Using Read-Alouds with Critical Literacy Literature in K-3 Classrooms

Abstract

Wendy B. Meller, PhD, is a literacy curriculum coach at Hardy Williams Academy Charter School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. [e-mail] Danielle Richardson, MS, is a first grade teacher at Sarah Moore Green Magnet Technology Academy in Knoxville, Tennessee. [e-mail] J. Amos Hatch, PhD, is a professor of urban-multicultural teacher education at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. [e-mail] Wendy, Danielle, and Amos worked together in the Urban-Multicultural Teacher Education Program at the University of Tennessee, where Wendy was a graduate assistant during her doctoral program, Danielle earned her master’s degree and teaching license, and Amos is a professor. All three continue to collaborate to support teaching and learning in urban K–3 settings. Teacher read-alouds are planned oral readings of children’s books. They are a vital part of literacy instruction in primary classrooms. Teachers can use readalouds to develop children’s background knowledge, stimulate their interest in high-quality literature, increase their comprehension skills, and foster critical thinking. While reading, teachers model strategies that children can use during their own independent reading. This article describes read-alouds that feature critical literacy literature. Critical literacy literature consists of high-quality children’s books that prompt children to think and talk about social issues that impact their daily lives. The article includes a rationale for the importance of using children’s literature and read-alouds in primary classrooms; a description of critical literacy and the kinds of children’s books appropriate for critical literacy read-alouds; and an example of a critical literacy read-aloud in a first grade classroom by one of the authors.