Critical+Literacies+Adrienne

"Critical literacy is not something to be added to the literacy program, but a lens for learning that is an integral part of classroom practice." - **//The Literacy & Numeracy Secretariat//**

"Critical literacy starts from the premise that language is always used in some context that includes power relationships." - //**Charles Temple**//

﻿ __**Critical Literacy Defined **__ Critical literacy is a form of literacy that involves deconstructing biases and understanding the purpose behind text. It requires the reader to look at issues presented within a text from a variety of stances and to not take everything at face value. There are five key concepts behind critical literacy, which can also be applied to media literacy:  1. All texts are constructions, meaning what is written is the product of may decisions and determining factors. 2. All texts contain belief and value messages... nobody is completely neutral or free of values. 3. Each person interprets messages differently based on their age, gender, experiences, culture, socio-economic status, etc. 4. Texts serve different interests (e.g. commercial, political, ideological) 5. Each medium develops its own "language" in order to position readers/viewers in certain ways (i.e. each medium creates meaning differently (e.g. books vs. websites)) **//(The Literacy & Numeracy Secretariat, 2009) //**   In order for a teacher to help their students develop critical literacy skills an environment must be created where students feel safe, mutually respected, are able to express their opinions, participate fully, consider alternative views, and are encouraged to question and dig deep for meaning. Once a student has developed their opinion on a given text they should be able to back up their views with credible evidence, and should be capable of disagreeing agreeably with those who may not share their interpretation. Probably one of the most important components of critical literacy is giving students the tools they will need to act on their feelings/views in an appropriate and meaningful way. __**The Four Resources Model **__ This model, developed by Peter Freebody & Allan Luke, is used to guide activities for children of all ages. It helps structure work to ensure students are critically analyzing the text they are examining. <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 70%;">(image from []) <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">**1. Code Breaking:** This is the most basic function of literacy. Essentially, can you read and understand the text.

<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">**2. Meaning Maker:** Involves a student being a "text participant" (i.e. don't read passively). They use their prior knowledge and experiences to interpret what the author is saying.

<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">**3. Text Usage:** This step teaches students to ask, "What do I do with this text? What will other people do with it? How could it have been written/produced differently? Would this have altered the text's meaning?"

<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">**4. Text Analysis:** This step teaches that no text is neutral and that there is always a bias present, no matter how subtle. Questions for students to consider include: "What is this text trying to convince me of and why? Whose interests does it serve?" <span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">**//<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">(The Literacy & Numeracy Secretariat, 2009) //** <span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"> __**<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 130%;">Three Implementations **__
 * <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">1. Book of the Month Book Talk Blog **

<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">Each month a book will be selected by the TL for analysis and review. The book could be related to the month's theme (e.g. The Book of Negroes in February for Black History Month, Obasan in May for Asian Heritage Month), but certainly does not have to be. The selected work would be highlighted on the library's home page and questions/responses would be posted on line to encourage critical dialogue.


 * <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">2."Breaking News" Bulletin Board **

<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">This bulletin board (located hopefully at the front of the library) would highlight a major news headline from the week. Collected on the board would be articles from a variety of newspapers and magazines, each of which would possess a different political affiliation. Students would be given the opportunity to see how differently a story can be interpreted depending on the bias of the publication it is presented in. This concept could be further developed into an assignment for a media studies course, or the media unit within an English class.


 * <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">3. Documentary Lunches **

<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">This is something that has already been implemented at my school. Based on themes present within selected courses, or major projects that are underway within a given grade we show a variety of documentaries to enhance the students' understanding of the subject of focus. The documentaries are purposely selected based on the biases present within them. We want students to get used to using this form of media in research and since there isn't enough class time in the world to showcase these documentaries, the library has stepped up to not only help enhance the in-class experience but also engage the students in critical literacy skill development.

__**<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 130%;">Useful Resources **__

<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">1. The Literacy & Numeracy Secretariat, Capacity Building Series. August 2009. []

<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">2. "Critical Thinking and Critical Literacy". Temple, Charles. Critical Thinking International Inc. 2005.[| http://www.criticalthinkinginternational.org/archives/2005/06/critical_thinki.html]

<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">3. "Critical Literacy Webcast". Curriculum Services Canada, November 29, 2007. []

<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">4. "Reading the World Wide Web: Critical Literacy for the New Century". Horning, Alice. //The Reading Matrix//, Vol. 2 No. 2 June 2002. []
 * //<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 80%;">(Note: I did not cite this source directly on my page, however I did read the article. It's scholarly in nature and focuses on the linguistics of critical literacy. It's a fascinating piece and, although a little complex, very relevant) //**