'The Right and Necessity to Examine Everything': Interpretation in a PLC and ELA Classroom

This dual case study first describes the critical literacy practices of four high school ELA teachers engaged in a professional learning community (PLC). Through sustained examination of oppression in curricular texts, they begin to contextualize their inquiries in contemporary issues of racism in the media, in language expectations, and in their own instructional practices. The second part of the study follows one of those teachers as she engages her tracked students in similar inquiries. Findings include descriptions of the lessons, content, and the dimensions of critical literacy strategies applied by the teachers and students.