Critical literacy in a primary multiliteracies classroom: The Hurricane Group

Abstract

This qualitative research presents an expanded perspective of literacy practices in which young students engage in multiple literacies while exploring personal inquiries about Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, LA. An extended classroom example and analysis taken from a broader research project focusing on early multiliteracies, illustrates the ability of young students to ask critical questions, explore alternative perspectives, and engage in multimodal responses to construct and communicate meaning as they take social action. Narrative inquiry and discourse analysis provide insight into ways that primary children engage in authentic inquiry from a critical, social justice perspective. They also show how traditional early childhood curriculum can focus on social issues through critical framing. This classroom example demonstrates students’ increasing ability to use a range of multimodal tools to accomplish mutually agreed socially relevant goals within a classroom community of practice.