what is critical literacy?

• Critical Literacy -- a critical literacy primer, prepared by UNC Heather Coffey.  Presents basic definitions, history, action, and classroom application
• Critical literacy vs critical thinking & critical reading -- similar goals but different movements
  

drama and play as vehicles for critical literacy?

• Play Stories Build Life stories - Lego-sponsored video illustrating power of play for imagining new approaches and stories for life. 
• Hacking Picture Books - blog post that explores students' experiences literally cutting and pasting picture books into new narratives.
  

related resources:

• Many books by Vivian Vasquez.  See especially Negotiating Critical Literacies with Children
• Hacking Picture Books - rewriting narratives through reorganizing picture books' images and words: a literal "cut and paste."
  
• Lewison, Leland, & Harste (2008), Creating Critical Classrooms (chapter 1)
• Critical Inquiry and Multiliteracies in the 1st Grade - Language Arts (2007) article about unit using story Grandma Ruth
  
• Cope. B. & Kalantzis, M. Eds. (2000). Multiliteracies Literacy Learning and the Desig of Social Futures ---
• Linda Christensen Teaching Joy and Justice: Re-imagining the Language Arts Classroom NWP write up
• Becoming (Other)wise: Enhancing Critical Reading Perspectives (200o) -- Ruth Vinz et. al
• Critical Literacy: Enhancing Students' Comprehension of Texts (2004) -- McLaughlin & Devoogd
• Theory To Practice Journal: Special Issue on Critical Literacy (2012) 51(1) --

Key examples:

• No Bad News (2001) - written by Dr. Kenneth Cole. Photos taken in Milwaukee by John Ruebartsch