THE CASE FOR A CRITICAL LITERACY APPROACH IN AN ELEMENTARY BOOK CLUB: A CATALYST TO ILLUMINATE STUDENT VOICE AND HIDDEN PERSPECTIVES

Abstract

The purpose of this research study was to examine how elementary students respond to a critical literacy book club and how their responses illuminate new perspectives. Using a practitioner inquiry approach, the critical literacy book club uncovered student stories hidden by their own marginalization stemming from their age, socioeconomic status, and the rural location of the study setting. Furthermore, this study aimed to understand how a critical literacy book club provides a space for student voice and critical stances. The participants read, discussed, and responded to texts analytically and emotionally. Using researched critical literacy approaches, a framework was developed to design questions and activities for the book club. Thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006), paired with a critical lens, was utilized to synthesize themes to reveal how students challenge the status quo, make meaning and connections, and work towards a critical stance as impassioned producers. Findings provided insight into how students respond, in various ways, to a critical literacy approach and how teachers can implement a critical literacy approach to foster student agency while designing their own critical pedagogy.