A Journey Towards Understanding: Critical Literacy, Interactive Writing, and Fifth Graders

Combining interactive writing with critical literacy pedagogy produces notable student gains in the depth and complexity of their analysis, critical thinking and writing. This study explores a teacher/researcher's journey in choosing materials and methods for a pullout group of ten identified academically advanced fifth graders at a Title One school. Reflections, artifacts and analysis from both the teacher and the students follow each episode of the process from inception to implications for further implementation. The combination of techniques proved effective for creating a social and collaborative classroom environment through interactive writing, and thoughtful student writing based on rational reasoning developed through implementation of critical literacy pedagogy. Further student benefits include the development of background knowledge and questioning skills using biographical texts as catalysts for student critical analysis and interactive classroom writing.