A collaborative self-study into the development and integration of critical literacy practices

2006–2007
Dr Susan Sandretto, University of Otago

Project aim

This project consists of collaborative self-study research into the development and integration of critical literacy practices. Teachers from four primary schools in the Dunedin with the assistance of the researchers will collaboratively investigate the development and implementation of an enhanced critical literacy focus within guided reading (Phase 1) and integrated throughout the curriculum (Phase 2).
  

Project plan

The project will consist of the following five phases:

1. Preparation phase; interrogation of 2005 research findings, engagement with the literature and development of the critical literacy strategies.
2. Pre-implementation phase; collection of pre-implementation data on student reading comprehension (P1), analysis of the pre-implementation videotaped lessons (P1), and subsequent selection of critical literacy strategies and planning of data collection (P1 & 2).
3. Implementation phase; videotaping of lessons incorporating critical literacy strategies, collaborative data analysis and student focus group-stimulated recall interviews (P1 & 2).
4. Post-implementation phase; collaborative analysis of data set, co-theorising of results, abd examination of research process (P1 & 2).
5. Dissemination phase; co-authoring of conference papers and peer-reviewed journal articles (P1 & 2).
     

Partnerships involved

The project will involve four local primary schools: Balaclava School, Brockville School, East Taieri School, and Port Chalmers School. A secondary school that will participate in 2007 will be named in mid-2006.
  

Expected outcomes

The research will:

• enhance the understandings and practices of critical literacy for the participating teachers
• support students in selected classes across four primary schools (and one secondary school) to develop multiple strategies of accessing and interpreting texts
• document the implementation of critical literacy strategies into regular guided reading lessons (P1) and across the curriculum through curriculum integration (P2) (Beane, 1997)
• ask focus groups of students in stimulated recall interviews to comment on a lesson using critical literacy strategies
• collect data to chart the growth of reading comprehension and reading achievement in relevant curricular areas
• produce collaboratively theorised reports of the research process and findings to share with both researchers and teachers
• inform the Bachelor of Teaching (Primary) programme at the University of Otago
• elaborate on future research directions.

Selected Publications

Download the summary of the project report [pdf,112 KB]
Download the full text of the project report [pdf,738 KB]
 

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