Responding to Text
This involves students actively engaging with the text as they extract meaning from the information and evaluate it to refine their own ideas and understandings (Winch, G., Ross-Johnston, R., March, P., Ljungdahl, L. & Holliday, M., 2011). Responding to the text by taking into account the writer’s purpose, encourages students to question the writer's viewpoint (Winch et al., 2011).
Specific Pedagogies
Students can be encouraged to:
- discuss their own perspectives on issues
- organise and collate key information
- expand topic knowledge through research
- recreate information from an alternative viewpoint
(Winch et al., 2011)
Ways to Adapt for Diverse Learners
Critical Literacy
Critical literacy teaches students that the meaning of a text lies just as much within the reader as it does in the author (Shanklin, 2009).
To elaborate, Shanklin (2009) explains that texts portray the author’s own social, cultural and political ideologies, however, student’s interpretations of an author’s work is also influenced by their own ideologies and experiences. Through critical literacy, students learn that texts contain various perspectives, which is vital in a multicultural classroom (Shanklin, 2009).
Initially, teachers should model critical questions and encourage students to develop their own questions and answers (Shanklin, 2009). Students can eventually progress to literacy circles or reciprocal reading to further enhance their critical literacy practices and develop multiple viewpoints (Shanklin, 2009; Nixon & Comber, 2009).
To elaborate, Shanklin (2009) explains that texts portray the author’s own social, cultural and political ideologies, however, student’s interpretations of an author’s work is also influenced by their own ideologies and experiences. Through critical literacy, students learn that texts contain various perspectives, which is vital in a multicultural classroom (Shanklin, 2009).
Initially, teachers should model critical questions and encourage students to develop their own questions and answers (Shanklin, 2009). Students can eventually progress to literacy circles or reciprocal reading to further enhance their critical literacy practices and develop multiple viewpoints (Shanklin, 2009; Nixon & Comber, 2009).