Critical Literacy

Critical literacy is the ability not only to read something and understand it, but it is the ability to read something and question its value, find answers, and make connections. If students don't have the language skills necessary for critical literacy, however, it can sometimes be challenging to get on that thinking plane. The beauty of the situation, however, is that there are millions of texts that can be drawn from. Millions of texts that don't necessarily require a college-educated parent teaching you their vocabulary. Please do not get me wrong. I am in no way saying that because we have these texts that we can just forget about teaching students vocabulary and language skills. But what I am saying is that if I can use critical literacy in the classroom myself, then I may be able to close the gap if only a little between the critically literate students and the functionally literate students through the use of multiple texts. Having an understanding of how critical literacy can change the classroom environment is important. In my own classroom, this means really using a variety of texts, perspectives, and opinions. It means working to the point where all of my students can say they really can interpret those various texts. It means honoring these various texts as valid sources of learning. I know that my own critical literacy (constant questioning and researching and discovering and interpreting) will change my classroom, my life, and the lives of my students.