Accessible and engaging, this methods textbook provides a roadmap for improving reading instruction. Leland, Lewison, and Harste explain why certain ineffective or debunked literacy techniques prevail in the classroom, identify the problematic assumptions that underly these popular myths, and offer better alternatives for literacy teaching. Grounded in a mantra that promotes critical thinking and agency—Enjoy! Dig Deeply! Take Action!—this book presents a clear framework, methods, and easy applications for designing and implementing effective literacy instruction.

Numerous teaching strategies, classroom examples, teacher vignettes, and recommendations for using children’s and adolescent literature found in this book make it an ideal text for preservice teachers in elementary and middle school reading, and English language arts methods courses as well as a practical resource for professional in-service workshops and teachers.

Key features include:

Accessible and engaging, this methods textbook provides a roadmap for improving reading instruction. Leland, Lewison, and Harste explain why certain ineffective or debunked literacy techniques prevail in the classroom, identify the problematic assumptions that underly these popular myths, and offer better alternatives for literacy teaching. Grounded in a mantra that promotes critical thinking and agency—Enjoy! Dig Deeply! Take Action!—this book presents a clear framework, methods, and easy applications for designing and implementing effective literacy instruction.

Numerous teaching strategies, classroom examples, teacher vignettes, and recommendations for using children’s and adolescent literature found in this book make it an ideal text for preservice teachers in elementary and middle school reading, and English language arts methods courses as well as a practical resource for professional in-service workshops and teachers.

Key features include:

In the World Library of Educationalists series, international experts themselves compile career-long collections of what they judge to be their finest pieces – extracts from books, key articles, salient research findings, major theoretical and practical contributions – so the world can read them in a single manageable volume. Readers will be able to follow the themes and strands and see how their work contributes to the development of the field.

This volume brings together articles, essays, poetry, and artwork from Jerome C. Harste’s extensive career across the field of literacy studies. This book addresses his contributions to early literacy, reading comprehension, ways of knowing, inquiry-based education, and creating critical classrooms – among other topics – in his characteristically whimsical tone. Following the chronology of his career, each section of the book reflects an important theme of Harste’s work and documents the impact of his contributions on the field.

Combining his key articles with historical notes, fun facts, and professional tips, Harste tells stories about encounters with colleagues, and covers everything from seminars he developed and taught, the importance of collaboration, how his thinking and teaching have grown and evolved, ways his scholarship was enhanced through participation in professional organizations, as well as pithy words of advice for fellow scholars. The articles in this collection trace the development of a thought collective which Harste helped create and which continues to shape research and practice in the field of literacy education.

In the World Library of Educationalists series, international experts themselves compile career-long collections of what they judge to be their finest pieces – extracts from books, key articles, salient research findings, major theoretical and practical contributions – so the world can read them in a single manageable volume. Readers will be able to follow the themes and strands and see how their work contributes to the development of the field.

This volume brings together articles, essays, poetry, and artwork from Jerome C. Harste’s extensive career across the field of literacy studies. This book addresses his contributions to early literacy, reading comprehension, ways of knowing, inquiry-based education, and creating critical classrooms – among other topics – in his characteristically whimsical tone. Following the chronology of his career, each section of the book reflects an important theme of Harste’s work and documents the impact of his contributions on the field.

Combining his key articles with historical notes, fun facts, and professional tips, Harste tells stories about encounters with colleagues, and covers everything from seminars he developed and taught, the importance of collaboration, how his thinking and teaching have grown and evolved, ways his scholarship was enhanced through participation in professional organizations, as well as pithy words of advice for fellow scholars. The articles in this collection trace the development of a thought collective which Harste helped create and which continues to shape research and practice in the field of literacy education.

Now in its third edition, this indispensable text offers a critical perspective on how to integrate children’s literature into the curriculum in effective, purposeful ways. Structured around three "mantras" that build on each other—Enjoy; Dig deeply; Take action—the book is rich with real examples of teachers implementing critical pedagogy and tools to support students’ development as enthusiastic readers and thinkers. The materials and practical strategies focus on issues that impact children’s lives, building from students’ personal experiences and cultural knowledge by using language to question the everyday world, analyze popular culture and media, understand how power relationships are socially constructed, and consider actions that can be taken to promote social justice.

Each chapter features classroom vignettes showcasing the use of literature and inviting conversation; three key principles elaborating the main theme of the chapter and connecting theory with practice; and related research on the topics and their importance for curriculum. Thoroughly revised, the third edition includes new recommendations for teaching with a critical edge and exploring alternative approaches to standardized assessment.

With more attention to culturally and linguistically diverse learners and addressing new topics such as censorship and controversial texts, the new edition is essential for courses on teaching children’s literature and English Language Arts methods, and for every preservice elementary and middle school English teacher.

A companion website to enrich and extend the text includes an annotated bibliography of literature selections, suggested text sets, resources by chapter, ideas for professional development, and recommendations for further reading.

Now in its third edition, this indispensable text offers a critical perspective on how to integrate children’s literature into the curriculum in effective, purposeful ways. Structured around three "mantras" that build on each other—Enjoy; Dig deeply; Take action—the book is rich with real examples of teachers implementing critical pedagogy and tools to support students’ development as enthusiastic readers and thinkers. The materials and practical strategies focus on issues that impact children’s lives, building from students’ personal experiences and cultural knowledge by using language to question the everyday world, analyze popular culture and media, understand how power relationships are socially constructed, and consider actions that can be taken to promote social justice.

Each chapter features classroom vignettes showcasing the use of literature and inviting conversation; three key principles elaborating the main theme of the chapter and connecting theory with practice; and related research on the topics and their importance for curriculum. Thoroughly revised, the third edition includes new recommendations for teaching with a critical edge and exploring alternative approaches to standardized assessment.

With more attention to culturally and linguistically diverse learners and addressing new topics such as censorship and controversial texts, the new edition is essential for courses on teaching children’s literature and English Language Arts methods, and for every preservice elementary and middle school English teacher.

A companion website to enrich and extend the text includes an annotated bibliography of literature selections, suggested text sets, resources by chapter, ideas for professional development, and recommendations for further reading.

How can teacher educators engage pre-service and in-service teachers in learning about and framing their teaching from a critical literacy perspective? What does this mean? Why is it important? To address these questions, this book offers a theoretical framework and detailed examples, pedagogical resources, and insights into ways to build critical literacies with teachers in and out of school. Its unique contribution is to bridge critical literacy theory and teacher education.

Participants in teacher education programs and professional development settings are often reminded of the need to build curriculum using children’s inquiry questions, passions and interests but generally this message is delivered only through telling (lectures) or showing (examples from other people’s classrooms). This book advances critical literary by explaining and illustrating how teacher educators can do much more—by creating opportunities for pre-service and in-service teachers to "live critical literacies" through experiencing firsthand what it is like to be a learner where the curriculum is built around teachers’ own inquiry questions, passions, and interests.

How can teacher educators engage pre-service and in-service teachers in learning about and framing their teaching from a critical literacy perspective? What does this mean? Why is it important? To address these questions, this book offers a theoretical framework and detailed examples, pedagogical resources, and insights into ways to build critical literacies with teachers in and out of school. Its unique contribution is to bridge critical literacy theory and teacher education.

Participants in teacher education programs and professional development settings are often reminded of the need to build curriculum using children’s inquiry questions, passions and interests but generally this message is delivered only through telling (lectures) or showing (examples from other people’s classrooms). This book advances critical literary by explaining and illustrating how teacher educators can do much more—by creating opportunities for pre-service and in-service teachers to "live critical literacies" through experiencing firsthand what it is like to be a learner where the curriculum is built around teachers’ own inquiry questions, passions, and interests.

This popular text articulates a powerful theory of critical literacy—in all its complexity. Critical literacy practices encourage students to use language to question the everyday world, interrogate the relationship between language and power, analyze popular culture and media, understand how power relationships are socially constructed, and consider actions that can be taken to promote social justice. By providing both a model for critical literacy instruction and many examples of how critical practices can be enacted in daily school life in elementary and middle school classrooms, Creating Critical Classrooms meets a huge need for a practical, theoretically based text on this topic.

Pedagogical features in each chapter

• Teacher-researcher Vignette

• Theories that Inform Practice

• Critical Literacy Chart

• Thought Piece

• Invitations for Disruption

• Lingering Questions

New in the Second Edition

• End-of-chapter "Voices from the Field"

• More upper elementary-grade examples

• New text sets drawn from "Classroom Resources"

• Streamlined, restructured, revised, and updated throughout

• Expanded Companion Website now includes annotated Classroom Resources; Text Sets; Resources by Chapter; Invitations for Students; Literacy Strategies; Additional Resources

This popular text articulates a powerful theory of critical literacy—in all its complexity. Critical literacy practices encourage students to use language to question the everyday world, interrogate the relationship between language and power, analyze popular culture and media, understand how power relationships are socially constructed, and consider actions that can be taken to promote social justice. By providing both a model for critical literacy instruction and many examples of how critical practices can be enacted in daily school life in elementary and middle school classrooms, Creating Critical Classrooms meets a huge need for a practical, theoretically based text on this topic.

Pedagogical features in each chapter

• Teacher-researcher Vignette

• Theories that Inform Practice

• Critical Literacy Chart

• Thought Piece

• Invitations for Disruption

• Lingering Questions

New in the Second Edition

• End-of-chapter "Voices from the Field"

• More upper elementary-grade examples

• New text sets drawn from "Classroom Resources"

• Streamlined, restructured, revised, and updated throughout

• Expanded Companion Website now includes annotated Classroom Resources; Text Sets; Resources by Chapter; Invitations for Students; Literacy Strategies; Additional Resources

Accessible and engaging, this methods textbook provides a roadmap for improving reading instruction. Leland, Lewison, and Harste explain why certain ineffective or debunked literacy techniques prevail in the classroom, identify the problematic assumptions that underly these popular myths, and offer better alternatives for literacy teaching. Grounded in a mantra that promotes critical thinking and agency—Enjoy! Dig Deeply! Take Action!—this book presents a clear framework, methods, and easy applications for designing and implementing effective literacy instruction.

Numerous teaching strategies, classroom examples, teacher vignettes, and recommendations for using children’s and adolescent literature found in this book make it an ideal text for preservice teachers in elementary and middle school reading, and English language arts methods courses as well as a practical resource for professional in-service workshops and teachers.

Key features include:

Accessible and engaging, this methods textbook provides a roadmap for improving reading instruction. Leland, Lewison, and Harste explain why certain ineffective or debunked literacy techniques prevail in the classroom, identify the problematic assumptions that underly these popular myths, and offer better alternatives for literacy teaching. Grounded in a mantra that promotes critical thinking and agency—Enjoy! Dig Deeply! Take Action!—this book presents a clear framework, methods, and easy applications for designing and implementing effective literacy instruction.

Numerous teaching strategies, classroom examples, teacher vignettes, and recommendations for using children’s and adolescent literature found in this book make it an ideal text for preservice teachers in elementary and middle school reading, and English language arts methods courses as well as a practical resource for professional in-service workshops and teachers.

Key features include:

In the World Library of Educationalists series, international experts themselves compile career-long collections of what they judge to be their finest pieces – extracts from books, key articles, salient research findings, major theoretical and practical contributions – so the world can read them in a single manageable volume. Readers will be able to follow the themes and strands and see how their work contributes to the development of the field.

This volume brings together articles, essays, poetry, and artwork from Jerome C. Harste’s extensive career across the field of literacy studies. This book addresses his contributions to early literacy, reading comprehension, ways of knowing, inquiry-based education, and creating critical classrooms – among other topics – in his characteristically whimsical tone. Following the chronology of his career, each section of the book reflects an important theme of Harste’s work and documents the impact of his contributions on the field.

Combining his key articles with historical notes, fun facts, and professional tips, Harste tells stories about encounters with colleagues, and covers everything from seminars he developed and taught, the importance of collaboration, how his thinking and teaching have grown and evolved, ways his scholarship was enhanced through participation in professional organizations, as well as pithy words of advice for fellow scholars. The articles in this collection trace the development of a thought collective which Harste helped create and which continues to shape research and practice in the field of literacy education.

In the World Library of Educationalists series, international experts themselves compile career-long collections of what they judge to be their finest pieces – extracts from books, key articles, salient research findings, major theoretical and practical contributions – so the world can read them in a single manageable volume. Readers will be able to follow the themes and strands and see how their work contributes to the development of the field.

This volume brings together articles, essays, poetry, and artwork from Jerome C. Harste’s extensive career across the field of literacy studies. This book addresses his contributions to early literacy, reading comprehension, ways of knowing, inquiry-based education, and creating critical classrooms – among other topics – in his characteristically whimsical tone. Following the chronology of his career, each section of the book reflects an important theme of Harste’s work and documents the impact of his contributions on the field.

Combining his key articles with historical notes, fun facts, and professional tips, Harste tells stories about encounters with colleagues, and covers everything from seminars he developed and taught, the importance of collaboration, how his thinking and teaching have grown and evolved, ways his scholarship was enhanced through participation in professional organizations, as well as pithy words of advice for fellow scholars. The articles in this collection trace the development of a thought collective which Harste helped create and which continues to shape research and practice in the field of literacy education.

Now in its third edition, this indispensable text offers a critical perspective on how to integrate children’s literature into the curriculum in effective, purposeful ways. Structured around three "mantras" that build on each other—Enjoy; Dig deeply; Take action—the book is rich with real examples of teachers implementing critical pedagogy and tools to support students’ development as enthusiastic readers and thinkers. The materials and practical strategies focus on issues that impact children’s lives, building from students’ personal experiences and cultural knowledge by using language to question the everyday world, analyze popular culture and media, understand how power relationships are socially constructed, and consider actions that can be taken to promote social justice.

Each chapter features classroom vignettes showcasing the use of literature and inviting conversation; three key principles elaborating the main theme of the chapter and connecting theory with practice; and related research on the topics and their importance for curriculum. Thoroughly revised, the third edition includes new recommendations for teaching with a critical edge and exploring alternative approaches to standardized assessment.

With more attention to culturally and linguistically diverse learners and addressing new topics such as censorship and controversial texts, the new edition is essential for courses on teaching children’s literature and English Language Arts methods, and for every preservice elementary and middle school English teacher.

A companion website to enrich and extend the text includes an annotated bibliography of literature selections, suggested text sets, resources by chapter, ideas for professional development, and recommendations for further reading.

Now in its third edition, this indispensable text offers a critical perspective on how to integrate children’s literature into the curriculum in effective, purposeful ways. Structured around three "mantras" that build on each other—Enjoy; Dig deeply; Take action—the book is rich with real examples of teachers implementing critical pedagogy and tools to support students’ development as enthusiastic readers and thinkers. The materials and practical strategies focus on issues that impact children’s lives, building from students’ personal experiences and cultural knowledge by using language to question the everyday world, analyze popular culture and media, understand how power relationships are socially constructed, and consider actions that can be taken to promote social justice.

Each chapter features classroom vignettes showcasing the use of literature and inviting conversation; three key principles elaborating the main theme of the chapter and connecting theory with practice; and related research on the topics and their importance for curriculum. Thoroughly revised, the third edition includes new recommendations for teaching with a critical edge and exploring alternative approaches to standardized assessment.

With more attention to culturally and linguistically diverse learners and addressing new topics such as censorship and controversial texts, the new edition is essential for courses on teaching children’s literature and English Language Arts methods, and for every preservice elementary and middle school English teacher.

A companion website to enrich and extend the text includes an annotated bibliography of literature selections, suggested text sets, resources by chapter, ideas for professional development, and recommendations for further reading.

How can teacher educators engage pre-service and in-service teachers in learning about and framing their teaching from a critical literacy perspective? What does this mean? Why is it important? To address these questions, this book offers a theoretical framework and detailed examples, pedagogical resources, and insights into ways to build critical literacies with teachers in and out of school. Its unique contribution is to bridge critical literacy theory and teacher education.

Participants in teacher education programs and professional development settings are often reminded of the need to build curriculum using children’s inquiry questions, passions and interests but generally this message is delivered only through telling (lectures) or showing (examples from other people’s classrooms). This book advances critical literary by explaining and illustrating how teacher educators can do much more—by creating opportunities for pre-service and in-service teachers to "live critical literacies" through experiencing firsthand what it is like to be a learner where the curriculum is built around teachers’ own inquiry questions, passions, and interests.

How can teacher educators engage pre-service and in-service teachers in learning about and framing their teaching from a critical literacy perspective? What does this mean? Why is it important? To address these questions, this book offers a theoretical framework and detailed examples, pedagogical resources, and insights into ways to build critical literacies with teachers in and out of school. Its unique contribution is to bridge critical literacy theory and teacher education.

Participants in teacher education programs and professional development settings are often reminded of the need to build curriculum using children’s inquiry questions, passions and interests but generally this message is delivered only through telling (lectures) or showing (examples from other people’s classrooms). This book advances critical literary by explaining and illustrating how teacher educators can do much more—by creating opportunities for pre-service and in-service teachers to "live critical literacies" through experiencing firsthand what it is like to be a learner where the curriculum is built around teachers’ own inquiry questions, passions, and interests.

This popular text articulates a powerful theory of critical literacy—in all its complexity. Critical literacy practices encourage students to use language to question the everyday world, interrogate the relationship between language and power, analyze popular culture and media, understand how power relationships are socially constructed, and consider actions that can be taken to promote social justice. By providing both a model for critical literacy instruction and many examples of how critical practices can be enacted in daily school life in elementary and middle school classrooms, Creating Critical Classrooms meets a huge need for a practical, theoretically based text on this topic.

Pedagogical features in each chapter

• Teacher-researcher Vignette

• Theories that Inform Practice

• Critical Literacy Chart

• Thought Piece

• Invitations for Disruption

• Lingering Questions

New in the Second Edition

• End-of-chapter "Voices from the Field"

• More upper elementary-grade examples

• New text sets drawn from "Classroom Resources"

• Streamlined, restructured, revised, and updated throughout

• Expanded Companion Website now includes annotated Classroom Resources; Text Sets; Resources by Chapter; Invitations for Students; Literacy Strategies; Additional Resources

This popular text articulates a powerful theory of critical literacy—in all its complexity. Critical literacy practices encourage students to use language to question the everyday world, interrogate the relationship between language and power, analyze popular culture and media, understand how power relationships are socially constructed, and consider actions that can be taken to promote social justice. By providing both a model for critical literacy instruction and many examples of how critical practices can be enacted in daily school life in elementary and middle school classrooms, Creating Critical Classrooms meets a huge need for a practical, theoretically based text on this topic.

Pedagogical features in each chapter

• Teacher-researcher Vignette

• Theories that Inform Practice

• Critical Literacy Chart

• Thought Piece

• Invitations for Disruption

• Lingering Questions

New in the Second Edition

• End-of-chapter "Voices from the Field"

• More upper elementary-grade examples

• New text sets drawn from "Classroom Resources"

• Streamlined, restructured, revised, and updated throughout

• Expanded Companion Website now includes annotated Classroom Resources; Text Sets; Resources by Chapter; Invitations for Students; Literacy Strategies; Additional Resources