Could the promotion of literacy through literature be the answer to Black Caribbean male pupils’ underachievement?

 Studying literature is believed to promote literacy development because it allows access to the wider curriculum, improves self-esteem, and influences future earning potential. Although aspects of the literature texts studied at KS4 are considered timeless and universal, one suggested barrier between Black Caribbean male pupils engaging positively with literature is the notion that the characters are predominantly White male, and White writers are ‘prioritised, elevated and celebrated’ (Eliott et al. 2021, p3). Through the lens of Critical Race Theory and narrative inquiry, my research will explore the participants’ masculine and raced experiences with the KS4 literature texts and the ways in which these experiences might influence literacy practices.