Initial Thoughts on Critical Literacy

Critical Literacy has certainly developed since the days when I attended primary school, over a decade ago. Gone are the days of reading books aloud, and then asking to draw a picture that represented something that you learned in the book, or a character that you particulary enjoyed. One of the publications that really addresses this issue of developing critical literacy in our schools is "Getting Beyond I Like the Book" by Vivian Vasquez, my professor this Fall semester.

Critical Literacy is the process of reading a text, comprehending it, and then thinking about how the text could have been written differently, possibly to include a more multicultural, or more equitable way (as Professor Vasquez puts it). In order to do so, a teacher must be prepared to take the step from simply comprehending the book, to engaging their students in tough conversations which create space for learning and understanding of critical issues.

One scenario that is fitting to understand critical literacy is the dialogue between two students in Professor Vasquez's class who are struggling over trying to get a book which includes information about the Phillapeans, or the Phillipeano culture, in order to be able to better understand a student in their class. After searching the library, the two students realize that there are no resources to help them, and begin to ponder whether this was an isolated case, or whether the library failed to provide a diverse range of books with characters which are representative of the schools diverse student body. Through this discussion, the class was able to write letters, and space was created to have a meaningful discussion around different cultures, and the importance of including those cultures in their library, as well as everydayl life.

A question that immediately comes to mind when reading this portion of the book, is how, as an educator, can I prepare my students and my class to have these meaningful discussions. I can imagine that some years, classes simply won't be mature enough, or not interested in learning about these important topics. As an educator, how can I make these topics interesting, if the students don't engage in the questions period as they did in the example given.

In closing, I thinkt that exploring literature and leaving space for critical literacy, and discussions around certain topics is just as important as learning about the building blocks of our education, that some argue are math and reading. In order to fully comprehend and be prepared for the world that we live in, students must be prepared to encounter people who are different than themselves, and if they are not fortunate enough to work alongside, or go to school with someone who is different than themselves, they should have the knowledge and courage to speak up and ask why. This is something that we can begin to prepare students for through critical literacy and social justice.