Response 3: Critical litERAcy

 Critical litERAcy
Module 4: Critical Literacy 

Listening to Luke’s (2011) speech, Critical Literacy (module 4),  on why critical thinking and critical literacy development is not an “optional” life skill was inspirational. A critically literate society is something we can all build through simply adjusting our teaching strategies to share with our students the power of questioning. 

Many students face everyday barriers including financial, language and transportation in neighborhoods I have worked in. Critical literacy is a skill that may assist these children break the cycle within their own lives.  As educators, I agree with the Luke (2011) that with our autonomous freedom and some imagination on how we teach the curriculum, critical literacy can be integrated seamlessly.

Luke (2011) shares numerous examples of how to teach skepticism and how to look behind statements and images to find the function of meaning. What I really appreciated is that he is not trying to add to the workload of teachers. Rather, he is trying to change the way teachers approach their topic and generate educational interest in his craft.

Critical thinking is something I am interested in. I have worked with the critical thinking consortium (TC2) and worked on creating critical challenges using curriculum specific content and grade appropriate teaching strategies. As I was reacquainting myself with the TC2 website and publications I saw a unit on Understanding Images which would be a nice fit with some of the other visual literacy strategies I had read about last week.

http://www.tc2.ca/wp/ - Critical Thinking

I am not exactly sure what Luke’s (2011) approach is to critical thinking. He does not define in detail what his “definition” includes, I think it is more of a perspective be believes students must have. He gives many reasons students must share this perspective but I thought he just glossed over the curriculum connections. He is quite right that students need to question everything.

I think Roland Case (2011) makes it clear that he teaches the habits of mind, which are intellectual tools through a content embedded approach in order to support critical thinking development.  I have attached a link for an older interview with him where he explains the need for critical thinking and his approach. It is similar to Allen’s approach but very content specific and has units and lessons to peruse.

http://www.canadianteachermagazine.com/ctm_life_skills/winter05_critical_thinking.shtml

Another strength in the video was Luke’s (2011) explicit reference to the Google phenomenon and the plea for critical literacy development. When he stated the dangers of students not using reliable references could lead to exposure to different political viewpoints and pornography on the web, then people paid attention.

Classrooms today must concentrate on building visual and critical literacy through inquiry based curriculum content. Website accuracy is an area that we all need to build a toolbox for. With the onslaught of websites and images one can retrieve from a single search term in five seconds it is “critical” critical literacy is embedded in the curriculum. 

I see a strong theme woven through these first four modules and course readings, which embraces inquiry based learning and language development, visual and critical thinking while acknowledging the diverse use of multimodal materials. As I think about my house analogy I see how space can be configured differently. I see the appeal of an "open" floor plan and the gift of being able to take down walls to "see" the same space used functionally. This picture reminds me of possibility. 

References

Luke, A. (2011). Critical literacy. Retrieved September 22, 2011 from http://resources.curriculum.org/secretariat/snapshots/learners.html

Case, R. (2011). Critical Thinking Consortium. Retrieved September 22, 2011 from

http://www.tc2.ca/wp/#Critical%20Thinking

Case, R. (1993). Interview with Roland Case. Retrieved September 22, 2011 from

http://www.canadianteachermagazine.com/ctm_life_skills/winter05_critical_thinking.shtml

Response 2: A Picture Says A Thousand Words and Has A Thousand Meanings

Module 3: Multiliteracies

When I read this module’s overview I connected with the idea that copious amounts of new information is embedded in the way we do things, and the way we communicate with one another, and that it changes the way we think and do things everyday. However, it made me pause and wonder how much have I changed my literacy practice in the last decade? I know have personally changed the way I communicate (from phone to primarily text and email). I have also changed the way I access information but I wonder if have I changed the way I teach reading and writing. I understand the power of image in how I receive information but am I using explicit strategies to reach all of my students and having them critically process the power of image? I have enriched my practice and embedded new approaches but I am not sure I have changed my approach as much as the task of reading has changed for children.

It was refreshing to read the article Reading the painting: exploring visual literacy in the primary grades (Williams, 2007). This article details one teacher’s journey of introducing visual literacy to his grade 2 class by having students “read” paintings instead of traditional text. He found that after employing several creative thinking strategies and comprehension reading strategies children were able to construct their own meaning and better understand the multiple layers and meanings in a painting. “A concrete definition of visual literacy is elusive, [however] at its core is an emphasis on the personal construction of meaning from any type of visual image” (Williams, 2007,p. 636).

I appreciated the teacher’s deep reflective notes about the activities he employed in his classroom. “In this approach, each child’s reading was unique, not influenced by situational or historical details about the artist or subject matter, nor evaluated against the privileged interpretation of others … [and] in contrast to the strictly literal experiences associated with decoding written text, the students enjoyed the more personal and interpretive reading of a painting’s meaning” (Williams, 2007, p. 640). Visual literacy activities that promote critical thinking lead to a deeper understanding of the world around us. Engaging in activities that have powerful questions engage the mind and require active learning environments.

It excites me that this is happening globally. Williams (2007) also experienced success because he reflected carefully on his lesson planning and adapted it when he was not getting the results he thought the students were capable of. His “question the painter” activity had social interaction build in and  “when social interaction is built into lesson planning the process work that students do is modeled to readers of all levels in the class.  Classroom talk-both the teachers’ and the students’- is the means by which students learn and define the goals of instruction. In that talk, publicly shared use of strategies, concepts, and ways of thinking allow less informed readers to learn what one does as a reader and ways in which skilled readers interact with text to create meaning” (School District No. 44 North Vancouver, p.217).  His think aloud strategies also were part of the reading instruction.

       Throughout the article Williams (2007) does reference several studies that indicate that traditional reading programs are being used at the elementary level that do not include this multi literacy approach. At the end of the article Williams (2007) poses the question, “Are we doing a disservice to our youngest readers by perpetuating this paradigm, limiting their view of literacy to only print-based experiences?” (p. 641).  My response is, yes we are doing a disservice to our youngest readers if we are only providing print based experiences on many levels. Students are not creating visual literacy neuron pathways to build on, for their own learning experiences.

        As I mentioned in a previous post the two reading programs I use (Reading 44 and Reading Power) incorporate visual imagery strategies into their approach, each in different ways.  In Reading 44 there are 12 strategies called the daily dozen and they are intermingled into activities.  Story Drama, Paper Bag Surprises, Reciprocal questioning are al activities that are favorites of mine and non-print resource based. However, I read over them today as I was planning my lessons and I realized they all start with text. 

Reading is not just decoding text, which I believe the author understands, but rather it requires a holistic approach and embodies many senses. In the previous module Hassett, & Schieble (2007)  “expand our understanding of how readers extend three cueing systems—graphophonic, semantic, and syntactic—to negotiate multiple levels of meaning in visual text” (p.62) and also emphasized the importance of visual literacy.

The same argument of looking at literacy through a broad lens not defined by text could be made for other multimodal resources that teachers may not be using as a main resource but that are just as prevalent. I think about the power of a field trip; building the background knowledge.  In conclusion, we must begin with the "end in mind" and support visual literacy instruction through thoughtful careful planning. 

References

Hassett, D.W. & Schieble, M. (2007). Finding space and time for the visual in K-12 literacy instruction. English Journal 97, 1, 62-68.

School District No. 44 North Vancouver, Intermediate. (Ed.). (1999). Reading 44 a core reading framework. North Vancouver: c/o Leo Marshall Curriculum Centre.

Williams, T. L. (2007). Reading the painting: exploring visual literacy in the primary grades. The Reading Teacher, 60, 7, 636-642.

Response 1: Navigating the hidden (and lost) POWer of images in text

Module 2: New Technology for New Learners

Response 1

         Finding space and time for the visual in K-12 literacy instruction was a great, thought provoking article written by Hassett & Schieble (2007). “Using examples from picture books and graphic novels, they expand our understanding of how readers extend three cueing systems—graphophonic, semantic, and syntactic—to negotiate multiple levels of meaning in visual text” (Hassett, & Schieble, 2007,
p.62). The authors emphasized the dynamics of print image relationships and did an excellent job of providing relevant examples to share with students at different levels. In the past if students had a question we directed them to the encyclopedias; now we google our questions and students are presented with visual images, videos, interactive texts and multiple links. The authors are quite correct that students must decode numerous meanings from text/image. 

However, when I first read the article I found the authors' tone a bit assuming or stereotypical about the quality of reading instruction that is occurring in educational environments. It was the phrase that educators must leave “behind the idea that texts “contain” information that readers “receive” and moving toward an understanding that meaning is produced through active negotiation, conversation, and communication of individual values and thoughts (Hassett, & Schieble, 2007, p. 63) which I found a bit assuming. I have been teaching for 11 years and I use two programs that I think emphasize metacognition and activating prior knowledge (culturally, socially and literacy based).  I feel like we, as an educational community, have moved beyond the “read a text book and take a test” approach.  I use the program Reading 44  (North Vancouver School District  http://www.nvsd44.bc.ca/Reading44/main.html ) and Reading Power (Adrienne Geer-  http://www.readingpowergear.com/bio.html )  and think they both are wonderful.

There are hundreds of studies and documents that support that teaching reading is an active, dynamic process. According to Tharp (1998) in Reading 44, “ Basic thinking skills –the ability to form, express and exchange ideas in speech and writing- are most effectively developed through dialogue, that is, through the process of questioning and sharing ideas and knowledge “ (p. 217).  This was written 15 years ago and I believe as an educational community we have embraced this idea, especially our second language teachers.  In a Reading Teacher article Creating Language-Rich Instruction for English-Language Learners Bauer and Manyak (2008) state “teachers should accompany oral explanations and teacher read-alouds with visuals, realia, gestures, and dramatization to illustrate key concepts and vocabulary. Teachers must find ways to activate and build students’ background knowledge through the use of visuals, demonstrations, and graphic organizers… When possible, hands-on experiences should precede the reading of text. (p. 176).

However, as I continued reading the article I had many “aha” moments that will cause me to search for relevant, age appropriate image text relationship examples to begin this visual toolbox our future generation must (must, must, must) build to decode. I loved some of the examples the authors shared where “the print becomes a tool or a scaffold for making meaning of the image, versus the traditional notion of images illustrating print” (Hassett, & Schieble, 2007, p. 64) such as The Stinky Cheese Man.  I have always asked the students to look at the text and predict what the author has chosen to place it atypically on the page but I have never picked up the book to use it as an example.

I also thought that authors did a nice job of presenting the idea that “the text-image relationship, then, requires an active reader to make meaning using his or her socio- cultural knowledge and background to make the images come alive in relation to the print” (Hassett, & Schieble, 2007, p.66) as readers face print that is dominated by images.

One thing I find overwhelming is that in order for students to decode the complicated images they will be faced with, they will still need to know large bodies of information. It is so important that we choose carefully how we “uncover” the curriculum and still maintain the integrity of a current, dynamic balanced literacy programs. For example, in the graphic image of the Swastica in the park, the authors provide a great example of the visual toolbox students will need to communicate their ideas. The need to have the historical background and the communicative ability to share their response to it in order to participate in making meaning of the image is also mentioned.

In conclusion, this article taught made me think carefully about how I will expand my use of hybrid texts in which  “the visual takes on a distinct role. It carries information differently than alphabetic print by calling on emotional and affective associations in the reader’s/viewer’s mind” (Hassett, & Schieble, 2007, p.67) because this is a critical literacy skill for our students.

References

Armstrong, K. (2011, August 15). Lled459week2modulenotes. Retrieved from 5116011.tp0/cobaltMainFrame.dowebct

Bauer, E., & Manyak, P. C. (2008). Creating Language-Rich Instruction for English-Language Learners. Reading Teacher, 62(2), 176-178. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

School District No. 44 North Vancouver,. (Ed.). (1999). Reading 44 a core reading framework. North Vancouver: c/o Leo Marshall Curriculum Centre.

Hassett, D.W. & Schieble, M. (2007). Finding space and time for the visual in K-12 literacy instruction. English Journal 97, 1, 62-68.

Taking Stock of Literacy

Taking Stock of Literacy: The Possibilities

I believe that fostering a love of reading is critical to reading success. With all of the different forms of literacy and technology tools available in this digital era I am excited to learn how to use tools that require students to interact with each other in a meaningful way, and maintain the direct reading and writing instruction I know is critical for our students success. The connection that when a child enjoys reading they will read more is well supported within the literary field. “Social interaction is essential in learning to read [and] thinking and talking promote students understanding” (School District No. 44 North Vancouver, 1999, p.217).  As I was watching the video Building Global Mindedness (Curriculum Services Canada, 2011) I watched the teacher foster student engagement and motivation through using relevant, real world topics that required students to be active problem solvers. I noticed how she was teaching direct literacy skills though having the students look at the different headlines but using a topic that was interesting.

 In the online Ted Talks video ‘The Birth of a Word’ one of the goals for collecting a quarter of a million hours of video was searching for patterns and understanding the social impact on the development of language. The field of literacy research widely supports this relationship. Skull (2010) looked at reading and the influence of social interaction and dialogue, and found that higher reading achievement occurred with “the collaborative exchanges that promoted students’ active role in learning and increased participation as they engaged in the process of constructing and interpreting meanings from text.” (p.10). Reading 44 is a document that I have used to guide my literacy instruction for the last decade. It is only on of the many resources I use, but it is one of my favorites. You can take the lessons and do them with any piece of text and balance direct instruction with inquiry based topics. Social interaction is encouraged and many activities have a dialogue component built in. I use these strategies to guide my inquiry based problems the students create from our curriculum topics.

As the 21^st Century Teaching and Learning website stated, “new knowledge in every discipline is increasing exponentially every moment….Students need to be metacognitively aware of themselves as learners, able to monitor their learning and set goals to push their learning forward. Today's classrooms need to engage students in their learning through authentic, relevant inquiry” (Curriculum Services Canada, 2011).

I am excited to learn how to use pod and web casts and many other forms of interactive technology to motivate and allow students to express and communicate in new ways.  I want to explore what is lost and what is gained when we move towards this digital form of representation. The connection between reading and writing is critical for our learners but we must teach them to use writing in relevant ways. I see more online manipulation of text, as opposed to pen and pencil editing, now that students have access to word processing programs. I wonder how technology and web 2.0 tools impact writing instruction in the elementary program. As I progress through this course I hope to expand my knowledge base about writing strategies in the 21^st century.

            My personal goals for reading are exploring children’s K-7 literature and the various awards and reading clubs, and ways to connect with other students participating in the same programs, offered to students through our library. As an adult, I am in a book club and love being exposed to different books I would never choose to read but that I have enjoyed for a variety of reasons. Water for elephants, The Glass Castle and Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie are all books I thought were great but I would not have chosen myself.  I hope to do this for my students through literature circles and conversation. My technology literacy/ multiliteracy exploration is ongoing. I hope to be exposed to different modalities and technology tools so that I can learn to use them and apply my learning. I have enjoyed learning how to set up a blog and wiki and would like to learn how to use a smart board and participate in a web cast. Sadly, I need to ask how to set up an in focus projector and don’t know how to set up a pod cast.       

            Our school has a higher than district average number of second language learners. I have learned to adopt a collaborative oral approach for working with classroom teachers and second language learners.   When social interaction is built into lesson planning the process work that students do is modeled to readers of all levels in the class.  “Classroom talk-both the teachers’ and the students’- is the means by which students learn and define the goals of instruction. In that talk, publicly shared use of strategies, concepts, and ways of thinking allow less informed readers to learn what one does as a reader and ways in which skilled readers interact with text to create meaning” (School District No. 44 North Vancouver, p.217). In the Reading Teacher article Creating Language-Rich Instruction for English-Language Learners Bauer and Manyak (2008) state “teachers should accompany oral explanations and teacher read-alouds with visuals, realia, gestures, and dramatization to illustrate key concepts and vocabulary. Teachers must find ways to activate and build students’ background knowledge through the use of visuals, demonstrations, and graphic organizers… When possible, hands-on experiences should precede the reading of text. (p.176). Although that statement pertains to the English Language Learners in the classrooms, the reality is most of our classrooms contain a range of reading levels. Working with a team teachers in the library is a gift. The classroom management that is required when group work occurs can be challenging but when the teacher and teacher librarian are collaborating there is more support for group process work and more language support.

            As I have moved around to various schools I have seen many different socio economic and cultural influences impact the kind of program that can be offered. Many children do not know how to read and write in English in our elementary schools and without those baseline skills it is very difficult to engage students in higher-level concepts using the classroom and school resources. Technology has removed some of these barriers because children can access information in visual and oral formats quickly but I truly believe it is critical that we foster reading and writing literacy.  There are no i pads at the grocery stores or the bank. The recreation guide may come online but patrons still need to be able to read the instructions. I do not think we can lose sight of the most important and basic form of literacy, which is reading and writing. As a teacher librarian I hope to work with a group of struggling readers and help them find interest appropriate text and support them learn to read and write.

A little analogy I will use and refer to through my postings is that I have moved to a new house, a "literacy" house. I like the house, I like the lay out and the neighbourhood seems nice. But I do not know the house yet. I do not know how it works when I am cooking dinner and the kids are zooming around on their ride toys. I do not know if the racoons can break into the garbage containers or whether the door makes too much noise when the children are napping. Just as I know literacy- I know how to teach children to read and write but I do not know how I can use technology to do this.  I will continue to make connections between the articles and my own 21 st century literacy exploration. I hope to create some kind of visual image or poem at the end of this course to summarize my " literacy" house. 

References

Bauer, E., & Manyak, P. C. (2008). Creating Language-Rich Instruction for English-Language Learners. Reading Teacher, 62(2), 176-178. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

Curriculum Services Canada. (March 31, 2011) Snapshots of effective practice. Building global mindedness. Retrieved September 11, 2011

School District No. 44 North Vancouver,. (Ed.). (1999). Reading 44 a core reading framework. North Vancouver: c/o Leo Marshall Curriculum Centre.

Scull, J. (2010). Embedding comprehension within reading acquisition processes. Australian Journal of Language & Literacy, 33(2), 87-107. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

from
http://resources.curriculum.org/secretariat/snapshots/learners.html

TED talks. (March, 2011). Deb Roy on The birth of a word. Retrieved September 11, 2011 from http://www.ted.com/talks/deb_roy_the_birth_of_a_word.html.