Reading Practice Intensive

THINKING:

Critical Analysis to Read Critically

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Recap: Planning for Thinking Beyond the Literal

Response to Text Activities (including higher level ‘Create’)

Extended Discussion

Modelling

( analysis, critical analysis ‘thinking about thinking’)

These are three effective ways of planning for learners to think beyond the literal. We will explore each in detail throughout the day.

Te Mātaiaho English Curriculum

critical

analysis

In the refreshed curriculum (2024) learners ‘Do’ critical analysis from Phase 1 (Years 0-3).

(p.10 English in the refreshed New Zealand Curriculum, May 2023)

Ways to Critically Interpret and Challenge

perspectives

e.g. contending with different points of view on ideas, characters, cause and effect

positioning

e.g. ideologies, injustices, agendas, manipulation

Perspectives: Interpreting & Challenging

“To be brave you have to be scared.”

Perspectives: Extended Discussion

Using collaborative reasoning to develop reasoned critical analysis of the text.

Agree or disagree?

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Following text analysis, learners can respond critically to the provocation using evidence.

Perspectives: Disagreement Can Be Risky!

Have clear protocols and rationales for collaborative reasoning.

Setting Up For Success

Take

Rationale

“It’s really important to be able to …”

Capability building

• Reason together to reach the best conclusion
• Hear (and give) different viewpoints
• Question to check and verify
• Challenge ideas NOT the person
• Weight up the available evidence

Whaea Anita: “Today, we are going to have a discussion to reach the best decision we can. We will need practice our roles as Critical Analysts.

For example, if I say “rugby is watched more than netball, so rugby players should be paid more”, Kyle might say …:

• “I disagree because…”
• “What evidence do you have that …”
• “I also think differently because …”
• “Have you thought about …”

Collaborative, Critical Reasoning

Over time, we want to build learners’ independence about ways they can effectively lead, and contribute to, any discussion.

Initiate,

Build

Clarify

Fact check

Critically evaluate

Initiate,

Build

Clarify

Fact check

Critically evaluate

Initiate,

Build

Clarify

Fact check

Critically evaluate

Recap - Quality Learner Reflection

The quality of learners’ contributions and reasoning can be built through opportunities to reflect. For example, using self- and group-assessment practices.

ORAL

A quick oral response:

“How well did you think our discussion went today? Did we get to think deeply about the issue? How? What could we do better? What goal should we set ourselves for next time?

WRITTEN

A ‘quick write’ template with prompts (or key words):

“In today’s discussion I had the role of …… The part I/we found easy was…. The part I/we found hard was …. Next time our I/we should aim to..

RATING TOOL

Reflection against a set of indicators:

“Give your group a rating of 1, 2 or 3 (1 - lowest and 3 - highest):

• We used our ground rules for talk
• We all took part
• We disagree respectfully

Activity in Break Outs: Your Turn!

“To be brave you have to be scared.”

To do:

Have a 3 minute discussion:

• Reason together to reach the best conclusion
• Hear (and give) different viewpoints with evidence from the text(s)
• Question to check and clarify
• Challenge ideas NOT the person
• Weight up all the evidence

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Reflect:

• Use the “quick write” template (slide 10) to write a reflection and post on the Jamboard.

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Ways to Critically Interpret and Challenge

perspectives

e.g. contestable judgements about ideas, character actions, consequences, values.

positioning

e.g. identifying and resisting ideologies, injustices, agendas, manipulation

Positioning: Interpreting & Challenging

“A critical literate person is able to examine the power relationships inherent in language use, to recognize that language is not neutral and to confront their own values in the production and reception of language” (Luke, 2012).

Positioning: Interpreting & Challenging

“Ooh!” A woman in the lift grabbed her boyfriend…

• What do you notice about all the texts we have read this week? Who gets to bungy jump?
• What do you notice about the picture of the woman in Jump!?
• What about the other girl in the text? How has the author shown Pania’s attitude to bungy jumping versus Matiu’s?
• What message could girls be getting through all these texts?
• Does anyone know what we call this kind of bias?
• If you were the teacher, what kinds of changes could you make?
• As the author, I want you to rewrite one of the scenes in the story so that either the woman or Pania gets to bungy jump…

“You guys wanna do the bungy jump?” Uncle Hōne asked as they entered the lift . “No,” said Pānia. “Yes!” said Matiu.

Exploring Discourses of Power

*School Journal Examples

Why teach learners to have discussions?

Where Critical Literacy Fits

Teachable Moments

• Be on the lookout for opportunities to discuss authors’ purposes and reader positioning
• Pointing out stereotypes
• Noticing representation (and absence of) in the text

Planned Unit

• Elements of critical literacy explicitly taught
• Specific learning intention
• Prepared metalanguage around a theme (e.g. gender bias; discrimination)
• Selected text(s)

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Why teach learners to have discussions?

Opportunities To Challenge & Resist

• Reading multiple, and supplementary texts
• Reading from a resistant perspective
• Producing counter-texts
• Conducting student-choice research projects (about social-cultural forces affecting them)
• Taking social action

“As the author, I want you to rewrite one of the scenes in the story so either ‘the woman’ or Pania gets to bungy jump…”

Why teach learners to have discussions?

Main Group Activity: Independent Planning

CREATE TO RESIST

Using the texts you brought today, identify the language, theme or big idea you want learners to interpret and challenge.

Write a provocation to discuss as critical analysts.

*Think about how you would need to first resource learners for the discussion.

What opportunities will learners have to make different choices as authors or creators.

*How they might rewrite to challenge the status quo

TEXTS

Charles Goldie: 'The arrival of the Maoris in New Zealand'

Critical Literacy Questions

Age example

Gender example

Racism example

Environment example

School uniform example

Matrix

Critical Literacy for Juniors - video

Literacy Exemplars Site

Shared book example

Rainbow Fish

Critical Literacy Resources