Four - Many paths…
The idea of many paths lead to the one place has been used in many disciplines for donkeys years. And so it is with critical literacies. If our goal is to pave ways to a critical conscientisation about language, texts, power, action and interaction, moving towards greater social justice outcomes, then there is more than one way to achieve this.
Lee (2011) reminds us that “critical literacy is not an instructional strategy but a philosophical belief embodied in literacy education” (p. 100) so it is not that helpful to slavishly follow one model or another but to organically weave an approach that suits you and your learners in context.
The literature provides us with a range of generative models of critical literacy which I discuss further in my book. I summarise six influential models and what they focus on and then briefly discuss what they share in common. I thoroughly recommend you dip into each of them in more detail (see my book chapter 3 and the references below) and think about how your own teaching approach/ practice might reflect one or more of them.
“Features and affordances of the six models for critical literacy work with English language learners
In summary, the six models overviewed above offer teachers and English learners many possibilities in terms of what critical literacy is and how to incorporate a critical literacy focus in literacy lessons. These include:
An expansive view of literacy to incorporate, and indeed naturalise, critique;
The inclusion of a view of text as social practice: Texts are constructed, partial, malleable and open to deconstruction;
Encouragement to take an active stance towards the critique of our own and others’ frames;
Focus on the individual’s lived experience and funds of knowledge (including their own critical engagement with outside texts) brought to the literacy classroom;
An orientation towards social justice/social action on the basis of under- standing how language works in relation to power;
The importance of being a reflexive user and learner of language;
The presence of emotion or affect as a key hinge for critical engagement and responding.
Of the six models, three provide a specific focus on teaching language: Freebody and Luke, Janks, and Lau all argue for a central focus on linguistic and multimodal textual design which is essential for English language learners. Providing thorough access to and critique of the mechanisms by which texts are formed, and by which they can be re-formed, empowers language learners. They need explicit knowledge about linguistic and visual grammar, vocabulary, and genres in order to understand the power of language and to accomplish their own designs” (Alford, 2021, p. 106-107).
Enjoy exploring your own practice; how it resonates with these approaches and what you’d like to pursue next.
Anwaruddin, S. M. (2015) Why critical literacy should turn to ‘the affective turn’: making a case for critical affective literacy, Discourse: Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education, DOI: 10.1080/01596306.2015.1042429.
Freebody, P., & Luke. A. (1990). “Literacies” programs: Debates and demands in cultural context. Prospect, 5 (3), 7-16.
Janks, H. (2010). Literacy and power. New York, NY: Routledge
Lau, S. (2013). A study of critical literacy work with beginning English language learners: An integrated approach. Critical Inquiry in Language Studies, 10(1), 1-30.
Lee, C. J. (2011). Myths about critical literacy: What teachers need to unlearn. Journal of Language and Literacy Education, 7(1), 95–102.
Lewison, M., Flint, A. S., van Sluys, K., & Henkin, R. (2002). Taking on critical literacy: The journey of newcomers and novices. Language Arts, 79(5), 382-392.