The Nicaraguan Literacy Campaign

The Power and Politics of Literacy

Delane A. Bender-Slack

The author argues that modern notions of literacy can and should be informed by past successes in the field of literacy, but that there may be geographic and linguistic obstacles to knowing about them. Consequently, this book offers a view of the 1980 Cruzada Nacional de Alfabetización (CNA) or the National Literacy Crusade through the lens of a contemporary literacy professional in the United States. The goals of this book are to critically examine an important moment in the global history of literacy, celebrate the many successes of the crusade, analyze the transformative possibilities of such an endeavor, uncover the implications of the campaign for literacy today, and share an understanding of this historical event with an English-speaking audience. Practicing teachers, preservice teachers, teacher educators, and those interested in transforming education will read this book and engage in critical, collegial dialogue about what we do in schools, why we do what we do, and what might need to change in order to better meet the needs of our students, their teachers, and our democracy.

Lexington Books

Pages: 174 • Trim: 6 x 9

978-1-7936-2243-3 • Hardback • September 2020 • $95.00 • (£73.00)

978-1-7936-2244-0 • eBook • September 2020 • $45.00 • (£35.00)

Subjects: Education / Inclusive Education

The Nicaraguan Literacy Campaign

The Power and Politics of Literacy

Hardback

eBook

Summary

The author argues that modern notions of literacy can and should be informed by past successes in the field of literacy, but that there may be geographic and linguistic obstacles to knowing about them. Consequently, this book offers a view of the 1980 Cruzada Nacional de Alfabetización (CNA) or the National Literacy Crusade through the lens of a contemporary literacy professional in the United States. The goals of this book are to critically examine an important moment in the global history of literacy, celebrate the many successes of the crusade, analyze the transformative possibilities of such an endeavor, uncover the implications of the campaign for literacy today, and share an understanding of this historical event with an English-speaking audience. Practicing teachers, preservice teachers, teacher educators, and those interested in transforming education will read this book and engage in critical, collegial dialogue about what we do in schools, why we do what we do, and what might need to change in order to better meet the needs of our students, their teachers, and our democracy.

Details

Lexington Books

Pages: 174 • Trim: 6 x 9

978-1-7936-2243-3 • Hardback • September 2020 • $95.00 • (£73.00)

978-1-7936-2244-0 • eBook • September 2020 • $45.00 • (£35.00)

Subjects: Education / Inclusive Education

Author

Delane Bender-Slack is associate professor at Xavier University.

Table of Contents

Introduction: A Story Worth Telling

Chapter One: Literacy and Power

Chapter Two: Ripe for a Literacy Campaign

Chapter Three: Planning the National Literacy Campaign

Chapter Four: Pedagogy, Primer, and Politics

Chapter Five: The Brigadistas and the Campesinos

Chapter Six: The Impact and Implications of Gender

Chapter Seven: Literacy as a Social Justice Issue and the Possibilities of Transforming Education

The Nicaraguan Literacy Campaign

The Power and Politics of Literacy

Delane A. Bender-Slack

The Nicaraguan Literacy Campaign

The Power and Politics of Literacy

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