DISRUPTING, QUESTIONING, AND TAKING ACTION: TEACHER RESEARCH ON THE EXPERIENCE OF CRITICAL LITERACY IN ONE FIFTH-GRADE CLASSROOM

Abstract

Elementary teachers can help students develop a critical literacy lens and learn how to question, analyze, and challenge assumptions. In turn, this can develop an inclusive classroom. My teacher action research looks at how critical literacy impacts both me, the teacher, and my fifth-grade students, in a predominantly White suburban public school over a school year. I was interested in analyzing how my students experience the critical literacy curriculum. The research was guided by the following research questions: (1) On what topics did I and my students focus? (2) What was the nature of my students’ engagement? (3) What positions did my students take up? Data consist of my reflective journal entries, classroom discussions, student work, student surveys, semistructured interviews with students, and discussions with two teacher colleagues. The data was analyzed using three lenses: student and teacher focus, student nature of engagement, and student positionality. A high level of student engagement with the critical literacy work was seen throughout the year and community building was an important part of this work. The reading and writing workshop approach supported the critical literacy work in many ways, including allowing for text selection by students and teachers and giving students time to collaborate, question, research, and take action. Finally, there is a messiness to this work, for teachers and students, that needs to be acknowledged, as well as an expectation to learn from mistakes and to listen to and learn from each other. Developing a critical literacy lens is a lifelong endeavor.