PDE Standards

Critical literacy and writers workshop can be used to enhance Pennsylvanias Department of Educations (PDE, 2001) standards for reading, writing, speaking, and listening. Standards address the expectation for students to read and understand the essential content of the text. In addition, standards require students are to produce a work of one literary genre that follows the genres rules. Both of these standards are addressed by using writers workshops and critical literacy, because students are learning to critically analyze texts and write their own stories.

References
Ciardiello,A. (2004). Democracys young heroes: An instructional model of critical literacy practices. Reading Teacher, 58, 138-147. Combs, M. (2006). Readers and writers in primary grades. (3rd Edition). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill Prentice Hall. Dozier, C., Johnston, P., & Rogers, R. (2006). Critical teaching: Tools for preparing responsive teachers. New York: Teachers College Press. Heffernan, L. (2004). Critical literacy and writers workshop: Bringing purpose and passion to student writing. Bloomington, IN: International Reading Association. Lenski, S. (2008). Teaching from a critical literacy perspective and encouraging social action. In S. Lenski, & J. Lewis (Eds.), Reading success for struggling adolescent learners. (pp. 227245). New York: Guilford Press. Lewison, M., & Heffernan, L. (2003). Social narrative writing: (Re)constructing kid culture in the writers workshop. Language Arts, 80, 435-442. Pennsylvania Department of Education. (2001). The academic standards for reading, writing, speaking, and listening. Retrieved from http://www.pde.state.pa.us Shor, I. (1999). What is critical literacy? In I. Shor, & C. Pari (Eds.), Critical literacy in action. (pp. 1-30). Portsmouth, NH: Boynton/Cook Publishers, Inc. Skinner, E. (2007). Writing workshop meets critical media literacy: using magazines and movies as mentor texts. Voices from the Middle, 15, 30-39. Van Sluys, K., Lewison, M., & Seely Flint, A. (2006). Researching critical literacy: A critical study of analysis of classroom discourse. Journal of Literacy Research, 38, 197-233. Vasquez, V. (2003). Getting beyond I like the book : Creating space for critical literacy in k-6 classrooms. Newark, DE: International Reading Association.

Critical Literacy and the Use of Writers Workshop for Enhancement.

Concluding Remarks
Critical literacy grants all students the opportunity to make connections between the text being read and the world. It empowers students and creates a classroom culture of understanding and respect. In addition, when students get a chance to write about critical issues, they develop a deeper understanding for others and a desire for change. Finally, it gives the teachers and students a positive outlook that critical issues can be discussed and change is possible.

What is critical literacy and how can it be enhanced using writers workshop?

Mary Hoover

Abstract
Critical literacy is an approach to reading in which students grapple with tough texts in order to make connections and deepen their understanding of the world. Many teachers shy away from this approach based on fear and unease. However, researchers have found that critical literacy can be beneficial for students and allows them to contemplate difficult issues and ideas. It has the potential to show students that they can make a difference. One way to enhance critical literacy is through the use of writers workshops. Students will be able to connect critically with a text, and through writing place themselves or someone else in a difficult situation. The writing is an exploration of possibilities, and students begin to journey into a realm that few teachers dare to let them go.

What the research says

Critical literacy can change the writing themes in the classroom. Researcher and third grade teacher Heffernan (2003) discovered that year after year the topics about siblings, pets, and favorite gifts appeared in her classrooms writing. Together with Lewsion (2003) they began research on the effects critical literacy and writers workshop would have on Heffernans class containing twenty students, thirteen boys and seven girls. The researchers read books containing social issues and then implemented writers workshop. Next they collected students writing and taped interviews. After they coded their stories they saw themes like bullying present in nineteen of the stories. Through this research students were able to write about troubling issues Power relationships can be seen using critical literacy and writers workshop. Heffernan and Lewision (2008) did a further study involving bullying and the power relationships involved. They used the same method as the study mentioned above. They found 56 counts of bullying were mentioned and the prevalent type was verbal taunts or exclusion. Another interesting finding was out of the 12 stories written by boys 7 of their main characters cried. Together through the use of critical literacy and writers workshop the students were able to make the inequalities visible that were present in their school and express their feelings.

Research implications
Classroom teachers need to be models and vessels of critical literacy. Research is wonderful, but the labor would be in vain if classroom teachers did not use the findings. In order to enhance critical literacy in the classroom the teacher must take certain steps by themselves. Dozier, Johnston and Rogers (2006) explain that teachers must be critically literate, view social justice as significant, and understand the cultural context they work in. When teachers recognize the importance of social justice, they can lead the classroom in critical literacy. Teachers can use critical literacy to help struggling readers. Lenski (2008) has found critical literacy to be a tool teachers can use to help struggling readers. She felt critical literacy appeals to students because it gives a purpose to their reading. Langers research was cited in Lesnkis article because her research found this to hold true in marginalized schools that beat the odds. The research concluded that students were able to do better if they could connect instruction with central topics that gave purpose to their reading. Students may have spent their efforts learning how to read, and never grasped how to think about what they read. Critical literacy enables students to think about what they read.