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##  Critical Literacy for Adult Literacy in Language Learners. ERIC                 Digest.                                                                      

What is heard (e.g., news reports, public speakers, conversation)               and what is read (e.g., newspapers, tabloids, Internet-based                    material) is not necessarily accurate nor unbiased. Learners need to            develop skills to identify and work with this non-neutral facet of              language (Hull, 2000). Critical literacy takes learners beyond the              development of basic literacy skills such as decoding, predicting,              and summarizing and asks them to become critical consumers of the               information they receive. 
This digest examines what critical                  literacy means. It discusses why critical literacy is important to              include in instruction for adults learning English as a second                  language (ESL) and gives some examples of how this can be                       done. CRITICAL LITERACY: THE CONCEPTCritical literacy                     encompasses a range of critical and analytical attitudes and skills             used in the process of understanding and interpreting texts, both               spoken and written. Currently, in adult education, it is most often             discussed in relation to literacy and language learning. In these               contexts, it draws from a number of related theories concerned with             the constant interplay of reader and text in the meaning-making                 process (Auerbach, 1999; Brown, 1999; Clark, 1995; Hood, Solomon, &             Burns, 1996). 
In its broadest sense, the term critical literacy               refers to efforts to go beyond surface meaning of a text by                     questioning the who, what, why, and how of its creation and eventual            interpretation (Lohrey, 1998). However, depending on the ideas,                 approaches, and pedagogies embraced by those using it, critical                 literacy can take different forms in actual practice. For example,              for those who recognize that language use is not neutral, critical              literacy is a means for examining the interaction of language and               power relationships. For those who believe that language and text               are intended to persuade, justify, entertain, and so on, critical               literacy is a means of identifying the writer's or speaker's purpose            and for eventually using the language oneself for such purposes. For            theorists who derive their concept of critical literacy from                    Freire-a Brazilian educator who believed that education and                     knowledge have power only when they help learners liberate                      themselves from oppressive social conditions (Peyton & Crandall,                1995)--it is a way in which learners can decipher the issues that               drive society, empower themselves, and ultimately take social                   action. (Auerbach, 1999; Brown, 1999; Hammond & Macken Horarik,                 1999; Hull, 2000). Many practitioners and theorists look at critical            literacy practice as a combination of these perspectives (Brown,                1999). 
"Related terminology such as critical thinking, critical               pedagogy, critical practice, critical theory, genre theory, and                 critical language awareness are sometimes used in conjunction with              critical literacy, thus making understanding of the term even more              complex. For an in depth discussion of critical approaches to                   teaching ESOL, see the Autumn 1999 issue of TESOL Quarterly, which              is dedicated to this topic." REASONS FOR CRITICAL LITERACY                    INSTRUCTIONGood listeners and readers make use of their                     background knowledge to evaluate what they are hearing or reading.              Because texts often presuppose cultural knowledge, social attitudes,            or the views of a particular segment of society, adult English                  language learners can benefit from instruction that helps them look             critically at texts. Learners can be encouraged to question the                 social, political, and ideological elements in what they hear, say,             read, and write. In this way, they can more fully explore the issues            that affect their lives and consider the consequences of taking                 action to address these issues (Auerbach, 1999; Brown, 1999;                    Hammond & Macken Horarik, 1999; Hull, 2000). Lessons that                       incorporate critical literacy perspectives can help learners examine            the source of a text, including its biases and purposes; question               the veracity and applicability of the information being provided in             terms of their own lives; assess the broader societal messages about            values, attitudes, and power relationships that are being conveyed              through the text; and consider their own biases, reactions, and                 realities in relation to the text. Thus, these lessons will                     contribute to learners' more comprehensive understanding of texts               and the larger society (Brown, 1999; Hood, Solomon, & Burns, 1996;              Lohrey, 1998). 
Regardless of the form in which critical literacy              is practiced in the classroom, there is recognition of the need for             English language learners to take critical stances toward reading,              writing, speaking, or listening. Variations on critical literacy                practices can be found in standards efforts such as Equipped for the            Future (Stein, 2000) and in the list of skills and competencies                 identified by the Secretary's Commission on Achieving Necessary                 Skills (SCANS) (U.S. Department of Labor, 1991). CRITICAL LITERACY            ACTIVITIESBoth advanced level and beginning adult ESL learners              can participate in activities that develop critical literacy                    skills. 
With "higher level English language learners," a teacher              might add a few questions or a different perspective to activities              already being used. For example, after students have read a news                article, the teacher might ask, "Why do you think this text was                 written?" "What language in the text gives you clues about its                  purpose?" "How would this article have been written in your                     country?" "How could this article have been written to better target            your community in the United States?" In another activity, learners             can examine a local English language newspaper, comparing its                   article topics, writing style, sections, photographs, and layout to             those of a local native language newspaper. The students can then               discuss what these aspects reveal about both cultures and how this              can influence who reads the newspapers and which advertisers support            them. In activities like these, learners are prompted not only to               ask questions about the information presented, but also to relate               this information to their own perceptions, attitudes, and                       realities. 
Although these types of activities are also appropriate            for "learners at lower English proficiency levels," teachers need to            build in more contextual and linguistic supports, discuss issues                that are relevant to the learners, and use concrete materials such              as codes. Codes are pictures, text, or speech representations of                themes or issues that are used with follow-up questions to trigger              reflection, dialogue, and critical thinking among a group of                    learners. Because they are simple, familiar, focused representations            of complex, often emotionally charged issues or situations, codes               can be structured for use with low level learners (Auerbach, 1992).             For example, in a unit on families, learners might listen to a                  short, simple dialogue between a child's teacher and a father, in               which the teacher tells the father that the family should speak                 English at home to help improve the child's English. The learners               can then move through sets of questions that progress from                      describing the situation and the issue (Who is the woman? Who is the            man? Where are they? What are they talking about? How does the                  teacher feel? How does the father feel? Why are they talking?) to               examining the issue in terms of their own lives and in terms of the             larger social context (Do you have children? Do you talk to your                children's teachers? What do they say? How do you feel? In your                 country, did you talk to your children's teachers? What did they                say? What language do you speak at home? Why? Why does the teacher              here give this advice? Do you agree with her? Is this advice good               for everyone?) CRITICAL LITERACY STRATEGIESTeachers can make              critical thinking and critical analysis a regular part of all                   classroom work in the following ways: 
* Start with information                sources (articles, advertisements, speeches, dialogues, pictures,               videos) that are obviously biased or ideologically loaded, such as              an advertising campaign against smoking, and then progress to more              subtle examples, such as a play or sitcom that demonstrates negative            aspects of smoking. 
* Raise awareness by pointing out critical                literacy skills when they are exhibited by the teacher or by                    learners. 
* Choose readings or listening, speaking, or writing                activities that are relevant and interesting for learners. 
*                  Prompt learners to examine how their own experiences and values                 relate to and influence their approaches to topics. 
* Understand              that some learners may feel uncomfortable expressing opinions,                  especially if this kind of learning approach is new to them. 
* Be             aware that multiple interpretations of information and different                points of view may or may not be represented in classroom texts,                materials, and discussions, so choose activities in which learners              must consider a variety of perspectives. 
* Build in time for                  learners to become comfortable with texts or activities before                  asking them to look at them critically. 
* Have learners formulate             questions as well as answer them. 
* Balance instruction in basic              literacy skills (decoding, vocabulary building, predicting,                     summarizing) with practice in critical analysis skills. 
* Provide             support for challenging aspects of a task (pre practice new                     vocabulary or grammar points, clarify the main idea of a text,                  choose a familiar topic, etc.) so that learners can focus on                    critical or analytical points. 
* Use authentic texts (newspaper               articles, advertisements, letters, news broadcasts) and less                    traditional literacy texts (graffiti, cartoons, commercials,                    television sitcoms) whenever possible. 
* Shift from an emphasis on            finding a right answer to eliciting ranges of interpretations that              are supported by sound reasoning and thoughtful                                 examination. CONCLUSIONCritical literacy is a way of                      interacting with information that goes beyond the decoding of                   letters and words. It encourages learners to engage with information            sources and to question the social contexts, purposes, and possible             effects that they have on their lives. It also asks them to look at             their own opinions, biases, and perceptions of reality, and to                  consider those of others. For adult ESL learners, critical literacy             can be a means of comprehensively exploring the new language and                culture in which they find themselves. REFERENCESAuerbach,                E. (1992). "Making meaning, making change." McHenry, IL and                     Washington, DC: Delta Systems Co., Inc. and Center for Applied                  Linguistics. [Reprint in press] 
Auerbach, E. (1999). The power of             writing, the writing of power: Approaches to adult ESOL writing                 instruction. "Focus on Basics, 3" (D), 1, 3-6. 
Brown,                         K. (1999). "Developing critical literacy." Sydney, Australia:                   National Centre for English Language Teaching and Research. 
Clark,            R. (1995). Developing critical reading practices. "Prospect 10" (2),            65-80. 
Hammond, J., & Macken-Horarik, M. (1999). Critical                     literacy: Challenges and questions for ESL Classrooms. "TESOL                   Quarterly, 33" (3), 528 543. 
Hood, S., Solomon, N., & Burns,                  A. (1996). "Focus on reading." Sydney, Australia: National Centre               for English Language Teaching and Research. 
Hull, G. (2000,                   April). Critical literacy at work. "Journal of Adolescent and Adult             Literacy, 43" (7), 648-652. 
Lohrey, A. (1998). "Critical literacy:            A professional development resource." Melbourne, Australia: Language            Australia. 
Peyton, J.K., & Crandall, J.A. (1995). "Philosophies               and approaches in adult ESL instruction." ERIC Digest. Washington,              DC: National Clearinghouse for ESL Literacy Education. (EDRS No. ED             386 960) 
Stein, S. (2000). "Equipped for the future content                   standards: What adults need to know and be able to do in the 21st               century." Washington, DC: National Institute for Literacy. 
U.S.               Department of Labor, Secretary's Commission on Achieving Necessary              Skills. (1991). "What work requires of schools: A SCANS report for              America 2000." Washington, DC: Author. (EDRS No. ED 332                         054) 
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The National Clearinghouse for ESL Literacy                  Education (NCLE) is operated by the Center for Applied                          Linguistics (CAL) with funding from the U.S. Department of                      Education (ED), Office of Vocational and Adult Education, under                 contract no. RI 93002010. The opinions expressed in this report do              not necessarily reflect the positions or policies of OERI or ED.                This document is in the public domain and may be reprodued without              permission.                                                                  **Title:** Critical Literacy for Adult Literacy in Language Learners. ERIC                 Digest.                                                                      **Document Type:** Information Analyses---ERIC Information Analysis Products (IAPs) (071); Information Analyses---ERIC Digests (Selected) in Full Text (073); **Available From:** For full text: http://www.cal.org/ncle/DIGESTS.                              **Descriptors:**  Adult Education, Classroom Techniques,  Critical Thinking,                      English (Second Language), Literacy,  Literacy Education, Second               Language Instruction, Second Language Learning, Teaching Methods             **Identifiers:**  Critical Literacy, ERIC Digests                                             
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