"Critical Literacy and Popular Culture in Urban Education" by Ernest Morrell

             In his article “Critical Literacy and Popular Culture in Urban Education,” Ernest Morell explores the role pop culture plays in education. He acknowledges that there are more literacies than just those in the classroom and explores how literacy can be used to combat social injustice. Unfortunately, simply being literate doesn’t prevent one from being unjust; there must be more to one's level of literacy than just being able to read and write in order to make it purposeful. The importance of literacy, especially for marginalized, oppressed and underrepresented groups, lies in what they can do with their literacy.

            Morell works to provide his students with the tools to expand the abilities within their literacy. I loved the mock-trial Morell wrote about using with his students and I would definitely use that in the classroom. He successfully integrates classical literary texts into a debate, thus teaching students how to successfully argue their point of view. Not only is Morell helping the students meet common core standards, but he’s helping them to build important skills they can use outside of the classroom. His literary text debate unit teaches students how to form a thesis, how to write a persuasive argument, how to find and use credible sources, familiarity with complex classical texts and speaking and listening skills. The students can then use those skills to fight for topics that interest them outside of the classroom. When students can see how their school work translates to the real word, they are more likely to become engaged.

            I agree with Morell that it is important to acknowledge the importance of pop culture in education and teachers should use it to their advantage. Not all students will feel as passionately about reading as us English majors will, so as teachers it is our job to help students become engaged in their schoolwork with nontraditional methods.