Developed by Dawn Fontaine and Kristen Iverson

Question: What is the connection between reading and writing?

Background: By connecting the pedagogical practice of Critical Literacy to Literacy Across the Curriculum, we have developed this strategy. Critical reading allows students to position themselves against the text in an empowering way. This activity will show you how critical reading can lead nicely into analytical writing. We hope to demonstrate that there is no great theory, just the obvious, that reading is inextricably linked to writing and vice versa. Reading and writing are two sides of the same coin. One cannot flourish without the other.

Activity:

Pass out the reading. (For this session, we will be using an ad and will hold up and pass around the large poster.)

Ask learners to examine the following:

Who chose the headline/title and why?

Who is the speaker?

Who is the audience?

Is anyone’s story/voice left out? Who?

What is not being said?

How does the image (if there are any) impact your reading of the text?

Have them write their reactions to the images and text in the margins of the smaller copy. This is critical reading…read, interpret, react.

Once students have had the opportunity to do this, have them share in small groups.

Bring this into a large group discussion, focusing on the questions listed above.

Once done, ask students to develop an idea that they would like to write about in reaction to the poster and discussion. For example, one might read the quote that says, “We were treated like animals” and react by connecting this to accounts they have read about slavery. They then could move to write an analytical piece about the similarities and differences of slavery and the holocaust. This would be an analytical piece, rather than a summary, by allowing students to share their reactions.

The writing becomes an extension of the reading/thinking…