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New Trent Professor Wins Canadian Association for Curriculum Studies Ph.D. Thesis Award for 2006

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Luigi Iannacci's Dissertation on How Children Who Learn English as a Second Language are Othered Ranks No.1 in Canada

Thursday, May 18, 2006, Peterborough

The Canadian Association for Curriculum Studies (CACS) has awarded Trent School of Education Professor Luigi (Lu) Iannacci with its 2006 Dissertation Award for the best Doctoral thesis in curriculum studies.

This award, sponsored annually by the CACS, is intended for students who defended dissertations at a Canadian University in the previous calendar year. The award acknowledges Professor Iannacci's Ph.D. dissertation, entitled "Othered Among Others: A Critical Narrative of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CLD) Children's Literacy and Identity in Early Childhood Education (ECE)", to be the finest in Canada in Curriculum Studies. Professor Iannacci defended his thesis last summer prior to accepting a tenure position with Trent's School of Education and Professional Learning.

"There are very few national awards for Ph.D. dissertations, so it is quite a coup for Lu to have won one of them," said Deborah Berrill, Director of the School of Education and Professional Learning. "Lu's research is particularly rich and deep in the narratives of children and families. We feel extraordinarily lucky to have him on our faculty at Trent for his work is changing both educational theory and classroom practice."

Professor Iannacci's cutting edge dissertation discusses how children who are learning English as an additional language (children who are, in other words, culturally and linguistically diverse) are pathologized and marginalized by the school system. According to his thesis, this marginalization is an issue of deep social injustice perpetuated by hegemonic discourses.

"I am honoured and overwhelmed. The dissertation was a labour of love and having CACS recognize the work is extremely gratifying," said Professor Iannacci. "I was privileged to have been able to learn a great deal from the children, families and educators who participated in the study. They will continue to inform my teaching, research and service at Trent."

Professor Iannacci's dissertation, along with the other finalists, was judged by a panel of CACS members who are also experienced researchers in curriculum studies at various Canadian universities. Submissions were judged on their overall quality, substance, distinctiveness, and significance.

As the winner of the CACS award, Professor Iannacci will be presented with a plaque at the CACS Celebration at the Canadian Society for Studies in Education Congress at York University in Toronto on Sunday, May 28, 2006. In addition, a $500 stipend to attend the celebration is given to the recipient of the award.

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For more information, please contact:
Lu Iannacci, School of Education and Professional Learning, (705) 748-1011 x7508
or
Deborah Berrill, Director, School of Education and Professional Learning, (705) 748-1011 x7376

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Last Updated May 19, 2006