Honoring Cultures Through Literacy: ETAMU Hosts First Culturally Relevant Literacy Seminar

East Texas A&M at Dallas buzzed with educators and professionals on October 26 as they gathered for the first Culturally Relevant Literature Seminar. Coordinated between the National Writing Project of Northeast Texas, Dr. Kamshia Childs and doctoral student Sophia Brown in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction, the event focused on honoring cultures through literacy.

Attendees at the Culturally Relevant Literacy Seminar pose for a group photo while holding up the Lucky Lion hand gesture involving the right-hand thumb and first two fingers.
Photo courtesy of Dr. Kamshia Childs | East Texas A&M University Department of Curriculum and Instruction.

Participants gained valuable insights and strategies for incorporating cultural perspectives into literacy instruction. The event aimed to empower attendees to adapt their teaching practices to reflect their students’ varied backgrounds. It also offered networking and professional development opportunities, with participants earning continuing education credits.

The seminar featured four engaging seminars. Brown started the day with a session on applying culturally relevant literacy theory to real classroom practices. Next, Dr. Tami Morton discussed assessing the cultural authenticity of popular children's books. In the third session, Childs introduced her R.E.S.P.E.C.T. framework for integrating cultural relevance into writing instruction. Doctoral student and Dallas ISD principal Sandra Hernandez closed the day with a session exploring how school leaders can support and implement culturally responsive teaching practices.

The event included food, door prizes and professional development certificates, marking a successful start to an impactful series for educators seeking to connect literacy and culture in meaningful ways.