More Than Managing Inequities: Critical Literacy in High School ELA

ABSTRACT This study explores how critical literacy in a 9th‐grade high school English Language Arts (ELA) classroom supported youth in challenging justice issues they identified in their local communities. An interdisciplinary theoretical framework informed by literacy as a social practice, critical literacy, and power was used to interpret the data, including student‐created infographics and written reflections over 4 years. Findings indicate that integrating critical literacy with a liberatory lens into the school curriculum helped students develop their understanding of justice in ways that supported them in taking action. We recommend that integrating critical literacy into ELA curricula can better support learners to lead, reflect, and advocate for justice within and beyond the classroom.