What is ELA? Why do we teach? How does colonialism, white supremacy culture, and power affect our responses to these questions? This book addresses these questions by exploring the “why” of English teaching with a critical focus, and asking, “How might we imagine ourselves beyond constructions of ELA undergirded by oppression?”

Unlike common texts that cover a broad array of topics from neutral and prescriptive stances, this book builds on critical literacy scholars, taking a questioning stance to the process of ELA teaching. As a result, this is a resource that attends to the practicality of teaching for equity, joy, and authentic learning by highlighting the questions that we continuously ask ourselves and our students as we plan for engaging and effective instruction. By emphasizing the multiple pieces of the teaching process rather than a perceived ideal product, we invite educators to teach with a mindset of creativity, imagination, and criticality.

Designed to be a comprehensive and engaging resource for in-service ELA teachers, this book includes instructional strategies, reflective questions, sample activities, lesson plan ideas, classroom case studies, and multimodal resources, while seamlessly blending theoretical concepts with these practical applications. It provides a solid foundation of educational theory while offering concrete strategies and examples that teachers can implement in their classrooms.

S. R. Toliver is an Associate Professor of Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. In her research, Toliver employs creativity and imagination as tools to confront systemic inequities and promote more equitable education environments.

Heidi Lyn Hadley is an Associate Professor of Curriculum and Teaching at Auburn University and currently teaches ninth grade reading in Alabama. Her research interests include teacher education and identity, the intersection of religious identity and pedagogical practice, and adolescent literacy.