Many have argued that English classrooms have an important role to play in supporting students' development of critical consciousness and civic engagement (Kirkland 406; Lyiscott 48). Recently, Monique Cherry-McDaniel called for English teachers to design "woke" learning opportunities that would support students' critical consciousness…

Describes the usefulness of helping students use varied critical stances (including feminism, new historicism, psychoanalytic criticism, and deconstruction) in the teaching of literature. Demonstrates with the "The Odyssey." (SR)

Describes four ways (and several class activities) to make the meanings of media texts more visible to students while teaching the basics of critical theory. Analyzes (1) codes and conventions of language; (2) personal pleasure, understandings, and experience; (3) cultural, ideological meanings; and (4) commercial overtones and economic…

Presents several class activities for eighth and ninth graders that explore how different readings of a text are constructed, what values each reading supports, and whose interests it serves. Discusses multiple meanings, constructed readings, dominant and resistant readings, and reading character. (SR)