Teaching About Language, Power, and Text: A Review of Classroom Practices That Support Critical Literacy

Abstract

Critical literacy is usually described as a theory with implications for practice, rather than as a distinctive instructional methodology. Critical literacy proponents warn against a too narrowly conceived curricular approach and advocate innovative local solutions. In order to provide exemplars for local adaptation, the author examines 35 articles published between 1999 and 2003 that present lessons or units to support critical literacy at the upper primary or secondary levels. His review organizes the classroom practices into six broad categories based on student activities or tasks: Reading supplementary texts Reading multiple texts Reading from a resistant perspective Producing countertexts Conducting student‐choice research projects Taking social action

Beliefs, Attitudes, and Reflections of EFL Pre-service Teachers when Exploring Critical Literacy Theories to Prepare and Implement Critical Lessons.

“…This reading of the world helps learners to understand how language shapes who we are as part of a larger culture (Shor, 1999). CL also allows learners to resist dominant mainstream ideologies which are marginalizing (Luke & Woods, 2009) and to identify the connection between language and power relationships (Behrman, 2006). Moreover, it provides learners with the knowledge to challenge the status quo and search for new alternatives for their development and the promotion of justice (Shor, 1999).…”

Encouraging Critical Literacy Development through Extensive Reading Activity in an EFL (English as a Foreign Language) Context

“…The term critical literacy appeared in the 1980s, and from that period it has gained much significance in education and has been widely practiced in classrooms across level of education in the western countries [1]. However, critical literacy in English as a Second Language (ESL) and English as a Foreign Language (EFL) educational systems seem to be marginalized [2].…”

“…One objective of this course was to introduce various kinds of literary works to the students,especially to familiarise them with literary works. In this case, students were encouraged to analyse and understand texts not only based on the intrinsic elements but also in a broader sense, for instance "by allowing students recognize how language is affected by and affects social relations" [1].…”

“…From his review, Behrman concluded that "reading multiple texts encourages students to understand authorship as situated activity" [1]. He added that students who are allowed to read multiple texts are able to consider "who constructed the text, when, where, why and the values on which they were based.…”

“…He added that students who are allowed to read multiple texts are able to consider "who constructed the text, when, where, why and the values on which they were based. By experiencing different treatments of the same topic or event, students begin to recognize that text is not "true" in any absolute sense but a rendering as portrayed by an author" [1].Thus, ER can be considered as a repository where students are allowed to make meaning from multiple perspectives based on their level of competence and their topics of interest.…”