Envisioning queer curricula: A systematic review of LGBTIQ + topics in teacher practitioner literature

Abstract

Given the current political and social climate, teaching children about sexual orientation and gender identity is more important than ever. The present literature review seeks to address the following questions: How are LGBTIQ + topics addressed in practitioner literature and in what content areas are these topics most prevalent? How prevalent are LGBTIQ + topics in practitioner literature before 2015, prior to the publication of Miller’s Queer Literacy Framework (QLF)? How prevalent are these topics after QLF’s publication in 2015? The search for LGBTIQ + topics in the journals led to a total of 74 articles which were then coded by three independent researchers. To explore the prevalence of LGBTIQ + topics in articles published in journals most accessible to PreK-12 classroom teachers, the 13 top practitioner journals across all major content areas (i.e., English/Language Arts, social studies, mathematics, and science) and grade levels were selected. These results produce two salient conclusions. First, LGBTIQ + themes are present in articles published over the years. Second, individuals included under the LGBTIQ + umbrella are silenced. There is evidence of the use of the QLF before and after 2015, indicating that LGBTIQ + topics were addressed. Implications for teacher education and suggestions for future research are included.