Critical literacy explores interactions of language and power, and addresses social issues about power, equity and justice (Comber 2015; Connolly 2017; Janks 2010). In education, critical literacy is considered a textual practice that encourages students to explore how texts position themselves and the world (Janks, 2013; Freire, 1972; Luke & Freebody, 1999). Research on the teaching and learning of critical literacy in the early school years, is, however, scarce, and there is a need to further explore how to best support young children’s development of critical literacy. The aim of this study is to develop teaching practices in the first year of primary school that promote students’ critical literacy. The study is conducted as part of an eight-month long combined research and professional developmental project aiming to develop teaching practices supporting young students’ critical literacy. The Interdependent Framework for Critical Literacy Education (Janks, 2013) was used for planning, implementing, and evaluating the project. According to the framework, it is essential that students adopt the role of a text analyst and learn how to examine and analyze texts in relation to power, diversity, access, and design/redesign. The project was based on an action research model emphasizing the joint learning between the researcher and the participating teacher and students (McAteer, 2013). Methods for data collection included audio recordings of planning sessions with teachers, observations and video recordings of lessons, and samples of student work. The tools of critical content analysis (Krippendorff, 2004) was used to examine the material. Findings from initial analyses indicate that it is possible to develop instruction that promotes young students’ critical literacy. In this talk, I present initial findings that show that instruction based upon the Interdependent Framework for Critical Literacy Education (Janks, 2013) encourages students to adopt a critical approach to speaking, reading and writing.

The aim of this study is to develop teaching practices that promote students’ critical literacy in the first year of primaryschool. The following research questions are addressed: 1) How can instruction that promotes students’ critical literacybe designed, planned, and conducted? 2) What possibilities for developing writing skills does instruction promoting acritical literacy perspective offer? The study was conducted as part of an eight-month-long combined research andprofessional developmental project in a Swedish primary school. The Interdependent Framework for Critical LiteracyEducation (Janks, 2013) was used for planning, implementing, and evaluating the project. Methods for data collectionincluded audio recordings of planning sessions with teachers, observations and video recordings of lessons, andsamples of student work. The tools of critical content analysis (Krippendorff, 2004) was used to examine the material.Findings from initial analyses indicate that teacher-led discussions, with questions based on the framework, enhancedthe students’ ability to reflect over and deepen their understanding of language use in relation to issues about power.The students also developed awareness of their own writing, particularly in terms of vocabulary selection. Criticalliteracy explores interactions of language and power, and addresses social issues about power, equity and justice(Comber, 2015). In education, critical literacy is a textual practice that encourages students to explore how texts aresocially constructed and position the writer and reader in specific ways (Janks, 2013). Research on the teaching andlearning of critical literacy in the early school years is, however, scarce, and there is a need to further explore how tobest support young children’s development of critical literacy (Larson & Marsh, 2015).

Som del av ett större projekt om svenskundervisning och IKT (Informations- och Kommunikations- Teknologi), undersöker vi här hur barn i skolans tidiga åldrar samspelar med varandra i det första mötet med en läsplatta. Materialet består av en videoinspelning av tre barn som tillsammans skapar en saga på en läsplatta. Sagan görs i programmet "Puppet pals", där barnen väljer figurer och bilder, och lägger på rörelser och tal. I skapandet av sagan kommunicerar barnen både verbalt och icke- verbalt. Det icke-verbala består inte minst av handrörelser på läsplattan, och icke-verbal turtagning görs bland annat särskilt konkret genom att barnen puttar bort varandras händer från pekskärmen. Vi är i början av arbetet och diskuterar gärna möjliga vägar vidare för såväl analys som teori och metod, särskilt med fokus på timing av verbala och icke-verbala aspekter av turtagningen.