Drawing on Students' Funds of Knowledge
This foundational dimension of planning and teaching is by no means specific to disciplinary literacy. Rather, it is relevant for all content areas and at all grade levels. So drawing on funds of knowledge should not be a new or novel concept. This module is included in this series to ground our discussions of literacy and language development and responsive instructional design. The following resources provide a refresher on what it means to draw on funds of knowledge, why it matters, and how teachers can be intentional about doing so in their own work.
For a brief overview geared specifically for the secondary level, take a look at this article. While these topics are critical for supporting English Language Learners, try to also keep a broader lens in mind to consider how taking this perspective can benefit all students. |
This video, presented by Madison Metropolitan School District in Wisconsin, features student and teacher voices describing the impact of connecting to students' lives on potential learning experiences.
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identifying funds of knowledge
I loved this example so much (borrowed from a Multicultural Education course) that I wanted to offer it to you for consideration. After reviewing the article on funds of knowledge and reflecting on your prior educational coursework, watch this video about Caine's Arcade. It's actually pretty outdated now but has apparently spurred quite a movement (and resonates really well with the maker movement if you're familiar at all).
After watching the video, answer the following questions in a written response:
Post your response to the appropriate discussion forum on the course Canvas page.
After watching the video, answer the following questions in a written response:
- What funds of knowledge are revealed while watching this video? Caine is clearly still in elementary school, but also consider how this video resonates with the recommendations about disciplinary literacies we explored last week.
- Why is drawing on student lives essential to capitalizing on disciplinary literacies? How does this impact their language and literacy development?
- As you think about your discipline more specifically, what will it look like for you to draw on students' funds of knowledge? Try to give a specific example to illustrate your thinking.
Post your response to the appropriate discussion forum on the course Canvas page.