LindaK.Crafton,MaryBrennan,andPennySilversCriticalInquiryandMultiliteraciesinaFirst-GradeClassroomPrimarychildrencanusearangeoftools,includingtechnology,toengageincriticalinquiryandpursuesignificantconcernsintheirlives,hopingtomakeadifferenceintheworld.CriticalInquiryandMultiliteraciesItislateAugustand,aftertenyearsofteachingan-relevant,sheknowstheymustbeexpandedandothergrade,Iamasnervousasthesix-year-oldsdeepened,takingintoaccounthercontemporarywhoentermyclassroomloadeddownwiththeirlearnersandthecriticalneedsoftheworldoutsidesupplies,sowaryofmeandthespacetheyedgetheboundariesofafirst-gradeclassoom.into.Aftertheyfindtheirdeskswithnamesdis-playedprominently,IletthemknowthattheyhaveThecoauthorsofthisarticleareliteracyedu-choices:Ipointouttheclassroomlibraryandshowcatorswithapersonalandprofessionalhis-themthepapertheycanusewiththeirnewmark-tory;Maryteachesfirstgrade;LindaandPennyersandcrayons.Iannouncethatthefourcomput-areteachereducators.Theyhaveworkedonandersagainstthewallareopengame—somethingmycolleaguessaidIshouldnotdoasthechildrenofftogetherinvariouscapacitiesforabout20wouldn’tbeready.Cecilia,Steven,Kathy,andKen-years.Theexperiencestheysharehereresultednyrushtothemand,withoutaskingaquestion,fromtheirintentionalandintensestudyofhowbegintoexplore.Iseenowthatmynewstudentsnewdefinitionsofliteracycouldbeusedwithhavecometoschoolwithmorethantherequiredyounglearnerstopreparethemforafuturethatsupplies.Iseethattheyare“ready”formorethanwouldinevitablyrequirecomplexusesoflan-Ihavepreparedoverthesummer.Howmuchmoreguageandotherculturaltoolswithindemand-dotheyknowthanmystudentstenyearsago?ingsocialenvironments.WorkingcollaborativelyWhathappensifIdon’thavetheabilitiestoaddresstheircontemporaryneeds?Teachingthemtoreadforoverayear,theirthinkingsignificantlyinflu-andwritemustmeanmorenowthanjustfollowingencedMary’sreflectiononandreshapingofherthecurriculumandusingleveledtexts.pedagogyasshedevelopedpracticesinherown[MaryBrennan]classroomtosupportherfirstgradersinth