Seeing Beyond the Surface: Development of a Racism-Critical…

Please strictly follow the outline and use only uploaded sources (A few other sources can be used if the full PDF document is accessible.)

Topic:

“Seeing Beyond the Surface: Development of a Racism-Critical Analysis Tool for Colorism to Foster Critical Visual Literacy in the EFL Classroom”

Research Question:

“To what extent can the Critical Literacy analysis framework be adapted to make the phenomenon of colorism in English-language picturebooks visible, thereby fostering the Critical Visual Literacy of teachers and learners?”

Focus Areas:

Critical Visual Literacy: Understanding images not merely as illustrations, but as carriers of meaning and power (based on Serafini, Arizpe/Styles, Nikolajeva & Scott).

Colorism vs. Racism: Differentiating between race and skin tone/complexion; Colorism as an often-overlooked marker of discrimination in children’s literature (“Symbolic Annihilation”, “White Supremacy”).

Adaptation: Adapting Tondreau & Rabinowitzs disability framework to the category of Race/Colorism.

Villain Coding: Are villains depicted with darker skin?.

Racialized Space: Who occupies space in the image, and who stands on the margins?.

Teacher Professionalization: Using the tool to support teachers in the selection of materials.

Student Competence: Promoting “Close Viewing” and visual competency among students.

Concrete Tasks:

Analyze: Theoretically derive the status quo of colorism in children’s books and the necessity of Visual Literacy (identifying the research gap).

Transfer: Systematically transfer Tondreau & Rabinowitzs three categories (Plot, Character, Word Choice) to the context of colorism. Develop new guiding questions for each category.

Design: Create an “Observation Sheet” as a finished product for teachers (addressing the criterion “Quality of Didactic Design”).

Evaluate: Critically reflect on the tool: How can it be implemented in the classroom? What are its limitations? (Addressing the criterion “Quality of Evaluation”).

OUTLINE with uploaded sources

1. Introduction (approx. 1.5 pages)

Objectives: Development of a tool (conceptual-didactic focus).

Relevance: Picturebooks as an unquestioned norm; the gap in addressing colorism.

2. Theoretical Framework (approx. 4-5 pages)

Evaluation criterion: Breadth & depth of literature work.

2.1 Critical Visual Literacy: Learning to read images (Sources: Arizpe/Styles, Serafini, Nikolajeva & Scott from your uploads).

2.2 Colorism & Critical Race Theory: Definition and distinction from racism. Why is “skin lightness” an instrument of power? (Sources: The Routledge Handbook of Colorism, Prez Huber, Sciurba).

Note: Here you demonstrate that you have read the specialist literature.

3. Conception of the Analysis Instrument (approx. 5 pages)

Evaluation criterion: Quality of the didactic design & justification.

3.1 Methodological Derivation: Justification for choosing the “Disability Framework” (Tondreau & Rabinowitz) as a structural guide (Transfer from Critical Literacy to Race).

3.2 The Development (The Transfer):

Category Character: Integration of “Villain Coding” (Sciurba) into the inquiry regarding “Monstrous depiction”.

Category Setting: Integration of “Racialized Space” (Falkner) into the inquiry regarding “Inclusion/Exclusion”.

Category Word Choice: Integration of “White Supremacy” (MacCann) into the inquiry regarding the naming of perpetrators.

3.3 The Product: Presentation of the finished “Observation Sheet” (as a table or list).

4. Didactic Application & Evaluation (approx. 3 pages)

Evaluation criterion: Quality of the evaluation (strategy).

4.1 Application Scenario: How do teachers use the tool for book selection?

4.2 Potential for the Classroom: How can parts of the tool be simplified for students (“Close Viewing”)? (Sources: Scherer, Mantei & Kervin).

4.3 Limitations: What can the tool not achieve? (Reflection).

5. Conclusion (approx. 1 page)