I learned so much from this class, starting with the very basics-a text can be anything you gain knowledge or information from, like a sewing pattern, recipe, budget page or even a video. I also learned that literacy can have many definitions, but one of my favorite definitions is that being literate means that a person has enough knowledge and/or skills to be able to explain a concept in their own words, or complete a hands-on task successfully.
In my classroom I plan on teaching critical literacy and digital critical literacy by having students look up information on a specific topic, like budgeting or parenting. I will have them compare the information to see if it all coincides, and then we will discuss credibility of sources and publishing on the internet. It is so important for students to be able to determine what information is reliable and what is not.
To help my students comprehend texts on a higher level, I plan on differentiating for students on different levels. I want to differentiate the texts they are reading. For example, I'll have a short magazine article with pictures, an encyclopedia excerpt, and a journal article about the same topic (like teen nutrition). I will also differentiate products students produce. For example, I'll let students choose from making a brochure, writing a letter, or drawing a graphic organizer for information. It is so important to me that students all learn, no matter what level they are at.
