The present paper reports the findings of a study that sought to identify how diversity (in the form of disability, appearance, and race) is presented in children's books written in or translated into the Greek language. The study focused on the plots and the portrayal of key figures. The sample consisted of 50 children's books written after 1990…

In our society, which is full of images, visual representations and visual experiences of all kinds, there is a paradoxically significant degree of visual illiteracy. Despite the importance of developing specific visual skills, visual literacy is not a priority in school curriculum (Spalter & van Dam, 2008). This work aims at (1) emphasising…

Literacy teachers in schools and universities share a common goal: to prepare students with the "literacies" they need to succeed in and beyond educational settings. In a "widening-participation" era universities must increase and expand their literacy offerings to help students make the most of their university experiences. At…

This article features a discussion about the significance of global perspectives in shaping critical literacy through a web seminar project, Global Conversations in Literacy Research (GCLR). Ubiquitous media and worldwide communication via Internet change the perceptions about literacy and language, urging critical discussions around literacy…

English as a world language is more than a way to exchange information but a means to solidify certain social hierarchy and represent certain social interests. English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers should instruct critical awareness to empower students to transform social injustice and fulfill responsibilities as global citizens. This…

Given the multimodal and multicultural character of modern English, English Language Teaching should meaningfully reflect this. Although some attempts have been made, adequate attention has not been paid to reforming writing pedagogy. This paper presents the findings of a two-year research project on writing instruction in the Singapore English…

Drawing upon tenets of critical theory, cultural capital, global epistemologies, decolonization, Indigenous ways of knowing, mobility and translanguaging, ethics, and global citizenship, this article proposes a model of cross-cultural meaning making and worldly reading as a foundation for global epistemological eclecticism in our research and…

Within US teacher preparation programs, critical pedagogy and a desire for social change can lead teacher educators to prioritize transformation of prospective teachers' beliefs through self-reflection. In pursuit of effective critical pedagogies, teacher educators also need to examine their own practices and beliefs. This self-study, a…

Unlike states with established immigrant populations, Indiana is a new immigration gateway state that is developing its infrastructure to address immigrant needs. Indiana's English learner (EL) population between 1999 and 2018 has grown by 550% from 9,114 to 59,255 students. Of the current 59,255 ELs in K-12 schools, 24% are immigrants. Employing…

Students used to reading digital texts can be supported in reading both those and print-based texts critically through a variety of strategies and applications. Connected reading, or the idea that our reading is networked both physically and digitally to create a shared construction of meaning, involves readers working with text in both recursive…

This research explores how critical media literacy transforms ways of engaging with media texts and expands the understanding and practice of literacy. In this qualitative teacher inquiry, even though the teacher researcher had envisioned for the students an identity as academic-language learners who engage with competing ideologies of masculinity…

In this article, we discuss "heliaki," the use of metaphoric language in Tonga (Kaeppler, 2007), and its relationship to literacy. Viewing "heliaki" through the lens of critical literacy (Freire & Macedo, 2005), we argue that performances of "heliaki" not only represent an indigenous approach to reading and…

The purpose of this article is to explore the potential of artistic design to promote critical literacy among adult learners. Conducted by a university literacy educator and a university art educator, this qualitative study examined adults' divergent perspectives in the design of a mosaic at a center for the homeless. Participants included a…

This article reviews and synthesizes empirical literature on critical literacies in English language teaching (ELT), gathering perspectives from international scholarship. Across a range of global contexts, the consistency with which English learning is touted as access to power while acting to marginalize those still learning the language…

Given the increasing power and prominence of political figures in the United States who openly espouse xenophobic, misogynistic, white nationalist positions, it is only natural to anticipate encountering students who express these views in our libraries and classrooms. This essay uses a classroom encounter with a student expressing xenophobic…