A Comparative Study on the Concept of "Critical" used in Literacy Theories

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to examine the meaning of the concept of "critical", by analyzing both theoretical and practical frameworks of some literacy theories. In particular, theories of critical thinking, cultural literacy, and critical literacy are taken up. "Critical" is a word with many different meanings in literacy theories. According to critical thinking theory, being critical is the ability to become objective, logical and politically neutral, and acquiring some skills is essential to think critically. The idea of cultural literacy insists that the common knowledge as national identity enables to think critically. But these two theories have serious problems. Because of its emphasis on skills, the former results in disregard of the contents of learning, and non-critical attitude to the borders of the disciplines and the dominant cultures. And the latter forces the value of a dominant culture on those who have other cultures. By contrast, according to the critical literacy theory, being critical is characterized by acquiring the consciousness which binds the personal issues with the public ones which derive from the social structure, and by questioning the status quo. It also means respecting the cultural differences and being responsible for the "voices" of the marginalized people. It is necessary to incorporate this meaning of criticism into the process of literacy formation in the classroom.