent and emergent questions, practices, and possibilities for students and teachers.

Author Biographies

Dr. Michelle Honeyford

Michelle Honeyford is an Associate Professor in Language and Literacy in the Faculty of Education at the University of Manitoba, where her research is deeply enmeshed in collaborative pedagogical inquiries committed to social justice, equity, diversity, and anti-oppressive practices in curriculum, teaching, and learning. Michelle’s work draws upon sociomaterial, transcultural, decolonial, multimodal, and critical theories, with current projects in areas of post-qualitative sociomaterial practitioner inquiry methodologies, place-writing, and assessment. She is the co-founding director of the Manitoba Writing Project.

Dr. Jennifer Watt, University of Manitoba

Jennifer Watt is an Assistant Professor at the University of Manitoba in the Faculty of Education. Her research focuses on the complexities of how literacies contribute to well-being and well-becoming of students, teachers, and communities in and out of schools. In her most recent work, Jen is exploring how critical feminist media literacy education in the K-12 system can interrupt and confront the many ways that gender based sexual violence is promoted, perpetuated, performed, and protected in popular media and society. Jen also frequently collaborates with teachers in Manitoba on place-writing and place-walking research and pedagogical initiatives through her role as Co-Director of the Manitoba Writing Project.

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Published

2024-10-22

How to Cite

Honeyford, M., & Watt, J. (2024). “What’s the Use?”: Undoing, Decolonizing, Liberating, and Righting Literacies Assessment in Turbulent Times. Language and Literacy, 26(3), 137–154. https://doi.org/10.20360/langandlit29724

Issue

Vol. 26 No. 3 (2024): Special Issue: Literacy Teachers Navigating Turbulent Times in Canada.

Section

Article

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