Critical Literacy

We believe that, ironically, critical literacy receives a lot of unnecessary criticism. Is it really that damaging for children to be able to deconstruct texts to gain understanding of an author's true intentions? It does not need to be seen as ruining a child's ability to read for pleasure, rather more increasing their awareness of how and why the emotion is being evoked. In turn this will enable them to utilise the techniques observed through being crtitical, about other texts, when creating their own.

Therefore, we find it difficult to understand why there is so much trepidation over the issue of making children aware of audience, purpose and persuasive techniques through critical literacy. Especially, with reference to the increasingly sophisticated techniques being used by advertisers to sell their products; and language employed by newspapers and politicians to sell "their" version of current affairs. Surely by denying children access to these issues we are putting them at risk to being exploited and manipulated by 'modern consumerist trends'.

*Climbs down off their soap-box*

Byeeeeeeeeeee

xXx