EFD408 Foundations Of American Education Instructor L Petronicolos Chapter

efd-408, foundations of american education instructor: l. petronicolos chapter 9 / discussion & exam questions 1. what doe

EFD-408, Foundations of American Education
Instructor: L. Petronicolos
Chapter 9 / Discussion & Exam Questions
1.
What does it mean to be a literate person? How do you define
literacy?
2.
Discuss the basic tenets of cultural or ideological hegemony
theory and the extent to which that theory is supported by data in
this chapter and your own experience.
3.
In your own words, explain cultural or ideological hegemony. How
does cultural hegemony affect what happens in public school
classrooms? Give examples from your own experiences as
appropriate.
4.
Discuss whether contemporary society is marked more by hegemonic
than by participatory democratic processes, and to what extent
schools serve one or the other of those ideals.
5.
Explain the differences among functional, cultural, and critical
literacy. Which kind of literacy should teachers aim for in public
schools? Why? What kinds of factors might work against the
achievement of any of these? How might a teacher approach the
teaching of critical literacy? What groups might disapprove of
such teaching, and how should a teacher respond? (Describe and
explain how the different perspectives on literacy—the
conventional, the functional, the cultural, and the
critical—potentially serve different social groups and different
ideological orientations in contrasting ways. Explain how the four
different literacy perspectives serve different educational
goals.) (ALSO CONSIDER THE QUESTIONS: “What counts as school
knowledge?” “Whose knowledge is of most worth?” “Who wins and who
loses with a particular conception of school knowledge?”)
6.
Discuss how Jefferson’s conception of the connection between
literacy and democracy compares with the critical literacy
perspective. To what degree are the methods of critical pedagogy
necessary to achieve critical literacy?
7.
Discuss the relationship between the meaning of hidden curriculum
and the role of schools in cultural hegemony.
8.
Clearly summarize and then evaluate Walter Karp’s position in “Why
Johnny Can’t Think.” To what degree is Karp’s condemnation more
true for some segments of our school population than for others?
9.
Discuss the notion that literacy has the power to both liberate as
well as oppress. Give examples and explain your rationale.
10.
Explain the concept of “miseducation.” How do you see this concept
playing out in schools and classrooms today? What can you as a
teacher do to counteract these forces?