Elementary School Leaders’ Perspectives on LGBTQ Inclusive Literacy Instruction K-6: A Quantitative Study
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Authors
Deacon, Andrew D.
Issue Date
2021-04-09
Type
Other
Language
en_US
Keywords
LGBTQ , Educational leadership , Elementary education , Literacy instruction , Inclusivity
Alternative Title
Abstract
Students in American schools who are or are perceived to be lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) represent an historically disenfranchised group. They report experiencing bullying and harassment due to their sexual orientation or gender expression or both. Also, LGBTQ students report not having access to curriculum that is inclusive of LGBTQ representations. Elementary students deserve to read texts in which they see themselves in the books they read (mirrors) and have a glimpse into the lives of people that are unlike them (windows). Elementary school administrators, as the instructional leaders of their buildings, are in a critical position to ensure students have access to literacy instruction that is inclusive of individuals who are LGBTQ. This quantitative study sought to determine if a correlation existed between elementary school administrators’ beliefs and levels of comfort in leading LGBTQ inclusive literacy instruction, their perceptions of the barriers that impede leadership in this area, their actions and behaviors that support change for this group, and their sense of urgency in leading LGBTQ inclusive literacy instruction at the elementary level. Furthermore, the study sought to reveal if there were statistically significant differences between groups based on demographic variables of school leaders and characteristics of their schools and administrators’ beliefs and levels of comfort, perceived barriers, actions and behaviors, and sense of urgency in leading LGBTQ inclusive literacy instruction at the elementary level.