Alma Stevenson

Professor of Literacy | Georgia Southern University

Statesboro, GA, UNITED STATES

Alma Stevenson teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in critical literacy, strategies, assessment and literacy in the content areas.

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Biography

Alma Stevenson, Ph.D., is a professor of literacy in the College of Education. She teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in critical and socio-culturally responsive literacy pedagogy, literacy approaches, strategies, assessment, and literacy in the content areas.

In her research, she explores sociocultural perspectives on literacy, literacy in science, the role of language and literacy in culture, identity, and academic achievement.

Alma is particularly interested in the role of home languages and cultures as sources of affective support and positive identity formation in historically underserved minorities. Her research seeks to construct empowering curricula and literacy pedagogies that advocate for educational equity.

Areas of Expertise (3)

Language and Literacy Development

Diverse Learners and Educational Equity

Science Education

Accomplishments (3)

2017 Inspiring Leaders in STEM Award (professional)

Insight into Diversity magazine

Jack Miller Educator of the Year Award - 2019 (professional)

Georgia Southern University

Recipient of the 2015 Jack Miller Award for Scholarship and Creative Activity (professional)

Georgia Southern University, College of Education

Education (4)

Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey: BA, Mass Communication

University of Texas at El Paso: Alternative Teacher Certification, Bilingual Generalist: Early Childhood through Grade 4 2003

University of Texas at El Paso: MA, Education/Instructional Specialist 2005

Bilingual Education

New Mexico State University: PhD, Curriculum and Instruction, Literacy, Language, and Culture 2011

Dissertation: How Latino/a Bilingual Students use their Language in a Fifth Grade Classroom and in the Science Laboratory during Science Instruction

Affiliations (6)

American Educational Research Association (AERA)
International Reading Association (IRA)
National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE)
International Studies SIG
Research in Reading and Literacy SIG
Latina/o/x (formerly Hispanic) Research Issues SIG

Links (2)

Languages (2)

English
Spanish

Articles (3)

Latinas’ heritage language as a source of resiliency: impact on academic achievement in STEM fields

Cultural Studies of Science Education

This article highlights how the preservation of heritage languages is essential in the construction of three Georgia Latina participants’ cultural identities and the creation of support networks that allow them to develop resiliency and achieve academically. We conceptualize resiliency as a strategy developed by the Latina participants using contextually mitigating factors during their STEM education.

Recognizing the Academic Talents of Young Black Males: A counter-story

The International Journal of Critical Pedagogy

Majoritarian stories perpetuate deficit perspectives about people of color that support racism and educational inequity (Solorzano & Yosso, 2002). Using theory and methods of critical race counter-storytelling (Baszile, 2015; Solorzano & Yosso, 2002), this article challenges majoritarian educational stories about Black male learners by highlighting examples of Black male academic talent demonstrated during a four-week summer literacy program focusing on culturally relevant curriculum for Black youth.

Teaching Contentious Books Regarding Immigration: The Case of Pancho Rabbit

The Reading Teacher

This department highlights language learning for bi/multilingual students worldwide, from our earliest learners to early adolescent writers. It also highlights exemplary teachers and ways that they include research‐based instruction to develop bi/multilingual learners.