Negotiating Critical Negotiating Critical Literacies with Young Literacies with Young

ChildrenChildren

Vivian Maria VasquezVivian Maria Vasquez

Critical LiteracyCritical Literacy Critical literacy arises from the social and Critical literacy arises from the social and

political conditions that unfold in political conditions that unfold in communities in which we live.communities in which we live.

Sometimes referred to as emancipatory, Sometimes referred to as emancipatory, powerful, proper, or transformative literacy, powerful, proper, or transformative literacy, critical literacy examines the connection critical literacy examines the connection between literacy and power. It seeks to between literacy and power. It seeks to empower, liberate, and transform. It empower, liberate, and transform. It examines not only the written word to examines not only the written word to develop an understanding of how develop an understanding of how knowledge is produced and reproduced it knowledge is produced and reproduced it also examines the world. also examines the world.

Critical LiteracyCritical Literacy

Just as Hirsch argued that language Just as Hirsch argued that language cannot be disentangled from the cannot be disentangled from the cultural knowledge and cultural knowledge and understandings that gives language understandings that gives language meaning, it can be argued that critical meaning, it can be argued that critical literacy cannot be disentangled from literacy cannot be disentangled from the cultural, social, political, the cultural, social, political, ideological and economic constructs ideological and economic constructs of the society which gives it meaning. of the society which gives it meaning.

Critical LiteracyCritical Literacy

As such, it cannot be traditionally As such, it cannot be traditionally taught.taught.

As teachers we need to incorporate a As teachers we need to incorporate a critical perspective into our everyday critical perspective into our everyday lives in order to find ways to help lives in order to find ways to help children understand the social and children understand the social and political issues around them.political issues around them.

Critical LiteracyCritical Literacy

It is important to note that critical literacy It is important to note that critical literacy does not necessarily involve taking a negative does not necessarily involve taking a negative stance. Instead it is the ability to analyze and stance. Instead it is the ability to analyze and question issues of social justice and equity. question issues of social justice and equity. Furthermore, it means looking at such issues Furthermore, it means looking at such issues or topics in different ways and from different or topics in different ways and from different perspectives.perspectives.

In Vasquez’s experience rather than being In Vasquez’s experience rather than being overly serious, conversations were enjoyable overly serious, conversations were enjoyable because the topics discussed were socially because the topics discussed were socially relevant to her and her students.relevant to her and her students.

Negotiating the CurriculumNegotiating the Curriculum

In creating her curriculum Vasquez In creating her curriculum Vasquez was careful to follow all curriculum was careful to follow all curriculum and standard requirements.and standard requirements.

Spaces were found in the curriculum Spaces were found in the curriculum where social justice issues were where social justice issues were raised and a critical curriculum could raised and a critical curriculum could be negotiated with children.be negotiated with children.

Negotiating the CurriculumNegotiating the Curriculum

Similar to Shor’s notion of a “third idiom” a Similar to Shor’s notion of a “third idiom” a negotiated curriculum can be reached negotiated curriculum can be reached through discussions between the students through discussions between the students and the teacher. and the teacher.

Social issues from the lives and concerns Social issues from the lives and concerns of the students are used to construct and of the students are used to construct and sustain a critical curriculum.sustain a critical curriculum.

Learning is viewed as a process of Learning is viewed as a process of adjustment and restructuring what is adjustment and restructuring what is known.known.

When finding spaces in the When finding spaces in the curriculum Vasquez explains:curriculum Vasquez explains:

““We did not integrate the issues We did not integrate the issues raised into a curriculum; that is, we raised into a curriculum; that is, we did not add critical literacy as a did not add critical literacy as a extracurrcular item. Nor did we treat extracurrcular item. Nor did we treat sical issues as unoffical classroom sical issues as unoffical classroom agenda. Instead, the issues became agenda. Instead, the issues became central to our curriculum; they central to our curriculum; they became the stuff that our curriculum became the stuff that our curriculum was made of.”was made of.”

A critical literacy curriculumA critical literacy curriculum

Vasquez received support from within Vasquez received support from within her school and from her parents.her school and from her parents.– Some parents requested students be Some parents requested students be

placed in her classroom.placed in her classroom.– Open house held prior to first day of school Open house held prior to first day of school

to explain the critical literacy curriculum.to explain the critical literacy curriculum.– Regular contact maintained with the Regular contact maintained with the

parents.parents.– Three open dialogue evenings for parents Three open dialogue evenings for parents

to discuss questions, issues and comments to discuss questions, issues and comments they had.they had.

Common elements of a daily Common elements of a daily scheduleschedule

Class meetingClass meeting– Sign-inSign-in– Setting a meeting agendaSetting a meeting agenda

Posting two day plansPosting two day plans ReflectionsReflections Read aloudRead aloud Work areasWork areas Whole group wrap-upWhole group wrap-up

Similarities with the Similarities with the workshopworkshop

Daily update/class meetingDaily update/class meeting Group read aloudGroup read aloud Students work independently on self Students work independently on self

chosen topicschosen topics Group share at the end of the day.Group share at the end of the day.