An exploration of young english learners' reading experiences in response to critical literacy read-alouds

Abstract

This study explored young English learners’ reading experiences in response to picturebook read-alouds with a critical literacy perspective. The research was conducted in order to find a possible solution to the limited in-school reading experiences of a group of young English learners. A critical literacy read-aloud (CLRA) strategy was implemented during the weekly story time sessions that took place within an early childhood classroom of a private school in Medellin, Colombia. The participants of the study ranged between the ages of 5.5 to 7 years old and were in their third to fourth year of attendance in the schools English immersion preschool program. The qualitative nature of this study involved collecting data in the forms of student interviews, class discussions, observations and artifacts. The findings of this study confirm that the children’s reading experiences opened up a space for them to develop as text critics as they responded to the CLRA strategy by becoming critically conscious of what books and reading are for, disrupting the word/world, understanding and exploring the multiple perspectives of texts, and growing a sense of empowerment leading to social action through literacy. The study concluded that the CLRA strategy expanded and enriched the students’ reading experiences by opening up the space for them to develop as text critics. Most significantly, the study confirmed that age nor language proficiency should hinder engagement with critical literacy as the study demonstrated that critical literacy can be taken up in settings with young children while simultaneously learning the English language.