Developing Critical Literacy

[Admin]

Students,

Now that you have been introduced to the concept of critical pedagogy/critical literacy, I would like you to design an activity for an age group of your choice to show you can use Jones's framework (Deconstruction, Reconstruction and Social Action)to develop students' critical reading and writing in your subject area.

To do the activity, you must choose text that is related to a concept in your subject area. Consider using one of the following:
song (of any genre), picture, webpage, poem, newspaper article, comic strip, advertisement/TV commercial, poster etc.

I have attached a copy of the PowerPoint presentation for your quick reference and to benefit those who were absent yesterday.

Share your activity with us and do not forget to comment on the activity of at least one member.

Thank you

Attachments:

[juecher]

Topic: Communication
Sub-topic: The role of the mass media
Age Group: 14-15 years

Type of Text: Billboard
Billboard content:
Caption-Save the Whales. Lose the Blubber. Go Vegetarian.
Image -An obese woman wearing a 2pc bikini facing the sea hands on her waist (Source: www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/08/26/petas-new-save-the-whales_n_261134.html)

Activity

Step 1:

[tedward]

Subject: Social Studies
Topic: Teenage Pregnancy
Age group: 15-17

Type of text: Song & Video ( Vybz Kartel- Teenage Pregnancy)
Source: www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABzZe6pBjpM

Activity:

Step 1: Deconstruction
Students will be asked to make connections and disconnections with what transpired in the music video to their own lives. Students will connect (what is similar to their lives) and also disconnect (what is different) with the characters in the video.

Step 2: Students will use a graphic organizer to identify the main theme(s) or morale(s) found in the video. The teacher will also ask students some questions to help them critically assess the video such as What is the topic, purpose?what audience is the video targeting? (age group, gender)Is there a message that the creator does not write but you get from the video?What are the participants doing or what is happening to the objects? What do you notice about the language used to support the purpose?

Step 3: Reconstruction

Students will re create the video from the perspective of the unborn child. RAFT will be used here and students will write a song about how they feel since they have to b raised by a teenage mother and an unemployed father.

Step 4: Social Action

Students will engage in a " Do Something World Project" where they visit various communities and assist teenage girls by explaining to them the disadvantages that they can face if they become pregnant at this age. Additionally, students will encourage teenage girls to get an education first and in the even that they are going to have sex ensure that they protect themselves by taking the necessary precautionary measures but the main focus will be to educate teenage girls of the disadvantages of teenage pregnancy.

[Admin]

Ooops. Jeucher, I can see the link to the text used, but can't see the description of the activity.
Please modify your post.

All the best and thanks immensely for starting off.

[Admin]

Your activity to develop students' critical literacy is an interesting one, Tedward. This is an issue that students can relate to. I like the Reconstruction and Social Action activity. Well done

Let's see what the others have to say.

[law]

Subject: Mathematics
Topic: Whole Numbers
Age group: 12-13

Type of text: Poster ( Numbers are the highest degree of knowledge. It is knowledge itself. - Plato)
Source: www.squidoo.com/mathematics-poster-collections

Activity:

Step 1: Deconstruction
Students will write at why they feel numbers are so important in impacting our knowledge. They will also describe personal experiences where knowledge of numbers was necessary and why we need to use numbers.


Step 2: Reconstruction
Students will create a cluster stating the possibilities which led Plato to make this statement and present a sentence on their findings to the class.

Step 3: Social Action
Students will write a response journal including a personal slogan on the use of numbers. They will also write from the view of a number, indicating to the public why they should know how to use numbers and appreciate their role in the language of mathematics.

[law]

I love your work T. Edward. It is orchestrated very well.

[mjoseph]

Tarik, I am very impress by the way you articulated different forms of technology to build students' critical literacy. From my underrstanding of critical literacy, I have realized that it caters quite good to english literature and social science content area.

[mjoseph]

Subject: Electricity and Electrical Technology
Age group: 13-14
Topic: Safety in the Workshop

Type of text use : Graphic picture
Link:http://draftingmanuals.tpub.com/14263/css/14263_178.htm

Deconstruction
Students will be provided with a graphic picture depicting a man being shocked and students will be questioned to help them make connections to how safety is important to everyday living.

Reconstruction
Students will be ask to imagine a world without safety rules or any other rules and to discuss in groups the whether they would want to be part of that world or not. They will be asked to write a poem, jingle or a drawing depicting that world.

Social Action
Students will be asked to create their own slogan or posters to educate their peers and others of the importance of safety rules in the workshop.

[mjoseph]

Lawrin, I like how you linked the importance of numbers to our daily lives. I believe this can help students see the relevance of mathematics to their real life experiences.

[gjames]

Tariq, what a great way of in cooperating the music of the students' time and the technology they will be familiar with. I particularly love you Social Action Activity because it does not only allow the students to become active citizens through Social Participation, but adds to their knowledge and content on the dangers of being a teen-mom and how to prevent that circumstance from occurring.

[gjames]

Social Studies
Child Abuse
Form Threes - 14- 15 years

Type of Text:
A short video presentation depicting Information about Child Abuse
Sources:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9njhcQUlXc

Deconstruction
the students will first watch the video as a whole class and then the key elements of the video will be discussed. From the key elements and points written down on the board the students will form groups of five and partake in a Reader's Theatre exercise. Each group will create a five minute drama piece which helps to demonstrate one main fact found in the video.

Reconstruction
The students will use the information/facts provided by the video to assist them in creating a short story about an abused child who was able to over come this demon. The students would have to include some of the ways in which the child was abused, the signs which that child displayed in school and to his parent or relative of possible abuse and a possible solution to the situation.

Social Action
Students will partake in a Parent- Students seminar where they will read some of their creative stories to the parents and teach them about the possible signs of child abuse and solutions to these issues in our society. Through this teaching process the parents will be informed and with the information coming from the children may be more empathetic to receiving that type of information. The students can use that opportunity as a form of reinforcement, and revision.

[Admin]

GJames, I find your activity quite impressive. Many of our students are victims of abuse in one form or another. The video is appropriate particularly as it is from a child's perspective.

I think there is need, however, to ask a few analytical questions about the video to help students make connections and disconnections and to uncover different layers of meaning. By simply saying that you will "discuss" is inadequate. Including a few questions to guide the discussion will help to determine whether or not you are attempting to raise students' consciousness of the issue of child abuse.

What do you think?

[canthony]

Social Studies
Topic:Saving
Age group:14-15
www.google.com.jm/imgres?imgurl=http://www.ie-studio.net/images/investing.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.ie-studio.net/&usg=__CpkAtGzv4IjENqb4S0-3GYPCI6c=&h=300&w=300&sz=29&hl=en&st

Step 1 Deconstruction: Students will speak about the action which is being portrayed in the image. Students will be questioned about their understanding of the image.

Step 2 Reconstruction: After students have expressed they own understanding. students will imagine that they are the ones in the image putting money in the piggy bank and will write a diary entry explaining why they are engaged in this activity and how it can benefit them.

Step 3 Social Action: Students will visit the nearest credit union in which they will recognize the institution as one which enables person to save. Students will be educated on the importance of saving and services which are provided and benefits which they can obtain by being a member. Upon returning to the classroom students will add this entry into their diaries.

[canthony]

Tariq I love your activity I think this is a song students will be able to relate to