My critical literacy journey in a middle eastern EFL classroom: Insights and challenges

Abstract

This chapter describes the author’s journey as a teacher-researcher when applying critical literacy theory with Arab ninth-grade English as a foreign language (EFL) students to address minority issues that they grapple with while immersed in daily Israeli life. Using a book set of accessible picture books on minority issues alongside critical literacy engagements, the author attempted to raise students’ awareness to issues of privilege and power and ignite in them the desire for taking action to challenge injustice. The focus of this chapter is the classroom sessions addressing the third book in the set and students’ responses, especially a letter of critique two students crafted to the American president. Analyzing the letter against the four-dimension framework of critical literacy reveals students’ emerging consciousness of problematic political issues and willingness to take action.