Developing socially responsible students - a thematic literature unit on social injustice

• Main Author: White, Tina, 1961-
• Other Authors: Memorial University of Newfoundland. Faculty of Education
• Format: Thesis
• Language: English
• Published: 2000
• Subjects: Social justice > Study and teaching (Elementary); Newfoundland studies; University of Newfoundland
• Online Access: http://collections.mun.ca/cdm/ref/collection/theses3/id/118570

Thesis (M.Ed.)--Memorial University of Newfoundland, 2000. Education Bibliography: leaves 71-75 Social injustice has occurred and continues to occur in a variety of ways globally. To ensure schools develop socially conscious and responsible citizens it is imperative to bring an awareness of stereotypes and prejudice, discrimination, and human indignities and atrocities into our classrooms. By doing so, students are afforded the opportunity to study specific injustices critically and reflect on ways they may affect change. By utilizing various genres of children's literature, including historical fiction, biographies, and informational picture books, students are able to connect to the characters and thus empathize with their circumstances. Students are guided through a three-phase implementation model of a thematic literature unit that reflects the theme of the unit, the formal and informal curriculum learning outcomes through learning experiences that are intratextual, intertextual, and lived-textual using a variety of quality learning resources. Students are encouraged to examine the issues presented in the literature, respond critically and creatively, and make informed decisions as individuals and citizens of a democratic society. Finally, students are invited to analyse and interpret their own world and the world of others through the wealth of quality children's literature available to them today.