Critical Literacy

        

 http://myfuturelibrary.wordpress.com/critical-literacy-initiative/

“Students today experience a constant stream of ideas and information – online, in print, and through electronic games and mass media. As they move into the junior grades, they encounter an ever-widening range of texts. They need skills to determine where to direct their attention and how to interpret messages and use them appropriately.”
(Ontario Ministry of Education, 2004, p. 9)

What are Critical Literacies?

Curriculum Services Canada: Webcasts for Educators

Check out Curriculum Services Canada's full Critical Literacy Web Cast Series for more videos pertaining to Student Engagement, Text Selection, Assessment and Instruction, Language Use and High Yield Strategies.

Key Concepts of Critical Literacy 

- All texts are constructions
- All texts contain belief and value messages
- Each person interprets messages differently
- Texts serve different interests
- Each medium develops its own language in order to position readers/ viewers

For more information on the basics of critical literacy check out the Ontario Ministry Documents - Critical Literacy, Capacity Building Series

http://davezak.com/lip/2011/06/08/beauty-inclusive-practice-and-critical-literacy/

How do I Teach Critical Literacy? 

From Edugains Critical Literacy Guide (Check out the link for even MORE great ideas!)


- Juxtapose texts from similar topics
- Test texts against predictions and assumptions
- Use texts from everyday life (magazines, song lyrics, catalogues, toy manuals) to demonstrate that they are not neutral
- Pose questions and encourage students to pose questions that problamatize texts
- Help students understand that they can act for or against a text

- During think alouds model how to question, disagree with, or challenge an author/text

A Few High Yield Strategies
From the Critical Literacy Webcast Series