Zoom In and Zoom Out: (Re)Telling Our Cultural Literacy Practices Through Engaged Learning

Authors

• Isela Almaguer, The University of Texas Rio Grande ValleyFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

7-2-2026

Abstract

Empowering bilingual learners to engage in the Zoom In and Zoom Out approach is a way to enrich and validate students' cultural identity and support students' linguistic and academic development while fostering rich writing opportunities for students. Teachers will discover a genuine way that empowers students to explore vocabulary, build comprehension, and acquire a love for writing. This effective multifaceted strategy approaches writing by leveraging students' cultural background and literacy practices. Students will capitalize on their funds of knowledge and use their experiences to further propel their writing efforts. By starting from within, diverse learners make stronger connections with the academic setting. Integrating this culturally sustaining pedagogical approach will enrich diverse learners' cultural and linguistic identities.

Comments

© 2026 The Author(s). This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited

Recommended Citation

Almaguer, I. (2026). Zoom In and Zoom Out:(Re) Telling Our Cultural Literacy Practices Through Engaged Learning. The Reading Teacher, 80(2), e70075. https://doi.org/10.1002/trtr.70075

Publication Title

The Reading Teacher

DOI

10.1002/trtr.70075