Encouraging Students to Become Critical Thinkers: Using Critical Literacy and Young Adult Novels in the Social Studies Classroom

This action research project looked at whether students could engage in critical talk utilizing young adult literature in the social studies classroom. Research indicated that students who were presented with multiple perspectives and documents in the social studies classroom did achieve critical talk. To examine this I utilized the four dimensions of critical literacy. I created my own lessons per each dimension. I analyzed the data based on the four dimensions framework for data analysis. It is evident that students who were exposed to critical literacy with a young adult novel in the social studies classroom did achieve and utilize critical literacy skills. Although each student in the study achieved critical literacy in different ways, I question if this was due to the difference in age and also their educational environment they are exposed to