Transforming Teaching through Critical Literacies

In this chapter, I share my journey and implementation of a critical literacy framework through dramatic play into my classroom and how it has transformed my teaching. Critical literacy is a field that addresses imbalances of power and, in particular, pays attention to the voices of those who are less frequently heard. When critical literacy is implemented as a curriculum in the classroom, students are made aware of injustices and provided a platform to learn about them in their community and their world. In this space, students can interrogate injustices, develop their voice, feel empowered, and participate in a humanitarian approach of learning in a safe and nonjudgmental environment. As student's start to feel empowered and develop a critical stance, the final and most rewarding step in a critical literacy framework is providing necessary steps to improve conditions and be compassionate to differences and injustices.