Performative Literacy: The Habits of Mind of Highly Literate Readers

Notes that performative literacy can be identified as an enabling knowledge--knowledge that enables readers to activate and use all the other forms of knowledge that are required for the exercise of anything like a critical or disciplined literacy. Identifies seven traits as constitutive of performative literacy, each one associated with actions and dispositions that distinguish more competent from less competent readers. Discusses ways to foster performative literacy in classrooms.