Enriching Critical Literacy Through Children's Literature: A Case Study in South Korea

Adopting a qualitative case-study approach, the current article explores how a literature-based, early critical-literacy practice can help young children critically engage with texts and shape their own voices. As part of a large-scale research project on early literacy education in South Korea, this study focuses on data collected over a five-month period, including participatory observations, in-depth interviews, and written materials. The findings suggest that literature-based, early critical literacy can foster young children’s critical and creative thinking and facilitate the creation of their own voices. How to make early critical literacy activities more meaningful and effective is also discussed.