Learning Opportunity

What does Critical Literacy Look like? Grades 7-9

This session has been completed.
Facilitator: Irene Heffel
Date:January 26, 2015
Time:9:00 am to 3:30 pm MTN
Cost:
$75.00
Location: Edmonton (ERLC Office at Elmwood School)
Room 17/18, 16325 - 83 Avenue
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Session Code: 15-LI-022
Focus: English Language Arts & Literacy

Target Audience

Grades 7-9 Teachers, Teacher Leaders

About this Learning Opportunity

Today's students live in the information age.  Critical literacy allows students to be active and challenging participants as they respond to texts of all types. It provides students with a lens through which to look critically at written, visual, spoken, multimedia, and performance texts, to challenge the intent and content, and to get the most enjoyment and deepest meaning out of text

The Ministerial Order charges teachers with enabling students to think critically, to make connections with information and to apply strategies to select, interpret and understand information for responsible use.

This session will address the following:

  • What is critical literacy?
  • What are critical literacy strategies?
  • What are best practices in critical literacy instruction?
  • How does critical literacy support the inquiry process?
  • How does critical literacy connect with reading and writing?
  • What does critical literacy actually look like in the classroom?

This session aligns with the Ministerial Order on Student Learning.  Specific competencies include:

  • Know how to learn:  to gain knowledge, understanding or skills through experience, study and interact with others
  • Think critically:  conceptualize, apply, analyze, synthesize and evaluate to construct knowledge

Manage information:  access, interpret, evaluate and use information effectively, efficiently and ethically

About the Facilitator

Irene Heffel has been an educator for over 35 years.  She has a Masters Degree in Educational Leadership.  Her work revolves around staff development in the areas of literacy, curriculum and assessment.  Currently Irene works with many districts throughout and beyond the province of Alberta.  She is also an instructor at the University of Alberta and Concordia University College of Alberta.