Representing Realities: Children as Speakers, Readers and Writers of Englishes

This essay investigates the classroom talk and reflections of a Year 5 lesson on reading writing beyond Standard English. Its title refers to ‘Reflecting Realities’, CLPE survey ethnic diversity in UK children’s books. In changing ‘reflecting’ ‘representing’ I seek move concern with sourcing representative texts work them, stimulating this through bringing non-standard English into metalinguistic analysis diverse Englishes, transcription parent/carer voice storytelling. explore how creative can be extended informed by process.In generated shared learning about language identity. becoming ‘reader-researchers’ class also learnt technical elements voice, school-home engagement, broadened choices as readers writers, moved towards parity between Englishes they know encounter – thus people who use them.