Presentation on Critical Literacy for the 2017 NAGC Conference

2. WHAT IS CRITICAL LITERACY?
• TEACHING STUDENTS TO READ DEEPLY TO IDENTIFY ISSUES OF POWER,
INJUSTICE, PRIVILEGE AND POSITIONING WITHIN TEXT
• FURTHER, TEACHERS ENCOURAGE STUDENTS TO UNDERSTAND THEIR
PREVALENCE AND CHALLENGE THESE SOCIETAL NORMS AS UNJUST

3. THE GUIDED COMPREHENSION DIRECT
INSTRUCTION FRAMEWORK (MCLAUGHLIN &
ALLEN, 2002A)
• EXPLAIN WHAT THE CRITICAL LITERACY STRATEGY IS AND HOW IT WORKS.
• DEMONSTRATE THE STRATEGY, USING A THINK-ALOUD, A READALOUD, AND AN
OVERHEAD PROJECTOR OR CHALKBOARD.
• GUIDE THE STUDENTS TO WORK IN SMALL GROUPS OR WITH PARTNERS TO
CREATE RESPONSES.
• PRACTICE BY HAVING STUDENTS WORK WITH PARTNERS OR INDEPENDENTLY TO
APPLY THE CRITICAL LITERACY STRATEGY.
• REFLECT ON HOW THE STRATEGY HELPS STUDENTS READ FROM A CRITICAL
STANCE.

4. Explain
Demonstrate
Guide
Practice
Reflect
McLaughlin & Allen, 2002

5. PROBLEM FINDING
Power Privilege Injustice
Equity &
Equality

6. PROBLEM POSING
Who is in the
text/picture/situation?
Who is missing?
Whose voices are
represented? Whose
voices are
marginalized or
discounted?
What are the
intentions of the
author? What does
the author want the
reader to think?
What would an
alternative
text/picture/situation
say?
How can the reader
use this information
to promote equity?
McLaughlin & DeVoogd (2004)

7. PROBLEM POSING: THE REST OF THE STORY
• STUDENTS USE PRIOR
KNOWLEDGE TO DETERMINE
WHAT IS MISSING OR
UNDERREPRESENTED IN THE
STORY.
• THEN USE INTERNET OR
OTHER RESOURCES TO FIND
OUT THE REST OF THE STORY.

8. PROBLEM POSING: SWITCHING
• STUDENTS RESPOND TO
QUESTIONS AROUND ONE
OF SEVERAL TOPICS.
• THEN THEY THINK ABOUT
HOW THE STORY WOULD
BE DIFFERENT IF THAT
ELEMENT WERE
CHANGED.
GENDER RACE
SETTING LANGUAGE
THEME EMOTION

9. PROBLEM POSING: SWITCHING
• STUDENTS RESPOND TO
QUESTIONS AROUND ONE
OF SEVERAL TOPICS.
• THEN THEY THINK ABOUT
HOW THE STORY WOULD
BE DIFFERENT IF THAT
ELEMENT WERE
CHANGED.
SETTING SWITCH
TELL THE STORY IN A DIFFERENT TIME PERIOD OR
SOCIAL CLASS
HOW WOULD THE STORY CHANGE?

11. PROBLEM POSING: SWITCHING
• STUDENTS RESPOND TO
QUESTIONS AROUND ONE
OF SEVERAL TOPICS.
• THEN THEY THINK ABOUT
HOW THE STORY WOULD
BE DIFFERENT IF THAT
ELEMENT WERE
CHANGED.
GENDER SWITCH
TELL THE STORY USING A DIFFERENT GENDER FOR
A MAIN CHARACTER
HOW WOULD THE STORY CHANGE?

12. RESOURCES
• JANKS, M. (2013). CRITICAL LITERACY IN TEACHING AND RESEARCH.
EDUCATION INQUIRY, 4(2), 225-242.
• MCLAUGHLIN, M., & ALLEN. (2002).
• MCLAUGHLIN, M., & DEVOOGD, G. L. (2004). CRITICAL LITERACY: ENHANCING
STUDENTS’ COMPREHENSION OF TEXT. NEW YORK, NY: SCHOLASTIC.