Childhood Education and Critical Literacy †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Childhood Education and Critical Literacy. Answer: In a broader perspective, the term critical literacy as such do not seem to adhere with the situation of play based education. However, a deep delve into the concept of critical literacy and its corresponding impacts on nascent minds would imply its need since the initiation of early childhood education (Luke, 2018). Popular culture on the other hand has a huge band of creativity and challenges to offer to students if included in educational module (Ntelioglou Peterson, 2017). To begin with, the best description of critical literacy would be an approach or the ability of an individual to critically about the unequal distribution of power between the citizens of a particular place. Popular culture can be defined as adapting a culture that is based on taste and choice of individuals. It is also an ever-changing trend. The inclusion of critical literacy in the educational system has shown noticeable impact on childrens learning process (Morrell, 2015). Owing to the changing political and social circumstances in this era, it has become imperative to include critical literacy and popular culture as mainstream syllabus in the educational system since the very early stage of learning. Critical literacy offers an understanding of the constant chance in the politics of the nation and the concentration of power (Luke, 2017). It keeps its primary focus on language and literacy in the backdrop of concentration of political powers. Emphasizing on powers and its relation with politics, it enhances a students idea regarding the fact that everything is subjected to change and it is only through proper literacy and proper knowledge that firm social constructions can be reconstructed. Inclusion of critical literacy in the regular syllabus makes belief each student that all of them are worthy, important and respon sible citizens and must also make equal contribution towards the development of the nation. In play based education, since there is no pressure of reading and learning of the topics mentioned in the syllabus, the students can learn about critical literacy more freely that would make an ever lasting impression in the nascent minds. The impact of critical literacy does not end here rather has a lot more. The practice of Critical literacy since play based childhood learning endows students with an ability to judge an interpret texts keeping at par the critical theories and methods that they have learnt (Pyle, DeLuca Danniels, 2017). Having a deep insight on the concept of critical literacy helps the students to understand the difference between the literal and the lateral meaning of textual books (Provenzo Apple, 2015). Apart from that students are also able to draw a critical analysis of all the societal norms. For instance, the choice of apparels and the endorsement of the type of apparels would be critically analyzed by a student of critical literacy to inspect the type and choice of society. It would reflect on the structure and norms of the society and all these qualities would develop since childhood. A deep insight on critical literacy empowers a student with dense, deep and accurate knowledge regarding related matters. A student of critical literacy is confident and capable enough to question the authenticity of power structures as explicitly represented in texts. Incorporation of critical literacy in early childhood learning majorly affects and shapes a childs mental structure and his or her vision. Whatever the students read or learn, are placed against the theoretical framework of critical literacy to get a clear understanding of the discordant social issues prevalent within the nation. Such students are hard to convince with false hopes as the entire education is fact based and can be molded only through reasoning. Another important criteria that the students with critical literacy achieves is the assessment of role of language in politics (Janks, 2017). Students also draws a reflective connection with whatever they reads and tries to dive deep into the situation in which the author might have written. Such students makes an assessment of the authors viewpoint and the existing mental state that the author was in. The students crosscheck any political context before believing it. Incorporation of critical literacy and the execution of the s ame through play based approach helps the students to reflect on their own life while continuing with the study of any particular topic. That is, in critical literature, the students not only read and learn for the sake of reading and learning. The entire approach is play based where the facilitator provides the students with real life situation to practically read and learn through experiences. Since play based learning has no text books or limited study materials, whatever the students are learning are entirely based on personal experience and discussion. It induces the students with a sense of responsibility towards the country and thus makes responsible citizens. It must be asserted that critical literacy gives way to interaction among the students. For instance, when a student deciphers a text in different module, he or she without any iota of doubt discusses the same with the teachers and the facilitators and with the other fellow students (Alvermann et al, 2018). This again c alls for a discussion among the other students, since, the other students also draws a different meaning than the lateral meaning of the text. In later phase, that is in the secondary school too, critical literacy through play-based learning is immensely advantageous. Since the students already holds expertise in the evaluating and analyzing the underlying meaning of a text, it helps the students to understand and examine the course better. Critical literacy is a concept that cannot be learnt or mugged, but can be nurtured and developed. This development essentially happens with practice. In this particular context, it is needless to assert that, since, critical learning is already incorporated at the grass root level the students are more or less equipped with all the methods and the tools required analyzing a text and deciphering its meaning in a different way. Assuming a hypothetical situation in order to assess the importance of incorporating critical learning in grass root level, it can be well understood the immense contribution that critical literacy holds in enriching the knowledge of the future generation (Peterson , Forsyth McIntyre, 2015). True to all the modes of learning, critical literacy and its incorporation in play based learning too has some positive and negative impacts on students and society as a whole. Critical literacy is majorly advantageous to students. It reflects on the working process. It enables the students to think and question the working of a process or function. The students automatically while coming across a new subject examines the authenticity and validity of the claims made by the author. They also cross examine the information laid down. Students if taught critical literacy since the very grass root level encourages them to evaluate texts through reading comprehension. It must be noted that all the knowledge gather through the process of critical literacy are explicit, comprehensive and detailed. Since the students do not go through a monotonous mugging process, they are able to retain the learning in long term. Another astounding benefit of critical learning is that it also helps students having reading disabilities. Taking into account that critical literacy is all about facts, philosophies and ideologies, it needs only intelligence to understand and adhere to the topic (Jahoda Lewis, 2015). Learning or mugging of the topics or f the syllabus is not required and hence, it is beneficial for the students having reading disability. The drawbacks of critical literacy are limited since it is an approach, which majorly benefits students. The only disadvantage that can be talked of is the immense pressure that it creates on the nascent minds. In the context of play-based child learning, it can be asserted that critical literacy is a concept that requires maturity to understand. Its values and importance and the corresponding analysis calls for a matured brain. Not all children would be intelligent enough to understand texts in the context of critical literacy (Roskos, 2017). One of the most researched teaching method is questioning techniques. It is found that the teachers in various institutions spend 35% to 50% of the time of instruction in question and answer sessions. The questioning techniques are both ways important. The teachers understand the level of learning achieved by the students by asking questions to the student on the other hand the student is allowed to ask question on the account of filling the learning gaps that still may have been remaining in the students mind. The involvement of the student increases and also the interest level rises because the student finds it interactive to question and get answers. It also increases the level of critical thinking in the students. The essence of childrens learning is majorly concentrated in their language and communication. The more children communicate, the more they are able to retain the knowledge in the long-run (Roskos, 2017). The discursive manner of critical literacy promotes debates, arguments and discussions regarding the same. It thus, enhances the language and communication power of children from an early age. Critical literacy treats language and communication as an essential tool that is used for enriching the values of all the courses learnt through critical literacy. The fact that holds the prime interest in this context is that critical literacy here in integrated with play based approach. The language is focused here through a number of actions of play-based approach like critically thinking, analyzing, evaluating, discussing, debating and interacting with other fellow learners. It is an interesting fact to know that the incorporation of critical literacy in regular course in kindergarten lets the children to have enough topic of discussion. Since it has been noted that critical literacy majorly focuses on the deeper interpretation of texts and tries to emphasize on the details of actuality of information, it creates a wider aspect of discussion among the children. The students get an opportunity to share their own individual ideas that acts as an effective language and communication method. It is needless to assert that the ideas and thought process of all the children in a cross are not alike and hence it calls for a cross or clash. However, this clash is taken in a positive manner and the facilitator or the teacher allows the cross and clash in an organized manner. That is, the difference I ideas and thought processes calls for debate ad argumentation. Debate and argumentation are a never ending process and gives students topic enough to carry on the disc ussion. The students are benefitted with new ideas while they share their own with others (Leland, Lewison Harste, 2014). The teachers and the educators also evaluate and examine the discourse of the students to get an insight of their understanding regarding the matter. Apart from that, the teachers and the facilitators are also able to note the strength and improvement in language and communication within the students. The implementation of critical literacy into play based will be achieved in the following ways. The students will be from the very beginning taught to look at things from both ways. They must be judging on both the positive aspects and negative aspects of a particular literature. By literature here all kinds of academic means to impart knowledge is meant. A person should understand the underlying meaning and purpose of texts and speeches. Therefore, from the very beginning there will be encouragement of critically looking at things. Example of such method is, when the children are there in the classroom discussions and interactive sessions may be held, where the teachers will talk about positive and negative aspects of simple things. The children will be allowed to present their own interpretation of things and theories, and their imaginative power will be allowed to flow. The system must not be one sided where the teacher will force feed information to the students in a one sided ma nner. At the concluding part, it can thus be asserted that critical literacy is imperative to enrich and enhance the learning process of students. Critical learning if incorporated in the very initial phase of education, that is, in the kindergarten would not only help the students to develop their moral responsibilities towards the society but also at the same time would bestow the students with the gift of critical thinking ability. It is thus needless to assert that play based approach of education at kindergarten if incorporates critical literacy would mould the mindset of the students, sharpen their ideological framework and enshrine the students with power to dissect established and proven ideas and principles. References Alvermann, D. E., Moon, J. S., Hagwood, M. C., Hagood, M. C. (2018).Popular culture in the classroom: Teaching and researching critical media literacy. Routledge. Jahoda, G., Lewis, I. (Eds.). (2015).Acquiring Culture (Psychology Revivals): Cross Cultural Studies in Child Development. Psychology Press. Janks, H. (2017). Doing critical literacy. InGlobal Conversations in Literacy Research(pp. 49-60). Routledge. Leland, C. H., Lewison, M., Harste, J. C. (2014).Creating critical classrooms: Reading and writing with an edge. Routledge. Luke, A. (2017). Critical literacy, school improvement, and the four resources model. InGlobal Conversations in Literacy Research. Routledge. Luke, A. (2018). Critical literacy in Australia: A matter of context and standpoint. InCritical Literacy, Schooling, and Social Justice(pp. 186-206). Routledge. Morrell, E. (2015).Critical literacy and urban youth: Pedagogies of access, dissent, and liberation. Routledge. Ntelioglou, B. Y., Peterson, S. S. (2017). Exploring Language, Literacy, and Identity Connections through Play-Based Education in Rural, Remote, and Indigenous Communities.Language and Literacy,19(2), 1-3. Peterson, S. S., Forsyth, D., McIntyre, L. J. (2015). Balancing Play-Based Learning With Curricular Mandates: Considering the Views of Northern Canadian Teachers and Early Childhood Educators.Canadian Children,40(3). Provenzo, E. F., Apple, M. W. (2015).Critical literacy: What every American needs to know. Routledge. Pyle, A., DeLuca, C., Danniels, E. (2017). Context and Implications Document for: A scoping review of research on play?based pedagogies in kindergarten education.Review of Education,5(3), 352-353. Roskos, K. A. (Ed.). (2017).Play and literacy in early childhood: Research from multiple perspectives. Routledge.