A Pedagogy of Powerful Communication calls for a revisioning of second language and literacy teaching, arguing for a move away from skills-based ESL instruction where communication is treated as a set of pedagogical techniques, toward a pedagogy of powerful communication that views communication as necessary for effective participation in school, relationships, local/global communities, and democratic society. This pedagogy promotes critical multiliteracies and language development through youth engagement in the practices of media and artistic communities in and out of school, online, and on the airwaves. The argument for a pedagogy of powerful communication draws on evidence from current research; recommended curriculum and pedagogies are described in detail; and case studies provide an in-depth look at processes of meaning making, identity work, knowledge and skill acquisition, and the key role that community mentors play in mediating youths' thinking, emotion, and creative productions. This book will be highly useful for teachers and professors of literacy and language education, as well as researchers and theorists in the areas of youth media and arts, community-school-university collaborations, youth development, and research methodologies for studying individual and collective change in the context of educational innovation.
"This powerful interactional ethnography grapples with the pedagogy and politics of radio arts, in ways that both complicate and extend contemporary communication debates about education and democracy. By reframing how we understand the relationship of language, literacy, and citizenship in the lives of youth, an emancipatory pedagogy of the airwaves emerges, which genuinely ensures a place for their voice and participation in the politics of urban life. The book is a beautiful tribute to the relevance of a critical multilingual praxis, where the language of immigrant youth and the authority of their production commingle to embody deeply meaningful ways of knowing and being in the world." (Antonia Darder, Leavey Endowed Chair of Ethics and Moral Leadership, Loyola Marymount University)