6 Ways to use Trauma-Informed Literacy Practices Right Now | Part 1

I've been studying what trauma-informed literacy practices (TILPs- I just made that acronym up) look like in literacy classrooms and in the research literature right now. I'm also investigating how TILPs in education might look in the future. I've observed teachers through social media and direct conversations and am combing the literature, both past and current. What I'm seeing includes: trauma-informed book choices and practices of testimony and witness; journaling; attention to privacy and boundaries; increased and improved racial and cultural inclusion; and a wider definition of what counts as literacy. To clarify, the wider definition of literacy includes both multimodality and what counts as appropriate subjects of reading, writing, and discussion in schools. 

Many of you are already incorporating trauma-informed practices with grace and sensitivity into your literacy instruction. Want to know what I'm seeing out there that aligns TIPs with literacy instruction? Keep reading for the first of two posts briefly outlining what TILPs are happening right now! Also, stay tuned for subsequent posts going deeper into each practice with external references and tools. 

1. Trauma-Informed Book Choices/Testimony & Witness: whether read aloud, independently, in a class book study, or in book clubs, there are a ton of books that can act as mirrors, windows, and sliding glass doors (Sims Bishop, 2007) into both the adversities and the lived realities of others. Latoya Nelson (@raising_resilience) shared with me ways she uses trauma-informed book choices, ones with stories of adversity and strong themes students can relate to, in her classroom. She also shared a list of diverse trauma-informed books. I'll link all of that in an upcoming blog post. For now, I'll sum up the thinking on trauma-informed book choices and the idea of testimony and witness. First, reading and hearing others' stories of adversity can destigmatize trauma. Second, analyzing common themes of the human experience can provide students with tools to manage their own struggles, supporting key tenets of TIPs- empowerment and agency (Elliott, Bjelajac, Fallot, Markoff, & Reed, 2005). Next, sharing in supportive discussions with healthy boundaries related to the realities of life, including teachers' and students' experiences of adversity, can support a safe and connected classroom community and strengthen classroom relationships. Finally, incorporating these stories can help children develop SEL skills. 
2. Defining the Role of the Teacher: When I think of the role of teachers in TIP systems, one name comes to mind: Alex Shevrin Venet (@unconditionallearning & @alexsvenet). Some other folx doing work with defining the role of teachers include Latoya Nelson (@raising_resilience), Arlene Casimir (@the_awakened_teacher), Addison Duane (@msduane), and Dr. Elizabeth Dutro (@lifeasstory). These individuals are all making it more transparent what teachers should actually do in the trauma-informed network. They are defining teachers as educators and fellow humans, equally vulnerable to life's adversities and capable of connecting with children in a healthy way. They share that teachers must be mindful of the balance of discussing difficult topics and keeping students actively learning, avoiding a savior complex, learning to set and manage clear and healthy boundaries, and being familiar with the resources available in the community. 
3. Journaling: A tried and true practice for therapists and counselors to prescribe to their patients, journaling helps trauma-affected youth work through difficult emotions. Teachers are using journal prompts to connect trauma-informed literature to students' lives. A big piece of effective journaling and writing in general within the trauma-informed framework is attention to boundaries, confidentiality, and opening what is allowed. More on that in a future post! 

Conclusion: 
This first of two posts outlines some foundational descriptions of three ways literacy educators are incorporating trauma-informed practices in their classrooms. These include book choice/bibliotherapy, defining the role of the teacher, and the use of journaling. Stay tuned for the second post describing how teachers are attending to boundaries and privacy, the recognition of race-based traumas in traditional literacy education, and expanding what counts (including related to multimodality and what students are allowed to share). 

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