Clarke, L., & Whitnety, E. (2009).

Walking in Their Shoes: Using Multiple-Perspectives

Texts as a Bridge to Critical Literacy. In The Reading Teacher (6th ed., Vol. 62, pp. 530534). International Reading Association.
Taking different viewpoints for the texts will help answer the why, how, does it
matter questions.
Asking questions about the text will help discover why things the way they are.
Deconstruction of a text uses multiple voices, and points of views on an issue
reader will obtain a broad knowledge of an issue.
Readers theatre gives both sides to a story and helps the reader notice multiple
issues that all together make up one larger issue.
Readers theatre can be organized into graphic organizers which will be easier for
students to visualize.
Journaling and diary entries as a part of reconstruction to have students write
down and then share their own creates multiple points of views and creates a new
way of thinking.
Students will then be able to create social action either big or small that will leave
a lasting impression on students and their communities. Some ideas for social
action projects are sharing new texts with others, writing letters to magazines and
newspapers, asking for multiple perspectives to be representing, and interviewing.
Critical literacy is like a pair of eyeglasses that allows one to see beyond the familiar
and comfortable: it is an understanding that language practices and texts are always
informed by ideological beliefs and perspectives whether conscious or otherwise Jones
(2006, p 65).
Through activities such as journaling, diary entries, and changing familiar stories,
teachers can help students move from an understanding of these deconstructed texts to
creating new, reconstructed texts (p 533).
By widening this exploration, students can have a better understanding of others, a
greater appreciation of diversity and an awareness of how to live in a globalized world
(p 534).

Bean, T., & Moni, K. (2003). Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy. Developing Students'
Critical Literacy: Exploring Identify Construction in Young Adult Fiction, 46(8), 638-643.
This articles reviews recent studies related to teaching literature and adolescent identity
construction and it also includes resources for teachers to adopt critical literacy
discussion framework in their classrooms.
Higher successful schools used deconstruction, collaboration, and connections to discuss
a text.
Typical school teachers were center of instruction and hand holding students through
discussion which didnt optimize student critical thinking and problem solving abilities.
Enlightenment views of identity development were fixed on social structure and class
differences. To challenge this a sociologist scientist conducted an research and asked
students to critique media portrayals of gender and identity. The result was that students
became more aware of cultural influences.
Ethnic identity is forged in the interpretation of events and experiences that are part of
post modern social practices in changing communities.
Identity has been constructed through properties of individual action.
Critical literacy takes the reader beyond the bounds of reader response, it offers useful
framework.
In the higher performing schools, students were constantly encouraged to go beyond the basic
learning experiences in challenging and enriching new ways(Langer, p. 872).
We found the following themes emerging from contemporary discussions of identity
construction. No longer anchored to stable employment, communities or institutions. It is
constructed though the properties of individual action carried out in no places like malls, train
stations, and airports(Bean and Monki, p 842).
We offer a brief plot summary before sharing the critical literacy question we use to help
students in English and social studies explore identity construction in novel (Bean and Monki,
pg 843).

Wilson, R. (1999, December 1). What can I teach my young child about the environment? Environmental Education - Sierra Club. Retrieved September 28, 2014, from
http://vault.sierraclub.org/education/eear1299.asp
This article discusses three important environmental education that parents can teach a
young child. It goes on to say that a parent should teach environmental education earlier than
kindergarten due to the shaping aspects it has on a childs attitude, values, and patterns toward
his/her environment. Most recreation tends to be indoors which is a risk for children developing
negative attitudes and feelings towards the outdoors. When a child learns about the environment
early they learn a sense of respect and caring for their environment, having a healthy interaction
with the natural environment enhances the quality of life of the child. A parent can start by
starting small, like a familiar place such as their backyard or a familiar tree, and providing
activities that require sensory engagements and stimulation. For example, maintaining outdoor
habitats for wildlife, properly disposing of trash, and recycling or reusing as many materials as
possible. The child is then able to develop and understanding for the environment and the
importance of maintaining it.
Environmental education during the early years should be based on this sense of wonder and the
joy of discovery.
Because young children learn through discovery and self-initiated activities, an adult should
serve more as a facilitator than a teacher.
Parents should model caring and respect for the world of nature.
Page did not contain page numbers.

Meller, W.B., Richardson, D., and Hatch J.A. (2009). Using read alouds with ciritical literacy
literature in K-3 classrooms. Young Children, 64, 76-78.

Teacher read alouds are vital part of literacy instruction

Use of read alouds develop childrens background knowledge and stimulate interest
in literature, increase comprehension skills, foster critical thinking
Article describes the rationale importance of using childrens literature and readalouds in primary classrooms.
Not every read-aloud has to feature critical literacy text, most conversations that
take place around the texts are critical.
A book for read-aloud should meet one or more of following criteria: explore
differences rather than make them visible, enrich understandings of history and life,
how to take action in social issues, explore dominant systems of meaning that
operate in our society, dont provide happily ever after endings for complex social
problems.
Preview book before read-aloud and have critical questions to use during.
Mini lesson before reading, creating background information
Picture walk-looking at the cover or pictures in the text, what the title meant, and
what the story might have been.
Read the story stopping to discuss questions.
I asked the children to think about why the author wrote it and what it means (p
78).
I phrased my questions to elicit childrens own questions, further their
understanding of the issues in the book, and encourage the children to make
connections between themselves and the text(p 78).

Rakestraw, M. (2012, March 5). Learning from The Lorax: Helping students develop critical
literacy. Retrieved from http://humaneeducation.org/blog/2012/03/05/learning-from-the-loraxhelping-students-develop-critical-literacy/

The Lorax used as a teaching tool to examine impact of environmental degradation and
about the people being able to make a difference.
The text in The Lorax is simple but didnt undermine the meaning behind it, creates an
opportunity for social analysis.
Allows students to examine issues surrounding the treatment of the work force.
Students could make a chart to organize change and what they would do.
Students would then be able to evaluate strengths and weaknesses of a piece of literatureor anything else- as an important academic and life skills.
Use examples like how blaming someone is a convenient shorthand way of explaining an
issue instead of taking own action.
The Lorax is indeed serious political literature and worth exploring deeply, as it is
flawed, offering a misleading analysis of environmental ruin and a wrong-headed
strategy for social change.

Even if the kids dont grasp ever nuance, the books play a major role in explaining a
larger world and shaping how children respond to it.
As early as possible, we need to give students the tools to become social detectives, to
develop a critical literacy that allows them read deep between the lines.

(No page numbers)

St. Clair, R. (2003). Words for the world: Creating critical environmental literacy for adults.
New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, 99, 69-78.

Emphasis on action as ultimate outcome and suggestion that environmental literacy

should be considered basic as reading and writing.
The Four Rs: reading, writing, arithmetic, environment
Environmental education should include: knowledge of environmental processes
and systems, questioning and analysis skills, environmental issues investigation
skills, decision and citizenship skills, personal and civic responsibility.
Children must learn young about the environment, which create lifelong
understanding.
Environment changes over time so its important to show issues of the environment,
past and present, and how they changed and what can you do now.
Engagement in the environment, beach cleanup or planting trees with your class is a
great way to get involvement and teach about the environment.
You will learn individualistic and economical understanding of the world. (p 72).
The way people understand science and nature are inevitably and fundamentally
shaped by their gender, ethnicity, religious background, socioeconomic status,
geographical location and so on. (p 74).

Meller, W., Richardson, D., & Hatch, A. (2009). Using read-alouds with critical literacy
literature in K-3 classrooms. Young Children, 64, 76-78
Use read-alouds to develop childrens background knowledge, stimulate their
interest in high-quality literature, increase their comprehension skills, and foster
critical thinking.
Teachers model strategies that children can use during their own independent
reading.
Reading high-quality books increases childrens overall language competence and
process of reading, listening, questioning, and critical thinking.
Choosing a book should included one of these: explore differences rather than make
them invisible, enrich understandings of history and life by giving voice to those
traditionally silenced or marginalized, show how people can take action, dont
provide happily ever after endings.
Teacher should: Select a book, preview the book, develop critical questions to used
during the read aloud and post them in the book, conduct a mini-lesson for
childrens prior knowledge, do a picture walk, read the story and stopping to discuss
the questions.

Conversations that take place around the texts the quality as critical(p. 64)
Children are able to participate in discussions based on teachers use of critical
questions(p. 77).

Gopalakrishnan, A. (2011). Choosing books and reading critically. In Multicultural children's

literature: A Critical Approach (pp. 50-51). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.

When choosing critical childrens books it is important to have a wide audience appeal,
books with wide audience appeal allow for a wide age range allowing them to connect
with their comprehension levels and their developmental levels.
Its also important to have possibility for Critical Analysis, which connects the content of
the story to real life where children can question, discuss, analyze and make inferences.
What to look for when choosing books that have wide audience appeal and possibilities
for critical analysis: language use, illustrations, and content.
Language use of a book should be simple and vivid, no long descriptions, metaphors,
rhythmic, or symbolic language, variety of dialects, mannerisms or ways of speaking.
Illustrations should complement the text, have colors that depict the mood, have a wide
depth of meaning and authentic to culture.
Content of a book should be culturally relevant and provides actual information, connects
to an event, well researched, new perspective, provides openings for questions and or
queries.

These books may offer revealing insights, change attitudes, and show diverse perspectives (p
51).
A book for a read-aloud picked with these two principles is sure to elicit deeper conversations
and comprehension from students (p 51).

Environmental education for kids. (n.d.). Retrieved November 6, 2014.

http://www.kindergartenlessons.com/environmental_education_for_kids.html

Bring living creatures and plants into the classroom.

As a teacher model respect and proper care of living creatures to show your
students of how to act.
Four Ls of learning about living creatures: Look at them, learn about them, let them
go, leave them alone.
Teach children to have empathy for living creatures.
Organize for environmental studies.
Go on field trips.
Teach them how to be observant.

How you react to finding a spider or wasp in your classroom will also have an
influence on how your students react.
Role play having the roof ripped off your classroom and a big hand reaching down
to pick you up.

Napoli, M. (2011). Going green empowering readers to change the environment. 76-79

Educators who infuse discussions with content about the environment will create
environmentally literate citizens.
Researches support that environmental awareness enhances students cognitive
development by promoting problem solving, decision-making, and critical
thinking skills.
Children need the time, place, and materials that allow them to explore,
experiment, observe, and problem solve through social and environmental
interaction.
By building awareness through literature educators need to follow several
guidelines: selection must offer a balanced perspective that does not have false
content, texts that have similar settings to students local or regional area that will
promote social action, and selections must instill a sense of wonder for the
environment for children to protect and preserve it.
Bring the outdoors into the classroom by creating a literacy center, that includes
compact discs or tapes of nature or animal sounds, sea shells, leaves, pinecones,
magnifying glasses, and nature guides to connect science and literacy.
Through a selection of well-written literature that delivers accurate material,
children will be able to observe interconnectedness between their world and the
world around them, which can lead to social action and change. (p 77).
Childrens literature can serve as an impetus for building a sense of compassion
and connectedness to their world (p 77.)