Critical Literacy for Socio-emotional Learning

Social-emotional learning plays a crucial role in children's mental health, fostering emotional regulation, empathy, and responsible decision-making. This book provides a comprehensive guide for teachers to integrate critical literacy with social-emotional learning, encouraging them to write customized children's books that address their students' socio-emotional needs. Through an in-depth exploration of literacy frameworks, classroom strategies, and teacher empowerment, this book equips teachers with the tools to create meaningful literature that supports both learning and emotional well-being.

In this timely text, Dr. Guha creates a unique and potentially powerful method, steeped in research-based practices, for centering children and their families in engaging literacy activities. She has designed a step-by-step guide to help teachers learn how to create appealing and personalized children’s literature that centers on their students’ lives in and out of school. This contribution to the field of education provides ways for educators to build children’s literacy skills while attending to their social and emotional needs.

—Mary Beth Schaefer Associate Professor, Adolescent Education Department of Curriculum & Instruction St. John’s University, School of Education

This is an excellent recourse for educators who are looking for new pedagogical methods that can resonate deeply and build strong relationships with the students they serve and their families.

—Gloria E. Miller Emeritus Professor University of Denver

Smita Guha is a Professor and Chairperson of the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at St. John’s University in the School of Education. She received her Ph.D. from the State University of New York at Buffalo. Her research is preparing teachers for childhood and early childhood education. She has numerous publications and presentations.