21st‐Century Mentor Texts: Developing Critical Literacies in the Information Age

Abstract

Abstract This column explores the idea of using 21st‐century mentor texts to guide students in the development of critical literacy. The column focuses on one example from the U.S. presidential election of 2012 to illustrate how teachers might engage students to unpack the socially constructed nature of literacy. The author argues that the changing reading and writing practices of our new literacy landscape require new forms of apprenticeships to help students develop critical lenses to read the world.