A book co-authored by Carmen Martinez-Roldán, Associate Professor of Bilingual/Bicultural Education in TC’s Department of Arts & Humanities, has been awarded the Edward B. Fry Book Award by the Literacy Research Association.

Visual Journeys Through Worldless Narratives: An International Inquiry with Immigrant Children and The Arrival, explores the knowledge young immigrant students bring to their new classrooms.

The award is given each year to new works demonstrating “outstanding contributions to literacy research and practice.” Specific criteria note that the work must  advance knowledge about literacy, display inquiry into literacy and show responsible intellectual risk taking

The book, which Martinez-Roldán co-authored with Evelyn Arizpe from the University of Glasgow and Teresa Colomer from the Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, grew out of a project exploring the responses of very young immigrants to a wordless picture book, The Arrival, by author/illustrator Shaun Tan, in which a man arrives from afar in a new country.

The children spoke to the researchers of the dislocations resulting from their own parents’ search for jobs; of having to flee persecution and violence; and of the hardship of arriving and living in a new country. They also demon­strated their resilience in the face of harsh stereotyping, frequently describing immigrants as proud and dignified workers.

Martínez-Roldán and her co-authors recognize that language and cultural literacy “are crucial for inclusion in a new country.” Ultimately, however, they argue that these skills must be developed “in spaces where these children feel safe to explore themes that resonate with their experiences; to ex-press their understanding; and to engage in intercultural exchange.”

Published Tuesday, Jan 19, 2016