Potential Social Action Project

Critical literacy does not end with examination of a text and the reader's belief - critical literacy generates ACTION and leads to CHANGE. The change can be in yourself, your school, your community, your state, your region, your country, or the world. It is important for students to learn that the critical issues they deconstruct and reconstruct are not limited to head knowledge, the acquired knowledge is an opportunity and invitation to take social action. Adopting a sociocultural framework of critical literacy positions students and teachers as active participants in their world and invites them to produce knowledge through personal voice and agency. The growth of individual and collective voice allow students to both name and change their reality. Through the constructed text set and critical conversations, students have unpacked the social construct of gender regarding gender identity, expression, roles, and stereotypes. Students are now positioned to engage in opportunities for voice and agency and deepen their understanding of the relationship between power structures and language. Many children's books end with a call to action and so should a multimodal text set and inquiry unit. Students now have the opportunity to engage in their community in an active response to their own shift in thinking and understanding. There are myriad ways to get involved in advocacy and action around gender identity, expression, roles, & stereotypes. The GenderCool Project, an awareness and storytelling campaign, is featured below but we linked additional opportunities for you to explore with students as well.