Using Media Resources to Build a Critical Literacy for Responsible Citizenship in a Russian Foreign Language Classroom
After the fall of the Soviet Union, Russia found itself among nations that experienced an influx of images portraying lifestyles abroad, sometimes viewed as exotic and intriguing. Now, 20 years later, foreign media cultural presence in Russia is indisputable. It is even more obvious when talking to younger generation, who base their knowledge of Western cultures and societies on Hollywood movies and popular TV shows. At the same time public access to foreign media (such as TV talk shows, news, newspapers and public radio broadcasts) is often limited to Internet or paid TV channels. Many foreign language teachers use media resources in their classes for a variety of reasons, I see them as a source for visual and civic literacy development and potential responsible citizenship encouragement.
Russian educational system recognizes competence approach as a new innovative way of teaching foreign languages, there is a demand for new teaching practices that allow development of multiple literacies, including critical thinking skills. First, I discuss contemporary Russian education, with an emphasis on changing role of English language education, in terms of its civic literacy potential. Second, I present critical literacy approach to teaching a foreign language, placing the emphasis on the importance of participatory action encouragement through education. Third, I present practical examples of using media for critical literacy development along with language objectives. And fourth, I acknowledge challenges that educators face while developing critical literacy and offer some suggestions for overcoming them.