This document provides an overview of a lesson plan on critical literacy and multiliteracies. It includes activities such as creating an acrostic poem for "multiliteracies", discussions on the definitions and importance of critical literacy, and assigning related readings and videos. The goal is to teach students how to analyze texts and media from different perspectives in order to understand power relationships and promote social justice.

1. a pedagogy of multiliteracies
critical literacy
week 6

2. Review
Create an acrostic poem for
MULTILITERACIES using different
modes
1
2
Milling to music
What is critical literacy?
How do teachers promote critical literacy
across the curriculum?
How does critical literacy promote safe
schools?
3
Fishbowl discussion
What is your experience
as a student and a
teacher with critical
literacy?
Strategies
Reading: http://
www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/
literacynumeracy/inspire/
research/
WW_PromotingCriticalLitera
cy.pdf
4
5
Life map
https://
www.youtube.com/
watch?v=qRJ1hgN7uAU

3. – Ontario Ministry of Education, 2004, p. 9
“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.”
D Why teach critical literacy?

4. A pedagogy of multiliteracies “focuses on modes of
representation much broader than language alone.
These differ according to cultural and context and
have specific cognitive, cultural, and social
effects” (Cope & Kalantzis, 2000c, p. 5).
Review1

5. www.saltychip.com
Review1

6. http://www.newlearningonline.com/
Review1

7. –Temple, 2005/06, p. 3
“We are constantly assaulted by language that is
not just unclear, but often deliberately deceptive
and manipulative. Students need tools for
unmasking the true purposes of language within a
particular context so they can both understand its
true meaning and, as necessary, free themselves
from its pernicious effects.”
2 Milling to music

8. –Vasquez, 2004, p.30
“Critical literacy does not necessarily involve taking
a negative stance; rather, it means looking at an
issue or topic in different ways, analyzing it, and
hopefully being able to suggest possibilities for
change and improvement.”
2 Milling to music

9. –Comber, 2001, p. 173
“Critical literacies involve people using language to
exercise power, to enhance everyday life … and to
question practices of privilege and injustice. This
sounds grand, but often, perhaps usually, it may be
in the more mundane and ordinary aspects of daily
life that critical literacies are negotiated.”
2 Milling to music

10. 1. All texts are constructions. What is written is the
product of many decisions and determining factors.
Much of our view of reality is based on messages
that have been constructed in this way, with the
author’s attitudes, interpretations and conclusions
already built into the text.
3 Fishbowl discussion

11. 2. All texts contain belief and value messages.
Whether oral, print or visual media, texts contain
messages which reflect the biases and opinions of
their authors/creators; whether intentionally
manipulative or not, this means that no text can be
neutral or value free
3 Fishbowl discussion

12. 3. Each person interprets messages differently.
Demographic factors such as age, culture, gender
and socio-economic status as well as prior
experience and knowledge play a role in how we
interpret a message.
3 Fishbowl discussion

13. 4. Texts serve different interests. Most media
messages are created for profit or to persuade, but
all texts are produced intentionally for a purpose.
These interests can be commercial, ideological or
political.
3 Fishbowl discussion

14. 5. Each medium develops its own “language” in
order to position readers/viewers in certain ways.
Whether TV program, website or novel, each
medium creates meaning differently and each has
distinctive techniques, conventions and aesthetics.
3 Fishbowl discussion

16. Acrostic Poem
Get ready to presentA
Milling to Music
Critical literacy is…
goes beyond
simply decoding
and understanding
texts
B can be thought of as a
way of thinking that
challenges the inherent
meaning of information
and, by extension, life
situations
leads to understanding
of power relationships
that may help students
to perceive and take
action against injustice
C Fishbowl Discussion
By teaching students to
understand and embrace
diverse viewpoints and to
consider underlying
messages, critical literacy may
help foster safe and caring
learning environments
Critical literacy is an
effective vehicle for
teaching students
how to analyze social
issues and unequal
power relationships.
Critical literacy skills can
help students identify,
reflect on and analyze
underlying power
relationships which are
seldom apparent and are
rarely explored in texts or
in the media.D
Readings
Video Infographic Life map

17. Willow Way Britannia Hazel McCallion Dolphin Streetsville
Mississauga University
of Toronto
Lakehead UniversityUniversity
of Trois
Rivieres
Western
University
Annie’s Life Map

18. Portfolio
Online
resource
Micro-
teaching