Berkeley Review of Education

This study examined the elements of (critical) multicultural awareness and (critical) multilingual awareness identified in the pedagogical responsiveness of six literacy teacher educators, the features of a research-practice partnership (RPP) that influenced this awareness, and the ways in which this awareness shaped educators’ pedagogical responsiveness in literacy. Findings showed that educators reflected certain elements of (C)MA and (C)MLA as they worked with teachers to support writing instruction for culturally and linguistically diverse students (CLDs). Educators’ perceptions influencing awareness were assumptions based on otherness and teaching experience. Elements influencing awareness were positioning, observations related to literacy expertise, and discipline. Awareness, in turn, influenced educators’ cultural and linguistic responsiveness as they developed the ability to capitalize on difference and identify and use social currency. Implications for teacher educators’ awareness and responsiveness, use of collaboration in partnership, as well as their work with teachers and CLDs in schools are highlighted.

Home literacy environment (HLE) refers to the physical, interpersonal, and emotional / motivational factors in the home that have been found to be important for children’s literacy development. In this paper, the emergence of HLE research, its conceptualizations, and the effects of HLE factors, will be reviewed with an emphasis on the relations between HLE and children’s early literacy skills. Challenges faced by HLE researchers are also considered, and three aspects of issues are identified: privacy sensitivity, measure validity, and intervention fidelity. Apart from what is already known, this paper will also provide a summary of possible goals for future research.

Organizational justice refers to the perceptions of the members of an organization with regards to the fair and just nature of organizational processes. School students are susceptible to unfair and unjust experiences due to the hierarchical and mechanistic nature of school organizations. In order to create nurturing school climates, it is necessary for schools to encourage just and fair organizational justice systems. This study attempted to develop and validate a scale which measured empathic organizational justice. The study was conducted among a random sample of 172 school students from Indian schools. The instrument consisted of three subscales representing equality, respect and positivity. It was further tested and validated for convergent, discriminant and concurrent validity. The instrument might present as a useful tool to measure the levels of empathic organizational justice systems in Indian schools so that interventions can be designed to enhance empathy within such systems.