Handbook of Literacy in Diglossia and in Dialectal Contexts

This comprehensive academic collection tackles the complex relationship between diglossia—where two language varieties coexist with distinct social functions—and literacy development across global contexts. The research spans diverse linguistic landscapes from the United States to South Africa, examining how dialectal variations impact reading acquisition, language processing, and educational outcomes. These pioneering studies provide crucial insights into the cognitive and pedagogical challenges facing speakers of non-standard dialects in formal education systems.

What distinguishes this volume is its groundbreaking focus on bridging theoretical linguistics with practical educational applications, offering evidence-based approaches for literacy instruction in multilingual and multidialectal environments. Researchers and graduate students in linguistics and education will find the cross-cultural comparisons particularly valuable, while language policymakers gain access to empirical data supporting more inclusive literacy frameworks. The collection ultimately advances our understanding of how linguistic diversity shapes—and should shape—literacy education worldwide.