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The last step is to “create a plan of action, take action, and evaluate the action”
(Rehm, 2021, p. 192). The goal would be to empower the individual and family
to work together to create a valued end. Once the action plan is implemented,
individuals would need to evaluate the effects on families: Have families reduced
their household debt within the specified time frame as a result of meeting with the
consumer credit counselor? Have families seen an increase in their quality of life as
a result of reducing their household debt?
In summary, the practical reasoning process involves the ability of people, either
individually or collectively, to reason ethically about a course of action needed on
a practical perennial or emerging problem (Fox, 1997; Laster & Johnson, 1998;
Montgomery, 2008, 1999). Ethical thinking is also needed because practical
reasoning involves both judgments of fact and judgments of value. The Practical
Reasoning Framework Think Sheet (Figure) strategy can be used to help outline
each of the steps individuals and families can use to develop specific critical literacy
habits.

Figure
Practical Reasoning Framework Think Sheet.
What’s the REAL Problem?
Contextual Factors? Realities? Values and Goals: Valued Ends?
(List and * most important) (List specific values/goals: * most important)
• People involved? Affected? 1. Aesthetic?
Interests, goals, values, needs, interests, 2. Economic?
interpretations/assumptions? Behaviors? 3. Health?
• Human Conditions? 4. Safety?
Reasoning capabilities? 5. Environmental?
Developmental stage? 6. Intellectual?
Wellness? 7. Legal?
• Situational Factors? Realities? 8. Prudential? Self-interests?
Resources/Assets: Knowledge, skills, time, 9. Moral/ethical? Others’ interests?
money, space, supplies, institutions, services? [Caring/kind/compassionate? Just/fair?]
• Location/Setting? 10. Ideological: Political? Religious? Autocratic or
• Cultural Traditions and Norms? democratic?
Laws/mores/rules? Family roles,
responsibilities?
Choices – Possible Actions? Consequences: Short & Long-term? ( + and -)?
(Create alternatives to meet criteria: Reality & (List consequences for self, family, friends, others)
Values)
• Technical actions? and/or 1. Aesthetic?
• Communicative or Interpretative actions? 2. Economic?
and/or 3. Health and Safety?
• Emancipatory, ethical actions? 4. Environmental?
Actions that free people from 5. Intellectual?
- Distorted information or 6. Legal?
understandings? 7. Prudent? Self-interests?
- Unjust or harmful systems? 8. Moral/ethical? Others’ interests?
- Uncaring, harmful relationships? [Caring/kind/compassionate? Just/fair?]
9. Ideological: Political? Religious?
Adapted by Fox (1997), Laster (2008), and Montgomery (1999, 2008). Used by permission of J.
Laster.

Educators’ Choice 39