Critical Literacy is the
capability of one person to study texts in active ways which he/she would have
better understanding on human relationships. Text is referred as a medium which
people will communicate with the society. Songs, conversations, pictures and
novels are also considered as texts.
When critical literacy skills are
developed, one can interpret messages effectively by applying their skills.
Teachers who teach these skills to their students are believed to encourage
their students to interrogate societal issues and institutions. For instance,
societal issues could be referred to inequality. Inequality is the root of
numbers of societal issues especially when it comes to gender, races and
disability. Students can relate the things that they have read with their
surroundings. Critiques are given to change the norms and they will demonstrate
that not all members of society could except the norms.
According to Paolo Freire in Pedagogy of the Oppressed, he stated
that critical literacy could be developed in educational context. He proposed
that students should be in a system where they are socially aware through
critiques of multiple cases of injustice. However, the students need to be
given the opportunity to explore and construct knowledge in order to achieve
this awareness.
When students become critically
literate, they will be able to examine their surroundings, the role they play
in a society and how they relate their knowledge with their experiences. They
will also obtain biases and hidden agendas in the texts easily. Reading in
reflective manners help them to understand texts thoroughly. When they excel in
using the tools in critical literacy, they would expose, discuss and try to
solve the social injustice happened in their society. This will also help students
to find their own voice in their community.
Therefore, it is crucial to read
novels, magazine articles, short stories and films through a lens that
challenges norms. It is also important for them to be able to interpret message
and look to others’ perspective as well. Some of the books that students could
read are To Kill A Mockingbird and Wolf Whistle.
In conclusion, critical literacy
helps students to understand a topic more in depth. It widens our views on
certain topics and enable us to voice out our opinions. It might be complicated
at first but it eases people to think effectively.
