Making the Connections - Teaching Critical Literacy

When discussing how to teach literacy among professionals with in the vocation of education, the common tone of empirical authority on the subject matter always seems to be the driving force of the discussion. In my experience many teachers feel that they 'know/possess' the answer to what critical literacy 'is', and how to definitely go about teaching 'it'. Not to discredit any teachers but I really believe that critical literacy and all its forms are constantly changing. There is no empirical or finite definition for what it actually 'is', and essentially, it is constantly evolving in order to adapt to the environment in which it strives to exist. It is unanimous that teachers realize they have a responsibility to teaching literacy and all it entails. However, most execute their own course of action when attempting to go about doing so. "Promoting critical literacy is the educator's first calling.' (Lankshear, 1989, p.181) Although it is important and essential for teachers to have autonomy when teaching literacy, this can lead to many aspects of critical literacy being overlooked and/ or entirely dismissed.

Literacy is not only about the mechanics; it is about making these simple mechanics relative and applicable to all aspects of one's life. The sensitive balance between comprehension and making connections is often not the goal when attempting to achieve literacy among students. Teaching students how to make these connections between literacy and relativity is parallel; so that, literacy becomes as essential to the individual as breathing is to survival.

When critical literacy is made relative, it allows the individual to become sensitive to their own social surroundings. It opens up doors and introduces new worlds to the student. The interest ignites a spark that will always allow the individual to constantly be examining and thinking about the 'known' and how the 'unknown' connects to it all.

As I discussed this topic with my mother who was never given a formal education, I realized what a disservice is done when an individual is not taught the importance of how critical literacy can be such an invaluable tool in a person's life. My mother discussed how she felt 'cheated' due to all the missed opportunity in her youth, as she was not formally taught how to read and make what she read relative. It was only until she came to Canada that she taught herself to read, in order to survive. This tool became invaluable to her when her life took an unexpected turn, in which she found herself a single mother of five young girls with no employment. She quickly learned how to make her skills relative in order to survive; from reading grocery flyers to scout food sales to feed her family, to finding employment. The point being, it is not sufficient to simply teach children to read, 'in order to get by' but rather even more essential, they be taught critical literacy as a very powerful tool when it is utilised to broaden one's horizon. If a child can be taught how unlimited this concept is - literacy has the ability to open up many avenues.