Teaching About Language, Power, and Text: A Review of Classroom Practices That Support Critical Literacy

Critical literacy is usually described as a theory with implications for practice, rather than as a distinctive instructional methodology. Critical literacy proponents warn against a too narrowly conceived curricular approach and advocate innovative local solutions. In order to provide exemplars for local adaptation, the author examines 35 articles published between 1999 and 2003 that present lessons or units to support critical literacy at the upper primary or secondary levels. His review organizes the classroom practices into six broad categories based on student activities or tasks: 1 Reading supplementary texts 2 Reading multiple texts 3 Reading from a resistant perspective 4 Producing countertexts 5 Conducting student-choice research projects 6 Taking social action