Examining a First Grader’s Writing through a Habermasian Lens: Implications for the Teaching and Learning of Writing

This paper investigates the relationship between Habermas’s theory of communicative action (TCA) and writing. It begins with a review of the features of Habermas’s TCA: validity claims, their corresponding criteria, and the ideal speech situation. Then TCA is applied in analyzing a first grader’s written notes. Finally, the implications for the teaching and learning of writing are discussed from a Habermasian perspective. This paper demonstrates the applicability of Habermas’s TCA in examining writing. It also shows how TCA informs the teaching and learning of writing

Three Perspectives on Standards: Positivism, Panopticism, and Intersubjectivism

Perhaps no other words occur more frequently than standards in today’s discourse on educational reform. There is much debate about standards. Instead of taking sides on the debate, this paper argues that the problem with standards does not lie so much in standards themselves as in how they are viewed by those who make them and those who are held accountable by them. Specifically, what we believe about standards has a tremendous impact on the role standards play in our practices. This paper examines standards critically from the perspectives of positivism, panopticism, and intersubjectivism. Depending on the perspective taken, standards are shown to be interpreted quite differently

Making Critical Literacy Accessible to Pre-Service Teachers: Why and How?

This paper presents a practical way of teaching critical literacy to pre-service teachers through a critical literacy engagement. It begins with a literature review on critical literacy. Then, the critical literacy engagement is discussed in detail. Specifically, the critical literacy engagement is intended to help the pre-service teachers (a) understand why critical literacy is important, (b) see an example of how to put critical literacy into practice, and (c) apply what has been learned

How Can White Pre-Service Teachers Experience the Power of Literacy?

This study is concerned with the oppressive power of literacy. While most of the critical literacy literature focuses on how to empower the marginalized against oppression, inadequate attention is paid to whether the dominant are aware of the oppressive power they possess. It is argued that unless the dominant are cognizant of what they have against the marginalized, empowerment is difficult to be realized in literacy education. Hence, the focus of this study is to explore how teacher educators can design a curriculum that helps predominantly White pre-service teachers experience, and reflect critically on, the oppressive power of literacy. It is hoped that through this experience they can rethink the role they play in literacy education

Native Versus Nonnative: A Literacy Teacher Educator’s Story

This paper presents a story of a nonnative English-speaking teacher educator who prepares native English-speaking pre- and in-service teachers to teach literacy/language arts in elementary school. It portrays what the teacher educator has experienced in exploring the meaning and purpose of literacy education for native speakers. A critical investigation of the teacher educator’s pedagogical practices in relation to his philosophical perspectives stands out as the backbone of the story. Through this investigation, the tension between “native” and “nonnative” is cast in a new light and argued to be a positive quality that should be valued in the field of literacy education

Biblical Reading and Critical Reading: How Do They Inform Each Other in Interpreting the Text?

 This article presents a comparative study of two reading approaches: biblical reading and critical reading. Three inquiry questions are addressed by the study: (1) what are the similarities and differences between biblical reading and critical reading? (2) are biblical reading and critical reading antithetical to each other or can they supplement each other? and (3) what do biblical reading and critical reading imply for reading instruction? The purpose of the study is to demonstrate how these two seemingly opposed reading approaches can inform each other in interpreting the text

An Exploration of the Impact of Epistemological Stances on Reading

Abstract: This paper explores how reading is affected by theepistemological stance we take. It begins with a historical survey of how reading has been conceptualized. The survey shows that reading has been regarded as discrete linguistic decoding skills, an innate human capacity, a transaction between the reader and the text, a product of sociocultural practices, and being digitally literate. However, little research has been conducted on how the epistemological stance we take affects the reading or interpretation of a text. Therefore, three epistemological stances, i.e., objectivism, subjectivism, and constructionism, are discussed to illustrate how they affect the reading of a text. In addition, a fourth epistemological stance, intersubjectivism, is put forth to demonstrate how it complements objectivism, subjectivism, and constructionism in helping us better understand the reading process. Finally, the implications for reading instruction are presented