Natasha Thornton

I am an assistant professor of literacy education at Kennesaw State University, right outside of Atlanta, Georgia. My teaching and research interests include culturally relevant literacy instruction, teacher development, and social justice education. Supporting pre- and in-service teachers with teaching students of color in culturally relevant ways is at the core of my work. I currently serve as the professional liaison for diversity for the college of education. In addition, I have authored and co-authored a number of articles and book chapters focused on issues of equity and diversity in education.

Publications include:

Wynter-Hoyte, K., Braden, E.G., Rodriguez, S., & Thornton, N.A. (2017). Disrupting the status quo: exploring culturally relevant and sustaining pedagogies for young diverse learners. Race Ethnicity and Education.

Thornton, N.A. (2017). Culturally Relevant Teaching: The Impact of Beliefs on Practices. Culturally Relevant Teaching: Preparing Teachers to Include All Learners, Palgrave.

Thornton, N.A. (2017). Culturally Relevant Literacy Instruction: Promoting Shifts in Teachers’ Beliefs and Practices. In C. Martin & D. Polly (Eds.), Handbook of Research on Teacher Education and Professional Development, (pp.310-338), PA; IGI Global.

Allen, E., Rodriguez, S., Thornton, N.A., & Wynter-Hoyte, K. (2017). Disrupting the status quo: Exploring teaching, and learning for culturally and linguistically diverse students. Race Ethnicity and Education.

Silveri, S., Allen, E., Baines, J., Flores-Mays, C., Rodriguez, S.C., Thornton, N.A., & Wynter-Hoyte, K. (2016). Problematic proclivities. English Journal, 105(6), 14-17.

Flint, A., Allen, E., Nason, M., Rodriguez, S., Thornton, N.A., & Wynter-Hoyte, K. (2015). It happened to me: Third graders writing toward critical perspectives. Journal of Language and Literacy in Education, 11(2), 23-43.

Angay, T., Dukes, N., Thornton, N.A., & Wynter-Hoyte, K. (2014). AUA: Cultivating Leaders and Scholars. Reading Online.

Flint, A., Allen, E., Campbell, T., Fraser, A., Hilaski, D., James, L., Rodriguez, S., & Thornton, N.A. (2013). More than graphs and scripted programs: Teachers navigating the educational policy terrain. In P.L. Thomas (Ed.) Becoming and being a teacher: Confronting traditional norms to create new democratic realities, (pp.175-188), New York, NY: Peter Lang.

Thornton, N.A. (2012). The 411 on comic books and graphic novels. Language Arts, 89(6), 366.

Flint, A., Anderson, N., Allen, E., Campbell, T., Fraser, A., Hilaski, D., James, L., Rodriguez, S., & Thornton, N.A. (2011). When policies collide with conviction. Language Arts Journal of Michigan, 26(2), 13-17.