Focus on Critical Literacy:
IRA Programs and Resources

Active, engaged reading means approaching texts with a critical eye—thinking about what they say about our world, why they say it, and whether the view they promote should be accepted.

Critical literacy is a goal of reading instruction, particularly for children and adolescents who have mastered decoding and are moving deeply into comprehension. To find IRA resources to support your teaching of critical literacy, browse the information below—or go to advanced search and select “critical literacy” by clicking the + under the theoretical perspectives topic entry.

Recommended reading

Books and articles

News stories on critical literacy, from Reading Today Daily

Lesson plans

ReadWriteThink, an IRA collaboration with the National Council of Teachers of English and MarcoPolo, offers lesson plans that promote critical literacy, including

Critical Literacy: Point of View

Magazine Redux: An Exercise in Critical Literacy

Critical Media Literacy: TV Programs

Critical Media Literacy: Commercial Advertising

Identifying and Understanding the Fallacies Used in Advertising

Persuasive Essay: Environmental Issues

Analyzing the Purpose and Meaning of Political Cartoons

Exploring Literacy in Cyberspace

Meetings and events

IRA’s annual convention always includes numerous sessions on critical literacy and related topics. The following sessions appeared on the program for the 2007 convention.

Institute 18: “Read to Write, Write to Read: Connecting Reading and Writing in the Real World,” Marrietta Castle et al., presenters

Symposium: “Reading and Writing About Big Ideas: Exploring Urgent Topics, Using Key Strategies, Working Together, and Taking Action,” Sara Holbrook et al., presenters

Symposium: “Critical Literacy From Kindergarten to Adults: An International Perspective,” Margaret Hill et al., presenters

Symposium: “Critical Perspectives on Literacy: New Insights and Classroom Applications,” Kathleen Shannon et al., presenters

Microworkshop: “Effective Reading and Writing Practices: Developing Critical Literacy in Diverse Discourse Communities,” Sara Simonson et al., presenters

Other IRA meetings, including the biennial world congress and annual state/provincial and regional conferences, routinely include sessions on critical literacy.

Community

Members of the following groups pursue a common interest in critical literacy. Contacts within these groups can offer serve as resources to the broader community.

Special interest group: International Partnerships for Critical Thinking/Active Learning

Special interest group: Literacy and Social Responsibility

Special interest group: Mastery Learning

Online discussion group: Crit_Literacy listserv

For more information about the Association’s initiatives in the area of critical literacy, contact IRA’s Public Information Office.