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<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=2 face="Book Antiqua"><span style='font-size:
11.0pt'>Hi Steve, Cynthia, All,<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=2 face="Book Antiqua"><span style='font-size:
11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=2 face="Book Antiqua"><span style='font-size:
11.0pt'>Steve, you recently wrote:<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=2 face="Book Antiqua"><span style='font-size:
11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText style='margin-left:.5in'><i><font size=2
face="Book Antiqua"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-style:italic'>"3)
Social activism<o:p></o:p></span></font></i></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText style='margin-left:.5in'><i><font size=2
face="Book Antiqua"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-style:italic'>If the
goal is not English language instruction, but "educating" the
students in some activist agenda, find a person who speaks their language to do
it. Do not confuse it with English teaching." <o:p></o:p></span></font></i></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=2 face="Book Antiqua"><span style='font-size:
11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=2 face="Book Antiqua"><span style='font-size:
11.0pt'>I’m sure others may have questions in this regard as I see the
intersection of not only critical thinking and instruction, but a fundamental
difference in instructional philosophy (for lack of a better phrase at the
moment). But I have 2 questions for you:<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=2 face="Book Antiqua"><span style='font-size:
11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><font
size=2 face="Book Antiqua"><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><span
style='mso-list:Ignore'>1.<font size=1 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></font></span></span></font><![endif]>Do
you find yourself in agreement or disagreement with what Cynthia wrote below?
In other words, if the content of language instruction were activism-related
(contextual, based on learners’ interests and helped them to think
critically to arrive at their own decisions while achieving their learning
goals) would you be opposed to activism in adult literacy?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=2 face="Book Antiqua"><span style='font-size:
11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><i><font
size=2 face="Book Antiqua"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-style:italic'><span
style='mso-list:Ignore'>2.<font size=1 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></font></span></span></font></i><![endif]>What
are some examples of <i><span style='font-style:italic'>"educating the
students in some activist agenda?" <o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=2 face="Book Antiqua"><span style='font-size:
11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=2 face="Book Antiqua"><span style='font-size:
11.0pt'>Cynthia: Do you have anything to add on the points you or Steve have
made…what is activism, agency, and how do you see it enacted with the
instructor inside or outside of the adult education classroom? Any examples you
might provide on what you’ve described?<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=2 face="Book Antiqua"><span style='font-size:
11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=2 face="Book Antiqua"><span style='font-size:
11.0pt'>--And what do others think?<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=2 face="Book Antiqua"><span style='font-size:
11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=2 face="Book Antiqua"><span style='font-size:
11.0pt'>Thanks! Best…Jackie Taylor, <a href="mailto:jataylor@utk.edu">jataylor@utk.edu</a>
<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=2 face="Book Antiqua"><span style='font-size:
11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=2 face="Book Antiqua"><span style='font-size:
11.0pt'>Cynthia wrote:<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=2 face="Book Antiqua"><span style='font-size:
11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText style='margin-left:.5in'><i><font size=2
face="Book Antiqua"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-style:italic'>I think
Steve Kaufmann raises an interesting point below about the<o:p></o:p></span></font></i></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText style='margin-left:.5in'><i><font size=2
face="Book Antiqua"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-style:italic'>relationship
between critical thinking and activism. I agree that<o:p></o:p></span></font></i></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText style='margin-left:.5in'><i><font size=2
face="Book Antiqua"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-style:italic'>teaching
critical thinking skills is about helping students come to<o:p></o:p></span></font></i></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText style='margin-left:.5in'><i><font size=2
face="Book Antiqua"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-style:italic'>their own
conclusions, not spoonfeeding a replacement ideology. But I'm<o:p></o:p></span></font></i></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText style='margin-left:.5in'><i><font size=2
face="Book Antiqua"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-style:italic'>not sure I
agree about activism.<o:p></o:p></span></font></i></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText style='margin-left:.5in'><i><font size=2
face="Book Antiqua"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-style:italic'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></i></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText style='margin-left:.5in'><i><font size=2
face="Book Antiqua"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-style:italic'>One aspect
of critical thinking, it seems to me, is understanding the<o:p></o:p></span></font></i></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText style='margin-left:.5in'><i><font size=2
face="Book Antiqua"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-style:italic'>role of
human agency, including our own. A teacher shouldn't presume to<o:p></o:p></span></font></i></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText style='margin-left:.5in'><i><font size=2
face="Book Antiqua"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-style:italic'>tell
students which direction to take their activism (or agency), but a<o:p></o:p></span></font></i></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText style='margin-left:.5in'><i><font size=2
face="Book Antiqua"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-style:italic'>teacher
should look for ways to help students see that systems and<o:p></o:p></span></font></i></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText style='margin-left:.5in'><i><font size=2
face="Book Antiqua"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-style:italic'>institutions
come from decisions that people made (not from nature) and<o:p></o:p></span></font></i></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText style='margin-left:.5in'><i><font size=2
face="Book Antiqua"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-style:italic'>they can
be altered by more human decisions/activism.<o:p></o:p></span></font></i></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText style='margin-left:.5in'><i><font size=2
face="Book Antiqua"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-style:italic'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></i></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText style='margin-left:.5in'><i><font size=2
face="Book Antiqua"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-style:italic'>Curious to
know what others think about this...<o:p></o:p></span></font></i></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText style='margin-left:.5in'><i><font size=2
face="Book Antiqua"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-style:italic'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></i></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText style='margin-left:1.0in'><i><font size=2
face="Book Antiqua"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-style:italic'>> One
word of caution. I do not think that critical thinking should be<o:p></o:p></span></font></i></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText style='margin-left:1.0in'><i><font size=2
face="Book Antiqua"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-style:italic'>>
confused with any kind of social activism. We cannot promote an<o:p></o:p></span></font></i></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText style='margin-left:1.0in'><i><font size=2
face="Book Antiqua"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-style:italic'>>
ideology, however exalted, and at the same time encourage critical<o:p></o:p></span></font></i></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText style='margin-left:1.0in'><i><font size=2
face="Book Antiqua"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-style:italic'>>
thinking. Surely critical thinking requires people to form their own<o:p></o:p></span></font></i></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText style='margin-left:1.0in'><i><font size=2
face="Book Antiqua"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-style:italic'>>
opinions and to learn how to present them effectively and yet deal<o:p></o:p></span></font></i></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText style='margin-left:1.0in'><i><font size=2
face="Book Antiqua"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-style:italic'>with<o:p></o:p></span></font></i></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText style='margin-left:1.0in'><i><font size=2
face="Book Antiqua"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-style:italic'>>
contrary opinions. <o:p></o:p></span></font></i></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText style='margin-left:1.0in'><i><font size=2 color=black
face="Book Antiqua"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;color:black;font-style:italic'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></i></p>
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