DII Sessions: 2016
Wednesday July 13, 2016
Topic: Critical Literacy Lesson
Librarian Perspective:
Cynthia Sorrell
Asst. Head - Collection Development; Librarian, Arabic Persian Studies
University of Maryland Libraries, College Park, MD
Dr. Ohelia Williams
Civil Rights Librarian, Independent Consultant J/R/A Associates
Instructor's Biography:
Lisa Swan is a doctoral candidate at the University of Maryland studying Teaching and Learning, Policy and Leadership with a specialization in English Education. Her research examines equity in the college composition classroom. Lisa has taught courses in composition, children’s literature, young adult literature, and secondary English education methods. Although an Oregon native, she has lived in the District of Columbia for more than ten years, earning a bachelor’s degree from The George Washington University in English and History and a master’s degree from Georgetown University in English. Lisa dabbles in design and plays her dog when not studying.
Session Overview:
This session will help students explore critical literacy, a tool to analyze texts (books, pictures, television, movies, and images) in order to “understand power, inequality, and injustice in human relationships” (Coffey). By the end of the session, students will describe the four principals of critical literacy and apply these principals to Alexie’s Superman and Me essay. The session will conclude with a discussion of how these critical literacy principals can be used to understand the message of texts in students’ daily lives.
Lesson Outcomes:
At the end of the session, students will be able to describe the three principles of critical literacy and apply two principles to a text.
Relevant Program Outcomes"
Readings:
Assignment:
In a reflection, do the following:
Topic: Critical Literacy Lesson
Librarian Perspective:
Cynthia Sorrell
Asst. Head - Collection Development; Librarian, Arabic Persian Studies
University of Maryland Libraries, College Park, MD
Dr. Ohelia Williams
Civil Rights Librarian, Independent Consultant J/R/A Associates
Instructor's Biography:
Lisa Swan is a doctoral candidate at the University of Maryland studying Teaching and Learning, Policy and Leadership with a specialization in English Education. Her research examines equity in the college composition classroom. Lisa has taught courses in composition, children’s literature, young adult literature, and secondary English education methods. Although an Oregon native, she has lived in the District of Columbia for more than ten years, earning a bachelor’s degree from The George Washington University in English and History and a master’s degree from Georgetown University in English. Lisa dabbles in design and plays her dog when not studying.
Session Overview:
This session will help students explore critical literacy, a tool to analyze texts (books, pictures, television, movies, and images) in order to “understand power, inequality, and injustice in human relationships” (Coffey). By the end of the session, students will describe the four principals of critical literacy and apply these principals to Alexie’s Superman and Me essay. The session will conclude with a discussion of how these critical literacy principals can be used to understand the message of texts in students’ daily lives.
Lesson Outcomes:
At the end of the session, students will be able to describe the three principles of critical literacy and apply two principles to a text.
Relevant Program Outcomes"
- Gain a richer appreciation of issues of diversity and inclusion through self-reflection and interactions with pre-collegiate students, colleagues, and professional librarians.
- Begin to understand, through readings and discussions, how diversity and inclusion affect their social and work environments
Readings:
- 4 Principals of Critical Literacy excerpt
- American Experience: We Shall Remain Video
- Superman and Me by Sherman Alexie
Assignment:
In a reflection, do the following:
- Find a text (an image, advertisement, video, or reading) that you would like to explore using critical literacy. Include a link or upload the text.
- Choose two of the following principals of critical literacy and analyze how these principals apply to the text. Support your analysis with quotes or specific evidence from the text.
- Principle #1: Challenging common assumptions and values
- Principle #2: Exploring multiple perspectives, and imagining those that are absent or silenced
- Principle #3: Examining relationships, particularly those involving differences in power
- Principle #4: Using literacy practices to take action for social justice
- Conclude by explaining if believe the text is reflective of current societal norms and the status quo or transformational providing new perspectives and challenges the status quo.
- Respond to 2 of your classmate’s posts. Be sure that everyone has a response before doubling up. Possible response options include:
- Adding to the discussion by analyzing how an additional critical literacy principal works in the text
- Agreeing or disagreeing with the conclusion that the text is reflective or transformational
- Reflecting on the actions you could take to address the issue in the text