Barbara Leuthe

Culture and the Construction of Literary Meaning Among Young Readers: How Three Urban Readers Use Cultural Cues to Understand What They Read Barbara Leuthe

Having lived in a relatively homogeneous cultural environment until my early 20s, I understandably (and quite mistakenly) assumed that everyone saw the world through the same lense. As an elementary teacher transplanted into a diverse urban classroom, I learned that early readers' cultural experiences play a fascinating role in how they create literary meaning. Based on the work of Louise Rosenblatt, this capstone research project helped me identify which cultural factors helped three of my first grade students understand what they read . . . and I hope that my research results will empower other conscientious teachers to support their young students' literary engagement.