Critical Literacy According to Ira Shor

In Ira Shor’s essay, “What is Critical Literacy,” Shor challenges one to think about what exactly is critical literacy and how it be used to promote social change. She defines literacy as social action through language use that develops us as agents inside a larger culture. Shor defines critical literacy as learning to read and write as a part of the process of becoming conscience of one’s experience as historically constructed within specific power relations. Critical literacy challenges the status quo and helps one find other paths for themselves and social development. She gives her own life experiences to illustrate how social class, race, and gender effected the quality of education provided. It makes one question how equal is education, and how can it be improved. Shor states that critical literacy is the solution to the many issues in education. If everyone is offered the opportunity to be taught in a critical manner, society would deeply benefit. Throughout the essay, a majority of the ideas that Ira Shor writes about I agree with. I believe that everyone, of every race, class, gender, etc, should be offered the chance think critically. It is essential for personal development to be able to examine the world and our culture and act in it. Those who are offered a critical education are more likely to succeed and be more powerful in society. We are shaped by the society we live in and our culture. So if the people in a certain society or culture are taught to critically examine themselves and the society, it would ultimately create a better society. Instead of a predominately Caucasian progressing society, the society as a whole would progress, instead of just one sect of it. Critical literacy defines the connection between knowledge and power. I do believe that being about to deeply understand, and analyze the knowledge that we attain gives us the power to reconstruct society, or anything for that matter. However, there was a few things in Shor’s essay