Critical Literacy Out of the Comfort Zone

Conflicts between different religious groups occasionally arise in my Christian and Muslim Israeli-Arab EFL students’ school and area. In an attempt to increase students’ knowledge of and respect for other faiths in the region, I conducted practitioner inquiry research in my religiously diverse Middle-Eastern classroom. Grounded in critical literacy, I used a book set of religion-based literature alongside critical literacy engagements to effect some change in students’ tolerance towards other faiths. This article describes my journey of exploring students’ reader responses to religion-based texts and issues.

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Children's palliative care: examination of a nursing rotation programme

International Journal of Palliative Nursing ◽

10.12968/ijpn.2021.27.1.20 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 27 (1) ◽

pp. 20-29

Author(s):

Lisa Whiting ◽

Mark Whiting ◽

Julia Petty ◽

Michele O'Grady

Keyword(s):

Palliative Care ◽

Learning Experience ◽

Knowledge Exchange ◽

Comfort Zone ◽

New Knowledge ◽

Support Mechanisms ◽

Hospital Wards ◽

Competency Assessments ◽

Insight Into ◽

Future Plans

Background: An 8-month rotation programme was implemented for five nurses employed in two kinds of children's palliative care environments: hospital wards and hospices. This study reports the views of the nurses completing the rotation. The research drew on appreciative inquiry and involved a pre- and post-rotation interview and questionnaire. Thematic analysis of the interviews revealed seven themes: adjusting to the rotation programme; support mechanisms; being safe; new knowledge and skills; knowledge exchange; misconceptions; future plans. These were supported by the questionnaire findings. Although the nurses identified some frustration at having to undertake competency assessments relating to previously acquired skills, as well as being out of their ‘comfort zone’, all the participants highly recommended the programme. They commented very positively on the support they received and the overall learning experience as well as the new insight into different aspects of care. In addition, they were able to share their newfound knowledge and expertise with others.

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Creating Critical Literacy Praxis: Bridging the Gap between Theory and Practice

RELC Journal ◽

10.1177/0033688220982665 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 003368822098266

Author(s):

Tsung-han Weng

Keyword(s):

Second Language ◽

Foreign Language ◽

Critical Literacy ◽

Classroom Environment ◽

Theory And Practice ◽

Teaching English ◽

Speakers Of Other Languages ◽

Literacy Implementation ◽

Critical Literacy Pedagogy ◽

Literacy Research

Although research in critical literacy has long been conducted in English as a second language contexts, a modicum of critical literacy research in English as a foreign language (EFL) contexts in which English is seldom used outside the classroom environment has also been undertaken. This article aims to discuss the introduction of critical literacy in the Teaching English to Speakers of other Languages (TESOL) profession, which has been neglected by TESOL researchers and practitioners in EFL contexts. The article reviews and synthesizes the existing literature by providing conceptualizations of the critical literacy approach to TESOL, examples of critical literacy implementation, and the benefits and challenges of implementing critical literacy pedagogy. The article concludes by calling for more critical literacy research in EFL contexts.

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