Minecraft as a Powerful Literacy Prompt in the Secondary English Classroom

IDIOM#49VOluMe 49, NuMber 2, 2013

AC:Es!Australian Curriculum: English - lessons and resources

I

Volume 49, Number 2, 2013Publication No. PP 326342/00023

editor Jan May

CoVer aNd desigN

Viveka de Costa: [email protected]

layout

Maria Anagnostou

Vate CouNCil 2013 Brenton Doecke (Treasurer), Melissa Goffin, Terry Hayes, Ross Huggard (Vice President), Jo O’Mara, Amanda McGraw, Paul Martin, Mary Mason, Monika Wagner (President).

A publication of the Victorian Association for the Teaching of English Inc.

Assoc. Inc. No. A0013525E ABN: 22 667 468 657 1/134–136 Cambridge Street, Collingwood 3066

Telephone 03 9411 8500 Email [email protected] Web www.vate.org.au

Vate offiCe Maria Anagnostou (Publications Officer), Peter Batchelor (IT Officer), Kate Gillespie (Education Officer), Nicoll Heaslip (Acting Executive Officer), Sarah Samaraweera (Accounts Officer), Josephine Smith (Administrative and Membership Officer).

Note to CoNtributors You are most welcome to contribute to Idiom. Rather than sending us an unsolicited manuscript, however, it would be best to contact the editors to discuss your contribution. We are keen to receive contributions in a range of forms, combining sound theory with concrete detail about actual classroom situations. All contributions will be reviewed, and you can expect feedback to help you shape your work effectively. Don’t be afraid to contact us, as this could be the beginning of a fruitful dialogue between us that will eventually lead to the publication of a worthwhile article.

disClaimer This publication has been prepared for the members and professional associates of the Victorian Association for the Teaching of English. The opinions expressed in the publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Victorian Association for the Teaching of English. While reasonable checks have been made to ensure the accuracy of statements and advice, no responsibility can be accepted for errors and omissions, however caused. No responsibility for any loss occasioned to any person acting on or refraining from action as a result of material in this publication is accepted by the authors, the association or the editors.

© VATE retains copyright unless otherwise stated.

AC:Es!Idiom49

PriNt aNd oNliNe artiCles

3 editorial

Jan May

4 Things a Map Won’T shoW You—a uNit for year 8 eNglish

Alice White, Wantirna College

6 iNterView assigNmeNt

David Newcombe, Brentwood Secondary College

7 NarratiVes assigNmeNt—soldier BoY

Diana Brooks, Australian Catholic University

12 year 9 uNit: this is my story—teaChiNg The CasTle

Philip Thiele, The University of Melbourne

15 imPlemeNtiNg a literature eleCtiVe Course at year 10Amanda Scott, Girton Grammar School

17 all QuieT on The WesTern fronT—aCtiVities for ChaPter 10 Stella Louca

20 Chaos Walking: exPloriNg VoiCe, imagerY aNd susPeNse iN The knife of never leTTing go

Joanne Foley, The University of Melbourne

23 eNgagiNg the diseNgaged

Paula Beck and Maree Atkinson

29 the fliPPed method iN the VCe Classroom

Danni Bunker, Swinburne Senior Secondary College

31 teaChiNg romaNtiCism

Edward Reilly

35 miNeCraft as a Powerful literaCy PromPt iN the seCoNdary eNglish Classroom

Nerissa Marcon, St Helena Secondary College

38 australiaN texts—where haVe they goNe?Annette Signorini, Mount St Joseph’s Girls’ College

39 teaChiNg NoVels aNd NarratiVes—a uNit of work for teaChiNg don’T Call Me ishMael!Jess Brandon, Australian Catholic University

48 The reluCTanT fundaMenTalisT

Alice Wilson, The University of Melbourne

51 The arrival

James Kearney, The University of Melbourne

54 one nighT The Moon—whose reality? uNit PlaN for year 10 Callum McDonald, The University of Melbourne

57 readiNg aNd resPoNdiNg to parvana, a uNit PlaN for year 7 eNglish

Hadia Shoaib, The University of Melbourne

Idiom49Contents

60 the Power of geNetiCs, a CoNtext study of PeoPle aNd Power iN gaTTaCa

Hugh Gundlach, The University of Melbourne

63 MaCBeTh

Katherine Barton, The University of Melbourne

67 MaCBeTh

Martin Dickens, The University of Melbourne

70 the suburbaN gothiC, aN exPloratioN of edWard sCissorhands —desigN of a uNit of work for year 8Monica Caillard, The University of Melbourne

72 pride and prejudiCe—year 10 uNit of work

Elise McGarvie, The University of Melbourne

74 Chinese Cinderella

Catherine Sparrow, The University of Melbourne

77 reView—naTional english skills 8 WorkBook

Amanda Cass, Australian Catholic University

78 reView—oxford Big ideas 8 ausTralian CurriCuluM: english

Miriam Iuricich, Craigieburn Secondary College

79 reView—naTional english skills 9 for The ausTralian CurriCuluM


80 reView—MaCMillan english 7 for The ausTralian CurriCuluM

Melanie Pearson, Mount Hira College

81 reView—insighT english skills 8Miriam Iuricich, Craigieburn Secondary College

82 reViews—The MidnighT Zoo aNd The piper’s son

Jess Brandon, Australian Catholic University

oNliNe artiCles

eal PersuasiVe laNguage

Anthony Gunasegaran, Whitefriars College

grasPiNg grammar

James Prowse, St Kevin’s College

reloCatiNg, roots aNd relatioNshiPs for year 10 eNglish

Nives Nibali, Marcellin College

runner—Year 7 uniT

Ronald Lee, The University of Melbourne

ToMorroW When The War Began—Year 9 uniT

Nicole Green, The University of Melbourne

3

60 the Power of geNetiCs, a CoNtext study of PeoPle aNd Power iN gaTTaCa

Hugh Gundlach, The University of Melbourne

63 MaCBeTh

Katherine Barton, The University of Melbourne

67 MaCBeTh

Martin Dickens, The University of Melbourne

70 the suburbaN gothiC, aN exPloratioN of edWard sCissorhands

—desigN of a uNit of work for year 8Monica Caillard, The University of Melbourne

72 pride and prejudiCe—year 10 uNit of work

Elise McGarvie, The University of Melbourne

74 Chinese Cinderella

Catherine Sparrow, The University of Melbourne

77 reView—naTional english skills 8 WorkBook

Amanda Cass, Australian Catholic University

78 reView—oxford Big ideas 8 ausTralian CurriCuluM: english

Miriam Iuricich, Craigieburn Secondary College

79 reView—naTional english skills 9 for The ausTralian CurriCuluM


80 reView—MaCMillan english 7 for The ausTralian CurriCuluM

Melanie Pearson. Mount Hira College

81 reView—insighT english skills 8Miriam Iuricich, Craigieburn Secondary College

82 reViews—The MidnighT Zoo aNd The piper’s son

Jess Brandon, Australian Catholic University

oNliNe artiCles

eal PersuasiVe laNguage

Anthony Gunasegaran, Whitefriars College

grasPiNg grammar

James Prowse, St Kevin’s College

reloCatiNg, roots aNd relatioNshiPs for year 10 eNglish

Nives Nibali, Marcellin College

runner—Year 7 uniT

Ronald Lee, The University of Melbourne

ToMorroW When The War Began—Year 9 uniT

Nicole Green, The University of Melbourne

You will also find the setting-out of the various units provide ideas about how your own faculty can format their curriculum documents. Some submissions which contained images and tables proved too difficult to incorporate into the print version of Idiom; you will find the full documents in the Members Lounge area of the VATE website. Idiom’s move to an online interactive format in 2014 will allow us the technology to include visuals, hyperlinks, interviews and a useful search function. If you are interested in becoming part of the new Publications and Communications committee in 2014, which will be launching the new look Idiom, as well as overseeing other publications, keep an eye out for VATE email bulletins and website updates.

This is my last editorial for Idiom and I must take the opportunity to say a special thank you to Kate Gillespie, the VATE Education Officer, and Maria Anagnostou, the VATE Publications Officer. Both have been of immeasurable assistance to me and I have greatly appreciated their patient, friendly support and professionalism.

Jan May

The lightbulb icon at the end of articles (pictured below) indicates additional author resources online. For these resources visit the VATE Members Lounge.

editorialJan May

What a pleasure to have such a range of passionate practitioners of English contributing to this edition of Idiom. As well as submissions from mid and late career educators (although, with no definitive retirement age these days, it is somewhat harder to categorise career stages!), I am most grateful to the many talented pre-service candidates from several universities who have contributed to this edition. Their units of work, carefully prepared in line with the AusVELs standards, cover a range of texts and topics that can be taught from Years 7 to 10. There are also bonus VCE teaching ideas and book reviews to read as well.

One of the aspects of English teaching I have most enjoyed over the years is the creation of practical teaching resources for the classroom: perhaps the reading and preparation of activities for a new novel or play, the processing of ideas, reactions to characters, engagement with the language and especially the light bulb moments when a great teaching idea suddenly emerges. Of course, we all know that our greatest ideas and most carefully planned lessons don’t always translate to immediately engaged and enthusiastic students. Some of my best lessons have mysteriously emerged from ideas popping-out of nowhere as I’ve walked to class, awoken in the middle of the night or casually chatted with a colleague. Activities I’ve laboured long and hard over can go down like a lead balloon or evoke that student refrain familiar to many; ‘This is so boring’, ‘Can’t we do something more exciting?’ or ‘Can we play hangman instead?’.

There is a piece of advice I have given to pre-service teachers under my supervision or new graduate colleagues over the years; just because a carefully planned lesson fails to work with one class does not mean it will fall flat with another. The experience of teaching two English classes at the same year level must surely be worthy of a PhD study. (Someone will now tell me there are many theses on the subject!) Why is it that a task fully and enthusiastically embraced by one of those classes fails to engage the other? As experienced educational professionals, we intuitively know many of the reasons—and it seems that many of the pre-service teachers who submitted their units for publication have an impressive awareness of both the joys and challenges awaiting us in the classroom. The breadth of tasks, awareness of individual student needs and different types of assessment and feedback are very impressive. You will be able to tweak many of the ideas you are about to read to suit your own classes. I have already suggested Things A Map Won’t Show You to my own colleagues and been inspired to read The Knife of Never Letting Go and Don’t Call Me Ishmael!

Idiom49Editorial

Idiom: Volume 49, Number 24

Best Lessons Edition

Things a Map Won’T shoW You—a uNit for year 8 eNglishAlice White, Wantirna College

The arrival of the Australian Curriculum coincided with my arrival as the new Head of English at Wantirna College and a desire by the wonderful team there to reach out to some new texts. It seemed right to ensure we brought authentic texts that met the new Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander requirement into our new scope and sequence.

The school is also proceeding with an Australian Curriculum writing project so the following unit is a product of all these realities. We taught Things a Map Won’t Show You last term, and found the text a delight to teach and very accessible to all students. It allowed us to simultaneously explore: the short story form and other forms of writing; how they contrast in the way they communicate meaning to the reader; Indigenous culture—particularly the Stolen Generation (our students were mostly unaware of this shocking reality in Australia’s history), and grammatical knowledge, particularly sentence forms and moods. I wrote the unit, but you will see from the support materials that many teachers created new ideas for this text. The grammar element was heavily influenced by my reading of the teacher text Working Grammar by Sally Humphrey, Kristina Love and Louise Droga. You three are marvels. I can’t thank you enough. This is just the text teachers need to understand how to implement the Language strand of the new curriculum. I should also thank Larissa McLean-Davies for introducing me to Things a Map Won’t Show You during the VATE conference about the Australian Curriculum for English last year. Most of all I want to thank the team of English teachers at Wantirna College, for being so open to new texts and change.

CoNteNt Students explore how meaning is created when expressing ideas and how reading is not just about decoding print text as they explore visual and print texts, comic strips, brochures etc. In particular they examine two short stories, a poem, a comic strip and a brochure in the collection to see how writers manipulate visuals and words to explore issues of cultural connectedness. When studying the short stories, students learn how writers use plot structures to create interest and effectively involve readers in questioning prejudice and stereotypes; the effective creation of setting; the effect of the particular narrative viewpoint chosen, examining differences between omniscient third person and limited perspective in third person and their use in exploring key ideas producing their own oral and

written pieces to demonstrate their understanding. A particular focus on sentence types (simple, complex and compound) and the use of line breaks is used when exploring the poem. Students create their own poems exploring themes of alienation in another culture, experimenting with line endings and sentence type. Sentence moods—statement, command and question—are examined when looking at the brochure and how these and particular choices of verbs, nouns, adjectives and adverbs, contribute to the humour of the brochure examined. Students produce their own guide. They examine how writers explore cultural difference in a range of stories particularly between white Australian, Indigenous, Torres Strait islander and Asian communities and they learn about the Stolen Generation. Students create their own draft and a final copy of a short story paying particular attention to narrative voice, the use of setting, dialogue, plot structure (orientation, complication, climax and resolution), and produce a text response that compares two or more short stories in the collection and the different devices (such as narrative viewpoint, plot structure etc.) used by writers to convey their ideas.

Key terms: The Stolen Generation. Simple, complex and compound sentences. Sentence moods—statement, command and question. Verbs, nouns, adjectives and adverbs. Narrative viewpoint, setting, dialogue, plot structure (orientation, complication, climax and resolution, cultural connectedness).

kNowledge

Students learn that:

• There are a range of languages available that we useto communicate.

• The indigenous Australian population had childrentaken from them by the Australian Government andsuffered injustice and prejudice at the hands of theAustralian Government.

• Sentences can be simple, complex or compound andhave a particular mood—command, statement orquestion.

• Line endings and sentence forms can affect themeaning and feeling of a poem.

• Writers of short stories manipulate plot, setting,characterisation, dialogue and narrative viewpoint tocreate meaning for the reader.

• That narrative viewpoint can affect meaning and thatthird person narrative can be omniscient or have alimited viewpoint.

• Line endings can affect meaning and mood and tonein poetry.

5

skills

Students learn to:

• Use simple, compound and complex sentences tocreate different effects in poetry.

• Use sentence moods effectively in their ownbrochure—command, question and statement.

• Use line endings to create different effects andmeanings.

• Identify elements of a short story and use themeffectively in their own short story—particularlyfocusing on the use of narrative viewpoint(omniscient, third person with viewpoint or firstperson).

• Effectively analyse short stories and compare theuse of techniques by authors to create particularmeanings and effects.

uNderstaNdiNg

Students understand that:

• A language is a mode of communication and thatlanguage does not just have to be written.

• The removal of children from indigenous families hada significant impact on Aboriginal Australians that isstill felt today.

• Authors use a range of techniques such as narrativeviewpoint, plot structure and setting to allow a rangeof meanings and effects to be inferred by readers.

• The drafting process is crucial in creating short storiesthat allow for effective inference by the reader.

• Sentence structure and mood can be as crucial forcreating meaning as style of language.

• Line endings can be used deliberately by writers tochange the mood and emphasis of a poem.

resourCes

Please see <http://wantirnaenglish.wikispaces.com/Year+8> for a rich range of resources and links put together by Wantirna College staff for this new text.

© Alice White

additioNal resourCes aVailable oNliNe

AC:Es!Idiom49


iNterView assigNmeNtDavid Newcombe, Brentwood Secondary College

The following is basically a variation of the Hot Seat game, but with some precise instructions. It can be used effectively to help students to create an empathic approach towards a specific character or society.

I have run the activity with my Year 9 and 10 classes on several occasions. Each time I have been amazed at the inventiveness of the students in creating their personality. Many researched their chosen character to an impressive extent and combined this knowledge with equally commendable thespian ability to create a credible persona. It has been quite entertaining to see Adolf Hitler and Gandhi exchange views on passive resistance or Napoleon and Winston Churchill discussing the merits of a united European community.

As the teacher, you can focus the interview on the particular area of study, whether this is an historical event or a literary novel, by instructing the students to ensure that questions include areas such as religion, politics, society, and so on. Each pair of students must therefore have an understanding of the background relating to their own and their partner’s chosen character. This will help them to compare and contrast differences in society through processes, for example, such as historical change and social norms as portrayed in a given text.

There are several areas of the Australian Curriculum which relate to this activity, particularly English and History. Change and continuity across time become obvious features of a conversation between two characters from completely different historical periods. The more talented students demonstrate individual accents, idioms and style of speech. The activity assists students to consider how characters from literature can be used to reflect contemporary ideas about significant events and underlying issues taken from a variety of historical and cultural backgrounds.

Above all, the students had fun!

iNterView assigNmeNt For this assignment you will be expected to conduct an interview with a ‘famous’ (or infamous) person.

1. Choose your personality. For ease of research itwould be advisable to select someone with whomyou already have some interest such as a sportsstar, singer, actor, historical figure, etc.

2. Pair up with another student and make a note ofhis/her chosen personality.

3. You will need to research both your own chosencharacter and that of your partner. This is becauseyou will each remain in character during theinterview.

4. Compile a list of questions to be addressed toyour partner who will be taking the role of his/herpersonality. Remember that your interview will takeplace in front of an audience and your questionsshould be designed to create an entertaining andinformative discussion.

© David Newcombe

7

NarratiVes assigNmeNt—soldier BoYDiana Brooks, Australian Catholic University

This unit has been designed for a Year 7 mixed ability class. The unit is built around the AusVELS strands of Language, Literature and Literacy. The elements of the AusVELS criteria the unit targets are included below each lesson. The teaching strategies are aimed at critically engaging a class with diverse learning needs and skills. Critical literacy is the ability to read texts in an active, reflective manner (Andrews 2005). I aim to encourage effective literacy through active learning, where learners actively participate in activities, including discussions and collaborative tasks (Henderson 2012). Grammar instruction is integrated at appropriate points. Research seems to be consistent in highlighting the value of grammar where the grammar point is taught in the context of writing (Myhill and Watson 2012).

I chose Soldier Boy because this so-called ‘biographical novel’ should appeal to boys. Research shows boys prefer action and non-fiction (Ryan 2005). It is anticipated several lessons have already occurred. The movie Gallipoli will screen between lessons three and four to further their knowledge. The focus of these lessons is on characterisation and understanding character motivation, and language and structure which build these aspects to help students ‘understand how text structures can influence the complexity of a text and are dependent on audience, purpose and context’ and then ‘create texts showing how language features and images from other texts can be combined for effect’ (Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority 2013). These elements are part of the orientation, complication and resolution that create a narrative (Humphrey, Love and Droga L 2011).

Soldier Boy comprises 14 chapters. Most lessons will start with reading particular chapters. I have chosen a ‘Read Aloud’ reading strategy suggested by Beers (2003) to aid comprehension: ‘for at least some of our struggling readers, we need to teach comprehension strategies explicitly and directly … we must show students HOW to so it’. This is also a consideration given these students recently moved from primary school to Year 7 and this is probably the first novel they have studied. Initially the teacher models the strategy, which involves the reader stopping to predict, visualise and clarify as they read the text, and is designed to make visible the invisible thinking of competent readers. The students gradually move into small groups to read aloud in later lessons.

Homework is writing a chapter summary. This could be particularly useful for at-risk students as it encourages their meaning-maker role during reading. These summaries will be written on Edmodo (a platform similar to Facebook), which will also provide the teacher with a progress gauge. Each student writes from the perspective of a different character. This platform links

with students’ current technological interests and encourages accessibility and critical engagement as ‘the process of active engagement runs parallel to the process of the reader entering the world of a novel’ (Thomson 1991). Further, it is argued students will understand sophisticated concepts such as persona and point of view in a text if they are asked to imagine they are one of the characters (Tucker 1991). The relationship between the reader and the text is crucial in encouraging critical engagement.

Part blessoN outliNes aNd ratioNale

lessoN oNe

(The class is up to Chapter 4. Focus on main characters.)

1. Reading aloud strategy (outlined above).2. Exercise: The class divides into four groups. Each

focuses on a different main character (asidefrom Jim): mother Amelia, father Charlie, Jim’ssisters (over two groups, there is not so muchon the sisters). These have been described in thechapters read to date. What sort of people arethey? What do they look/talk like? Include quotesor descriptions that illustrate their character.How does the language draw them? What visualgrammar is employed? Teacher provides a minilesson on strong nouns, verbs, active/passive voice,vivid quotes and their use in narrative text. Whatdoes your character think of Jim going to war?

3. Create a PowerPoint of your findings. Use softwareto draw your character/s. Why did you draw themthat way? Who would you cast if it were turnedinto a movie? Why? Include a picture.

4. Present findings. This includes a discussionof grammar points and their contribution tocharacterisation and plot development.

AusVELS

Understand how accents, styles of speech and idioms express and create personal and social identities ACELA1529.

Reflect on ideas and opinions about characters, settings and events in literary texts, identifying areas of agreement and difference with others and justifying a point of view ACELT1620.

Use interaction skills when discussing and presenting ideas and information ACELY1804.

Plan, rehearse and deliver presentations, selecting and sequencing appropriate content and multimodal elements ACELY1720.

AC:Es!Idiom49


lessoN two

(Chapter 5)

1. Read aloud.

2. Discussion: Jim Martin is 14. I believe most Year7 students are 12 to 13. Can students relate? Inthis multicultural classroom, some students mayhave experienced war. This lesson is aimed atencouraging critical engagement with Jim and thenovel by trying to imagine how their life interestsintersect, or don’t.

3. Exercise: In groups, students are to create a posterdivided into two. The first part focuses on Jim.How would you describe him? How does he spendhis teenage days before he goes to Gallipoli? Whatis important to him? Back this up with quotes. Youcan use the previous chapters as well as Chapter 5.Build on last lesson’s language mini-lesson to paintyour own image with words.

On the other half, answer the same questionsabout your life.

4. Class discussion.

5. Look at this five paragraph encyclopedic entryfor Jim Martin on the Australian War Memorial<http://www.awm.gov.au/encyclopedia/martin/>How is the content, i.e. language/structure/punctuation different from your posters? Thesedifferences are partly due to different intent andaudience.

6. Class discussion on how factual text differs from anarrative text.

AusVELS

Identify and explore ideas and viewpoints about events, issues and characters represented in texts drawn from different historical, social and cultural contexts ACELY1619.

Discuss aspects of texts, for example their aesthetic and social value, using relevant and appropriate metalanguage ACELY1803.

Use comprehension strategies to interpret, analyse and synthesise ideas and information, critiquing ideas and issues from a variety of textual sources ACELY1723.

Analyse and explain the ways text structures and language features shape meaning and vary according to audience and purpose ACELY1721.

lessoN three

(Chapter 12)

This is envisaged to take place several lessons after the one above.

Exercise: You have been enlisted in the army and go to Afghanistan next week. How do you feel? Why? What do you think it will be like? Ten minutes writing time.

1. Reading: Students to tip desks in a large squareshape. Each student is to lie on the floor, in adefensive position, and close eyes as lights areturned off. The teacher reads the chapter, orsimply the scenes of battle and/or trench life. Thepoint is to imitate Jim in the trenches and immersethemselves in the novel.

I found the above ideas for this lesson in a lessonfor another novel in Idiom’s ‘Best Lessons 2011’and thought it was wonderful and so used it here.

2. Discussion: What did it feel like? What languagemade it vivid?

3. Exercise: Students apply this experience as theyinvent a new soldier in the trench alongside Jim.They are to model the powerful language andgrammar paint strokes to write about a day in thelife of their character during a battle.

ausVels

Recognise and analyse the ways that characterisation, events and settings are combined in narratives, and discuss the purposes and appeal of different approaches ACELT1622.

Create literary texts that adapt stylistic features encountered in other texts, for example, narrative viewpoint ACELT1625.

lessoN four

(Following Gallipoli screening)

Read aloud. Skip to the letters from Jim to his family, from the matron advising of Jim’s death and from Cec Hogan to his sister. (These letters are contained in the appendix online.)

Group discussion: How do letters differ from narrative text, especially language, structure, punctuation? How is the content and layout of a letter unique? As they read aloud, students to note tone and emphasis, i.e. meanings in the letters.

Two columns on the board: one for narratives, one for

9

letters. Class answers earlier questions.

Exercise: Jim Martin was upset he didn’t receive letters from home. Students are to write a letter to Jim, as if he was fighting today. Use correct format. Class brainstorms a few ideas initially. What would Jim want to know? Which character will they be?

ausVels

Discuss aspects of texts, for example their aesthetic and social value, using relevant and appropriate metalanguage ACELT1803.

Analyse and explain the ways text structures and language features shape meaning and vary according to audience and purpose ACELY1721.

Create literary texts that adapt stylistic features encountered in other texts ACELT1625..

Identify and explore ideas and viewpoints about events, issues and characters represented in texts drawn from different historical, social and cultural contexts ACELT1619.

Plan, draft and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive texts, selecting aspects of subject matter and particular language ACELY1725.

lessoN fiVe

Free reading (30 minutes).

(Start assessment task. Finish it at home.)

ausVels

Students engage with a variety of texts for enjoyment; literary texts that support and extend students as independent readers are drawn from a range of genres.

assessmeNt

Instructions

Jim was always worried the army would discover that he had lied about his age and send him home. Imagine the army has found out he is only 14. He has to write a letter to the head of the army explaining why he lied to join up and why he thinks he is making a valuable contribution (i.e. what he is doing each day that is important) and why he should be allowed to stay.

Remember to use your words like paint and create some powerful images. This letter should be less than one page.

rubriC

• The use of powerful images to support your letter.

• A logical flow of information.

• Understanding Jim’s character and motivation to jointhe army and his life in the trenches.

• Spelling, grammar, punctuation.

• Correct layout of a letter.

ausVels

This task combines the AusVELS criteria addressed to date, particularly that focused on identifying and exploring ideas and viewpoints about events and characters from different contexts, reflecting on ideas and opinions about characters, settings and events, using comprehension strategies to interpret and analyse ideas from textual sources, creating texts that adapt stylistic features encountered in other texts and planning an informative text to convey ideas. Students may not have studied persuasive writing so this aspect will not be assessed, although it is a good lead in to the topic to be studied later in the year.

ratioNale

Many lessons involve group work. Group work is appropriate for a diverse group of learners and can help motivate reluctant readers to join in discussions as they are less threatening to a non-English background student (or reluctant reader) than being forced to share their views (and possibly risk being ridiculed) in front of the class (Hoogstad, Reading and Multicultural Australia 1991). The value of collaborative work and discovery type learning (employed by these group work exercises) has been widely demonstrated. For example, Bruner argued ‘discovery learning’ students were more likely to remember, apply the information and be motivated; while research indicates learners in collaborative learning contexts gain academically and socially (Duchesne, McMaugh, Bochner and Krause 2013). Discovery learning also encourages active participation as students have to state their viewpoints and supporting evidence and realise a range of opinions are acceptable if supported by textual references. The discovery model is appropriate for all learners and encourages students to discover for themselves the ideas presented in a book (Hoogstad, Literature and the Resistant Reader, 1991).

The exercises are designed to harness a range of learning abilities and skills. The character illustration and casting in exercise one is aimed at helping students visualise characters. This strategy can be helpful for

AC:Es!Idiom49


reluctant readers to try to form a picture in their mind of the people in the book (Beers, 2003). The initial two group work exercises will also appeal to students who are more art smart (according to Gardiner’s Multiple Intelligences) while PowerPoints will appeal to students who like technology. The poster design will appeal to those who are art smart and/or tactile learners while the presentation to students who are ‘people smart’. The writing/reading exercises, meanwhile, will also appeal to those who are ‘word smart’. Of course most students will share a combination of these. The variety is aimed at enhancing student engagement. The presentations, posters and other exercises will act as an informal formative assessment tool as students display their knowledge.

All lessons involve embedded grammar exercises. The first exercise asks students to identify language or quotes that describe the characters or provide information about their motivation. The use of adjectival phrases, strong nouns, verbs and quotes will be a key feature and involve teacher-led instruction on how visual grammar can draw a character. For student writers, learning to show is central to their journey towards powerful prose as a well described work creates the mental equivalent of a film, leading readers through a visual journey of the endless images—and for the student writer, this means developing an image grammar repertoire (Noden, 1999). In many exercises, students are required to identify and analyse language use in the novel. The teacher can ask why they think the images are powerful and describe language tools used. The language system is a network of grammatical and lexical word choices that can be seen as a toolkit with which we can make particular meanings in particular contexts (Humphrey, Love and Droga 2011). Noden (1999) suggests a five brush strokes method in teaching about image grammar which includes a simple explanation and model examples. This is employed and corresponds to Myhill and Watson’s (2012) argument that a focus on effects and constructing meaning, not terminology and features, open up a repertoire of possibilities.

Lesson three is different. Asking students to imagine they are about to be sent to war, and writing their response, allows them to be creative and engage with the text on a personal level. By getting inside the text and considering it from different angles, students will deepen their understanding of the writer’s purposes and their own responses (Parker, 1991).

I got the first ideas for this lesson from Idiom’s Best Lessons edition (Louca, 2011). I thought they were creative and can see Year 7 boys liking the action, and the unexpectedness, of them. It follows Thomson’s

(1991) argument that in order to become more active readers, students need help DURING the process of reading.

The following writing exercise provides revision from previous lessons and an opportunity to compose a narrative using visual language. The teacher may give a repeat brief brush strokes mini-lesson. For example: ‘The soldier edged along the trench’. Then add an absolute brush stroke: ‘The soldier edged along the trench, hands shaking, feet trembling’. Then illustrate an appositive to add detail: ‘The soldier, a strong and young boy, climbed the cliff face’. Then adjectives out of order to amplify details: ‘The tall soldier, skinny and angry, stormed down the cliff’. A refresher on passive voice and active voice (to portray greater action and imagery) would also be beneficial, for example ‘the trenches were hit by gunfire’ and ‘gunfire rained down on the trenches’. Research seems to be consistent in highlighting the value of grammar where the grammar point is taught in the context of writing (Myhill and Watson, 2012).

Asking students to discuss and/or write about an incident from the point of view of a newly invented character requires readers to explore the text more deeply for clues as to how that character might view the events narrated, as well as a productive means of developing competence in the speculative and imaginative functions of language (Thomson, 1991). Thus the final exercise in lesson three. Swapping work with a neighbor can be productive as public conferencing of some of the student’s texts (in a constructive way and with permission) can encourage discussion of more detailed language features (Derewianka 1994).

Analysing letters and the Australian War Memorial entry introduce a new format of language and relevant literature. Students will see how audience and intent influence text. Because functional grammar is concerned with extending students’ ability to make meaning, it is generally taught in the context of curriculum activities that involve students using language to achieve communicative purposes (Derewianka, 2012). This knowledge is applied in the letters students write to Jim that continue their critical engagement with the novel. Encouraging students to make links continually between the world of the text and their own personal experiences can help students to read with more pleasure and reach higher levels of insight and satisfaction (Thomson, 1991).

The free choice reading time in lesson five is a reading strategy suggested by many English curriculum experts including Atwell (1998), who argues students read

11

more and comprehend better when we make time in school for them to read. It requires a well-stocked library. Teacher guidance can also help reluctant readers find a book to enjoy. Choice is where it starts for reluctant writers (Gallagher 2006).

The assessment involves students engaging with the storyline, using elements we have studied: language/grammar concepts, insights into Jim’s character, the letter format.

bibliograPhy

Andrews, R 2005, ‘Knowledge about the teaching of [sentence] grammar: The state of play’, English Teaching: Practice and Critique, pp. 69–76.

Atwell, N 1998, In the Middle: New Understandings About Writing, Reading and Learning, Boynton/Cook Publishers, Portsmouth.

Beers, K 2003, When Kids Can’t Read: What Teachers Can Do, Heinemann, Portsmouth.

Cope, B and Kalantzis, M 1993, The Powers of Literacy: A Genre Approach to Teaching Writing, Falmer Press, London.

Duchesne, S, McMaugh, A, Bochner, S and Krause, K 2013, Educational Psychology for Learning and Teaching, Cengage Learning, South Melbourne.

Derewianka, B 1994, Exploring How Texts Work, Newtown.

Derewianka, B 2012, ‘Knowledge about language in the Australian Curriculum: English’, Australian Journal of Language and Literacy.

Gallagher, K 2006, Teaching Adolescent Writers, Stenhouse Publishers, Portland.

Humphrey, S., Love, K and Droga, L 2011, Working Grammar: An Introduction for Secondary English Teachers, Pearson Australia, Melbourne.

Henderson, R 2012, Teaching Literacies in the Middle Years: Pedagogies and Diversity, Oxford University Press, South Melbourne.

Hill, A 2001, Soldier Boy, Penguin Books, Melbourne.

Hoogstad, V 1991, ‘Literature and the Resistant Reade’, in V. Hoogstad, and M. Saxelby, Teaching Literature to Adolescents, pp. 58–72, Nelson, South Melbourne.

Hoogstad, V 1991, ‘Reading and Multicultural Australia’, in V. Hoogstad, and M. Saxelby, Teaching Literature to Adolescents, pp. 151–66, Nelson, South Melbourne.

Louca, S 2011, ‘All Quiet On The Western Front Text Study’ Idiom, vol. 47: Best Lessons, p. 33–34.

Noden, HR 1999, Image Grammar: Using Grammatical Structures to Teach Writing, Portsmouth: Heinemann.

Myhill, S.M and Watson, A 2012, ‘Grammar: A Repertoire of Possibilities’, English in Australia.

Parker, J 1991). Realism and Issues in Adolescent Literature. In V. Hoogstad, and M. Saxelby, Teaching Literature to Adolescents (pp. 73 - 96). South Melbourne: Nelson.

Ryan, J 2005, ‘Young People Choose: Adolescents’ Text Pleasure’, Australian Journal of Language and Literature, vol. 28, no. 1, pp. 38–47.

Tucker, E 1991, ‘Teaching in the private and public worlds of adolescent literature’ in V. Hoogstad and M. Saxby, Teaching Literature to Adolescents (pp. 37–57), Nelson, South Melbourne.

Thomson, J 1991, ‘Adolescents, language and literature: the development of readers’, in V. Hoogstad and M. Saxby, Teaching Literature to Adolescents (pp. 1–25, Nelson, South Melbourne.

Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority, AusVELS English Domain, viewed 6 January 2013, <http://ausvels.vcaa.vic.edu.au/English/Overview/Rationale-and-Aim>.

© Diana Brooks is a Graduate Diploma of Education student at the Australian Catholic University, Melbourne.

AC:Es!Idiom49


year 9 uNit: this is my story—teaChiNg The CasTlePhilip Thiele, The University of Melbourne

the CoNtext of the uNit

This unit on Rob Sitch’s 1997 film The Castle will take place at a co-educational state school in the suburbs of Melbourne adjacent to the airport. If any meaning is specific to the setting of the film it will register with this geographical audience. Writing from South Yarra, Peter Malone feels concern about the movie: ‘Sitting at a preview in South Yarra and enjoying the comedy is a different experience from watching it at the multiplex at Airport West near where the Kerrigans live’ (McFarlane, 2007, p. 145). Such angst won’t apply at this school. For McKenzie Wark, ‘The Castle expresses the predicament of suburbia’ (2000). Unlike other Australian films, its protagonists achieve their goals within a suburban context, not by leaving it. Again, for a literary tool that throws light on local culture and values, the text makes sense for these students.

The school is resourced to screen and study film. In addition, many students carry phones with filmmaking capabilities. School policy allows the use of these only in emergencies, but an exception will be made for the practical component of this unit, informed as it is by (a) curriculum that requires intertextual practice and (b) pedagogical approaches in which the line between consuming and producing film texts is blurred.

Students at the school come from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds, but often within second or third-generation migrant families. The film presents a lingo that is widespread in the school but rarely foregrounded or decoded. Activities about slang make a space for being critical about everyday speech. Additionally, students are invited to be subjective about the Kerrigans: to what extent is this family familiar?

This subjectivity is in sync with the text. ‘This is my story’, declares Dale Kerrigan, giving a name and thread to the unit. Viewing and analysing The Castle is done with a personal goal in mind: to co-opt the medium to tell our own stories—to write back with film. At the service of this larger goal, individual lessons focus on (a) decoding the meaning of the text; (b) analysing the values of its characters; (c) learning the technical language of film; and (d) considering the representation of Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. Activities are not limited to traditional text response but traverse the subdivisions of the hybrid AusVELS curriculum.

desCriPtioN of three-lessoN sequeNCe

Intertextuality and innovation define the Level 9 achievement standard within the English domain of the AusVELS curriculum. At this level, criticism and creativity are close. The hybrid curriculum folds in the discrete categories of VELS; in this new standard,

viewing, writing and listening are inseparable. ‘They create texts’, says Writing, ‘that respond to issues interpreting and integrating ideas from other texts’. ‘They understand how interpretations can vary’, replies Speaking and Listening, ‘by comparing their responses to texts to the responses of others’. This is English as communal practice, a site of exchange.

In this three-lesson sequence, students skate across the Four Resources (Freebody and Luke 2003), cracking cinematic codes by using them, analysing an existing text by making their own. Fittingly, pedagogy drawn from film studies catalyses this dissolve. Following Jefferson, films can only reproduce: ‘reading and using film are co-dependent’ (2012, p. 210). With Anderson she names engagement and creation in the singular, the synthesis of making and appreciating film. In their model for teaching film, making (‘aesthetic control’) and appreciating (‘aesthetic understanding’) unite as ‘critical engagement and creation’ (2009, p. 14). This approach structures this whole unit; like it, the unit casts engagement and creation as a pedagogical whole.

These lessons form a culmination. The Castle (Sitch, 1997) has already been viewed and decoded, its language analysed, its ideology unpacked. Like Dale Kerrigan, students have made it ‘my story’, anticipating the film’s dream home by reference to their own. Three lessons have engaged the linguistic and cultural framework of the text, but always through a personal lens—not how do the Kerrigans speak, but do I speak like the Kerrigans?; not what values do the Kerrigans hold, but to what extent do I share them?

With this code-breaking, text analysis and text participation work done, students are ready to deploy all Four Resources, using film as material for their own filmmaking. As ‘digital natives’ they interpret a twentieth-century text within a twenty-first century classroom in which filmmaking tools—though disguised—are ‘massified’ and ubiquitous (Prensky 2001). For these activities, the classroom is shaped around Vygotsky’s vision of ‘problem solving under adult supervision or in collaboration with more capable peers’ (1978, p. 86); which means, in this context, phones on please.

lessoN NiNe

Film terminology has been introduced; in this lesson, it’s exercised. Two activities fulfil the AusVELS requirement that students ‘analyse text structures and language features of literary texts’ (ACELT1772), but here with an eye to the production of their own films. Shot selection and sound are analysed within the opening scene of The Castle, a parodic home video whose content and

13

aesthetic will inspire the filmmaking task of lesson eleven.

Adapted from McMahon and Quin (2008), the first activity [Appendix One online] replicates in miniature the Anderson and Jefferson appreciating/making pair that structures the whole sequence: students analyse six types of shot—close-up, wide shot, mid shot; high angle, eye level, low angle—then immediately storyboard their new filmic literacy. Technical knowledge is assessed as it’s deployed. The second activity, also adapted from McMahon and Quin (2008), highlights sound by switching it off—‘What information is conveyed just through the presentational and representational codes?’ (p. 18).

Building filmic literacy resources students to decode texts, but also aids them to develop and produce their own. These activities position students as technicians, studying the building blocks of film. The teacher encourages students to engage in sophisticated analyses of ‘meaning-making’ as it’s achieved in the medium. In addition, the close reading of one scene alleviates the need for repositioning students for the next class—students will already be experts in the content of this sequence when it comes to mapping it in the following lesson.

lessoN teN

In this lesson students further decode the text’s opening sequence, refining their ability to ‘explore and explain the combinations of language and visual choices that authors make to present information, opinions and perspectives in different texts’ (ACELY1745). The major activity [Appendix Two online] takes its cue from Boyd’s ‘Ten Tools for Reading Film’ but expands his ‘sequence analysis’ into a whole-class collaboration in which individual shots are decoded and storyboarded in pairs then translated/presented back to the class. This method chimes with the unit’s social constructivist overtones, informed by Vygotsky’s belief that ‘learning awakens a variety of internal developmental processes that are able to operate only when the child is interacting with people in his environment and in cooperation with his peers’ (p. 90). To honour these processes, the group fragments into two-person working units whose insights are then collected during the presentations into a whole-class resource.

The activity studies the macro via the micro: single shots are analysed to understand the major fields in which aesthetic and technical choices are made. Each pair analyses and storyboards one fragment of a short sequence, then benefits from similar presentations from their peers. Out of these, the teacher oversees

the development of a toolkit of approaches from which students can draw in their own creative practice.

lessoN eleVeN

After three lessons of film studies—two of which have focused on the same short sequence—students get a chance to reply to Dale Kerrigan’s story with their own. Here, intertextuality is lifted a notch; after all, critics like Justine Lloyd have noticed that Kerrigan’s voice-over narrates his home tour ‘as if addressing the audience of a home video, perhaps overseas relatives or a school project’ (2002, p. 127). Now, sixteen years after Kerrigan’s project, students work on their own, meeting the AusVELS demand that they ‘create literary texts, including hybrid texts, that innovate on aspects of other texts, for example by using parody, allusion and appropriation’ (ACELT1773).

The cooperative tradition of film structures the activity, with students dividing their work into three discrete roles: writer/narrator, director, and cinematographer. While this troubles the univocal utterance that inspired the activity—‘my name is Dale Kerrigan and this is my story’—it reflects the inherently collaborative nature of the medium and its texts, including The Castle. Following Bertolucci, ‘a film is a sort of melting pot in which the talents of a crew must mingle’ (2002, p. 50).

Mingled three-student film crews interpret the school as a site for personal storytelling. What memories or meaning inhere within the campus? Like Kerrigan, theirs is a biased account, a personal perspective. Films can be produced at any location within school boundaries. The only requirement: that the narrator can meaningfully say, ‘This is my story’. They use their own tools to make films, a phone’s limited functionality compensated by the empowering of students to deploy everyday equipment for literary practice. Experiential learning is meaningful to the extent that it connects with lived experience; in this lesson, students bring and keep the technical equipment, and may continue to make films.

Later in the unit, students present their work to each other in an event given as much significance as the screening of The Castle. This event holds communal as well as pedagogical value. By witnessing each other’s stories, students develop respect and empathy for one another, and gain a richer sense of the meaning that the school site holds for their peers.

works CitedAlberta Education 2003, ‘The Senior High School English Language Arts Guide to Implementation’, viewed 7 June 2013 <http://www.education.alberta.ca/teachers/program/english/resources/ela-guide.aspx>.

AC:Es!Idiom49


Anderson, M and Jefferson, A 2009, Teaching the Screen: Film Education for Generation Next, Allen and Unwin, Australia.

Bertolucci, B. 2002, ‘Revisionists’, in L. Tirard ed. Moviemaker’s Masterclass: Private lessons from the world’s foremost directors, Faber and Faber, USA.

Boyd, B 2012, ‘Ten Tools for Reading Film’, viewed 7 June 2013 <http://literacyadviser.wordpress.com/ten-tools-for-reading-film/>.

Hughes, T 2000, ‘The Castle: A Critical Study of a Feature Film Text’, Australian Screen Education 20/21, pp. 36–43.

Jefferson, M 2012, ‘How to read a film: Experiential approaches to film learning’ in J. Manuel and S. Brindley Eds, Teenagers and Reading—Literary Heritages, Cultural Contexts and Contemporary Reading Practices, pp. 210–227, Wakefield Press, South Australia.

Lloyd, J 2002, The Castle: A Cinema of Dislocation. Australian Screen Education, 30, 125–130.

Luke, A and Freebody, P 1999, ‘Shaping the social practices of reading’ in S. Muspratt, A. Luke and P. Freebody Eds, Constructing critical literacies: Teaching and learning textual practice, pp. 185–225, Allen & Unwin, Australia.

McFarlane, B 2007, ‘The Castle: Home of the Brave’, Screen Education, 45, pp. 141–146.

McMahon, B and Quin, R 2008, Advancing English Skills with Film Studies, Science Press, Australia.

Prensky, M 2001, ‘Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants’, On the Horizon, 9(5), viewed 7 June <http://www.nnstoy.org/download/technology/Digital%20Natives%20-%20Digital%20Immigrants.pdf>.

Sitch, R Dir. 1997, The Castle, Working Dog, Australia.

Vygotsky, L 1978, Mind in Society: The development of higher psychological processes, Harvard University Press, USA.

Wark, M 2000, Contemporary Australian Cinema—a symposium ‘Screening Suburbia’, Senses of Cinema (9), viewed 7June 2013 <http://sensesofcinema.com/2000/9/symposium/>.

resourCes

© Philip Thiele, Teacher Candidate, Master of Teaching (Secondary) MGSE, The University of Melbourne.


15

imPlemeNtiNg a literature eleCtiVe Course at year 10Amanda Scott, Girton Grammar School

As the Year 12 Literature teacher of some years’ standing at my school, I was approached last year by my Head of Department with the dream question ‘Would I like to establish a foundation Literature course at Year 10?’, ‘Of course’, I replied calmly (resisting the temptation to bite his hand off at the elbow …).So I embarked on some of the most personally exciting curriculum development of my twenty years’ teaching career.

The course is an elective, aimed at the strongest writers and readers to study alongside their mainstream English course. It is designed as a foundation for VCE Literature, so it is tailored to achieve two main outcomes: firstly, to improve student writing, and secondly, to introduce the fundamentals of literary analysis. In Semester one students experienced a whistle-stop tour of Western poetry, beginning with an introduction to Homer’s Odyssey and finishing with selection of Paul Kelly’s song lyrics and the recent documentary Stories of Me. On the way, we read Beowulf’s story ‘Grendel’ in translation by Ian Serraillier; experienced selections of Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales through the rap artist Baba (2004); learned about the sonnet form through Plutarch and Shakespeare; enjoyed a selection of the Romantic poets including Keats, Byron and Shelley and touched on some modern poets, including Ted Hughes and Sylvia Plath. In response, students completed a writing folio of five pieces, each assessed separately using rubrics and descriptors.

My main aim for the students in this first semester was to develop their understanding of poetry as the earliest literary form as well as the crucial importance of storytelling to the development of their own culture and identity. Moving from Homer to Kelly worked even better than I had at first imagined, because of Kelly’s story-telling emphasis; the unit came ‘full circle’ rather neatly! I found that presenting the students with challenging reading material enhanced their own storytelling and control over various forms in their writing. Students wrote stories and poems, exploring various forms for their poetry. Some became so comfortable writing sonnets that this is the form in which they chose to write in their end-of-semester examination.

Here is an example of a high-achieving student’s Shakespearean sonnet:

‘Of Love and Lies’ by Rani Jayasekera © (Year 10)

Do not try to put the words in my head,

To feed me with lies you’d have me believe.

Trusting each tale of love that I’d read,

I left my heart open; primed and naïve.

They say love is blind, and blind I must be,

To let myself fall, and foolishly trust

That you would be there, waiting, to catch me.

But you had gone, having sated your lust.

The stories I’ve read all lied—just like you—

They promised true love; no mention of pain.

Dreams of Prince Charming will never come true;

My whimsical fantasy has been slain.

And Happily Ever After’s not real,

True Love is a lie; a fairytale deal.

Since this course is designed to dovetail with the VCE course, especially Unit 2 Outcome One and Unit 4 Outcome One (Creative response), students were required to model their writing as closely as possible on the texts under study. One of the earliest pieces shown to them was Keats’, ‘To Autumn’, in the first three weeks of the course (taught in an Early Commencement Program at the end of 2012). Since I had only just met the class and was still trying to establish expectations for the course, I modeled some writing for them, creating my own version of the poem after a detailed discussion of its form, structure and style:

‘To Summer ‘[with apologies to John Keats]

Season of fires and long, hot sleepless nights,

Best mate of that larrikin old Mr Sun;

Pretending you’re both no threat, but your fight

Burns up towns and valleys and it’s no fun;

To dry the long grass by the side of the road

And sear all the leaves of the trembling gum;

To shrivel the fruit and blacken the earth

With hot days; your heat increases the load.

We sweat and suffocate, blood like a drum

Until we wonder will rain ever come;

Blue skies reign and of heat there is no dearth.

Who has not seen you raging ‘cross the land?

Sometimes whoever looks around may find

You laughing heartless at the dry brown ground,

Your eyes sparkling at the wild, whirling wind;

Or in a half-dry, muddy dam wide awake,

Sucking what’s left of the water right out

Under the noses of parched skinny sheep;

And sometimes like a prize-fighter you make

Trouble by breaking the one water spout;

AC:Es!Idiom49


Or wrench the dry old trees that have, no doubt

Put deep roots down in dark depths, safe to keep.

What of Winter’s music? Yes, what of that?

Think of it when the magpies carol loud

To greet the red rising sun that grows fat

O’er the shimmering horizon with no cloud.

Then the frogs’ warbling chorus rises up

From the billabong dark in dappled shade

And the cockies lift shrieking from the tree;

Or the chained dogs bark madly for their cup

Of breakfast, while milk-heavy cows low, afraid

And uncomfortable by the early heat made;

While the gathering storm builds, wild and free.

In Semester two, the emphasis of the course moves ‘From Page to Screen’: students will read excerpts from some great 19th century writers, including Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Charles Dickens and Jane Austen, and view modern adaptations of these stories made for television and film, culminating in an in-depth study of Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo + Juliet in conjunction with the text of Shakespeare’s play. Storytelling and writing remain central, with students still writing creatively in response to texts, but there will also be greater development of their skills of analysis, with an essay as the final piece of assessment. Units 1 and 3 Outcome One (Adaptations and transformation), obviously underpins this element of the course.

I realise I am enormously privileged to be given an opportunity like this one and I would like publicly to acknowledge the generous support provided by my school in creating this course. I have unapologetically chosen ‘old favourites’ for a variety of reasons, but I tried to use the same guidelines as those provided at VCE for text selection, so there is some Australian content and some gender balance. The course is still very much in its seminal stages, since I am still working out how to teach it as I go. In the long term, some measure of its success will be (I hope) strengthened Literature results at Year 12, as well as growth in numbers in the take-up of VCE Literature at the school. Meanwhile, anecdotal evidence suggests my students are enjoying the challenge of an opportunity to encounter texts they would not normally choose to read for themselves.

refereNCes

Homer, The Odyssey, <http://classics.mit.edu/Homer/odyssey.html>.

Serraillier, Ian 1954, Beowulf the Warrior, University Press, London.

The Literature Network for Poetry, <http://www.online-literature.com/>.

audio-Visual

Baba, 2004, The Rap Canterbury Tales CD ©, Babasword, <http://babasword.blogspot.com.au/>.

Stories of Me, 2012, Ian Darling dir. <http://www.paulkellythemovie.com.au/home/>.

Romeo + Juliet, 1996, Baz Luhrmann, dir.

© Amanda Scott

17

theme study: Camaraderie amoNg soldierS

Students should have read up to and including Chapter 10 before these activities.

the australiaN CurriCulum: eNglish—year 9 CoNteNt desCriPtioNs

The following activities address the AC:E Year 9 content descriptions.

laNguage • ACELA1557, ACELA1561.

literature

• ACELT1633, ACELT1634, ACELT1635, ACELT1773.

literaCy

• ACELY1740, ACELT1742, ACELY1743, ACELY1744,ACELY1745, ACELY1747.

PersPeCtiVe aCtiVities—ChaPter 10 aCtiVity oNe—PersPeCtiVes iN images

Materials required

• Teacher copy of All Quiet on the Western Front• A handout of photos (of Australian troops from WW1

depicting camaraderie – soldiers helping their mates)and instructions (see below).

• Pen and paper to write on or laptops to word processresponses.

Lesson plan (adjust timing to suit your class)

1. Review the key events which occur in Chapter 10(5 mins).

2. Mind map the word ‘camaraderie’ on the board(5 mins).

• Ask all students to write ‘camaraderie’ in thecentre of a page and to write down two words orideas they associate with the word.

• Take suggestions from the class for vocabularyrelated to the word and add it to a mind map onthe board.

• Students add the extra words and ideas to theirown mind maps.

3. Class discussion on the theme of ‘camaraderie’occurring in Chapter 10 (10 mins).

• Students to contribute ideas on the camaraderiebetween Paul and his friends and why this is soimportant to the soldiers in Chapter 10[board notes].

• Give students time to take down the notes.

all quieT on The WesTern fronT—ACTIVITIES FOR CHAPTER 10 Stella Louca

4. Give the students the handout of instructions andphotos (5 mins).

• Assign each student a number from 1 to 7 (orhowever many photos you have provided, if youare using your own).

• Students are to view the photo connected to theirnumber and consider the events/actions takingplace with regard to the word ‘camaraderie’.

• Explain ‘Free write’—non-stop writing, written/typed without talking or discussion.

5. Students are to spend five minutes completing a‘free write’ for the first task (5 mins).

• Describe the photo you have been assigned as ifyou are one of the soldiers in it right now—usethe present continuous tense (I am holding Billtrying to stop the bleeding .... (Half page).

6. Next move on to the second task (5 mins).

• Describe the photo as if you were thephotographer who took it—use the past tense(After the strike they carried their mate .... )(Half page).

7. Finally complete the last task (5 mins).

• Explain what is going on in the picture, as youare standing back, looking at the photo withfriends back home ten years later—use the pastcontinuous tense (I was running for cover when…… (Half page).

8. Discuss the differences in perspective of the threetasks. What aspects of language contribute tothese differences? Look at the use of varioustenses (5 mins).

9. Ask students to pair up to read and edit one oftheir partner’s ‘Free writes’ (5 mins).

10. Students to read out some of their edited ‘Freewrites’, explaining the perspective they have used(5 mins).

aCtiVity two—PersPeCtiVes iN letters

Materials required

• Teacher copy of All Quiet on the Western Front.• A collection of war letters from WW1 to Afghanistan

(You will need about 25 individual letters dependingon the size of your class—these can easily be foundon the internet—you could put them online or evenhave the students find them, but this may limit therange of letters used and there may be the sameletter used two or more times—each student needsa different letter. Some letters should be longer andothers shorter, to use for different levels of ability.

AC:Es!Idiom49


There is a sample below).

• Pen and paper to write on or laptops to word processresponses.

lessoN PlaN Adjust timing to suit your class—this activity can take two lessons to complete.

1. Hand out a letter from a war (WW1 toAfghanistan) to each student and allow them afew minutes to read through it (5 mins).

2. Hand out, or project on the board, the GuidingQuestions below and read them to the class.Students will annotate their letter with notes andideas for each question (20 mins).

3. Students should then imagine they are therecipient of the letter in front of them, and knownothing about the reality of war. They should writea response to this letter, using a similar style andtone to the time the letter was written. Length:Half–one page (15 mins).

4. In groups of three, students are to read and discusseach other’s original letters and the responses theyhave written to them. They should explain to theirgroup why they responded in the way they haveand what perspective of the war they employed(15 mins).

5. Ask two or three students to read their originalletters and their replies to the class, and then havethem present their replies to the guiding questions.Discuss their findings. Can students add moredetail? (10 mins).

guidiNg questioNs

1. What is the context for your letter? Eg: WW1 -1914, Vietnam 1973, Iraq 2006, etc.

2. Annotate the word choices made by the writer e.g.

• Repetition of words

• Literal and metaphorical language

• Connotations of words used

• Structure of the letter

• Sentence structure

• Figurative language

• Punctuation.

• How does the language the writer has used, toexpress his ideas, contribute to the meaning, purposeor emotional force of the letter?

• Make a note on the writer’s perspective on the war.

• What is the tone, (or style or manner of expressingthemselves), used by the writer of the letter? Doesthe tone change as the letter progresses? At what

points does it change and why?

• Looking at your letter, what is the negative impactof war? Is there a positive impact of war?

• Are there any rewards referred to in the letter, forfighting for your country? What are the rewards forbeing dedicated to your country?

• What are the conflicts in your letter about fighting awar for your country? What are the drawbacks in goingin to battle for your country?

samPle letter

Albert Smith tries to dissuade his brother Greg from joining the war effort by encouraging him to stay in school.

France 15 October 1918. Mr McGregor Smith Cookeville, Tenn.

Dear ‘Greg’,

I received a letter from you a few weeks ago but have not had time to answer for we have been exceedingly busy. We are speedily clearing France of the Huns and making Europe safe for you Kids to come over next spring. This will be the most peaceable country in the world in about sixty days. You just think that you want to come over here we wont need you. I wanted to come over pretty badly and was happy as a lark the day we left New York but that will be nothing to the state of my feeling when I start back to the states. If the Statue of liberty ever sees me again it will have to about face and come down south to find me after she sees me pass going into the harbor at New York on my way home. This is the wettest muddiest country I ever saw, it has been raining steadily for seven weeks. I stepped in a mud hole the other night and went up to my waist in mud and didn’t get to change clothes and in fact I haven’t changed yet. I haven’t changed for over two month and haven’t even had my clothes off for that length of time. I have not had a bath for six weeks and none in sight for I haven’t the slightest idea of using what little drinking water I get in my canteen for bathing purposes. I shave as often as possible for the beard on my face keeps my Gas mask from being effective and the Germans use quite a bit of gas. Gas and machine gun is their only effective weapons. I have been on every front in France. You cant imagine how torn up this country really is. Every where there are wire entanglements and trenches and dug outs. Even out of the war zone there are entanglements and dugouts to protect the civilians from air raids. I have been from border to border of France and I mean I made the trip on foot throughout the country

19

like a Gypsy horse trader we would hike a while and then stop and fight a while. It was a great hike but a hard one as it was raining every day and night. The hardest fight we were in was in the Argenne Forest Our batteries were the one that destroyed the machine gun nest at Montfaucon. I was at the Forward observation post the night the barrage was laid during the big drive of the last few weeks. The barrage that night was the heaviest one ever laid in France. I saw ever bit of it and saw the infantry go over the top. That certainly was a night that I will always remember. Our doughboy are the greatest men in the world, they certainly have ‘Fritz’ bluffed: During Aug. When we were in a drive against mount Sac the strongest fortified hill in France we supported a regiment of Negro infantry and when they went over the top and up the hill they were saying to them Germans ‘take your hats off white folks no Kazerade [?] too late now’. They sure did slaughter the Huns. The southern boys are certainly hard fighters. The third Tenn. Infantry is the hardest fighting regiment over here. I understand that they have been cited by the British for bravery. At Cambrai they were the Americans that advanced thru the heart of the city and cleared the place of machine guns.

Don’t worry about coming over here stay in school that is your service to your country. I am in good health and ready to come home after the war but not before, I will do my bit here. I was appointed for the officers, training camp this month for the third time but refused it, I will go later on in the year I want to stay on the front as long as the war lasts. Be good and study HARD have a good time and write often.

Love to all,

Albert.

Corp. Albert P Smith Hq. Co. 115 F.A. American Expdt. France.

<http://history-world.org/letter_from_albert_smith__france.htm>

resourCes


© Stella Louca

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Chaos Walking: exPloriNg VoiCe, imagerY aNd susPeNse iN The knife of never leTTing goJoanne Foley, The University of Melbourne

iNtroduCtioN

The Knife of Never Letting Go, the first volume in the Chaos Walking trilogy by Patrick Ness, showcases literary devices such as voice, imagery and suspense. Many students’ writing is weakened by poor use of voice and imagery. This well-written text highlights these techniques and the themes provide rich material for discussion and debate. The reader is kept in suspense and must construct aspects of the narrative from the scant plot and foreshadowing provided. The novel encompasses themes of colonialism, racism, friendship and betrayal, coming-of-age, choice, moral decisions, relationships between men and women, and information overload. At times the content is violent and frightening, paralleling brutal aspects of colonialism. While the themes are challenging, the literacy demands on less able readers are not over-burdensome. The book does not use complex language, and the engaging narrative provides motivation to continue reading. The fast-paced, adventurous text will likely appeal even to reluctant readers.

Australian content is introduced when examining the techniques the author uses to dehumanise the Spackle (a group of people that have been colonised and have suffered greatly at the hands of their colonisers). Toward the end of the unit this is compared with how Aboriginal Australians have been and are still represented in the media.

This unit is designed to be taught over four weeks, with four 50 minute lessons per week, totalling sixteen lessons. The intention in this unit is that students learn ‘by doing combined with reflection’ (Priest and Gass, 1997, p. 136), and that they learn and demonstrate the application of theory and literary techniques and also are provided with model examples. This text has been chosen and the unit designed to be used in a mixed ability classroom.

learNiNg goals

readiNg aNd ViewiNg

Students will be able to evaluate how text structures can be used in innovative ways by different authors. They explain how the choice of language features, images and vocabulary contributes to the development of individual style.

writiNg

Students will be able to explain how the selection of language features achieve precision and stylistic effect and develop their own style by experimenting with language features, stylistic devices, text structures and images.

sPeakiNg aNd listeNiNg

Students will be able to make presentations and contribute actively to class and group discussions building on others’ ideas, solving problems, justifying opinions and developing and expanding arguments.

oVerView of aims aNd outComes for three- lessoN sequeNCe

The overall aim of these three lessons is for students to be able to understand and identify aspects of voice and to be confident in discussing both orally and in written form how authors use voice. In addition, students will learn to use voice to strengthen their own writing.

This sequence of lessons follows on from the two introductory lessons. These three lessons focus on voice and also introduce visualisation, which will be revisited in the unit. Revisiting techniques and theories is an aspect of this unit that is intended to deepen students understanding via a spiral curriculum that returns to concepts in different ways (Bruner, 2006, p. 145). The content is also intended to progress incrementally so that the learning is carefully staged, which means that students can work at slightly different levels within the class (Evans, Midgley, Rigby, Warham and Woolnough, 2009). This and the activities are designed to allow for extension and support for those students who require it.

lessoN three: what is VoiCe? (ACELT1643)

Aims:

• To introduce voice.

• To practise identifying voice.

• To practise using voice.

iNtroduCtory aCtiVity

Purpose: To introduce the concept of voice by linking oral and written voice.

Students close their eyes. Teacher walks around and taps one student on the shoulder. Student says, ‘Hi, it’s me!’. At this point other students try to guess who was tapped by the sound of their voice. Tell students that writing can have voice too and sometimes you can tell who wrote something because their writing has a special voice. (Adapted from V. Spandel).

defiNe VoiCe aNd Possible VoiCes

Purpose: To introduce a broader definition of voice and give examples of voice in writing.

Class discussion: Ask students what is voice in writing? How can you tell? What characteristics does it have? Write responses on the board.

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• Make a list of the characteristics of writing thatindicate strong voice.

• Give students the handout that provides definitionsand types of voice plus homework (Refer Appendix Aonline).

• Students practise in pairs reading any part of thetext in a different voice, using examples of differentemotions from the handout.

Name that VoiCe

Purpose: Students develop the ability to identify and name unique voices in different works.

Teacher and/or students read different short works or excerpts and ask students to name the emotions portrayed in the work and the overall type of voice (The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness, A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness p. 44, ‘Undertow’ [Tales from Outer Suburbia] by Shaun Tan p. 37). Read the pieces twice. The first time students just listen, the second time they can listen and put their hand up if they can identify an emotion or voice in the scene. This can be modelled first by the teacher using The Knife of Never Letting Go.

write three seNteNCes

Purpose: This activity and the next are designed to illustrate the power of adding emotion to a piece of work and how that helps strengthen voice.

• Students each write an emotion, a setting and acharacter’s name on three separate pieces of paper.These are mixed up, and then students are randomlygiven a setting and a character’s name and asked towrite three sentences that describe a situation frombefore, during and after any event.

• Write three sentences in the voice you are given

• The emotion card is now played. Students are givenan emotion randomly, and swap the setting andcharacter to write three sentences using a voice tomatch the emotion, but not that word itself (theemotion word given to the student i.e. show don’ttell). Teacher models first using the board to write upthe sentences.

Homework: Reflection: Read your sentences aloud. What emotions can you notice? Compare the three emotion-charged sentences with your first effort. What is different? What development can you see in your writing? Why do you think voice is important?

lessoN four: how CaN VoiCe be deVeloPed? (ACELY1749, ACELA1567)

Aims:

• Students learn to identify key elements ofportraying voice.

• To introduce students to techniques to strengthenvoice using visualisation and by examining Ness’stechniques.

Class disCussioN Purpose: To review the learning in the previous lesson and extent ability to identify voice.

• Teacher reads paragraph from p. 13 of The Knife ofNever Letting Go. (Refer Appendix B online).

• Class looks at pages 20–21 of The Knife of NeverLetting Go which provide a visual representation ofnoise in different types and sizes of font.

• Class discussion identifying elements of voice andhow it is established.

imagiNe yourself as...Purpose: To introduce students to techniques that can strengthen voice, metaphors and verb use.

Students are provided a visual image (The Spider and the Fly picture: see Appendix C online). They are asked a series of literal, evaluative and inferential questions related to the picture. Students then close their eyes and imagine themselves in that place in the picture, and as one of the characters. They are taken through a guided visualisation task asking sensory and emotive questions. Students imagine a change in the external environment. Students take notes after this process and search for the appropriate verb to use to represent the change. Students consider the imagery they have experienced and how best to represent that using novel metaphors. Students write a short poem e.g. haiku.

look at how the author does itPurpose: To practise understanding elements of voice and for students to consider some of the themes that will be revisited later in the unit, and to teach students to be critically aware as readers. This activity is designed ‘To empower pupils by teaching them to examine texts as being culturally produced’ (Davison and Dawson, 2003, p. 110).

This activity is based on constructivist theories of learning. Using partner and group work allows students time to discuss and rehearse their thinking and reinforce their learning. Classroom talk is the ‘most important educational tool for guiding the development of understanding and for jointly constructing knowledge’ (Mercer and Hodgkinson,

AC:Es!Idiom49


2008, p. xi). Teacher involvement in writing activities is based on the theory that doing activities with the class allows for scaffolding concurrently with learning (Raban, 2001).

In pairs, students find a section in The Knife of Never Letting Go that portrays the Spackle and answers the following questions.

• How does the author use voice to convey meaningand emotion in the story? How are the Spacklerepresented? What language is used to discussthem? How does Todd know anything about theSpackle? How does the reader know anything aboutthe Spackle?

• Students then find another partner group. One personreads the selected passage, imitating the voice theythink is appropriate. The other partner answers thequestions. Then swap.

lessoN fiVe: write a short story (ACELT1815)

Aim: Students demonstrate their understanding of voice by producing work that showcases elements of voice in a character

Purpose: To develop a voice different to the student’s own, and to assess students understanding of voice and how to use it.

Assessment: A 400-word short story in the voice of Eric.

aCtiVity

• Teacher and/or students read ‘Eric’ by Shaun Tan.

• Students are taken through a guided visualisationprocess then asked to write a 400-word story thateither details Eric’s latest adventure or recounts histime on foreign exchange (Summative assessment).

This activity is designed to get students thinking creatively. It is based on Bloom’s taxonomy (Anderson and Krathwohl, 2001) in that the questions begin at a literal level and move to evaluative and inferential levels. Misson suggests that getting students to write can help students understand their potential, to ‘become aware of the possibilities within themselves’ (2004). The visualisation activity is designed to help students imagine themselves both as characters and to immerse themselves in feeling something and writing about it.

Students are given assessment criteria based on use of voice, choice of metaphor and verbs.

refereNCes

Anderson, L and Krathwohl, D (Eds.) 2001, A taxonomy for learning, teaching, and assessing, Longman, New York.

Bassnett, S and Grundy, P, Language through literature, Longman, Essex.

Bruner, J 2006, In search of pedagogy volume II: The selected works of Jerome S. Bruner, Routledge, New York.

Davison, J and Dowson, J 2003, Learning to Teach English in the Secondary School, RoutledgeFalmer, London.

DiTerlizzi, T 2002, The Spider and the Fly, Based on the text by M. Howitt, Simon and Schuster, London.

Evans, C, Midgley, A, Rigby, P, Warham, L and Woolnough, P 2009, Teaching English: Developing as a Reflective Secondary Teacher, Sage Publications, London.

Gotham Writer’s Workshop 2003, Writing Fiction, Bloomsbury, New York.

Mercer, N and Hodgkinson, S 2008, Exploring Talk in School, Sage, Los Angeles.

Misson, R 2004, What are we creating in creative writing. English in Australia, 141, pp. 32–40.

MySchool website, 30 May 2013 from <http://www.myschool.com.au/>.

Ness, P 2008, The Knife of Never Letting Go, Walker Books, London.

Ness, P 2012, A Monster Calls, Walker Books, London.

Priest, S and Gass 1997, Effective leadership in adventure programming, Human Kinetics, Champaign.

Raban, B 2001, ‘Talking to think, learn, and teach’, In PG Smith (Ed.), Talking classrooms: shaping children’s learning through oral language instruction, pp. 27–56. International Reading Association, Newark, Delaware.

Spandel, V, A beginning voice lesson, 2013 <http://1001teachers.wikispaces.com/ Teaching+Voice>.

Tan, S, 2008, Tales From Outer Suburbia, Allen & Unwin, Crows Nest, NSW.

Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority, AusVELS: The Australian curriculum in Victoria, 2013 <http://ausvels.vcaa.vic.edu.au/>


© Joanne Foley, Teacher Candidate, Master of Teaching (Secondary) MGSE, The University of Melbourne.

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eNgagiNg the diseNgagedPaula Beck and Maree Atkinson

A trial of the senior secondary Australian Curriculum: English, AATE and ALEA Joint National Conference, A Brave New World, QUT, Brisbane 4–7 July, 2013.

settiNg the sCeNe

During 2012 eight diverse WA Catholic and Independent schools participated in an action research project trialing the draft Senior Secondary Australian Curriculum: English courses with their existing students and curriculum requirements. Whilst this provided valuable feedback for their sectors, it was also an impetus for experimentation in programming and classroom delivery, collaboration and change.

The project was initiated by the Catholic Education Office of WA English consultant Alexandra Solosy who was keen to get teachers engaged with the draft curriculum as soon as it was released in order to; garner feedback that could be used at a system level; get teachers engaged with the curriculum in a positive manner before they were required to by the system, provide a directed opportunity for teachers to network and collaborate; and see if disengaged and underachieving students would have their needs met by the new curriculum.

The project was coordinated by a consultant from CEOWA (Alexandra Solosy) and AISWA (Di Edwards) and two private education consultants (Warren Grellier and Paula Beck). Teachers were invited to self nominate for the project, which sought to have representation from a variety of schools, with a particular interest in those teachers and schools who were likely to have students in unusual demographics who might be at risk of not being able to demonstrate competence in the courses. Teachers were required to commit to involvement in the full project including attendance at four network days where they would report on their progress and share feedback with other participants as well as teachers not involved in the project. No teacher relief was provided, but teachers were able to access support and have progress meetings with the external consultants.

Among the key aims of the project was to identify whether the new courses would meet the needs of students who were performing below standard as well as considering issues of transition from the F-10 curriculum to the senior secondary curriculum.

The schools involved included:

• One high SEI girls’ school with strong academic focus.

• One Aboriginal college.

• Two ‘CARE’ Curriculum and Re-engagement schools.

• One school with high percentage EAL students

including significant refugee population.

• One school with high migrant population.

• One low SEI school focusing on an academic stream.

• One mixed demographic with low cultural capital.

Schools saw their involvement as a license to experiment with different aspects of the curriculum. This was one of the major benefits of the project and an aspect that most participants commented on in the feedback. Having a reason to collaborate, or select new texts, or experiment using different methods of addressing the curriculum. This experimentation resulted in many of the teachers discovering particular areas of weakness in their students that they were then able to work on.

Teachers that worked with English, Essential English and EAL/D found that picture books and graphic novels were useful in addressing some aspects of the curriculum, as was a focus on text extracts rather than working from whole texts. On reflection, from the overall findings of the project, and subsequent work, increasing the use of short texts (such as picture books), and extracts of texts, enables teachers to address a greater range of texts and more aspects of the curriculum thoroughly. It is not suggested, however, that whole texts be excluded from study. Finding a balance of text study will be one of the challenges of planning for the senior secondary courses, particularly within the realms of state curriculum requirements. Teachers in this project weren’t trying to deliver the whole course or unit, so didn’t try to cover all the text requirements in the units, however, they were conscious that each unit will require a range of texts and in order to address the Australian and world literature requirements in the curriculum, teachers will need to investigate a range of new texts they previously would not have considered within the space of a semester.

Teachers of Essential English found the difference in complexity between Units 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 was great, and that many of the students in this study would be capable of completing units 1 and 2, but not 3 and 4. There was concern about how these students would be catered for. One of the aims of the project was to establish whether all students would be catered for with these courses, and from this work we determined that some of these students were not fully catered for with this course. The WA School Curriculum and Standards Authority are in the process of rewriting the state course requirements that the Australian Curriculum courses will sit within, and they are planning a course that will only be available for the lowest achieving per cent of students (approx. 10 per cent) so there may now be provision for these students, however, there is much that is not yet clear about this.

AC:Es!Idiom49


Teachers of the English course found they were able to assimilate the work from the new course with their existing course. There was quite a bit of overlay, but many felt it was necessary to alter their text and assessment choices. Generally they could devise tasks that addressed both the new course and the existing one, although there was more work involved in trying to address the needs of both systems. It was recognised that the use of multimodal texts and ICT would be a new focus and this would require change and experimentation for teachers, but most did not explore this fully. Those who did explore this area found graphic novels to be a good text form that could easily be programmed to work with other longer texts. There was some concern about the time required to work in different domains and whether teachers could adequately address all aspects of the curriculum and prepare students well for external exams at the end of their schooling. Teachers noted that this course appeared very text driven and text focused, whereas existing West Australian courses are language driven. There was concern expressed that Unit 4 is a complex unit and students have effectively one and half terms to do this.

Those working with the Literature course felt there was scope for Literature teachers to explore new texts which was seen positively. The most significant difference for WA teachers was the inclusion of film as a literary text. Film is not currently part of the Literature course in WA and while teachers in this project looked at how they might integrate film, and what films, it appears the WA authority will not be including film in the Literature course. Teachers who investigated the Literature course felt integrating the multimedia/multimodal aspects of the course would be a challenge due to the time constraints and pressure to prepare students for the external exams. They also thought the viewing aspects of the course were very analytical and advanced.

For all courses teachers would benefit from a schemata that showed the development of key ideas and concepts across the four units. While teachers felt the units were deliverable, they wanted to see more of an overall development across the units of each course. For each of the courses comments were made about the progression of units. In some cases the developmental jump was too great from Unit 2–3, in other cases there wasn’t a clear enough difference in difficulty between units.

Consistently throughout the project teachers commented on the benefits of having time to reflect on their practice and talk to colleagues and the project consultants about their work. This enabled them to make conscious decisions to reflect on existing practice,

texts and tasks and trial different activities and plan for experimentation in their classes. Opportunities for teachers to collaborate and discuss good practice provided enriched teaching and learning experiences and helped teachers to implement the curriculum. At this stage it is too early to see how the courses will be implemented within the state requirements, but there is optimism from those who were involved in this trial.

One of the highlights of the project was listening to the teachers talking about their school experience and context. As the demographics of the schools were so diverse, the sharing of experiences brought new perspectives to all of those involved in the project. Many of the participants were not aware that Curriculum and Re-engagement (CARE) schools existed, and had not considered the need for such schools. Likewise the teaching context for the teacher in the Aboriginal college was vastly different to those working in regular private schools, particularly for the teachers working in the highly academic girls’ school. Sharing stories across the contexts was a useful way of broadening the understanding of teachers regarding the diversity of students within our schools.

Teachers working in this project reported on strategies they were using to engage students, whether they were reluctant learners, or those who just wanted to complete traditional tasks and not be pushed out of their comfort zone. Regardless of the context all teachers were considering ways to engage students, experimenting with different delivery strategies, such as incorporating Dungeons and Dragons into the classroom program, changing the nature of assessment tasks, making delivery and class work more multimodal and investigative, and experimenting with different text types.

Paula Beck

Case study—researCh PaPer

eNgagiNg the diseNgaged

A case study with the Senior Secondary Australian Curriculum: English. A joint venture between AISWA/CEO Perth Western Australia Research conducted and written by Maree Atkinson.

iNtroduCtioN

With the new Australian Curriculum for Years 11 and 12 students due for implementation in 2015/16, it is important that we began to review our current practices. This was the focus of my study together with investigating Year 11 and 12 texts suitable for disengaged youth.

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our CoNtext

To fully understand why and how I conducted this research it is important to understand the unique nature of our school and the population we teach.

Alta–1 College is a not-for-profit organisation that provides community development services to the young people of Perth, Western Australia. Alta–1 operates a school that provides an alternative education program for young people primarily between the ages of 15 and 19 years but is also piloting a middle school program. The program enables young people who are not suited to mainstream schooling to complete secondary education. Our P and Level 1 courses are delivered within a supportive and individually focused context; the Alta–1 program incorporates a mix of both school and TAFE equivalent components.

Alta–1 was established in 2004 to meet the needs of young people who were at risk of not making a successful transition through high school. It began with a pilot class running out of a local church, which partnered with a local high school to deliver educational services from the church building. This trial proved very successful and in 2006 Alta-1 gained registration to operate a multi-site senior school, with curriculum endorsed by the Curriculum Council of WA. It is currently being delivered to over 200 students across Western Australia.

Alta–1 programs are dependent on the social environment surrounding the student. Placing an appropriate support/community around students at risk enables the individual to address social-emotional issues and to engage in the educational program that enables them to find work or enter further education/studies.

We have not only provided this practical component to the care of our students, but we have also implemented a Personal recovery and Community development course that is designed by a psychologist to enable recovery and thus help to re-engage these youth. This is an endorsed unit of work through the Curriculum Council of Western Australia. Personal recovery underpins all that we do in the classroom. We not only deliver this specialised course, but also have embedded aspects of it within all of our units of work.

Alta–1 College partners with local churches. Our classrooms run out of local church buildings. The contribution of local churches in providing a supportive and social environment is vital to the success of our program. We draw from local churches for volunteers within our classrooms, mentors, emotional and social support for students and staff, and the employment of chaplains within the classroom setting.

We have had great success since our school was founded. Success for students is not only measured in courses completed, but in students leaving us to fulfill their full potential. This is seen in many different ways, students gaining employment through their school work placements, leaving to attend TAFE, or graduating from our program to go onto further studies or employment. We have seen 11–year 12 graduates since our commencement in 2006 and over 50 complete a year 11 equivalent,

It is with the above in mind, that I embarked on this project.

baCkgrouNd for the study

Alta–1 College was invited by AISWA (Association of Independent School Western Australia) at the beginning of the school year in 2012 to take part in a joint Action Learning Project in partnership with the CEO (Catholic Education Office). The project was supported by Di Edwards (AISWA), Alex Solosy (CEO), Warren Grellier and Paula Beck (private consultants). The project involved four network meetings of both Catholic and AISWA schools. These meetings consisted of a range of experienced English teachers, Heads of Learning and teachers in charge.

Two staff from Alta–1 were invited to partake in the study, Maree Atkinson (classroom teacher) was nominated as the project leader, and Geoff Borrett (classroom teacher) was nominated as a participating teacher. Maree met with AISWA and Warren Grellier in March to discuss the project aims and possible topics Alta–1 could explore. The following was discussed.

ProjeCt aims

The project had many aims:

• To help secondary teachers prepare for theintroduction of the Australian Curriculum: Englishcourses and their standards in the senior school andinforming the on-going implementation of the 7–10curriculum.

• Encourage familiarisation with the courses.

• Provide a forum for feedback on issues andimplications of the introduction of the senior schoolcourses in schools.

• Provide a forum for teacher feedback as part ofpublic and system/sector feedback on the proposedsenior school courses and their levels of achievement.

• Assess the capacity of the curriculum to address theneeds of all students, especially those students whoare performing below standard.

• Endeavor to provide a seamless transition from year7–12.

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• Highlight implications of the senior secondarycurriculum on the planning and implementation ofthe 7–10 curriculum.

• Support selected schools to conduct action learning.

Alta-1 chose to explore, in consultation with AISWA, Warren Grellier and Paula Beck, aspects of the following:

• Considering the needs of all students and their accessto suitable senior school courses.

• Exploring ways of addressing the needs of studentswho fall below the expected standards andconsidering how these students might be catered forusing the Australian Curriculum: English.

• Examine the proposed content of the courses and itslink to the expected standards in the proposed seniorschool courses.

• Investigating suitable texts (including print, visual anddigital) for senior school courses.

• Investigate where there might be significantprofessional learning needs for teachers, or wherenew curriculum might be vastly different to theexisting courses offered.

• Identify whether existing ‘good’ curricula/materials/teaching practices/content etc. may be lost as a resultof implementing new senior school courses.

• Following this initial meeting, Maree Atkinson wroteup a proposal and submitted this to Warren Grellier.Alta-1 staff then met to discuss how we were toproceed. The following was decided.

ProjeCt Parameters/outComes

Based on the above aims as set out by the project, and given the context of Alta-1 as outlined above, Alta-1 chose to focus on the two following outcomes:

• Investigate our current English 1A and 1B course.We will map this course against the Senior SecondaryAustralian Curriculum: Essential English course.We will pay special attention to the recovery of ourstudents and how we have embedded this within ourcourse and if it ‘marries’ with Essential English. Wewill list the outcomes of Essential English and mapour current course against these.

• Investigate Year 12 texts. We will use studentdiscussions (both taped and filmed), student reviews(written) and comments to show evidence of howboth Asian and Aboriginal texts relate to Alta-1students and the context in which our students liveand their life experiences.

All of the above were conducted across two of our learning sites. The first site an all girls site with students

who are in a 24 hour live in recovery program and attend Alta-1 for their education. The second site a co-education site with students who predominantly live at home and attend Alta-1 for education.

ColleCtioN of data

outCome oNe

The project leader, Maree Atkinson, began by looking at Alta-1’s current English 1A and 1B units against the Essential English outcome for Units 1 and 2. (Refer to Appendix One online)

I made a list down the right hand side the Essential English outcomes for Units 1 and 2. It is important to note that we used the draft that was available at the beginning of 2012. There maybe slight changes within this unit of work since then.

I then took our three tasks as they currently stand in both our English 1A and 1B units, and mapped these against the Essential English outcomes. I used a colour system to highlight aspects of our course.

Green indicates an inclusion into the new Essential English course and also relates to the inclusion of the recovery component of our curriculum.

Red indicates a need for us to attend more closely to this outcome in our delivery and training of staff.

outCome two

Each class has a transient population based on the unique qualities our students have. Many students have not attended school for quite some time and engaging in curriculum can be a challenge. This by no means indicates our students do not have the academic ability to engage, although sometimes this is the case, it simply means, that the issues and life experiences/circumstances of these students hinders their engagement and concentration on academic outcomes.

For this reason many of our students struggle with large amounts of text. So it was decided that the delivery of the above parameters was to be predominantly verbal using interview style lessons.

These interviews were conducted in a variety of ways; list of written questions were given to students concerning texts and written answers given, a taped interview, and transcript interviews were used.

It is important to note Alta–1 is a not-for-profit organisation and each classroom is in a different location. The school does not have access to a library and this proved very difficult in conducting research for this outcome. Our initial plan was to present one text to

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our classes each week using a core selection of Year 12 students. However, both my and Geoff’s classes only had two Year 12 students each and all four of those students left within a few weeks of the project beginning.

This changed the way we approached the text review. We chose to review 1–2 books per term as able and use students available at the time. This resulted in a greater diversity of students in the study. Coming from a range of different ability levels, engagement ability and backgrounds.

Please refer to Appendix Two (online) for a list of texts and findings from our research.

Appendix Three (online) also lists some of the questions we verbally asked students, as well as a small exert from a lesson conducted with students on My Place, by Nadia Wheatly.

fiNdiNgs

outCome oNe

I was very surprised that both our English 1A and English 1B units of work marry well with the Essential English curriculum. Units 1 and 2 do not, as they currently stand, include any outcomes that we are not already including. It is my firm belief, as outlined in Appendix One (online) that we do not need to include any extra content in our current English 1A and 1B units.

The biggest worry for us as a school is that the outcomes as currently stated in Units 2 and 3, are well out of the attainable level of our students. Based on our context and the nature of our student body we are of the strong opinion that Units 3 and 4 as they stand within the Essential English course are far above the standard that our students are able to manage.

This is due to:

• Our students are often those that have missed manyyears of schooling and require a large amount ofscaffolding.

• We have found that with English 1A, 1B, 1C and 1Dwe have had to embed a large amount of scaffoldingwith one on one intensive support for students toachieve a satisfactory level.

Our student’s recovery and personal issues hinder their engagement with the curriculum. If they are required to meet the demands of the evaluative nature of Units 3 and 4 they are at great risk of disengaging further from the school system.

There is a large jump between what is expected of them in Units 1 and 2 to what is expected of students in Units 3 and 4. The evaluative and analysis quality outlined in Units 3 and 4 is a large jump for our students to make.

Alta–1 will need to include a very large amount of scaffolding for students, greater than that already included in our English 1A and 1B units if we are required to deliver this course to our students. With an already stretched curriculum, staff and students it is our belief that it will hinder the recovery of our students.

outCome two

Due to the limited access to books and an onsite library, we only had opportunity to review five texts. One of these was a digital text, one was a novel, the other three were picture books.

As stated previously the majority of our students have missed large chunks of their schooling life and come to us with limited literacy levels as a result. Due to this we need to provide them with a lot of scaffolding and support in any reading or literacy task we give them to complete.

Handing our students literacy tasks that are text heavy often causes our students to disengage in many different ways. They either begin to not come to school or try to push through with limited success. Success and feelings of achievement are important to the self-esteem of our students. If a student is able to feel success in their reading ability and understanding levels then we have provided them with a valuable learning experience and higher self-esteem.

It is for the above reasons that the use of texts that are not text heavy and are age appropriate is essential. Finding texts that our students will engage in is always a challenge. The pull of peer pressure and the need to feel valued and not ‘dumbed down’ is important to success. It was Alta-1 staff’s belief that there were limited texts available that did not cater for our students in this way.

During this project we found that this was not the case. We needed to think outside the square and provide alternatives for our students. The use of verbal support in the form of taped books read alongside the written texts was very useful. This provided our students with extra scaffolding and aided in understanding.

The use of digital texts was also beneficial. Student were encouraged and interested by the visuals and found the length of the stories aided in their interest. The content was found to be both ‘interesting’ and ‘boring’. Our conclusion was that if students were unable to identify with the text they were far more likely to disengage.

Home and Away by John Marsden and Matt Ottley has been a very successful introduction into our curriculum. It explores the plight of a refugee family through the use of very simple language and powerful imagery. Many of our students engaged well with the text and were able

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to relate to the abuse and feelings of despair written and shown in the book. The use of pictures and words helped them to understand and it gave them a greater understanding of the plight of refugees.

The use of associated television series with texts we also gave our students a greater understanding of the texts read. We supplemented our learning of texts with the introduction of Go Back To Where You Came from a SBS series on refugees and showed snippets of My Place an ABC series based on the book by Nadia Wheatley. The use of these two medias helped to gain the interest and imagination of our students.

Please refer to a list of all findings in Appendix Two (online) and a list of example questions we used to interview our students in Appendix Three (online).

imPliCatioNs

As I have stated previously, our students have been disengaged from mainstream schooling for a variety of reasons. They are students who have not engaged in the schooling system for often long lengths of time and therefore are ‘out of practice’ and ‘reluctant’ to engage.

Being involved in this project was of great benefit for our students and Alta-1 staff. It gave us the opportunity to engage with other CARE schools and to reflect on our teaching practices, our student needs, and the implication of the Australian Curriculum in our unique settings.

It is of great concern for Alta-1, its staff and management, the evaluative nature of Units 3 and 4 in the Essential English. The students we cater for currently receive a large amount of scaffolding in our English 1 A–D courses, and would require an even greater amount of this to support them in Units 3 and 4 as they currently stand. Our current staffing ratios, the volatile nature of our students, the demands of our work and the very diverse levels of learning within the same classroom would all hinder us in the delivery of this increased scaffolding.

Alta–1 was very encouraged that our current English 1 A and B courses fit well into the Essential English Units 1 and 2 and would require little or no alternation. Being involved in this project has given us a new and fresh insight into the fantastic work our staff do at fulfilling our curriculum requirements.

The West Australian Schools Curriculum and Standards Authority have been discussing the introduction of a foundation level course. This course level is designed to assist students gain literacy and numeracy competency to such a level as to be able to pass the Year 10 literacy and numeracy competency test—this is yet to be completed. We will be looking to solely implement the foundation level courses.

We also discovered that our students need for support in reading is great. This support can be given in many different ways. We have found that the use of audio texts alongside the written text is essential to the success of our students. Also, the use of picture books that relate to their emotional needs and their need to identify with the story is vital to the success of our students.

One of our biggest findings would be that the use of our current texts is providing our students with the necessary scaffolding and success, but that the introduction of both Asian and Aboriginal texts would further enhance this learning.

CoNClusioN

In summary, Alta–1 is thankful to both AISWA and the CEO office for the opportunity to be involved in this yearlong project. We have learned many valuable things in the process.

We discovered that the introduction of Units 3 and 4 in the Essential English course could have serious implications for all CARE schools across Australia. These implications could include a great drop out rate of our students who do not receive the necessary support and success in their English units, a greater monetary load being placed on school management to provide support and scaffolding for students, and more demands being placed on teachers and staff to deliver a curriculum that is far above the ability levels of the students in their care.

We explored a variety of texts suitable to the CARE school context and the Australian Curriculum priorities of Asian and Aboriginal cultures. We discovered that our students require greater scaffolding and support when reading text heavy books, that our students use more visual cues when reading, and if reading texts with hardship identify far easier.

It has been a very worthwhile project to be involved in.


© Paula Beck and Maree Atkinson

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As a teacher at a VCE senior secondary school, I have experienced an interesting dilemma in regards to ICT in my classrooms. Like many schools in the state, Swinburne Senior Secondary College has recently gone ‘one-to-one’, giving all students the opportunity to have access to laptops, which they are expected to bring to class.

Over the past two years, this introduction of technology has shifted the dynamic in all of my classrooms, leaving me to grapple with two major questions:

1. How am I going to incorporate these laptops into my Year 11 and 12 classes in a way that is meaningful and engaging for my students?

2. How am I going to use these laptops in order to help my Year 12 Literature, English and Sociology students prepare for written exams at the end of the year, aside from using them as a note-taking device?

The first is a question that all teachers, whether primary or secondary, face on a day-to-day basis. The second question, and the one which caused the most debate and anxiety for teachers with the introduction of our laptop program, is an intensely difficult one to solve when you are a VCE teacher constantly helping students to work towards the end-of-year exams for their subjects.

There are no easy ways of answering these questions, and I doubt that anyone has universal solutions to help teachers everywhere solve issues surrounding ICT in the classroom. The method that I am discussing in this article is one that has been operating in classrooms throughout the world for years, but I want to explain how I have gone about implementing it—and what tools I use.

what is the ‘fliPPed’ method?A lot of teachers out there might be familiar with the ‘flipped method’ or sometimes referred to as ‘mastery learning’. For my purposes I would describe the flipped method as the process of pre-recording lectures for students to listen to or watch before they come to class which cover core terms, concepts or information, allowing them more time to seek feedback and apply these concepts in class time, thereby allowing students more opportunities to put their knowledge into practice.

There is a lot of information available on the internet and in educational texts which provide an overview of the method and some suggestions about how to implement it in your classes. I recommend viewing Katie Gimbar’s lectures available on YouTube <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MI8XqRDB8v4&list=PLB632EC24182B4D40>.

the fliPPed method iN the VCe ClassroomDanni Bunker, Swinburne Senior Secondary College

how do i PrePare leCtures for my Classes?•Firstly I write out the material that I want to go over

in a lesson, or find the relevant textbook pages (I find it easier than having to think of material when I am recording).

• I record all of my lectures using an iPad and some apps that I have purchased throughout the year.

• I make slides using Keynote (which can be purchased from the App store).

• I save the slides as a PDF and export them into the Explain Everything App (which can also be purchased from the App store).

• I use the Explain Everything App to record myself reading out the lecture material over each of the slides (you can pause or redo the recording if you like).

• I save the recordings to Dropbox (available from the App store).

• I then upload the lectures to our class YouTube page and copy the link to Facebook for students to access from home.

This might sound convoluted and difficult, and the technology I use might not be suitable for you or your students, however, there are many other ways to flip a class that may be more aligned with your needs.

how loNg does it take to reCord eaCh Class?When I was first starting out with flipping it would take me a few hours. This is really a method that you need to introduce to only one subject or unit of work unless you have the holidays to prepare. However, as time has gone on I have become quicker and now it only takes me about 20 minutes to prepare my lectures.

how loNg do my leCtures last?I try to make my lectures last 10–15 minutes maximum. This is always achievable because when you are not dealing with the dozens of things that can crop up in a class, you fly through the material!

how do you imPlemeNt the fliPPed method?I spoke to my Year 12 Literature class about my intentions to pre-record lecture material for them to listen to at home and set the expectation that they would complete this for their coursework this year.

I then played a lecture that I had recorded, and modelled how I wanted them to take notes and methods that they could use to make it through the lecture. Some students like to listen to the whole thing and go back to make notes; others like to listen to the content and write in chunks as they pause the lecture.

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The best thing about this method is that it allows our different types of learners (audio/visual) or the higher and lower achievers in your class the opportunity to take control of their own learning. After this introduction I set lectures as coursework and monitored the amount of students who were completing the lectures.

does it work aNd is it worth the effort?In a word, yes. After teaching a unit using this method with some of my classes, I took feedback from my students about whether or not they enjoyed the flip method and found it useful. Every single one of my students reported that they felt the flipped method worked for them and allowed them opportunities to take responsibility for their own learning. Some students even asked me to promise to not stop pre-recording material. I have found this method to be incredibly helpful for teaching at the VCE level—it allows students the opportunity to refer back to class material and help them revise for upcoming SACs and the end-of-year exams.

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teaChiNg romaNtiCismEdward Reilly

My first encounter with Romantic literature occurred on a cold afternoon, when Father Cole told us to open our anthologies and proceeded to read Keats’ ‘Ode to Autumn’. He was an Englishman, and spoke like some of the announcers on the BBC programs my father would listen to, quite unlike the raucous men at the Adelaide Market where I put in weekends at uncle’s stall. I knew all too well the smell of ripe fruit, and was part of mother’s apricot-preservation team, so the poem’s imagery immediately resonated. By the end of his reading, really more of a recital, I was spellbound. Dad had recently purchased an encyclopedia on planned payments, and the last volume had just been delivered. I was allowed to read it, after tea, and only after washing my hands under mother’s supervision. And there she was, ’…Sitting careless on the granary floor’, Ceres, looking not too unlike one of the parish girls. In later years, we had Fifteen Poets at hand, from which we read great slabs of Wordsworth, Coleridge and Keats, though the atheist Shelley was ignored.

For some thirty years I taught secondary school English and Literature, which are two distinct subjects in Victoria. The VCE (Year 12) course outlines are set centrally and the prescribed text lists do include some Romantic texts: in 2011, both Anne Brontë’s The Tenant of Wildfell Hall and Austen’s Emma, and a selection of Keats poetry was also in its fourth year of offer; then for 2012 none of the Romantics was set in English, while Austen’s Emma, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, and Blake’s poetry were listed as literature choices. As syllabi for middle years are set within schools, at Geelong High School we did prepare our students for their senior studies, ensuring that a balanced course was offered each year so that in Years 7–10 they read widely, and Romantic era poetry, with its characteristic emphases on elevated diction, metrical patterning and rhyme schemes fitted nicely. The danger of course, is that students, and teachers, can come to assert that such constitutes the essence of proper poetry, so somewhere room must be found for the moderns and contemporary poets.

Retirement is boring: a decade ago I finished that life as a secondary English teacher, and of late I have been conducting courses in literary studies at Victoria University, among many other things. These courses are usually delivered as a combination of a formal lecture that lasts for about an hour, followed by another ninety minutes or more of discussion and student presentation. This format allows for a certain degree of flexibility in delivery, and for close attention to be paid to one text in each seminar. The two semester units containing texts of the Romantic period are: Poetry and Poetics, which includes works by Keats and Shelley, whereas Romance and Realism deals only with prose.

Two years ago, I was asked to take a group of fourteen students for a summer school in Romance and Realism, in burst mode. I had taught some of them in previous years, and out of our discussions I noted how diverse their backgrounds were. Many come from a variety of non-Anglophone backgrounds, some were the first of their families to have completed secondary school, and most the first to enter any institution of tertiary studies. There was a sports coach needing to complete a final English Literature subject, several women, married, divorced or deserted, all in their late thirties, just starting out on the long journey to becoming fully qualified as a secondary teachers, several undergraduates wanting to speed up their studies, an actress, and a young woman who had fully accepted the challenge of Romantic revolution.

In Poetry and Poetics, most students had for the first time been encouraged to read poetry in depth. Of the English Romantics, we had analysed and commented on several of Blake’s songs, two of Keats’ Odes, by which the Greek vases in the local museum became more than half-remembered shadows glimpsed on a school visit, and also La Belle Dame Sans Merci, then Shelley’s England in 1819, as well as cross-references to other poets of that movement. But this could only constitute a small fraction of the eighty or so poems, stretching from the Border Ballads to Jorie Graham’s quite disconcerting artefacts, that had been assembled as an anthology. For this summer school, the primary texts of the Romantic period were Pride and Prejudice and Wuthering Heights, and it could be argued that a third novel in the course, Tess of the d’Urbervilles, has Romantic qualities.

In the process of teaching these courses, and their texts, I have discovered a number of sad facts.

Firstly, my students have very little knowledge or sense of history, much less religion or philosophy. I am a product of a post-war solid Catholic schooling, where a timeline was implicit in all our studies, and in which a system of theology laid the foundations for all our debates about behaviour, both private and public. At home, there were always books on the shelves, newspapers and mother’s magazines in the parlour, and political events, whether the Suez Crisis or the U2 incident, always read about, explained and discussed around the kitchen table. History came alive on the television set, and when our parents’ friends came over, it flowed out of accordion, piano and fiddles into the night air.

I asked the group some questions as a starter. Did anyone remember who had been Prime Minister just before John Howard? When had Kennedy been assassinated? In what year had your maternal

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grandfather been born, and where? There were some stirrings towards answers for the first two questions, and as I had absolutely forbidden any use of either computer or mobile phone, a certain degree of frustration filled the lecture room. The third question did yield better results, and I stared to chart all of our various dates, and these extended from the mid 1940s to the mid 1880s. When I asked if anyone could go back further in time for their families, one student claimed early 1800s Prussia, another referred to 1850s Bordeaux, and I was able enter 1714 Pontefract. We now had a timeline for the group extending back 300 years, and as I filled in the various wars, emigrations, artistic and literary movements, students were beginning to see how they, and the works they were going to read, are embedded in a common history.

With one group, I found that this timeline was useful throughout most the semester. All were Bachelor of Education students, and were anxious to integrate what they were studying in this unit with their other studies. The timeline extended further into the past, even branching to include the Greek mathematicians and the invention of Indic numerals. Being able to place Keats in the context of England’s developing industrial society was important for some, for others, it was the remoteness of Haworth and its connection to 1798, or for one girl, a photograph of a Yorkshire township that had been handed down through her mother’s family.

In teaching texts of the Romantic period, I begin with Herder’s assertion of the value of each nation’s linguistic heritage (Vortruba 2010). The epic poem, Pan Tadeusz by Mickiewicz is referred to, as is Eugene Onegin by Puškin, with its links to the ballads of Scott, and if there’s time I would play Sophie von Otter’s rendition of Der Erlkönig (YouTube #1), and relate something of Goethe’s tumultuous and prolific career. While the sound of German or Polish may puzzle most, I point out to students that while Australia is apparently monolingual, the reality of our situation is that over 161 Aboriginal, and at least 60 immigrant, languages are spoken, so that they have the opportunity to experience other cultures, and other literary traditions and that Romanticism was a broad movement.

Another thing I discovered was students’ almost absolute secularity. In reading Hopkins’ lovely poem, ‘That Nature is a Heraclitean Fire and of the comfort of the Resurrection’, we had worked our way through the vocabulary, but on reaching ’Manshape’ (l. 13) and’him’ (l. 15) difficulties were appearing. Then as we reached the phrase: ’Enough! the Resurrection / A heart’s clarion!’ (ll. 16–17), a shuddering halt. I asked what the word ‘resurrection’ meant and to what did it refer. Stony silence. I redirected the question to a pair of boys whom I knew had just finished their senior year at a

local Catholic school—nothing—to a lass whose silver crucifix glistened in the afternoon light—embarrassed silence. Her friend, eyelashes fluttering under the cowl of her hijab ventured that it had something to do with a ’Christian myth’. The next ten minutes were spent on some of the basics, replete with a quick line rendition of Mantegna’s Crucifixion and Resurrection, half-remembered from my religious education textbook.

And as for Philosophy: in order to promote passionate discussion of the text, I had handed out extracts of Bataille on evil. Yes, hanging puppies from the kitchen chair is wrong, but after all they’re vermin, and yes, Heathcliff was cruel, but the concept of evil seemed to have escaped them: almost all. One of the students, the one whose husband had bashed her senseless the week before she fled with the children to her mother’s, started to weep silently into her handkerchief, and softly opined that Heathcliff was evil because he had enjoyed acting that way. Her essay skirted very gently around the topic, and it being all too much, veered off into an assertion that both Cathy and Tess were such innocents that nothing could hurt.

So, I’ve been faced with a series of problems of how to familiarise first and second-year students quickly with the cultural settings for their texts. In my undergraduate years, the more daring and modern lecturers would halt at a crucial point, dim the lecture hall and show a slide. For example, in discussing Austen, up would come some transparencies of gentlefolk in all their finery by Gainsborough, sea bathing scenes and glimpses of Bath. We laughed at the stuffy clothing, the delicacy of overdressed girls braving the Brighton wavelets, but one look of Bath in the late afternoon light was enough to set some feet towards the travel agencies.

But slide shows are small beer in comparison to what can now be delivered to students through the new technologies, and in the lecture theatre the means of providing contextual information is not readily available. I illustrate my lectures through PowerPoint, using an image to accompany each of the main points provided. For example, in referring to the observations by Marxist critic Moyra Haslett in her discussion of class in Pride and Prejudice (Haslett 2000), I would insert a photograph of an interior scene from one of the filmed versions, and also link that to the relevant YouTube clip. Or, in discussing Shelley’s England in 1819, show contemporary illustrations of the Peterloo Massacre. If I were to be teaching this poem again, I would now include a clip of ’the girl in the blue bra’ (YouTube #2, 2011): it’s shocking in the brutality of the police and the girl’s helplessness, but it would bring home the reality of what the English faced had under their own

33

government.

This mixed-media approach is readily accepted by students, with some ten or more images being presented during a lecture, so that they receive information through a range of sources, print, word and sight. In their tutorial presentations, students likewise use a similar combination of means to communicate their responses to the texts and critical articles. But the greater challenge is to encourage well-formed, articulate essays in response to the texts. Once essay structures are mastered, students rapidly need to acquire both the necessary vocabulary and style to communicate their responses effectively and conduct an argument, which is after all, the essence of an essay. To this end the course coordinator and staff compile a series of readers that provide selected critical essays and some of the texts, or selections. In tutorials, in which any number between ten and twenty-five students can be enrolled, these readings are commented on by the tutor, students give their own presentations based on the week’s set text and readings, and hopefully, a more general discussion be encouraged.

So far, there should be nothing too foreign or jarring for a British reader of this brief account of teaching practice. But now I want to deal with what is foreign, and that is the place of the Romantic tradition in Australia. Paul Kane, educator, poet and critic, frequent visitor to these shores, and a perceptive observer, has stated that Australia missed out on the Romantic Revolution, and this absence still informs and functions as a crucial presence our national poetic (Kane 1996). It’s a contestable view, but seems to fit into what I have discerned about our national temperament. Bush Ballads and the Greens Party aside, our national ideology is basically a ghastly form of Utilitarianism, with JS Mill and Adam Smith the tutelary deities of both major political parties, and of the common pliant, but what use is it?, where it is anything that does not produce a profitable outcome, such as Art, Literature or even common decency.

I blame it on Captain Cook and his stumbling onto our coast in 1770. Perhaps, had a civilised European power arrived some fifty years earlier, an educated class would have been ready to receive and comprehend Herder’s import. As it happened, the whole colonial enterprise was formulated and effected by men whose training and tradition arose and stayed in the Augustan period, and who were wholly opposed to the fripperies of Romanticism, as evinced by the ruthless suppression of the Irish convicts’ manifestation at Vinegar Hill in 1804: we’ll have no Emmets here! Sydney, Port Arthur and Moreton Bay are examples of one cruel aspect of anti-Romantic sentiment, just as the foundation of

Melbourne and Adelaide are evidence of a virulent mercantilist impulse that still underlies this country.

Consequently our literature and attitudes to literature were shaped by events in a developing society. Other than rhymesters and balladeers, our earliest poets, Charles Harpur (1813–1868) and Henry Kendall (1839–1882) may have hymned the beauties of the Australian bush, but they cannot be counted as Romantics. Rather, they are more like Tennyson, Victorian in both attitude and manner. Their successor, Christopher Brennan (1870–1932), an urbane classicist, suffered greatly for his art and opinions. The pattern was set then, anyone who stuck his head up above the common ruck quickly finds himself the victim of what is charmingly called the tall poppy syndrome. Max Harris (1918–2004) cofounded the journal Angry Penguins in 1940, and published a group of poems that were purported to have been written by an Australian soldier serving in Papua New Guinea. It was a hoax perpetrated by two established, but anti-modernist, poets. The press had a field day and modernism beat a hasty retreat (Tranter 2002).

If there is any remnant of the Romantic tradition in Australian letters it may be found in the corpus of Bush Ballads. Every schoolchild is taught, or at least has read, Paterson’s ‘Clancy of the Overflow’, and perhaps a few more of his humorous pieces, Wright’s ‘Bullocky’ and maybe even some of John O’Brien’s light verses from ‘Around the Boree Log’. The genre is assiduously practised by amateur groups, mainly in country towns, but usually produces little more than doggerel and the occasional set of lyrics for a song, albeit sung with a Tennessee drawl and accompanied by bluegrass twanging, and even if prizes are awarded for song-writing at the annual Tamworth Country Music Festival, it’s a moribund tradition.

Part of the problem resides in our linguistic situation. As I mentioned above there are a good number of languages, both indigenous and European, spoken in Australia (Lewis 2009). Some communities, such as the Arabic (250,000), Italian (500,000), German (135,000) and Greek (107,000) support vigorous weekly journals, and are taught in the Universities, and are represented by established authors, e.g., Dimitris Tsáloumas and Catherine Hoffman, and support literary journals, e.g., Kalimat. Even Lithuanian (10,000) is represented by at least one poetess of international reputation, Lidija Šimkut. But these communities are scattered throughout the continent, not just by the forces of economics, but also by successive Australian governments’ aversion to the creation of linguistically distinct pockets. It seems as though someone in the Immigration Department had read Herder, and taken the Emperor’s position. And likewise, with Aboriginal

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languages being spoken by only two groups of 5,000 each, there is no possibility of a countervailing literary culture developing in this country.

It would be very easy to accept that Utilitarianism has won outright. But not so: if we teach well, with passion and good technique, then we can inspire our students to rise above the mundane. That was inculcated from my first year at Adelaide Teachers’ College, when a tutor, Ronan O’Hehir, asked me what the college’s motto, Fove Lumen, meant: I guessed more or less correctly when I replied Favour, the light. Discussion ensued, and I happily took the high road, and most of the others concurred, this was 1962 and we were all still Kennedyites at heart, and I still have my old college tie.

Perhaps this is mere traditionalism, but it seems to be something worth defending and promoting. After all, did not Yeats, a late Romantic, demand of poets that they learn their trade? And maybe my pro-Romanticist attitudes have rubbed off on a few students. One in particular took me at my word last year, spent her hard-earned money to fly to Cambridge University to take a (northern) summer school on Keats. The cables sizzled as she described her classes, the joy at being led through detailed readings of Keats poetry and associated texts, the diverse student body, punting on the Cam, her discovery of a commitment to literature, so much so she is already planning her move towards an MA, by coursework and thesis. Other students get back to me from time to time, with questions like, Do you remember what you said about Shelley …? I can’t really, but the conversation resumes.

refereNCes

Bataille, G 1985, Literature and Evil, Boyars, New York.

Haslett, M 2000, ‘The Muffled Clink of Crystal Touching Mahogany’, Marxist Literary and Cultural Theories, Macmillan, London.

Kane, P 1996, Australian Poetry: Romanticism and Negativity, CUP, Melbourne.

Lewis, MP ed., 2009, Ethnologue: Languages of the World, 16th edn., SIL International, Dallas: <http://www.ethnologue.com/>.

n.a., 1955, Fifteen Poets, OUP, Oxford.

O’Brien, J 1921, Around the Boree Log and Other Verses.

Tranter, J ed., 2002, ‘Jacket 17’ (Special Hoax Issue), <http://jacketmagazine.com/17/index.shtml>.

VCAA, 2011, Supplement 4 VCE English/ESL Text

list 2012 VCE Literature Text list 2012, <http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/correspondence/bulletins/2011/February/2011FEBSP4.pdf>.

Vortruba, M 2010, ‘Herder on Language and Nation’, Slovak Studies Program, Uni. Pittburgh <http://www.www.pitt.edu/~votruba/sstopics/slovaklawsonlanguage/Herder_on_Language.pdf>.

YouTube#1, 2011, ‘Erlkönig (Schubert)’ <http://www. youtube.com/watch?v=VdhRYMY6IEc>.

YouTube#2, 2011, ‘Shocking Video Blue bra girl brutally beaten by Egypt military’ <http://youtube.com/watch?v=mnFVYewkWEY&skipcontrinter=1>.

© Edward Reilly

35

miNeCraft as a Powerful literaCy PromPt iN the seCoNdary eNglish ClassroomNerissa Marcon, St Helena Secondary College

The use of digital games in literacy teaching is now seen by many educational researchers as a powerful literacy tool (Gee, 2003; Beavis, O’Mara and McNiece, 2012; Knobel and Lankshear, 2007; Cope and Kalantzis, 2012; Carr, Buckingham, Burn and Schott, 2006). Many researchers advocate that digital game literacy practice revolves around the intricacies of digital game play, referred to as ‘ludology’, which involves a deep knowledge of game play in order to understand the sophisticated interactions between player and game (Beavis, 2012; Fransca, 2003; Apperley and Beavis, 2010). Since this approach requires that teachers be competent, if not expert gamers, how then might teachers without such skills incorporate digital game literacy into teaching? Adopting a ‘narratology’ approach, where digital game play can be interpreted as a narrative and motivation for deeper literacy practices, provides one avenue. The popular game of Minecraft, with its ‘creative play’ option, is an example of a digital game that can be used to support powerful literacy teaching by teachers without extensive prior knowledge of gameplay and is readily downloaded as an app or computer software program for PC. Using Green’s 3D Literacy model (1988) as a framework to support teaching ideas, this discussion explores how Minecraft might be used to facilitate literacy teaching with reference to the Australian Curriculum: English and its three strands, Literacy, Language and Literature.

Prior to delving into the practicalities of using digital games in the classroom, it is useful to revisit broader definitions of ‘literacy’ in order to appreciate the worth of digital games in the classroom. ‘Literacy’ is generally termed literacies, broadly defined as social communications and interactions between people, in various forms, in different contexts, and for different purposes (Gee, 1996; Lankshear and Knobel, 2007; Cope and Kalantzis, 2012). Digital and online games as social tools for communication in new and ever-changing contexts are integral to new literacies (Gee and Hayes, 2010; Cope and Kalantzis, 2012), and their value in education has finally been recognised in the Australian Curriculum: English, with numerous references to developing ‘digital literacy’. At Year 10 level, for instance, it emphasises creating ‘sustained’ texts that may include ‘digital’ texts (ACELY1756), although a broader definition of what constitutes digital texts is not included. Nevertheless, if we accept the definition of digital literacy as ‘a shorthand for the myriad social practices and conceptions of engaging in meaning making mediated by texts that are produced, received, distributed, exchanged, etc., via digital codification’ (Lankshear and Knobel, 2011 p. 5), then digital game literacy must certainly be included. So then, how might teachers, inexperienced in gameplay,

integrate digital games into the curriculum to generate literacy practices?

One avenue might be to explore Minecraft’s potential as a teaching tool, since it is both relatively simple to play and popular amongst students. According to Xbox statistics sourced from the gaming site ‘Geek’, Minecraft surpassed the popularity of other top-selling games, such as Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 and FIFA 13 in 2012 (Varley, 2012), making it an ideal choice. It is essentially a virtual world consisting of square blocks which can be altered and manipulated to build and create landscapes, using a variety of different cyber resources, such as timber or iron, with the capacity for multiple players to collaborate within the same spaces at the same time. It is possible, for instance, for students to collaboratively design their own unique landscape using the tools provided in this game. In doing so, students would need to draw on past and existing understandings of how to use features of digital game play, such as toolboxes; understandings about appropriate metalanguage to use while communicating to their peers about the game, and knowledge about where to find particular resources in order to build their desired landscape. In traditional teaching terms, this landscape design corresponds to the description of a ‘setting’ in a traditional narrative. In this way, students could effectively design their virtual landscapes using Minecraft software and then write about it creatively, say as the basis for the setting in a short story narrative.

Students can also create virtual characters within these landscapes in Minecraft, effectively constructing representations of themselves in the game. Drawing on understandings of gameplay, and knowledge associated with building virtual characters, students could access the ‘skindex’ (Index of skins) list; a list which offers a range of different skin choices available for the construction of identities within the game, primarily for their aesthetic value. Green’s 3D Literacy model (1988) could be used to explore the ‘critical’ value placed on shaping identities within a digital game, such as choosing skin colour, and any cultural biases that emerge from this analysis. Students might also draw on knowledge about the game to find ‘armour’ as an additional feature of attire for their character’s protection. In traditional literacy terms, students could develop their descriptive writing skills by writing about the characters they have created, perhaps also using screen shots of their character to accompany written text, thereby integrating multimodal elements. Reflecting on the ‘critical’ element of Green’s 3D Literacy model (1988), students could take this study one step further, by using their digital character’s

AC:Es!Idiom49


movements in Minecraft to develop the plot of a narrative. Students could blog about their character’s activity within the game, explaining why they chose to move their characters in certain ways. Using a range of ‘digital elements’ (ACELY1736) such as those described here, is reflective of the Australian Curriculum: English and enables students to present their work in a variety of ways, using a variety of multimodal elements.

Continuing with the idea of using converging technologies, it is possible for students to combine Minecraft gameplay with video and YouTube technology. In this way, the learning would be reflective of the Australian Curriculum’s stipulation that students ‘Use a range of software…to confidently create, edit and publish written and multimodal texts’ (ACELY1728). Drawing on both the operational and cultural aspects of Green’s 3D Literacy model (1988), students could develop existing and new understandings of Minecraft operation to design and create a unique building/structure within the virtual landscape. Students could record how they build this as they go in note form, and then use these notes to write instructional text, outlining the steps to replicate the recreation of their building/structure. Students could then use video technology to create a YouTube clip explaining this recreation, for a real online audience, made up of Minecraft enthusiasts. Students would build on their understanding of audience and purpose in the filming of their clip and include music and audio elements for additional effect (ACELY1811). As part of their assessment, students could exchange YouTube clips and peer assess, according to how well they can replicate a building/structure in Minecraft using another group’s YouTube clip (ACELY1715).

Allowing students to shape their learning through digital gameplay is also a way to differentiate the curriculum. ‘Diversity for learners’ is an integral component of the Australian Curriculum which stipulates that teachers ‘plan rigorous and engaging learning’ that makes ‘flexible use of instructional processes and assessment experiences for all students’. Digital games are popular in contemporary youth culture because they are engaging, challenging and interactive (Gee, 2003). Using digital games in the classroom is a way to harness this motivation, channelling it towards literacy learning, and providing students with an opportunity to share their personal digital gaming experiences, enthusiasm, and knowledge in the classroom teaching context. Using Minecraft as a motivational and educational literacy tool also naturally differentiates the curriculum for students. The fact that each student will engage differently within the game, and negotiate self-set challenges working at his or her own pace, makes Minecraft an appealing pedagogical tool.

Clearly, exciting new literacy practices can emerge from using digital games in teaching. It is possible for relatively inexperienced ‘gamers’ to use Minecraft for the development of narrative-based literacy learning that is also reflective of the Literature strand in the Australian Curriculum. In more traditional literacy terms, Minecraft can be used to prompt the development of setting, character and plot for storytelling. Literacies that emerge from using Minecraft can be combined with other multimodal mediums such as blogs, video technology and YouTube to give students opportunities to present text in a variety of forms to a variety of audiences. Using Minecraft is also an effective pedagogical tool for differentiating the curriculum to address the varied learning needs and interests of students. With our rapidly changing, technologically-immersed society in mind, the advantages of using digital games in literacy teaching are compelling and the learning opportunities they present, in terms of the development of valuable literacy skills, knowledge and understandings, and student engagement, are indeed powerful.

refereNCes

Apperley, T and Beavis, C 2011. ‘Literacy in Action: digital games as action and text in the English and literacy classroom’, Pedagogies: An International Journal, vol. 6 no. 2, pp. 130–143.

Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority 2013, ‘The Australian Curriculum English v.5’, viewed 1 June 2013 <www.australiancurriculum.edu/English>.

Beavis, C 2012, ‘Video games in the classroom: Developing digital literacies’, Practically Primary, vol. 17 no. 1, pp. 17–20.

Beavis, C, O’Mara, J and McNeice, L 2012, Digital Games: Literacy in Action, Wakefield Press, Australia.

Carr, D. Buckingham, D, Burn, and A. Schott, G 2006, Computer Games: Text, Narrative and Play, Polity Press, London.

Cope, B and Kalantzis, M 2012, Literacies, Cambridge University Press, UK.

Fransca, G. 2003 Simulation versus Narrative: Introduction to Ludology, The Video Game Theory Reader (pps. 221–236), Routledge, New York.

Gee, JP 1996, An introduction to discourse analysis, Routledge, London.

Gee, JP 2003, ‘Good video games and good learning’, viewed 1 April 2013 <http://www.academiccolab.org/resources/documents/Good_Learning.pdf>.

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Gee, JP and Hayes, E.R 2010, Women and Gaming: The SIMS and 21st Century Learning, Palgrave Macmillan, New York.

Green, B 1988, ‘Subject-specific literacy and school learning: A focus on writing’, Australian Journal of Education, vol. 32, no. 2, pp. 156–179.

Lankshear, C and Knobel, M 2007, A New Literacies and Digital Epistemologies, Peter Lang Publishing, New York.

Lankshear, C and Knobel, M 2011, New Literacies: Everyday practices and social learning, Peter Lang Publishing, New York.

Varley, L 2012, Geek Newsletter, viewed <http://www.geek.com/games/minecraft-is-more-popular-than-call-of-duty-on-xbox-live-1524575/>.

AC:Es!Idiom49


australiaN texts—where haVe they goNe?Annette Signorini, Mount St Joseph’s Girls’ College

‘Where have they gone?’ asked Amanda Dunn (The Age 29 April 2012), ‘the writers who captured early Australia in print?’ According to Michael Heyward from Text Publishing, ‘You can’t buy a new Australian copy of a lamentably large number of works that are a fundamental part of our heritage…’ (The Age 23 April 2012). It was a discussion reported in both The Age and The Australian newspapers and one that I have been keenly interested in, dating as far back as my grandmother’s bookcase and her collection of titles published by the Australasian Book Society (ABS), from which I have inherited two Judah Waten novels. That’s the thing about books; they tell stories and we, the readers, in turn tell our own about them.

The term ‘classic’ has created discussion in the media as it does at a curriculum level, including a definition of a canon. What is the Australian canon? What is Australian literature? These are starting points for bigger discussions. Heyward claimed he was ‘mystified…why Australian literature does not have a bigger footprint inside our universities’ (The Age 23 April 2012) which provoked a response from Ken Gelder arguing, ‘These complaints could not be more wrong. Australian literature is alive and well and taught across the country’ (The Age 6 May 2012). At a secondary level, it has been my experience for an Australian text to be on the book list, generally but not always—one per year level.

The Australian Curriculum does not mandate an Australian text at every year level and the definition of an Australian text continues to be problematic. However, according to ACARA, a text which reflects some aspect of Australian culture (in all its diversity) and Australian identity (in all its inclusivity) would be a suitable text.

‘The Australian Curriculum does not stipulate the number of texts at each year level but across Foundation to Year 10, students should study a range of literary texts. This range comprises Australian literature including the traditional and contemporary literature of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, classic and contemporary world literature and texts from and about Asia. Australian literature is not defined as part of the Australian Curriculum. If it were defined the intent would be to have a broadly based and inclusive definition, for example, that such literature would be by, and about, Australians…Ultimately it is a matter for the professional judgement of the teachers at your school and the context set for study, noting the intent of the Australian Curriculum’. (Marianne Taylor, Communications Officer, ACARA 12 December 2012)

As the pages of Idiom can attest, there is no easy road to selecting texts for our students. I have also often

heard criticism of Australian literature in all manner of teaching forums that are not grounded, in my opinion, with sufficient critical analysis. I was therefore pleased to see the Text Classic series resurrect a number of our forgotten and overlooked authors and their stories. Our College librarian ordered a set and they sit on a bookshelf in their own special place. I have been interested in the Text Classics at a personal level but also for our English Language students who have been asked to borrow from the collection and analyse the language in relation to Australian identity as part of their scrapbook annotating.

The Text Classics would be hard going as a set text for 7–10 and I agree with Peter Craven when he wrote that (The Age 22 May 2012) compared to other Australian texts, ‘No 16-year-old…is going to be very amused when she finds herself (on the strength of the mighty Text Classics brand) reading Nino Culotta’s They’re a Weird Mob’. Nevertheless English Language students have found it rich in Australian idioms and an Italian ethnolect.

As one of my students, Emily Wang explains of Women in Black; ‘Throughout the novel, the author (St. John) used juxtaposition between the Continental and Australian characters to highlight the importance of identity. Magda often code-switched to French and her husband Stefan had an Hungarian name. In contrast, Patty frequently exclaimed ‘geez-uz’ and used the diminutive ‘kiddies’ and idiom ‘Look at what the cat dragged in’, both trademarks of Australian English. Overall, St. John underlined the importance of language, as it is at the heart of and quintessential to the expression of self-identity’.

On a personal level, I’ve read The Mystery of the Hansom Cab, Women in Black and Elizabeth Harrower’s The Watch Tower which according Gay Alcorn (The Age 6 May 2012), ‘Few people have heard of,’ and yet this 1966 novel spirals with familial and social tensions in the sometimes gothic space of Australian suburbia. For me, the parameters of an Australian canon have been expanded upon. Importantly, all three have been damn good reads.

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teaChiNg NoVels aNd NarratiVes—a uNit of work for teaChiNg don’T Call Me ishMael!Jess Brandon, Australian Catholic University

syNoPsis of the NoVel

Ishmael Leseur is a shy, self-doubting fourteen-year-old boy who believes that his shortcomings are the direct result of the self-diagnosed ‘Ishmael Leseur’s Syndrome’. According to its sole sufferer, the chronic condition turns an otherwise normal person into a ‘walking disaster’. Ishmael believes that his problems stem from the bizarre circumstances of his birth, which resulted in his parents naming him after the narrator of Herman Melville’s classic novel, Moby Dick. Over the course of Year 9, Ishmael has to confront many challenges: the bully Barry Bagsley, who delights in calling him names and making his life hell; his overwhelming fear of public speaking; and, his unrequited love for the ‘perfect’ and seemingly elusive, Kelly Faulkner. After the arrival of Miss Tarango—an inspiring English teacher—and James Scobie—a small, twitchy boy with a brilliant mind and a brave heart, Ishmael finds the courage to join the Year 9 debating team. In doing so, Ishmael learns how to appreciate individuality, befriend others (Scobie, Bill Kingsley and Orazio ‘Razza’ Zorzotto), overcome adversity, debate successfully, and, tentatively, enter the dating world. And, after surviving ‘the toughest, the weirdest, the most embarrassingly awful…and best year of [his] life’, he learns the secret to being happy: be yourself.

Classroom text suitability

The novel is highly descriptive, and the often humorously metaphoric language would appeal to a young readership; principally Year 7 or 8 students. Consequently, it is manageable for the ‘average’ student, and, yet, could be utilised for classroom learning activities that both afford weaker students more critical literacy practices (in reading and writing exercises), while extending the more capable. The likeable, multi-faceted, male-centric characterisation of Ishmael and his friends would speak to male students, and offer an alternative to the stereotypical social construction of masculinity often reflected in texts. At the same time, the strong female characters—Miss Tarango, Kelly Faulkner and Prue Leseur (Ishmael’s gifted younger sister)—would provide positive, affirming gender identification for female students. Thematically, the rich, topically relevant notions of individualism, belonging, bullying, friendship, family, love, and self-acceptance and esteem would be appropriate and meaningful for all students—irrespective of their ethnicity or nationality.

teaChiNg the NoVel

lessoN oNe

NOTE: Prior to this lesson, students will have begun their introduction to the context of the text by having completed the following in-class activities.

• Watched and discussed a seminal film adaption ofthe primary intertext, Moby Dick.

• Teaching resource: Huston, J Dir.1956, Moby Dick[DVD], Warner Brothers.

• Read Part 1, Chapters 1–6 (pp. 3–22) aloud withteacher and student volunteer readers. This approachintends to benefit the students by enabling them togain insight into the overall premise of the text, andreceive an introduction to its characters, plot andthemes. Similarly, this exercise would be useful for theteacher, as it would allow for diagnostic assessmentof current reading literacy skills, achievement levelsand individual learning styles. reading literacy skills,achievement levels, and individual learning styles.

• Issued with Spelling test words sheet (Part 1,Chapters 1–6). Students are instructed to learn ‘TestWord List 1 (Group A)’ in anticipation of sitting thetest in Lesson One.

Duration: 60 minutes

Teaching resources

• Costume props (pregnant ‘belly’, baby doll, piratecostume and accessories).

• Prescribed Text: Bauer, M G 2006, Don’t Call MeIshmael!, Scholastic, Australia.

Direct teacher instruction

• Spelling Test—List 1 (Group A) is conducted (5minutes).

Student activity

• Spelling Test—List 1 (Group A) is completedindividually (5 minutes). (See end of article.)


• ‘What is intertextuality? Why do authors useintertexts?’ Mini-lecture (5 minutes).

• Close reading sample of intertextuality and parodichumour (Moby Dick intertext).

• Part 1, Chapter 3: ‘Thar She Blows!’ (pp. 10–13) isexplained as an example of the above literary devices(5 minutes).

Student activity

• Student group AIndividual volunteers are asked to take turns readinga paragraph each from Chapter 3: ‘Thar She Blows!’(pp. 10–13) (10 minutes).

• Student group BOther individual volunteers are asked to create ashort role-play which dramatises the same scene, byutilising props, gestures and voice techniques(10 minutes).

AC:Es!Idiom49



• Students are asked to write a three sentence recountof the main events in the ‘plotline’ of the actionin Part 1, Chapter 3: ‘Thar She Blows!’ with anaccompanying illustration/sketch (pp. 10–13) (5minutes).

Student activity

• Students complete the short ‘plotline’ recount andillustration/sketch exercise individually (10 minutes).


• Student questions and debriefing (5 minutes).

Assessment

Summative: Spelling test—List 1 (Group A) (Grading scale: numbered result and letter grade A+ 90 and up, A 80 and up, etc)

Formative: Recount of plotline/illustration exercise (Grading scale: acceptable/unacceptable).

ausVels addressed

laNguage sub-straNd—laNguage for iNteraCtioN

Expressing and developing ideas

• Understand how to use spelling rules and wordorigins, for example Greek and Latin roots, basewords, suffixes, prefixes, spelling patterns andgeneralisations to learn new words and how tospell them.

literature sub-straNd

Literature and Context

• Identify and explore ideas and viewpoints aboutevents, issues and characters represented in textsdrawn from different historical, social and culturalcontexts.

Responding to Literature

• Compare the ways language and images are usedto create character, and to influence emotions andopinions in different types of texts.

• Recognise and analyse the ways characterisation,events and settings are combined in narratives,and discuss the purposes and appeal of differentapproaches.

Examining Literature

• Experiment with text structures and languagefeatures and their effects in creating literarytexts, for example, using rhythm, sound effects,monologue, layout, navigation and colour.

literaCy sub-straNd

Interacting with others

• Use interaction skills when discussing andpresenting ideas and information, selecting bodylanguage, voice qualities and other elements (forexample music and sound) to add interest andmeaning.

Interpreting, analysing, evaluating

• Use comprehension strategies to interpret, analyseand synthesise ideas and information, critiquingideas and issues from a variety of textual sources.

lessoN two

NOTE: Prior to this lesson, students will have:

• Re-read Part 1, Chapter 5: ‘A Wussy-Crap Name’(pp. 17–19) and Part 1, Chapter 6: ‘The Creaturefrom Le Sewer’ (pp. 20–21) for homework, andwill have completed the questions on the ‘ReadingComprehension’ worksheet for submission.

• They will also have read Part 1, Chapter 7: ‘Mobywhat?’ (pages 22–27) and Part 1, Chapter 8: ‘FiveAmazing Facts about Me’ (pp. 28–31) in class prior tothis lesson.

• Students will have sat both spelling tests and receivedtheir results for the two (List 1 and List 2) spellingtests before this lesson. Words that students hadproblems with are used to complete the ‘SpellingPractice’ worksheet in this lesson. (See end of article.)


Teaching resources

• Blaxwell, G and Winch, G, The Primary GrammarHandbook: Traditional and Functional Grammar,Punctuation and Usage, Cammeray, pp. 24–36,Horowitz, Australia.

• Prescribed text: Bauer, M G 2006, Don’t Call MeIshmael!, Scholastic, Australia.


• ‘Spelling Practice’ worksheet is distributed(5 minutes).

Student activity

• ‘Spelling Practice’ worksheet is completedindividually (5 minutes).


• ‘What are verbs and adverbs?’ Mini-lecture. Extractfrom Primary Grammar Handbook is given for thestudents to reference (10 minutes).

41

• Sample of a student’s ‘plotline’ recount exercise (Part1, Chapter 3: ‘Thar She Blows!’) to model whereverbs and adverbs are found in the students’ owntext response writing (5 minutes).

• ‘The Power of Language’ Mini-lecture. Ties into thethematic concerns of the close reading of Part 1,Chapter 9: ‘Now Listen Carefully’ (pp. 32–40) (5minutes).

Student activity

• Together with the teacher, student volunteers areasked to read excerpts from Part 1, Chapter 9:‘Now Listen Carefully’ (pp. 32–40) (10 minutes).


• ‘Who Wants To Be A Bully? Hot Seat Game’instructions and set-up (5 minutes). (See endof article.)

Student activity

• Students are required to form small groups (approx4–5), before they then play ‘Who Wants To Be ABully? Hot Seat Game’ (10 minutes).



Assessment

• Formative: Reading Comprehension worksheet(Grading Scale: Written Feedback).

ausVels addressed

laNguage sub-straNd

Language for interaction

• Understand how accents, styles of speech andidioms express and create personal and socialidentities.


• Understand how modality is achieved throughdiscriminating choices in modal verbs, adverbs,adjectives and nouns.



Responding to literature


• Discuss aspects of texts, for example their aestheticand social value, using relevant and appropriatemetalanguage.

literaCy sub-straNd


• Analyse and explain why the ways text structuresand language features shape meaning and varyaccording to audience and purpose

lessoN three

NOTE: Prior to this lesson, students will have read Part 1, Chapter 10: ‘Hey Blubber Boy!’ and (pp. 41–44) Part 1, Chapter 11: ‘Inside the Mincing Machine’ (pages 45–52).


Teaching resources

• Blaxwell, G and Winch G, The Primary GrammarHandbook: Traditional and Functional Grammar,Punctuation and Usage, pp. 20–3, Cammeray,Horowitz, Australia.


• Coloured poster paper.

• Laptop computers with internet connectivity.


• ‘What are adjectives?’ Mini-lecture. Extract fromPrimary Grammar Handbook is given for the studentsto reference (10 minutes).

Student activity

• In pairs, students are asked to write an ‘AcrosticCharacter Poem’ for either Ishmael or Miss Tarangoon the ‘Acrostic Character Poem’ worksheet (10minutes). (See end of article.)

Direct Teacher Instruction

• Teacher initiated whole class discussion: ‘What is ahero?’ (10 minutes).

AC:Es!Idiom49


Student activity

• Student volunteers are invited to contribute wordsand phrases that represent, or are affiliated with theconcept of ‘heroism’—as it relates to their lives andthe plot and characterisation in the text (onto thewhiteboard) (10 minutes).


• ‘Superhero Saves The Day!’ Activity explained (5minutes). (See end of article.)

Student activities

• Individually, students pick from one of the threesummative assessment options and begin the task (10minutes).



Assessment

• Summative: ‘Superhero Saves the Day!’ Assessment(Grading scale: criteria/letter)

laNguage sub-straNd





• Reflect on ideas and opinions about characters,settings and events in literary texts, identifyingareas of agreement and difference with others andjustifying a point of view.





• Create literary texts that adapt stylistic featuresencountered in texts, for example, narrativeviewpoint, structure of stanzas, contrast andjuxtaposition.

• Experiment with text structures and languagefeatures and their effects in creating literarytexts, for example, using rhythm, sound effects,monologue, layout, navigation and colour.

literaCy sub-straNd


• Analyse and explain why the ways text structuresand language features shape meaning and varyaccording to audience and purpose.

• Use prior knowledge and text processing strategiesto interpret a range of types of texts.


Creating texts

• Plan, draft and publish imaginative, informativeand persuasive texts selecting aspects of subjectmatter and particular language, visual, and audiofeatures to convey information and ideas.

• Edit for meaning by removing repetition, refiningideas, reordering sentences and adding andsubstituting words for impact.

• Consolidate a personal handwriting style that islegible, fluent and automatic and supports writingfor extended periods.

• Use a range of software, including wordprocessing programs, to confidently create, editand publish written and multimodal texts.

lessoN four

NOTE: Prior to this lesson, students will have:

• Completed the ‘Superhero Saves the Day!’assessment over the course of a double lesson, wherethe grammar concepts taught will be re-taught/extended to consolidate student understanding andskill development. This will be done through revisitingthe close reading sample: Part 1, Chapter 3: ‘Thar SheBlows!’

• Received their grade and feedback for the ‘SuperheroSaves the Day!’ assessment.

• They will also have read in-class up to Part 1, Chapter14: ‘Bad Barry Versus Twitchy James’.

43

Teaching resources

• Computer and projector with internet connectivity.

• King Junior, M. L, (May 31, 2001). ‘I Have A Dream’Speech [Video File]. Retrieved from <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V57lotnKGF8>.

• Prescribed text: Bauer, M G, 2006, Don’t Call MeIshmael! Gosford, Scholastic, Australia.



• Students are instructed to use the internet to researchMartin Luther King Junior, and are asked to recordtheir findings onto the Mind Map ‘Getting to knowthe ‘King’’ worksheet (5 minutes). (See end of article.)

Student activity

• Individually or in pairs, students research MartinLuther King Junior and write down important factsand insights onto their Mind Map ‘Getting to knowthe ‘King’’ worksheet. They then share their findingswith the class (20 minutes).


• Teacher plays the excerpt from King Junior’s ‘I Havea Dream’ speech, as a precursory model to theimpressive speeches given by James Scobie in Don’tCall Me Ishmael! (5 minutes).

Student activity

• Individually or in pairs, students are required to fillin one half of the ‘Impressive Speeches’ T-Chartworksheet table during the viewing (5 minutes).


• Teacher reads out Chapter 14: ‘Bad Barry VersusTwitchy James’ while students note take (pp. 64–70)(5 minutes).

Student activity

• Individually or in pairs, students are required tofill in the other half of the ‘Impressive Speeches’T-Chart table—during and after—the reading,before exchanging their worksheets with a peer (10minutes).



Assessment

• Formative: ‘Impressive Speeches’ Mind Mapworksheet (Grading scale: acceptable/unacceptable).(See end of article.)

ausVels addressed

laNguage sub-straNd




Literature and Context

• Identify and explore ideas and viewpoints aboutevents, issues and characters represented in textsdrawn from different historical, social and culturalcontexts.






literaCy sub-straNd


• Identify and discuss main ideas, concepts andpoints of view in spoken texts to evaluate qualities,for example the strength of an argument or thelyrical power of a poetic rendition.

AC:Es!Idiom49




• Use prior knowledge and text processing strategiesto interpret a range of types of texts


• Compare the text structures and language featuresof multimodal texts, explaining how they combineto influence audiences.

lessoN fiVe

NOTE: Prior to this lesson, students read in-class Part 1, Chapter 15: ‘Whoosh!’ (pages 71–79), Part 1, Chapter 16’ ‘The Unearthly Eardrum-Shredding Shriek’ (pages 80–86), Part 1, Chapter 17: ‘The Excrement Has Hit the Fan’ (pages 87–91), Part 1, Chapter 18: ‘A Beast, No More!’ (pages 92–101), and Part 1, Chapter 19: ‘The Magnon’ (pages 102–110).

Teaching resources

• Computer and projector with internet connectivity.

• Koyczan, S (February 9, 2013), ‘To This Day Project:An Anti-Bullying Spoken Poem and Short Film’ [VideoFile]. Retrieved from <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltun92DfnPY>




• ‘Acrostic Character Poem’ on Scobie/‘CharacterFacts—Detective Task’ worksheet (adjectivesrefresher) is explained (5 minutes).

Student activity

• Individually or in pairs, students complete a ‘AcrosticCharacter Poem’ on Scobie, and the ‘CharacterFacts—Detective Task’ worksheet (10 minutes).


• ‘Four Roles’ Close Reading/’Grammar Treasure Hunt’exercise is set-up (5 minutes).

Student activity

• Student Group 1 (approx 4–5) FOUR ROLES:

• Read Part 1, Chapter 18: ‘A Beast, No More!’ (pages92–101)

• Mixed ability, pre-allocated groupings: less capable

are assigned the roles of ‘Code Breaker’ and ‘User’, the more capable are assigned the roles of ‘Expert’ and ‘Analyst’.

• Student Group 2 (approx 4–5) FOUR ROLES:

• Read Part 1, Chapter 19: ‘The Magnon’ (pp. 102–110)

• Mixed ability, pre-allocated groupings: sameas above

• Student Group 3 (approx 4–5) GRAMMARTREASURE HUNT:

• Read Part 1, Chapter 18: ‘A Beast, No More!’(pp. 92–101)

• Mixed ability, pre-allocated groupings: less capableare tasked with finding textual examples of verbsand similes, while the more capable are tasked withsourcing examples of adverbs, adjectivesand metaphors.

• Student Group 4 (approx 4–5) GRAMMAR TREASUREHUNT:

• Read Part 1, Chapter 19: ‘The Magnon’ (pages 102-110)

• Mixed ability, pre-allocated groupings: same as above(20 minutes).


Teacher guides a reflection, by coordinating group presentations (20 minutes).

• Teacher initiates a conversation about the importantthemes from Part 1, Chapters 18 and 19 (self-esteem,self-acceptance, individuality, and bullying) as aprecursor to the playing of ‘To This Day’ Anti-bullyingVideo (10 minutes).

Student activity

• Students view ‘To This Day’ Anti-Bullying Video, andengage in class discussion (10 minutes).


• Self-Help Brochure: ‘How to Survive Secondaryschool: Tips for the Bewildered’ assessment explained(5 minutes).


• Student questioning and debriefing (5 minutes).

NOTE: The self-help brochure assessment introduced and started at the end of this lesson would be completed inside and outside of class (over a week) before submission.

Assessment

• Summative: Self-help brochure: ‘How to SurviveSecondary school: Tips for the Bewildered’ (Gradingscale: numerical).

AusVELS addressed

45

laNguage sub-straNd



exPressiNg aNd deVeloPiNg ideas










• Understand, interpret and discuss how languageis compressed to produce a dramatic effect in filmor drama.

literaCy sub-straNd



• Use interaction skills when discussing and presentingideas and information, selecting body language,voice qualities and other elements (for examplemusic and sound) to add interest and meaning.


• Analyse and explain why the ways text structuresand language features shape meaning and varyaccording to audience and purpose.

• Use prior knowledge and text processing strategiesto interpret a range of types of texts


• Compare the text structures and language featuresof multimodal texts, explaining how they combineto influence audiences.

Creating texts

• Plan, draft and publish imaginative, informativeand persuasive texts selecting aspects of subjectmatter and particular language, visual, and audiofeatures to convey information and ideas.

• Use a range of software, including wordprocessing programs, to confidently create, editand publish written and multimodal texts.

ratioNale

A constructionist approach to learning has informed the pedagogical methodology used to devise the planned Year 7 teaching sequence of Bauer’s novel Don’t Call Me Ishmael! This philosophy is effective for teaching critical literacy and literature to students of subject English because it acknowledges that both teacher and student are ‘agentive learners’ (Simpson and White, 2013, pp. xi-xii). Constructivist learning flourishes in the English classroom, because it posits language as an invaluable tool in developing sound ‘habits of the mind’ needed in cognitive, aesthetic and functional endeavours (Simpson and White 2013, p. xxxv).

English educators benefit from adopting a constructivist approach for it recognises and values ‘the knowledge and experience that students bring to learning’ while providing students with ‘experiences that help…build on their current knowledge of the world’ (Duchesne, McMaugh, Bochner, Krause, 2013, p. 212). In the shared reading unit on Bauer’s Ishmael this is evident. In the second lesson, the teacher follows a mini-lecture on verbs and adverbs, by using a student sample of writing (a written plot recount) to identify what verbs and adverbs are, and to model how a working knowledge of the function and uses of these grammatical structures can improve reading comprehension. In doing so, the teacher highlights

AC:Es!Idiom49


and affirms the language proficiency student’s already possess, while supporting them to acquire new information—a new metalanguage—by providing them with an oral, written, and visually scaffolded mini-lesson (in the forms of the ‘lecture’, the handout, and whiteboard demonstration). Certainly, when the teaching of grammar is ‘embedded and purposeful’ within the context of a literary text (and not an abstractly ‘separate’ area of study) it helps student readers become skilful and confident ‘designers of text’ (Myhill, D., Lines, H., Watson, A., 2012, pp. 30–1). Through joint reading exercises, guided writing tasks and word games (such as lesson one’s reading of Chapter 3: ‘Thar She Blows!’ and lesson three and five’s ‘Acrostic Character Poems’) students in the Ishmael unit learn how grammatical text choices are charged with meaning. By arming students with this knowledge, English teachers encourage learners to realise how the construct of grammar can be—both cognitively and socially—a means of entertainment and empowerment.

Moreover, constructivist pedagogy plays a crucial role in promoting critical thinking—and, in the case of subject English, critical literacies—through its promotion of ‘learner-centred experiences’ that pivot on ‘active participation’ and ‘collaborative learning’ (Duchesne et al, 2013, pp. 213–4). After all, learning literacy itself is a culturally specific form of ‘social practice’ (Morgan, 1998, p. 161). It is for this reason that many of the activities spanning lessons 1–5 in the Ishmael unit (which incidentally are not strictly ‘back-to-back’ in sequence, as indicated by the ‘notes’ in the outline) aimed to engage students by achieving a mix of individual activities—such as the ‘Superhero Saves the Day!’ creative story task—with an abundance of rich, lively small group exercises. The principles of ‘mixed-ability teaching’ were imperative in this sequence design, and were distinguished by characteristics like flexible class groupings, and student choices regarding classroom learning activities and assessment options (Sawyer, 1998, p. 103).

In lesson three, for example, students had the freedom to choose how they would complete a classroom learning activity. Firstly, they decided whether or not they would complete the ‘Acrostic Character Poem’ activity individually or as part of a pair; and, secondly, they had the opportunity to determine whether or not they would write an adjectival laden poem on the characters of Ishmael or Miss Tarango. Indeed, by minimising direct ‘teacher-talk’, students studying Ishmael in a Year 7 English class are positioned to gain the psycho-social benefits of peer learning and cooperation, as well as cultivating linguistic and

intellectual skills. Small group work in English facilitates growth and interest by liberating the student ‘to feel freer to experiment, theorise and discover by articulating their own versions of learning’ (Baxter 1998, p. 111). Indeed, this concentrated focus on oral literacy in the Year 7–10 English classroom (such as lesson five’s ‘Four Roles’ and the ‘Grammar Treasure Hunt’ exercises) is vitally important in the development of other related critical literacies; for studies have shown how ‘reading and writing float on a sea of talk’ (Britton, quoted in Kindle 1998, p. 40).

Significantly, when English teachers listen to their students’ unique ‘voices’, the opportunities for critical cognitive growth and meaningful personal engagement with the learning process—and, more specifically the close study of novels—abound (Wilhelm, 2008, p. 198). The classroom is rife with indiscrete categories of ‘difference’: linguistic, cultural and developmental (Green 2003, p. 11). The content of the learning activities for the Year 7 unit on Ishmael, thus, is intended to promote critical and creative thinking in students’ of varying abilities and with differing learning styles. In order to facilitate students’ burgeoning ‘cognitive apprenticeship[s]’ in an interesting and dynamic manner, decisions regarding activity design and implementation were informed by Anderson and Krathwohl’s revision of Bloom’s Cognitive Taxonomy, and Gardner’s theory of ‘multiple intelligences’ (Duchesne, McMaugh, Bochner, Krause 2013, pp. 218, 306–8).

Some activities within the five lesson sequence required mastery of ‘lower ordered’ knowledge (‘remembering’) and comprehension (‘understanding’) tasks—such as the plot recount exercise in lesson one (Duchesne et al, 2013, pp. 218–9). Many of the student tasks, however, despite the ‘fun and games’ involved in their design, actively encourages students to think, reason, inquire, analyse, and reflect in patterned and increasingly more complex ways. In these classroom activities, students’ ‘higher ordered’ faculties were exercised through application, analysis, synthesis and evaluation tasks which consolidate and foster a range of communication and problem-solving skills (Duchesne et al, 2013, pp. 218–9). For instance, in lesson two, the amusing, light-hearted ‘Who Wants To Be A Bully?’ Hot Seat word-play game required student participants to respond to themes from the novel excerpt just read in class (bullying and the power of language) by mimicking a verbal ‘challenge’ given to the bully in Ishmael. In completing the game, students playing the role of the ‘bully’ had to analyse and evaluate the meaning of riddles—and through active play—were given the

47

opportunity to critically witness the power of language to engage our reason and shape our social relations.

Similarly, the learning strategies employed in the shared reading unit on Ishmael encouraged critical engagement with reading narrative texts, by designing and facilitating learning experiences that nurture individual students’ abilities. In English, shared reading units afford the teacher exciting opportunities to cater to different intellectual strengths and styles of learning (Duchesne et al, 2013, p. 307). This pedagogical strategy infuses the Ishmael reading unit. In lesson one, the dramatic role-play engages ‘linguistic’ students; in lesson four, the ‘Impressive Speeches’ activity speaks to ‘mathematical’ students; and, in lesson five, the evocative ‘To This Day’ Anti-Bullying video aligns with the preferences of ‘spatial’ learners (Duchesne et al, 2013, p. 308). Indeed, in the English classroom, the novel becomes a stimulus for a variety of critical and creative text responses (such as the ‘Superhero Saves The Day!’ and ‘Self-Help Brochure’ summative assessments) which not only celebrates students’ individual talents and aptitudes and caters for auditory, visual and kinaesthetic learners, it also improves motivation and achievement as it encourages critical literacy (Wilhelm 2008, pp. 183).

Critical literacy engagement in shared reading units is achieved, thus, when the different ‘subjectivities’ of learners are a considered part of the program’s planning and execution (Green 2013, p. 11). Literacy is not limited to ‘proficiency with oral and written language’; it is also the ability to ‘make-meaning’ out of various ‘signs systems’ (Wilhelm 2008, p. 197). As English teachers, attempts must be made to try to be as inclusive of the needs of different types of students—including males and female students, and capable and reluctant readers. In the Year 7 English shared reading unit, the text selection was deliberately broad in its appeal. Research indicates that male readers are often more readily identified as poorer ‘resistant’ readers than their female counterparts (Alloway and Gilbert 2002, pp. 1–3). In the inclusive English classroom, reading practice should be centred on sound text selections—whose features, characters and themes, ideally—will narrow the gaps. Bauer’s Ishmael is an appropriate prescribed shared reading text, as its humour, swift plot, realistic language, and authentic characters appeal to a young readership for both genders (Beers 2003, pp. 286–8).

refereNCes

Alloway, N and Gilbert, P 2002, Boys and Literacy Learning: Changing Perspectives, Watson, Australian Early Childhood Association, Australia.

Baxter, D 1998, ‘Small-Group Work’, In Sawyer, W. Watson, K and Gold, E, Re-viewing English, Clair Press, Australia.

Beers, K 2003, When Kid’s Can’t Read, What Teachers Can Do: A Guide for Teachers 6–12, Heinemann, Portsmouth.

Duchesne, S. McMaugh, A. Bochner, S and Krause, K 2013, Educational Psychology for Learning and Teaching, 4th ed, Cengage Learning, Australia.

Green, D 2003, ‘The Nature of Language: the Culture of Texts, In Green, D and Campbell, R (eds), Literacies and Learners—Current Perspectives (2nd ed), Pearson Education, Australia.

Kindler, M 1998, ‘The Contribution of Barnes, Britton and Rosen: Language Across the Curriculum’, in Sawyer, W. Watson, K and Gold, E (eds), Re-viewing English, St. Clair Press, Australia.

Morgan, W 1998, ‘Critical Literacy’, In Sawyer, W. Watson, K. and Gold, E (eds), Re-viewing English, St. Clair Press, Australia.

Myhill D, Lines, H. Watson, A 2012, Making Meaning with Grammar: A Repertoire of Possibilities’ English in Australia, vol. 47, No. 3.

Sawyer, W 1998, ‘English and the Mixed-Ability Classroom’, In Sawyer, W. Watson, K and Gold, E (eds), Re-viewing English, St Clair Press, Australia.

Simpson, A and White, S 2013, ‘Learning about Language, Literacy and Literature’, In Simpson A, White S, Freebody P and Comber B, Language, Literacy and Literature, Oxford, Australia.

Wilhelm, J D 2008, You Gotta Be The Book: Teaching Engaged and Reflective Reading with Adolescents, (2nd ed) Teacher’s College Press, New York.

resourCes


© Jess Brandon is a pre-service teacher completing her Graduate Diploma in Education at Australian Catholic University, Melbourne Campus.

AC:Es!Idiom49


The reluCTanT fundaMenTalisTAlice Wilson, The University of Melbourne

CoNtext

AusVELS Level 10 prescribes texts that ‘explore themes of human experience and cultural significance, interpersonal relationships, and ethical and global dilemmas within real-world and fictional settings and represent a variety of perspectives’ (VCAA 2013). Although included in the current VCE English text list, Mohsin Hamid’s, The Reluctant Fundamentalist engages across these parameters. As such, I argue that in some contexts, it should form part of the Year 10 or Year 11 English curriculum.

ChalleNges aNd affordaNCes

Published in 2007 as a reflection on the post 9/11 world, The Reluctant Fundamentalist remains an incredibly relevant text. This has become even more apparent after the recent events of the Boston Marathon bombing and Woolwich murder (2013). These crimes are of course horrific acts in themselves; however, it is the reaction that has been just as terrifying. Just as Changez is grouped with a terrorist ‘other’ in the text, innocent Muslims and people of sub-continental appearance are being blamed through a misguided notion of association today. The binary of an American or Western ‘us’ vs. a Muslim stereotype ‘Them’ perpetuates the social media sphere. By studying texts such as The Reluctant Fundamentalist against this context, students are able to question these prejudices and stereotypes.

There are a number of challenges in approaching this text in the classroom. It is inherently a difficult and uncomfortable subject—students will be engaging with present day examples of prejudice, discrimination and racism. Students identifying as both Western and Muslim may feel targeted. It may bring to light personal experiences and fears. However, what is the alternative? To remain silent on current events? Texts dealing with the Holocaust and African-American discrimination are taught from a young age within the Australian classroom. It is critically important not to forget the atrocities of the past. However, it is just as important to engage with present day events.

ratioNale

One of the key themes of the text is identity, in particular, the binary between self and other. In my three-lesson sequence, students are encouraged to critically think about the process of ‘othering’ with reference to the novel and its related real life events—both past and present. Teachers need to encourage students to challenge and critique the actions of governments, society and the media.

To think about the real-world ‘ethical and global dilemmas’ and differing perspectives; to ‘develop and justify their own interpretations of texts’ and ‘evaluate other interpretations, analysing the evidence used to support them’ prescribed by AusVELS Level 10 (VCAA, 2013). The Reluctant Fundamentalist is a medium through which this can occur.

oVerView of lessoN sequeNCe

The Reluctant Fundamentalist will be taught across a three week, 12-lesson unit (75 minute lessons). Identity: self and other is one of the key themes of the text and forms the foundation of my three-lesson sequence. This sequence will be taught in the second week, coming after three lessons on plot and context. The students summative assessment for the unit will be an essay on Identity: self and other and will be introduced at the end of my three lesson sequence. The over-riding rationale for the identity sequence is for students to: compare, analyse and evaluate how different people, culture and places are represented in text and how this can contribute to the process of identity forming and ‘othering’ or dis-empowerment. Students will refer to The Reluctant Fundamentalist as well as examples of political language, news and social media.

lessoN oNe: CreatiNg self/us

oVerView aNd aims

The first lesson is an introduction to the notion of the self/us and how this is represented in Changez’s changing identity, pre and post the events of 9/11. In unravelling Changez’s character development, students are required to evaluate social, moral and ethical positions in the text (ACELT1812, VCAA, 2013). By looking at America and Pakistan and their inhabitants pre and post 9/11, students are required to analyse and evaluate how people, cultures and places are represented in texts, through language and visual choices (ACELY1749, VCAA, 2013).

learNiNg aCtiVities aNd teaChiNg strategies

Students will be provided with a quotations handout, containing key excerpts and events relating to Changez’s American identity (see Appendix One online). This will form the basis of a think-pair-share, followed by class discussion. The questions require students to both decode the text and participate with it, in order to construct meaning (Freebody and Luke, 1999). After students have gauged an understanding of Changez’s pre-9/11 relationship and impressions of America, they will be required to create a Facebook profile for him (using Edmodo or Fakebook). They are required to include relevant images, key life events (attending Princeton University, job offer at Samson Underwood) and status updates. This is starting to engage with higher order

49

The reluCTanT fundaMenTalisTAlice Wilson, The University of Melbourne

thinking skills of Bloom’s taxonomy, requiring synthesis and evaluation of Changez’s American ideals (Bloom cited in Krathwohl, 2002).

To finish the class, students will be shown the trailer for the film adaptation of The Reluctant Fundamentalist to get an idea of the types of visual images associated with America and Pakistan. This draws on Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences and that some students may be visual learners (O’Donnell, Dobozy, Bartlett, Bryer, Reeve and Smith 2012).

resourCes

• Pre-9/11 Quotations and questions handout(Appendix One online).

• Edmodo or Fakebook access.

• Video clip of The Reluctant Fundamentalistfilm trailer.

lessoN two: CreatiNg them/the other

oVerView aNd aims

The second lesson builds on the idea of self/us by identifying the opposing term—the other/them. The purpose of this lesson is to introduce the process of cultural ‘othering’ as discussed by Edward Said, in his text Orientalism (1978). Said’s notion is that Western society depicts or constructs a meaning of non-Western cultures as an other—something foreign, alien, unknown and dehumanised. In this unit, this is the depiction of Pakistanis, Muslims, or sub-continentals post-9/11 in the The Reluctant Fundamentalist and visual representations in the media. Students will be required to compare purposes and language features of these traditional and contemporary texts (ACELA1566, VCAA, 2013). Through the Facebook status update, students will create a text what reflects an emerging sense of personal style. They can evaluate the effectiveness of these personal styles through the Facebook comment button, in a safe and supportive way (ACELT1604 and ACELT1814).


In order to setup the binary, the teacher will provide an explanation of the other as a popular figure, theme and tool in both traditional and contemporary media. This is teacher directed learning, using accessible examples from popular fiction such as James Bond, Batman and The Lord of the Rings. The teacher will explain that this happens in reality as well, in particular through racial and religious stereotypes. Visual images will be used to give context and help make meaning (Cross, 2012).

Students will be asked to consider the process of othering, with relation to Changez in post-9/11 America. The class will be put into small discussion groups to consider the ‘othering’ handout with images of Osama Bin Laden (Appendix Two online). Social constructivist theory suggests that shared social interaction and peer collaboration serve as an instructional function (Schunk, 2008). Students are able to learn from each other’s experience, understandings and interpretations.

To end the class, students are required to write a status update for Changez, regarding his decision to grow his beard. Students can comment on each other’s post, by way of peer review.

resourCes

• Visual representations of the ‘other’ figure in popularfiction

• Othering handout (see Appendix Two online)

• Edmodo or Fakebook access.

lessoN three: the laNguage of ‘otheriNg’oVerView aNd aims

In this class, students are introduced to some of the language of ‘othering’ in political speech. By the end of this lesson, students can begin to see links between this language and the treatment of Changes post-9/11. In particular, students can see how language use can have inclusive and exclusive social effects, and can empower or dis-empower people ( ACELA1564, VCAA, 2013). The essay topic is introduced, and students are again, encouraged to create a text that reflects an emerging sense of personal style (ACELT1814).


Students will be shown clips from George Bush’s ‘Axis of Evil’ speech accompanied by key quotes and a Wordle of the speech (for example: ‘You’re either with us or against us in the fight against terror’ and ‘our nation is at war, our economy in recession and the civilised world faces unprecedented dangers’). Students will be given individual thinking time to consider how this language contributes to the ‘othering’ process. As a class, we will discuss this question and consider how it relates to Changez and the representation of Pakistanis in The Reluctant Fundamentalist.

To introduce the essay topic, the teacher will relate the language of ‘othering’ to recent events, including the Boston Marathon bombing and the Woolwich murder (2013). In particular, the role of the news and

AC:Es!Idiom49


social media in perpetuating the ‘other’. The teacher will show images, tweets and blog posts, where false accusations are made as a result of the ‘othering’ of Muslims and people of sub-continental appearance.

The class will end with instructions for the summative assessment for the unit: a persuasive essay.

‘Do not be frightened of my beard. I am a lover of America’ (Chapter 1).

•Discuss the theme of self vs other/us vs them in The Reluctant Fundamentalist, with reference to Changez’s identity battle. To what extent is this theme perpetuated by the language and imagery of ‘othering’?

Students will be given time in class to digest the content, research, plan and write their essay in the next two classes.

resourCes


© Alice Wilson, Teacher Candidate, Master of Teaching (Secondary) MGSE, The University of Melbourne.

51

The arrivalJames Kearney, The University of Melbourne

oVerView

This unit uses The Arrival by Shaun Tan (2006) as a springboard for a range of performance-based, analytical and writing tasks that are intended to stimulate students’ imaginations, develop a broad range of their literacy skills, and encourage them to consider complex ideas such as the nature of our world and our place in it.

The unit has been designed to implement the following elements of the Australian Curriculum: English for Year 8:

• Recognise and explain differing viewpoints aboutthe world, cultures, individual people and concernsrepresented in texts (ACELT1807);

• Use interaction skills for identified purposes, usingvoice and language conventions to suit differentsituations, selecting vocabulary, modulating voice andusing elements such as music, images and sound forspecial effects (ACELY1808);

• Investigate how visual and multimodal texts alludeto or draw on other texts or images to enhance andlayer meaning (ACELA1548); and

• Create literary texts that draw upon text structuresand language features of other texts for particularpurposes and effects (ACELT1632).

The unit also offers opportunities to explore the cross-curriculum priorities of Asia and Australia’s engagement with Asia and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and culture.

the text

The Arrival is a sophisticated graphic novel that allows students to practise their visual decoding skills. The text is imaginative and open-ended, lending itself to creative writing activities in which students will use Tan’s evocative illustrations as a starting point to produce their own texts. The world of the text is both familiar and strange, making it a useful vehicle for exploring the relationships between our world, our cultures and our identities.

Farrell, Arizpe and McAdam (2010, p. 198) argue that The Arrival’s ‘length and complexity demand[s] plenty of time and active involvement on the part of the reader in order for it to make any sense’. This unit takes the idea of ‘active participation’ quite literally and begins with a process drama activity to assist students to engage with the narrative and begin constructing meaning from the text. Next, students are guided through visual decoding practices to further enhance their ability to derive meaning from the text and to introduce the concept of intertextuality. Finally, students

put their understanding of intertextuality into practice by producing their own arrival narratives, which will be inspired by The Arrival and draw on their individual family histories.

ProCess drama

The first activity in the unit is a process drama framed around the first two chapters of The Arrival. In a process drama, students are guided through a series of improvised performance activities to explore a text, theme or other stimulus. Here, these activities will allow students to:

• Physically explore and experience differing viewpointsabout the world, cultures, people and concernsrepresented in the text (linking to ACELT1807);

• Use their interaction skills, select their vocabulary,modulate their voice and use images and sound toenact a variety of characters and situations drawnfrom the text (linking to ACELY1808); and

• Produce a series of letters written in role as theMigrant that draw on the text structure and languagefeatures of The Arrival (linking to ACELT1632).

The rationale for using process drama in this unit is threefold. First, by combining drama pedagogy with a rich and imaginative text like The Arrival, students are encouraged to open their minds in a way that allows them ‘to understand more about who they are, see new potential in themselves and others, and envision the transformation of their worlds’ (Ewing, Miller and Saxton, 2008, p. 134). Second, drawing on Luke, Freebody and Luke’s (2003) Four Resources model of literacy practices, O’Mara proposes that the use of drama activities in the English classroom requires students to act variously as code-breakers, text participants, text users and critical readers, helping them to develop the multiliteracy skills that they require to succeed in today’s world (O’Mara 2008). Third, process drama can facilitate authentic writing activities, in which students write in role as a range of characters, which may assist reluctant writers (O’Mara 2008).

Some suggested activities for the process drama include:

• Prepare a suitcase packed with items referred to inThe Arrival, for example the portrait of the Migrantand his family, a train ticket and boat ticket, a journal,and the Migrant’s hat. Working in small groups,students select an item from the suitcase and devisea short explanation about the person who owns thissuitcase and where they are going.

• Introduce The Arrival and ask students to decide onnames for the Migrant, his wife and his daughter.In groups of three, students improvise a short scene

AC:Es!Idiom49


(or series of tableaux) as the Migrant packs for his journey and says goodbye to his wife and daughter at the train station. Using thought-tracking, students can explain what each of the characters is thinking.

•Encourage students to bring the train and boat journeys to life using soundscapes and physical action. For example, the teacher might invite students to create the ship physically and its passengers and an accompanying soundscape as they travel across the rough seas.

•Using teacher-in-role, take on the role of an immigration processing officer, herding students (in role as migrants) from the ship and through the immigration hall, assessing them for suitability for the New World.

•Ask students to create a street scene and accompanying soundscape representing the New World. Nominate students to act as the Migrant, attempting to navigate the unfamiliar environment and language barrier as they try to find a place to live.

•Ask students to prepare a series of small-group tableaux depicting the Migrant entering his apartment (e.g. climbing the stairs, opening the door, meeting the curious creature, unpacking their belongings, etc.). Students might also prepare a series of tableaux representing what they predict the Migrant’s life will hold one year, ten years and twenty years into the future.

•At key points, ask students to write in role as the Migrant and prepare a series of letters home to his family that describe his experiences.

•Throughout these activities, illustrations from the text can be projected to guide students and stimulate ideas.

These activities are designed to act as a hook to engage the students, while giving them a strong grounding in the world of the text to assist them through the rest of the unit. The activities are short and varied, can be adapted to suit a specific class, and require students to work in different group configurations, ensuring that students maintain interest and focus. They also encourage students to start developing a reading of the text that investigates and interrogates the meaning conveyed by the illustrations.

iNtertextuality

Many of the illustrations in The Arrival are inspired by existing artefacts, including photographs of immigrants being processed at Ellis Island in the United States and artworks such as Coming South by Tom Roberts and Over London by Rail by Gustave Doré. As such, the text offers the scope for students to consider the idea of intertextuality and to ‘investigate how visual and

multimodal texts allude to or draw on other texts or images to enhance and layer meaning’ (ACELA1548).

To facilitate this investigation, students will consider the relationship between the illustrations and their respective source materials. Working in groups, students will be allocated one of the illustrations and asked to deconstruct and interpret it using prompting questions. Students will then be given a copy of the artwork that inspired their allocated illustration and engage in a similar process of deconstruction. Students will build on this by researching their artwork and considering the impact of this research on their interpretation. Students will then be asked to draw relationships between their allocated illustration and its related source material and to reflect on how Tan has drawn on other artworks to enhance and layer meaning in The Arrival. The groups will present their findings back to the whole class, and might share examples of other texts that they know that use intertextuality to enhance meaning.

This series of activities has been designed to introduce students to the idea of intertextuality and the way that authors draw on other texts to enhance meaning, which will form the basis of their assessment for the unit. It has also been designed to help students to develop their visual literacy and metalanguage, which will assist them as they continue to explore the text in subsequent lessons.

assessmeNt

The major assessment task for this unit asks students to draw on The Arrival and their individual family histories to create their own arrival narratives. Leading up to this assessment task, students will conduct a close analysis of the various arrival narratives set out in the text and will consider the motivations behind the different characters’ decisions to leave their homes and embark on a journey to an unfamiliar world. This analysis will be used as a prompt to discuss the history of migration to Australia and the impact that this has had on Australian culture. Particular emphasis will be placed on immigration from Asia and Australia’s growing relationship with Asia, linking to the cross-curriculum priority, Asia and Australia’s engagement with Asia. Students will also investigate the impact of European arrival on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture, linking to the cross-curriculum priority Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and culture. Students will also conduct a close analysis of the migrant portraits set out in the endpapers of The Arrival and discuss possible explanations of who these individuals are, where they have come from and why they have chosen to make a new home in a foreign country.

53

Students will then conduct interviews with family members to research their family histories and reflect on their own arrival narratives. Students will use this research to create imaginative texts explaining how they (and their ancestors) came to live in Australia, using both written language and visual storytelling inspired by The Arrival. Depending on the resources available, students might present these as multimodal digital texts that might, for example, incorporate animation and voiceover. Alternatively, students might present these in hardcopy, incorporating written text and hand-drawn illustrations. These narratives will be compiled into a collection entitled Our Arrival and distributed to all students. The collection will be prefaced by a grid of photographic portraits of the students, digitally manipulated to resemble the endpapers of The Arrival.

Like the unit as a whole, this task draws heavily on multiliteracy pedagogy, encouraging students to use multiple modes of meaning to interpret and create texts (Cope and Kalantzis, 2000). It also emphasises higher order thinking skills as set out in Bloom’s revised taxonomy (Krathwohl, 2002), guiding students from lower order tasks (identifying and explaining The Arrival’s visual features, themes and narrative) to higher order tasks (creating literary texts drawing on these elements). This emphasis on higher order thinking is also reflected in the process drama activity at the start of the unit, during which students will create a range of performances inspired by The Arrival. As such, by the end of this unit, students should have a strong understanding of the themes and ideas explored in The Arrival and the concept of intertextuality, and the ability to apply and explore these possibilities in their own work.

refereNCes

Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA), 2013, Australian Curriculum: English, retrieved from: <http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/English/>.

Cope, B and Kalantzis, M 2000, Multiliteracies: Literacy Learning and the Design of Social Futures, Macmillan Publishers, Australia.

Ewing, R, Miller, C, and Saxton, J 2008, ‘Drama and Contemporary Picture Books in the Middle Years’, M. Anderson, J. Hughes and J. Manuel, (Eds.), Drama and English Teaching: Imagination, Action and Engagement, pp. 121–35, Oxford University Press, Victoria.

Farrell, M, Arizpe, E, and McAdam, J 2010, Journeys Across Visual Borders: Annotated Spreads of The Arrival by Shaun Tan as a Method for Understanding Pupils’ Creation of Meaning through Visual Images, Australian Journal of Language and Literacy 33(3), 198–210.

Freebody, P and Luke, A 2003, ‘Literacy as Engaging with New Forms of Life: The Four Roles’ Model, in G. Bull and M Anstey (Eds.), The Literacy Lexicon (2nd ed.), Pearson Education, Australia.

Krathwohl, DR 2002, ‘A Revision of Bloom’s Taxonomy: An Overview’, Theory into Practice, 41(4), pp. 212–218.

O’Mara, J 2008, ‘Reading and Writing Ourselves into the Twenty-First Century’, in M. Anderson, J. Hughes and J. Manuel (Eds.), Drama and English Teaching: Imagination, Action and Engagement, pp. 149–60, Oxford University Press, Victoria.

Tan, S 2006, The Arrival, Lothian Books, Victoria.

© James Kearney, Teacher Candidate, Master of Teaching (Secondary) MGSE, The University of Melbourne.

AC:Es!Idiom49


one nighT The Moon—whose reality? uNit PlaN for year 10 Callum McDonald, The University of Melbourne

uNit desCriPtioN/justifiCatioN, aNd lessoN sequeNCe

CoNtext iN whiCh this uNit will take PlaCe

This unit was originally taught to a general Year 10 English class at an inner-city, independent school. The class consists of 22 mixed-ability students. There are several boys in the class with special learning needs, but none of them are considered severe. The unit will be taught starting week two of second term and will consist of 15 x 45 minute lessons, or roughly three weeks of classes.

affordaNCes aNd ChalleNges of teaChiNg one nighT The Moon

There are several significant challenges presented by teaching this text, not the least of which is the text type, which is certain to be one entirely unfamiliar to most of the students. One Night the Moon is a musical film, with sparse dialogue, and lots of non-naturalistic and semi-diegetic music (that is, characters will break the fourth wall and sing to the audience, with non-diegetic music behind them). Indeed, when I have taught this film in the past, it has been hard to get beyond the preconception of the singing as ‘stupid’. This is a problem as most of the important messages within this film can be found in these non-naturalistic songs, and it will be a challenge to get the students to accept this cinematic technique and not merely criticise it because they don’t recognise it.

Urban students are unlikely to have been exposed first-hand to either the Australian outback (except in the form of images) or much of the Aboriginal culture of Southern NSW (where the film is set). It has been my experience teaching this text that it may be necessary to spend a few lessons scaffolding Aboriginal notions of land ownership. This could also be complemented by a few classroom activities spent on the historical background of the film.

As Cormack and Green (2008) point out, such texts are likely to fall victim to the ‘literature-literacy complex’ (p. 255) which still has a firm hold on the English teaching profession, despite the recent curriculum shifts back to a commitment to studying grammar and language structures as part of one of the strands of the Australian Curriculum: English, and multimodal texts featuring more prominently. What has been called ‘New Education’ (Cormack and Green 2008, p. 259) has for decades meant that print literacy is still privileged over other forms of text, and the tradition which has carried on into the 21st century is only just starting to be challenged by the recognition of the importance of films and multimodal texts in general.

The shift in the Australian Curriculum: English, limiting the importance of literary texts, makes it important that the texts which are chosen are not neglected because they are not seen to be what might be considered canonical. It is naturally important that teachers have a strong toolkit of skills and class activities which can build their students’ abilities in this area.

exPlaNatioN of the ratioNale aNd learNiNg aims of the uNit

The rationale of this unit is to build the visual literacy of the students, and get them used to viewing pictures as texts which can be critically analysed. In this sense, the difficult hybrid of genre which One Night the Moon can be a blessing, as it can expand students’ understandings of what constitutes a film text by getting them to explore the concept of films in production.

Students engage with a variety of texts for enjoyment. They interpret, create, evaluate, discuss and perform a wide range of literary texts in which the primary purpose is aesthetic, as well as texts designed to inform and persuade…. Students develop critical understanding of the contemporary media, and the differences between media texts

ACARA, Australian Curriculum, Year 10 English Priorities.

One Night the Moon also contains, as a film text for the study of Aboriginal issues in the subject of English, a marker of the popular belief that education is able to level the playing field from birth (Cormack and Green, 2008). ACARA’s curriculum clearly signals that it believes education can play this role—by raising the awareness of Indigenous Australian issues in a generation of young people. One Night the Moon offers an excellent opportunity to explore important themes which constitute one of the major cross-curricular priorities:

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have contributed to Australian society and to its contemporary literature and its literary heritage through their distinctive ways of representing and communicating knowledge, traditions and experience.

ACARA, Australian Curriculum, Cross-curricular priorities.

oVerView

These three lessons will occur halfway through the unit, and will focus on building the students’ understanding of One Night the Moon as a specific text type, which is to be talked about analytically in relation to film production elements (in this, Paul Kelly’s piece from How to Make Gravy will be helpful). The lesson

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one nighT The Moon—whose reality? uNit PlaN for year 10Callum McDonald, The University of Melbourne

sequence detailed below will immediately follow a lesson spent using several pictures of the Australian outback to illustrate the fact that the text is attempting to convey a particular meaning in relation to this. The next three lessons are spent watching and analysing individual scenes of the film, focussing on narrative elements. To scaffold this, it will be necessary first to build students’ knowledge of the following production elements and the relevant terminology within each: misé en scene; lighting; camera; editing; sound, and acting.

rough segmeNts of the whole uNit:The film text: Engage and ensure that students have both seen, and comprehended the plot of One Night the Moon. (2 lessons)

Land ownership: Engage the students with the concept of different understandings or realities, or human beings’ relationships with land. Attempt to complicate their preconceived ideas about what it is to own land, offer them additional ways of looking at their own geography. (3 lessons)

Film Techniques: Build their knowledge about the various kinds of filmic techniques, in much the same way advocated by the experiential school of film study (Jefferson, 2009). There probably won’t be extensive time in this unit to get them to create a long piece of work. Several lessons can and will be spent on creating a short film piece or multimodal text which expresses their own conception of what it is to own land – which will have already been complicated by their reading of the text and fed by what they have learnt about basic film techniques. This will enrich their view of the production elements within One Night the Moon being deliberate choices. (4 lessons)

Critical reading: Introduce the film text as a piece for critical appraisal, to figure out how sophisticated their ability to read (Jefferson, 2009) film already is. (4 lessons)

Summative assessment: For the summative assessment of this unit, students will have to produce a major piece of written work comparing Jim and Albert’s realities. (2 lessons, including preparing them for the text requirements beforehand, and feedback afterwards.)

lessoN oNe

Aims and outcomes:

The aim of this first lesson is to introduce the class to a literal/inferential/experiential taxonomy based on the concept of Ekphrasis.

By the end of the lesson the students will be able to

perform a basic analytical breakdown of a given image, and be able to talk about canvas depictions of the Australian bush as being deliberate choices made by artists attempting to convey a particular meaning. This is particularly useful in freeing students’ preconceptions of what constitutes a text, and can help them to think more analytically about film—something which Kennedy (2009) identifies is hugely important. Rather than describing what they are seeing, or describing the overall effect which the artwork has on them, they also include that all-important middle step of analysing why the text contains the choices that it does.

The main teaching strategies to keep in mind are to ensure that the class is broken up time-wise, and that the students have a very clear understanding of why it is we are completing the task the second time we do it. This is an important part of the engagement stage of the learning and teaching cycle, as students need to understand the purpose behind what they will be learning or they are at risk of becoming uninterested and unengaged.

The first class activity, which should take up most of the lesson will be to have the class pick the three images they find most interesting from a large pile and telling them that we are going to follow a number of steps and form. From experience, I’m fairly certain they’ll pick the paintings similar to the one in Appendix A (online), which will have been introduced to them at the end of the previous lesson, without telling them why we were doing it. In a Victorian setting, the teacher can also use the added incentive that visual stimuli are used on VCE English exams.

At the end of this lesson ask students to bring to school something they own which is special to them for the next lesson, as well as five photos of things around their house which they think show that the house is ‘theirs’. Give the students a list of stimulus items for the less imaginative among them, things like a rental agreement, a house number, a front gate, their family, or their name on something.

lessoN two

This lesson will aim to capitalise quickly on the imaginative work done interpreting the Australian outback, and asking students to explore creatively what their own living environment might be like and their own concepts of land ‘ownership’.

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to begin to draw links between the Ekphrasis exercise we did, and the ways in which Rachel Perkins (2001) is trying to convey a particular message about land ownership to her intended audience. The lesson will pay particular

AC:Es!Idiom49


attention to the notion of narrative being a separate concept to story and plot, and defining these terms clearly for the students.

It is anticipated that this will be achieved by linking concepts of ownership to the students’ own experiences. Do a ‘paper bag’ exercise with the students to get them writing creatively on the concept of ‘ownership’. This involves asking them to tell a story about the item and the five photos to their group members. The exercise is called ‘paper bag’ because the teacher leads by example in bringing in their own item and presenting it. Then, with this exercise as a muse, get students to write for five minutes, a story of something which happened in their house. If there is time, then ask them which elements of their piece are plot, whether there are story points not included, and what the underlying message of their narrative is/

lessoN three

This lesson aims to bring together the two concepts of ‘deliberate choices’ and ‘how people, cultures, places, events, objects and concepts are represented in texts including media texts’ (ACELT1749), by giving them a vocabulary with which to describe what they are seeing.

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to use basic film terminology to describe scenes in One Night the Moon, allowing us as a class to analysing scenes for significant production choices. The next lessons will then try to craft some of these inferential arguments (based on grouped pieces of literal information from the text) into larger-scale experiential notions of how the text as a whole makes them ‘feel’.

To start, divide the class into jigsaw groups and have them watch the ‘runaway’ scene from One Night the Moon, attempting to comment as a group on the cinematic techniques used. In this way the teacher can give them an opportunity to become experts in their given area of production. Ideally, the teacher could integrate choice of production technique, but this might take too long for this first activity (this is really up to the teacher’s discretion). Then, get them to split into groups relating to a specific production element, do research on that element and then watch the scene again. They will create a list of notes on their area, and report back to their original groups on the decisions made in their particular area of expertise.

the Next CouPle of lessoNs…In the following lessons, ask students to watch the film as self-directed study on their electronic devices, and complete a worksheet which tests and extends their knowledge of film terminology. This can be an extremely productive use of e-devices, and is easy to

keep track of while walking around the classroom (don’t let the students use earphones—from experience, the music ringing through the class will actually create a strange ambience). They will then be asked to complete a film review for One Night the Moon of roughly 200–300 words, based on a modelled template. Integrating the principles of communicative language teaching, encourage the students to submit the best written reviews to an online film review website, or even offer to do it for them. As a further incentive for the students who will inevitably not enjoy the film, it is an idea to allow them to trash the film if they so choose, and still get a good mark provided they use correct film terminology and make observations about the ways in which production elements were used to make meaning. As long as they can explain why those choices were made, and why they didn’t like them, they are still entitled to have their own personal taste in films.

refereNCes

ACARA 2012, English Scope and Sequence: Charts F–10. Retrieved from <http:www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/Documents/auscurric/English_scope_and_sequence_AusVELS.pdf>.

ACARA (2011) AC – Worksample English 10. Retrieved from <http:tp://www.acara.edu.au/curriculum/worksamples/AC_Worksample_English_10.pdf>.

Cormack, P and Green B 2008 ‘Curriculum history, English and the New Education; or, installing the empire of English?’ in Pedagogy, Culture and Society, vol. 16, no. 3, October 2001 pp. 253–267.

Jefferson, M 2009, ‘How to read a film: Experiential approaches to film learning’, in Michael Anderson and Miranda Jefferson (eds) Teaching the Screen: Film Education for Generation Next pp. 210-–24, Allen & Unwin, NSW.

Leville, C 2001, One Night The Moon: Media Kit. MusicArtsDance Films, retrieved from http:www.musicartsdance.com/projects/docs/ONTMmediakit.pdf>.

Perkins, R (dir) 2001, One Night the Moon, (DVD, 57 mins) MusicArtsDance Films, Sydney.

resourCes

© Callum McDonald, Teacher Candidate, Master of Teaching (Secondary) MGSE, The University of Melbourne.


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readiNg aNd resPoNdiNg to parvana, a uNit PlaN for year 7 eNglishHadia Shoaib, The University of Melbourne

CoNtext

It is an accelerated Year 7 English class of 24 students. There is no EAL student in this class, but students differ in relation to their ways of learning and their abilities: some are visual learners while others are kinaesthetic learners. The diversity could be due to the equal gender ratio as boys in this class are more extroverted than girls, and tend to dominate class discussions. The class is predominantly Anglo-Australian, which is why I chose the text Parvana (Ellis 2002), a book about an Afghan girl, thinking it would provide students with a great opportunity to draw cross-cultural connections between their own and Parvana's culture. As the school is located in the Northern suburbs where the community reflects diverse ethnic backgrounds (Arabic, Asian, Australian) the students would benefit from the reading of this text as it would give them a glimpse into the culture of the community in which they themselves live. With the world becoming a global village, I have taken the position that it is important students understand cultural diversity within and beyond their immediate experiences. The AusVELS curriculum (VCAA 2013) also stresses the need for establishing intercultural links with Asia and other communities.

ChalleNges/affordaNCes

Since students have limited or no prior knowledge of Afghan or Asian cultures, studying the text could be a challenge. Most historical or cultural references or even the vocabulary related to Afghan culture could be alien to them. Given this, studying the text, exploring and examining different points of views would be a rewarding experience on its own. Given the fact that the class is well equipped with computers and projectors, I would be able to create opportunities for active learning and research to bridge any information gaps. To teach the text, I have designed a variety of activities such as creating posters, using buzz groups, freeze-frame and so on, that will not only cater for the diversity in the learners, but will also engage the students for sustainably longer periods of time.

ratioNale/learNiNg aims The multifaceted nature of English as a subject (Durrant 2004, p. 6) requires the teachers to develop certain strategies to teach multiple literacies (Henderson 2012). My rationale for this unit, is informed by the Four Resources model of Freebody and Luke (Henderson 2012, p. 24) as it enabled me to modify my pedagogies to suit the needs of the learners as well as to cater for both genders. It also offered a balanced approach which combines all three strands of AusVELS: Literature, Literacy and Language. I have paid careful attention to planning and sequencing the lessons while using the model as a guide. Consequently,

students will be engaged in decoding the text, text participation and text analysis throughout the unit. Guided discussion and close readings will enable them to see how texts are social and cultural products that incorporate multiple points of view. The range of activities is designed to encourage them to analyse, examine and draw cross cultural links drawing on their prior knowledge. Hence, learning for them would be a recursive and a cumulative process (VCAA 2013, p. 4). The theoretical framework applied will enable the students to use the text as a tool of inquiry and develop critical literacies (Doecke, Locke and Petrosky 2008).

oVerView: aims aNd outComes

The sequence developed here is based on the first three lessons that occurred at the commencement of this Reading and responding unit. The objective of this sequence is to contextualise the text Parvana so that the reading experience will be significant, informative and aesthetic. The first lesson will use a multimodal framework (ACELY1724) to introduce and explain some of the key characteristics of realistic fiction. Students will be shown the book cover to predict its genre and content. The second lesson will allow students to use ICT to extend and enhance their knowledge of certain historical, political and cultural aspects, as evoked by the text. The third lesson will bring the focus back to close reading, and students will read key passages to examine the writer's use of language. Hence, the macro skill focus in the first three lessons will be on reading and viewing (ACELA1764), speaking and listening (ACELT1620), and writing (ACELY1725). I have chosen the content descriptors carefully to ensure I do not focus on any one particular skill, or be influenced by my own preference.

I have designed a series of activities and tasks around each strand of AusVELS English to ensure that I am preparing my students as 'multiliterates' rather than just 'literates' (Henderson 2012). In this sequence of lessons students will be learning visual, digital and semiotic literacies, along with the use of language and enjoyment of literature. As outlined in the table, a succession of various tasks, (oral and written, formal and informal) are designed to engage students in age-appropriate challenges. All tasks are interlinked in such a way that completion of one task will facilitate the learning of another. Hence, I have paid some attention to making feedback and assessments an integral part of the unit to support and enhance student learning (Tomlinson 2008). Careful scaffolding is integrated in each lesson throughout the unit to support student learning.

AC:Es!Idiom49


lessoN oNe

To introduce students to Parvana, I drew on a multimodal literacy framework. Given the fact that students in today's classrooms are exposed to variety of digital and visual modes of literacy, I thought they would respond better if I began the lesson in a non-traditional way. Instead of asking students, 'What are some types of fiction?' and, 'What might the book be about?' I used strategic questions to prompt them into thinking: 'What could the story be about?’ and 'Who might be the protagonist?' Elaborating on their responses I gradually built my questions from literal to inferential, as suggested in Bloom's taxonomy (Bloom and Krathwohl 1956). Students responded to a set of questions such as 'How do we know the story is about the girl?'; 'What's on the book cover to suggest that?'. Such questions helped them to see the stylistics choices (spatial, colour, gaze and gestural) made to design a meaningful cover page. Students took a keen interest in ways in which the cover of a book can inform genre and help predict content (Henderson 2012).

To make the learning meaningful to them I included Harry Potter (Rowling 2007; 2004) and focused on its book cover as well. Students learnt the difference between imaginative-fiction and realistic-fiction by comparing the covers of Harry Potter and Parvana. I showed them a few other book samples to extend their knowledge of different type of genres (see Appendix One online). Students were engaged in enjoyable ways to draw upon their prior knowledge of what fiction is to process the idea of what realistic fiction is. Rather than being passive receptors of the information they had become active participants in and creators of what was for them new knowledge. After this rich visual engagement with the text cover they read the first chapter in the class and were given a handout to read at home (see Appendix Two online).

lessoN two

As anticipated, the chapter reading alone was insufficient for students to understand historical, political and cultural events as represented by the text. To help them contextualise this knowledge by means of creating charts, I incorporated group work and ICT.

For the first half of the double period, I had designed a jigsaw activity that involved them both intellectually and kinaesthetically. Students were divided into four groups and assigned topics such as Afghan history, Afghan culture, the Taliban and the status of women. First, they were invited to browse the internet while recording in dot-points anything interesting or significant to the topic. On completing the searches, two members from each group were moved clockwise,

so that all groups had a new member to discuss and share their findings. I roamed the class to monitor student discussion (for informal assessment). Students had some interesting facts to share, which led to a rich class discussion. I would suggest that without incorporating ICT and the jigsaw activity in this lesson such generation of knowledge would not have been possible. Moreover, this teaching strategy gave students a chance to take responsibility for their own learning, a most desirable outcome.

I also used the initiate respond and feedback strategy to sum-up the discussion (Edwards and Mercer 1994). Student responses were listed on the board for students to take notes. In the second half of this double period, they used the notes and elements of design as discussed in the previous lesson to create posters. Handouts were given to scaffold the task (see Appendix Three online). I collected the printouts to conduct formative assessment.

lessoN three

I began this lesson by returning the printouts with detailed feedback given at the back of each (Belanger, Spring 2004). The best six charts were placed on the walls to create a stimulating environment; students resumed reading of Parvana surrounded by the charts.

In this lesson I used questioning as a main reading comprehension strategy (Glasson 2009). After the first reading, I gave them key questions such as, 'Why did the father say Afghans are like stars?', 'What did it mean?', 'Why did the father address Parvana as My Malali? What was the effect?' My objective in selecting these lines was to focus on the language choices of the writer with a close focus on the use of similes and metaphors. The use of strategic questioning in this lesson allowed me to guide students in developing critical thinking. To allow them more think-time to understand fully what devices the writer had used to create an impact, I included buzz-group discussion (Harmer 2007) which is similar to ‘think, pair and share’ and allowed students to discuss their responses in groups before sharing them with the class. It gave them more time to think in order to participate well (Raban 2001). I take the position that combining strategic questioning with group activities that allow students to discuss results is better student learning. The pattern that emerged not only gave me a chance to keep the discussions guided, but also gave them a chance to take an active part in their learning. In the second half of the lesson I switched to PowerPoint slides, and showed video clips to discuss the devices. Students took a short quiz on the topic and wrote short pieces using similes and metaphors to compare their lives with Parvana's. (I collected these for diagnostic assessment.)

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Overall, the strategies I applied in these lessons and throughout the unit, as inspired by the theoretical frameworks and readings outlined in the unit template, made for an effective and affective learning and teaching cycle.

resourCes

When showing the slides to present the differences between simile and metaphor, I invited students to take a short quiz which was quite helpful in building student awareness of lexical choices. It was an informal quiz in which students had to fill in empty spaces, and tried to come up with appropriate words that fitted well.

Article about Deborah Ellis: At the end of the first lesson I gave students an article retrieved from the internet so they could learn more about the author of Parvana, and see how she drew on a real life story to write the book.

Editor’s note: The Appendices mentioned in Hadia’s unit of work can be found online in the VATE Member’s Lounge.

refereNCes

Belanger, J 2004, ‘When Will We Ever Learn? The Case for Formative Assessment Supporting Writing Development’, English in Australia, No. 141, pp. 41–48.

Bloom, BK and Krathwohl, DR 1956, Taxonomy of Educational Objectives: The Classification of Educational Goals, Allyn and Bacon, Boston.

‘Bloom's Taxonomy’, (n.d.), retrieved from The Encyclopedia of Educationa Technology <http://eet.sdsu.edu/eetwiki/index.php/Blooms_taxonomy>.

Doecke, B, Locke, T and Petrosky, A 2008, ‘Explaining ourselves (to ourselves): English teachers, professional identity and change’ English in Australia, Issue 139.

Durrant, C, 2004, ‘English teaching: Profession or predicament?’, English in Australia, No. 141, pp. 6–8.

Edwards, D and Mercer, N 1994, ‘Communication and control’, in B. Stierer, and J. Maybin, (Eds.), Language, Literacy and Learning in Educational Practice, pp. 188–202). Clevedon: Multilingual Matters.

Ellis, D 2002, Parvana, Allen & Unwin, Australia.

Freebody, P and Luke, A 2003, ‘Literacy as engaging with new forms of life: The 'four role' model’ in G. Bull and M. Anstey, The literacy lexicon, pp. 51–65, Prentice Hall, Australia.

Glasson, T 2009, ‘Strategic questioning’, Improving student achievement: A practical guide to assessment for learning, Curricullum Corporation, Carlton.

Harmer, J 2007, The practice of English language teaching, 4th edn, Longman, London.

Henderson, R 2012, Teaching Literacies: In the middle years, Oxford University Press, Melbourne.

Raban, B 2001, ‘Talking to think, learn and teach’ in P. G. Smith, Talking classrooms: shaping children's learning through oral language instruction, pp. 27–56, Newark, International Reading Association, Delaware.

Rowling, JK 2004, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Bloomsbury, London.

Rowling, JK 2007 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Bloomsbury, London.

Tomlinson, CA 2008, ‘Learning to Love Assessment’, Educational Leadership, vol. 65, no. 4, pp. 8–13.

Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) AusVELS English, viewed 9 May 3013 <http://ausvels.vcaa.vic.edu.au/>.


© Hadia Shoab, Teacher Candidate, Master of Teaching(Secondary) MGSE, The University of Melbourne.

AC:Es!Idiom49


This unit of work is based on an assessment task completed in 2013.

ratioNale aNd learNiNg aims of the uNit

Students examine the relation of people to dominant power structures using the film Gattaca (Niccol, 1997) as the context. What is power? What types of power exist? What leads people to pursue power? How can power be used? Students consider the consequences when the welfare of less powerful people is weighed against that of the more powerful and make connections to their lives and contemporary life. Who are the dominant power groups in our society?

The learning aims of this unit are to engage and create a variety of texts, exploring how the balance of power affects human experience, relationships and ethics. In relation to skills, the aim is to develop reading and viewing, writing and speaking and listening competency throughout the unit through a variety of activities (Standard 3.3, AITSL, 2013) that introduce new ways of seeing the world and to extend existing skills in producing a variety of learning outcomes. Further elaboration of the learning aims is contained in the unit plan (Appendix One online) and lesson sequence (Appendix Two online).

textual CoNsideratioNs Gattaca is a science-fiction thriller starring Ethan Hawke, Jude Law and Uma Thurman. The protagonist, Vincent Freeman, defies the power structure of a society obsessed with ‘designer’ genetics to achieve his dreams through sheer willpower and the help of a few close allies. As the human genome has been mapped since the film’s release, Gattaca has become a type of ‘science-fact’ text and provides a context for a range of knowledge and skill development using current news articles, research and ethical issues. Cosmetic surgery, stem cell research, vaccination, genetic testing and drug use in sport may be linked to the events of Gattaca.

There is minimal sex, violence, coarse language and gore in the film, making it suitable for a Year 9 or 10 level. The film is sixteen years old but set in a dystopian future, so it does not look dated and the visual effects are still convincing by today’s standards. There are few ‘action’ sequences but the four story arcs of a murder investigation, deception, friendship and romance should engage students. Sadly, representations of women in Gattaca are few and unflattering. Vincent’s mother has little dialogue and is submissive to her husband, but this may be used to generate discussions about power relationships with regard to childbirth and motherhood. Irene (Thurman) does little to advance the plot, and strangely, sleeps with Vincent immediately

after she sees him assault a policeman without provocation, but this too could be a foundation for discussion of power in relationships.

uNit oVerView

The unit begins with the screening of Gattaca (L1, L2) and ‘Mission Control’ (L3), a researching lesson where students find articles online relating to the futuristic technologies of Gattaca that have become real, and cement their understanding of its role in the events and themes of the film. Requiring students to recall the technologies and setting of Gattaca and link it to their own world identifies elementary knowledge and begins to establish meaning. The ‘Mission Control’ classroom layout of students facing in one direction away from the teacher (pictured below) can also be used as a thematic ruse to ensure students use their laptops for work purposes (Std 4.2, AITSL, 2013).

Using the internet for research allows students to find subjects such as genetic testing, mind and physical performance-enhancing drugs, vaccinations, selective breeding and eugenics, and genetic engineering in food and animals. Early in the unit, this lesson helps students meet the unit aim of engaging with a variety of texts to explore themes of human experience, relationships and ethics. After sourcing the web articles, in L4 students write a few paragraphs summarising the article and making connections to Gattaca and their own world. Students follow their own inquiry of interest and share their findings when the documents are collated. Providing choice at this early stage is strategic, as ‘all literary response is personal before it is analytic’ (Murray 2005, p. 96).

L5 allows students to use their phones or school photographic devices to catalogue examples of power and inequality in their personal environment (Std 3.4, AITSL, 2013). Documenting examples visually and

the Power of geNetiCs, a CoNtext study of PeoPle aNd Power iN gaTTaCaHugh Gundlach, The University of Melbourne

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the Power of geNetiCs, a CoNtext study of PeoPle aNd Power iN gaTTaCaHugh Gundlach, The University of Melbourne

kinesthetically by walking around campus is one way of helping learners of different intelligences (Gardner, 1999). Students are sure to find examples such as the layout of classrooms and the assembly hall, differences in uniforms, cadets, badges, colours, prefects, out of bounds zones; as illustrations of the dynamics of power. Allowing tangible and visual connections to form is not to be undervalued as students can draw connections between their lives and the course content.

L7 uses whole class discussion and some direct instruction teacher talk (Barry, 2007; Hattie, 2009) to introduce the metalanguage for people and power. Students may lack language for the concept of power (Std 5.4, AITSL, 2013), so a list of synonyms is to be provided to increase metalanguage vocabulary. This lesson sets a foundation for an activity on butcher’s paper in L8 that is collected.

L8 shifts discussion from the whole class to small groups formed by the teacher and brings in writing on butcher’s paper as a low stakes formative assessment of argument formulation. L9 and L10 positions students as individually accountable for the presentation of a concept map (words, sentences and images) about inclusion and exclusion, encompassing the film, school and social context for material. This brings the concepts more vigorously into students’ immediate world. The concept maps are peer annotated, collated and reproduced as a resource for the whole class. Individual feedback can be provided privately if desired.

L11 and L12 mark a turning point in the unit as the focus shifts from reading and viewing to writing. When provided with an essay prompt, students write a response in class over two lessons with teacher assistance. In these two lessons, the teacher models a certain section of the essay task for the whole class (for example planning, argument formulation, structure), then students work individually and in near test conditions on that individual component. Students can request individual teacher assistance, but they may not talk to each other. This assessment is formative but is also assessed. Providing feedback while the assessment is being performed is of more use to students (Belanger et al., 2004; Murray, 2005). L13 shares the learning from the essays and peer marking can also take place.

In L14 the class is themed again to Gattaca for a speaking and listening activity. Students are provided with one half of a numbered nucleotide pair (A or T, C or G) and a quote about power and the direction to either agree or disagree, that is, the choice is made for them. For example, ‘Those in power are always in search of greater power. To what extent do you agree.’ After ten minutes of class time to prepare a two-minute

oral presentation, both members of the ‘nucleotide pair’ are asked to provide their reasons to agree/disagree with the quotation. This activity seeks evidence and encourages students to explain the logic of their opinion (Barry, 2007).

L15, L16 and L17 are workshop style lessons where students plan and write a character and thematic based essay after direct instruction (Hattie, 2009) and modelling by the teacher. After explanation of an essay concept (for example, TEEL structure) and distribution of a rubric, students work individually while the teacher provides individual feedback and assistance (Std 5.2, AITSL, 2013). These lessons are of particular value to students struggling with writing, as they can ask for assistance without drawing the attention of the whole class (Std 1.5, AITSL, 2013). L18 provides a creative activity before the final assessment, yet one that performs the important task of reminding students of the characters and specific plot events of the film. Students are asked to create a ‘Fakebook’ page for one of the main characters. Biographical information, relationships, photos, quotations and video clips can all be integrated in a multimodal text to provide a capstone to the unit.

The applicability of this unit will depend on the many contextual factors such as lesson length and individual school demographics, but its design covers a variety of skills and learning outcomes. There are many potential links to AusVELS (VCAA, 2013) cross-curriculum priorities which may be easier to cover when studying text as context. Linking content to students’ own lives and environments will foster engagement and highlight the usefulness of the content knowledge. A variety of tasks and assessments will encourage skill development.

refereNCes

Ames, C and Archer, J 1988, ‘Achievement goals and the classroom motivational climate’, Journal of Educational Psychology, 84, 261–271.

Atwell, N 1998, In the middle: New understanding about writing, reading and learning, Boynton/Cook Inc, Portsmouth, NH.

Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL), 2013, ‘Australian professional standards for teachers’, (1 March), retrieved from < http://www.teacherstandards.aitsl.edu.au/CareerStage/GraduateTeachers/Standards>.

Barry, B 2007, ‘How do you say oracy?: Using films for language development’, Screen Education, vol. 46, pp. 66–71.

Belanger, J Allingham, P and Bechervaise, N 2004,

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‘When will we ever learn? The case for formative assessment supporting writing development’, English in Australia, 141, pp. 41–48.

Brashears, K and White, V 2006, ‘Strategies and ideas for teaching writing in the Middle Years’, Literacy Learning: The Middle Years vol.14 (2), pp. i-viii.

Doecke, B and McClenaghan, D 2005, ‘Popular culture: A resource for writing in secondary English classrooms’, in G. Rijaarsdam, H. van de Bergh and D. Couzjin (Eds.), Effective learning and teaching of writing: A handbook of writing in education (pp. 121–130) (2nd ed.), Academic Publishers, New York.

Gardner, H 1999, Intelligence reframed: multiple intelligences for the 21st century, Basic Books, New York.

Hattie, J 2009, Visible learning: A synthesis of over 800 meta-analyses relating to achievement, Routledge, London.

Jefferson, M 2012, ‘How to read a film: Experiential approaches to film learning’, in Teenagers and reading—Literary heritages, cultural contexts and contemporary reading practices, J. Manuel and S. Brindley (Eds), AATE Interface Series, Wakefield Press, South Australia, pp. 210–227.

Murray, K 2005, ‘Responding to students’ writing’ in B. Doecke and G Parr (Eds.), Writing = learning, pp. 96–103, Wakefield Press, South Australia.

Niccol, A (Dir. 1997), Gattaca, Columbia Pictures.

Sawyer, W 2005, ‘Becoming a new new critic: Assessing student writing’, Writing = Learning, Doecke, B and Parr, G (Eds.), AATE Publications, pp. 129–145.

Sommer, P 2003, ‘The lingering gaze: Looking at and in film’, English in Australia, 138, 43–50.

STELLA 2002, ‘Standards for Teachers of English Language and Literacy in Australia’, retrieved from <http://www.stella.org.au>.

Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) 2013, The AusVELS Curriculum (English, retrieved from < http://ausvels.vcaa.vic.edu.au/English/Curriculum/F-10>.

© Hugh Gundlach, Teacher Candidate, Master of Teaching (Secondary) MGSE, The University of Melbourne.


63

maCbethKatherine Barton, The University of Melbourne

exPlaNatioN aNd disCussioN

CoNtextThis unit is envisaged for a Year 10 English mixed ability class, in which all students are unfamiliar with Shakespeare. Macbeth will be the first Shakespearean text they have formally studied.

ChalleNges/affordaNCes

There is a perception amongst students that Shakespeare’s plays are out-dated and passé. They perceive the language to be foreign and difficult, and the plots to be irrelevant for them. Despite this initial resistance, Shakespearean plays, particularly Macbeth, continues to be widely taught. Macbeth explores the human condition, through a narrative that seems not so distant from the times we live in. The concept of the ‘tragic hero’ is prevalent in film, literature and popular culture; thus, students have a strong prior knowledge of this narrative before they have explored Macbeth. Certainly it must be acknowledged that Shakespearean language can be challenging and alien. There is great reward and satisfaction to be experienced, however, once you begin to understand the language. The hesitation and initial resistance from students is, therefore, a necessary challenge to confront; for the language, analytical skills and knowledge of theatre students learn and experience outweigh the challenges associated with teaching the text. Macbeth is compatible with the priorities of the AusVELS English curriculum, and the text fits with the skills covered in the document: reading and viewing, writing, and speaking and listening.

ratioNale

My teaching of Macbeth employs a strong use of Drama/Theatre Studies pedagogy. I, thusly, will teach the text with a performance-based approach, using play to explore the language and themes of the text. John Doona (2011) asserts that employing drama is imperative when teaching Shakespeare to ensure the motivation and engagement of students. This is in line with recommendations by the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC), who promote the philosophy ‘stand up for Shakespeare’. The RSC encourage students to ‘do it on their feet’, using performance to experience the play. The unit culminates in an essay task, which is incorporated in the Year 10 Semester one English examination; my pedagogy must be reflective of preparing students for this task. Play-based learning engages students in the text, but also uses physicality to explore the themes and concepts which students will be employing in their essay writing. The lessons and activities are designed to be inclusive, accessible and playful. They are initially working on the level of decreasing the fear of studying Shakespeare, but are planned with the end aim of preparing students for the essay task. My pedagogical approach for this unit is influenced by John O’Toole, who

recommends providing a physical entry point to the text (2007). In line with this, my main strategy for teaching the play itself is through a ‘whoosh’ activity, which is a physical, inclusive and accessible means of studying the text. I will use the ‘whoosh’ revised text in conjunction with the complete version of the play. The lessons will also employ the use of warm-up games, tableaux and other drama-based activity, alongside reading and viewing, speaking and listening and writing activities. The lessons employ teaching and learning techniques recommended by Doona, who also promotes play-based learning (NB: Doona’s book is a resource for primary teachers, however, I have adapted and modified many of his activities to suit a secondary class of Shakespeare beginners).

three lessoNs: oVerView These lessons are numbers 4, 5, and 6 in a 10-lesson sequence (for full scope and sequence see Appendix A online). Lessons are 60 minutes long. By lesson 4, students are developing a sound understanding of Shakespearean language. They understand the narrative and key moments in Act 1 and 2 of the play, and understand some key themes within the play (fate, ‘fair and foul,’ ambition, etc.). Students are familiar with the play techniques used to explore the text, and are familiar with the conventions of a ‘whoosh’.

Lessons 4 to 6 employ strategies recommended by RSC, in using theatre and play-based pedagogy to include students and to allow for easy and successful entry into the language. Warm-up games are employed at the beginning of each class. These games assist to vocally and physically warm-up the body in preparation for performance activities, but also ease tension and set the mood for the lesson. They establish the conventions of drama and play that will be employed by the lesson, and they are strategically designed and adapted to engage students in Shakespearean language and the play Macbeth. Theatrical warm-up games are recommended by Hurley (2009), and I have employed games from her book in these lessons.

Students are involved in reading, viewing, listening, speaking, performing and writing tasks over the course of the sequence. By lesson 6, students will have written a practice essay as a class, and will also have a sound understanding of the first four Acts of Macbeth.

In these three lessons students will progress from a basic, theatrical-based understanding of the play, to a critical and deep understanding. Over the sequence students will develop their higher-order thinking skills, and the essay task is introduced. Students are gradually scaffolded into this task, and are asked to apply their prior knowledge of the text to written tasks.

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These lesson plans link explicitly to several of the AusVELS standards linking language, literature and literacy. For example, students will explore the inclusive and exclusive social effects of language (ACELA1564); they will create imaginative texts that draw thematic connections with their primary text Macbeth (ACELT1644); they will explore purposes and effects of various text structures and language features of texts e.g. performed texts (ACELY1750).

lessoN four: MaCBeTh, aCt three

learNiNg outComes aNd objeCtiVes

•Students will physically demonstrate an understanding of the plot of Act 1 and Act 2 of Macbeth through tableaux.

•Students will further develop an understanding of speaking Shakespearean language.

•Students will continue build their self-efficacy in reading Shakespeare aloud.

•All students will engage in Act 3, through ‘whoosh’ activity .

•Students will present knowledge of understanding of Act 3, through class discussion and brainstorm activity.

•Students will begin to engage in higher-order thinking skills, applying their prior knowledge to performance and discussion tasks.

•AusVELS Links: (ACELY1753); (ACELY1750); (ACELY1751); (ACELT1815).


•Warm-up game: Shakespearean Insults—Appendix B (online).

•Tableaux, in groups of 4-5—3 key moments (before, during and after Duncan’s murder) – Appendix G (online).

•Act Three ‘whoosh’—Appendix D (online).

•Brainstorm key quotes.

•Homework: Meme task—Appendix C (online).

This lesson is highly student centred, and is driven by play and drama. It challenges students’ higher-order thinking skills, and ensures that all students participate in these visible thinking activities. The tableaux activity provides students with the opportunity to display their prior knowledge of the text in a physical way, collaborating in small groups. Doona recommends tableaux in teaching Shakespeare as a method of slowing down the action, and asking students to distil structure, key moments and characters (Doona, J 2011). The ‘whoosh’ activity is an inclusive and accessible way to access the language of Macbeth. All students participate, in a non-confrontational and

unintimidating task. Given that Macbeth is also a theatrical text, using drama pedagogy to physically explore the play is effective and authentic for students. By thinking about key quotes at the conclusion of the lesson, students are gradually preparing for the essay assessment task, which is intrinsically linked back to the ‘whoosh’ and tableaux.

lessoN fiVe: reView—lady maCbeth aNd maCbeth learNiNg outComes aNd objeCtiVes

•Students will recap on their knowledge of Act 3, selecting key quotes.

•Students will begin to consider the essay task, transforming their current knowledge and applying to this task.

•Students will engage in higher-order thinking, applying knowledge to the conscience corridor activity.

•Students will show evidence of completing the meme homework task.

•Students will present knowledge of understanding of Act 3, through class-discussion and brainstorm activity.

•Students will begin to develop an understanding of broader themes in the play and how these relate to quotes and key moments.

•AusVELS Links: (ACELY1753); (ACELY1750); (ACELY1751).


•Warm-up game: ‘Fair, Foul and Hurly-burly’.

•Think-pair-share: Act 3, key quotes and themes.

•Conscience corridor: Macbeth and Lady Macbeth.

•Practice essay question: ‘who is responsible for Macbeth’s fate/downfall?’—class brainstorm.

•Homework: students draft a structure for their practice essay.

This lesson is used as a primer between Act 3 and Act 4 of the play. By lesson 5, students are halfway through the unit and are developing an understanding of key themes within the play. They are able to look at the text in an abstract and critical way. Students explore Act 3 carefully, in pairs linking key quotes to major themes. This activity has been supplemented by drama/play activities in previous lessons, but is designed to practically prepare students for the essay task. Indeed, later in the lesson students will be given their first practice essay question. Exploratory talk is used to brainstorm the essay topic. Drama pedagogy is also employed through the conscience corridor activity that asks students to place themselves in the mindset of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. Inner-thought or thought-

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tracking drama exercises are recommended by Doona, who suggests that these activities consolidate student understanding of character and engage the pupils in the text (Doona, J 2011). The conscience corridor assists in evaluating the change in the characters over the first three Acts.

lessoN six: aCt four, aNd essay questioNs

learNiNg outComes aNd objeCtiVes: • Students will show evidence of having completed the

essay homework task.

• Students will engage in Act Four through ‘whoosh’.

• Students will use creative/persuasive writing toexplore Act Four.

• Students will brainstorm ideas for essay topic, anddemonstrate deep understanding of key concepts/themes within the text.

• Students will engage in higher-order thinking,applying their knowledge of the text to variouswriting, performing and discussion activities.

• AusVELS Links: (ACELY1753); (ACELY1750);(ACELY1751).

learNiNg aCtiVities aNd teaChiNg strategies: • Warm-up game: character hot seat.

• Act Four ‘whoosh’—Appendix E (online).

• Sustained writing activity: ‘Something wicked thisway comes’.

• Practice essay writing: What role does equivocationplay in Macbeth?’—Practice essay questionhandout—Appendix F (online).

• Homework: Students consider the witches’involvement in Macbeth’s downfall. How doesMacbeth react to the prophesies/apparitions? Whatdoes this reveal about Macbeth’s character and hisstate of mind?

This lesson sees students becoming more advanced in their critical understand of the play. We have written a practice essay as a class, and they are able to apply their theatrical reading to the abstract written task. As with the other Acts, students experience Act 4 through a ‘whoosh’, which highlights the key action and lines. Students are presented with a more complex essay question, as well as a hand out with other practice essay questions. Given that the majority of class time thus far in the unit has been spent performing, listening and speaking, this lesson provides students with the opportunity to apply their knowledge of the text to a creative writing prompt. Students use the quote ‘Something wicked this way comes’ to explore the character of Macbeth in free-style creative prose

activity. At the end of this lesson students are familiar with the idea of the essay task, and are considering Macbeth in terms of this outcome.

resourCes

‘Whoosh’ (Appendix D and E online): The ‘whoosh’ is a tool used throughout this unit on Macbeth, as an alternative to reading the full play. The ‘whoosh’ material, written by the teacher, provides students with an edited version of the text, particularly highlighting the key action and drama of each scene, as well as the key quotations. To enact a ‘whoosh’, students stand in a circle with the teacher in the centre. As the teacher reads aloud the summarised action, they elect a random student to enter the circle as the highlighted character in the text. Humour is often employed within the ‘whoosh’ activity, as students become not only the characters but inanimate objects within the scene. As previously noted, many students find Shakespearean language intimidating and inaccessible. Revising the play into a ‘whoosh’ maintains the integrity of the language, but removes some of the fear associated with reading it aloud. The language is modelled by the teacher before it is said aloud by the student, which similarly detracts from the difficulty with pronunciation. It also involves every student in the class, as the students gather in a circle and participate when called upon by the teacher. In this way it is a highly inclusive and engaging way of teaching the text. From a practical perspective, the ‘whoosh’ is an effective and faster way to teach the text, given the time-constraint on the unit. The ‘whoosh’ as a teaching technique is energetic and engaging, but also is highly ‘democratic’ and inclusive, allowing a larger number of students to be involved (Doona, J 2011), as at the end of each scene, when the teacher says ‘whoosh’, the students return to their places in the circle and new students are chosen.

Memes homework task (Appendix C online): The ‘make a meme’ task is set for homework, as it is designed to engage students with the text. Using a form of text that students have a strong prior knowledge of, the task asks students to design a visual/caption-style meme based on Macbeth. Students are able to draw from popular culture and their own prior knowledge, which in turn links back to the text. This task provides evidence of student understanding of the text, and is designed to assist in their engagement of the text. By using a medium that is relevant to the students, the text becomes relevant, practical and authentic. The task requires very little scaffolding, as students are very familiar with codes and conventions and typical audience of the meme genre. Upon submission, the teacher is able to print and display

AC:Es!Idiom49


the memes in the classroom, which gives students an ownership of the space. The students were familiar with the concept of adapting the language and ideas into a colloquial and modern setting, through their homework task in lesson 2, re-writing Lady Macbeth’s soliloquy (Appendix H online). The teacher can use this task as a formative assessment to monitor learning and understanding of the text, and to ensure students are able to transfer their knowledge to various tasks.

resourCes


© Katherine Barton, Teacher Candidate, Master of Teaching (Secondary) MGSE, The University of Melbourne.

67

maCbethMartin Dickens, The University of Melbourne

uNit oVerView—leVel teN MaCBeTh

This unit of work (available online) was developed to teach a year ten mixed abilities English class at a metropolitan all-girls school in Melbourne. In its entirety, the unit focuses on meeting the content descriptors prescribed by AusVELS (2013) for level ten English and seeks to adopt an interactive approach to student learning. The interactive components of the unit are informed by social-constructivist and individual-constructivist theories of learning, where students combine a series of group-work and online exercises to gain a deeper understanding of the events, contexts and characters in Shakespeare’s Macbeth. A selection of exercises and relevant resources are included in the outline, framing the first three lessons of the unit. Outside of an understanding of particular language features and techniques, the unit has also been structured to meet a number of cross-curriculum priorities included in the AusVELS (2013) curriculum, where students explore the evolution of Macbeth in different social and historical contexts.

uNit exPlaNatioN aNd disCussioN

CoNtext

This unit is designed to teach Shakespeare’s Macbeth to a year ten English class at an all-girls secondary Catholic school in metropolitan Melbourne. The composition of the class is mixed-ability, with two students reported as experiencing minor learning difficulties. To ensure Macbeth is accessible to all students, the unit focuses on interactive learning that is informed by the theories of social and individual constructivism. The success of this approach is predicated on access to computer technology in the classroom (through an interactive whiteboard and projector) as well as students possessing their own iPads. Bailey (1999) supports using social-constructivism when teaching Shakespeare as it assists students to understand how literacy is embedded in social practices, contexts and identities. Understanding the evolution of language speaks directly to the core objectives of this unit, where students work with a range of stylistic features and devices to develop creative interpretations of the play.

ChalleNges aNd affordaNCes

For students to achieve creative and analytical interpretations of the play, the unit deals with a number of challenges linked to the school context and class environment. In particular, a large proportion of students have migrant backgrounds and struggle to achieve in the areas of written and spoken English. To engage and guide student learning, Callow and Zammit (2012) argue that English teachers should consult multimodal texts not only for the purposes of

student engagement, but also to educate pupils on features such as metalanguage that are appropriate to the learning context. When designing this unit, students will engage in a total of five semiotic systems (linguistic, visual, audio, gestural and spatial) that are designed to develop oral, visual and written literacy skills. An example of multimodal learning includes a podcast activity where students design a recording to reflect their understanding of key themes and literacy features in Act I. By allowing pupils to work in small pairs and design a podcast using their iPads, it is anticipated that students will not only develop a greater understanding of literary features, but also employ visual features to express their interpretations (Carter, 2002). Using technology for the purpose of reflection and literacy development is encouraged by the school’s ICT policy and again supported by the AusVELS (2013) curriculum, where students should develop sustained texts to communicate challenging and complex issues discovered whilst learning.

ratioNale aNd key learNiNg aims

By focusing on multimodal learning, it is expected that students will achieve three main learning goals by the end of the unit. The goals include: explaining the use of language features in Shakespeare and their intended effect on the audience; adopt a selection of language and stylistic features to develop creative interpretations of the play for a modern context; and construct analytical responses that focus on developing a series of arguments justified by a close reading of the play. These objectives are supported by recent literature produced by Kidd (2012), where project-based activities in the English classroom can assist all students make a connection to Shakespeare’s world and understand its relevance to contemporary times. Overall, the unit will assist students achieve factual, conceptual, procedural and metacognitive knowledge in line with Bloom’s Revised taxonomy for learning (Krathwohl, 2002).

oVerView of a three-lessoN sequeNCe This overview provides an insight into the first three lessons of the Macbeth unit. Given the social context of the class, the lessons are focused on assessing students’ prior knowledge in relation to Shakespeare as well as providing an overview of language features and events. According to Worster’s (2002) research, the hallmark of an effective introduction to Shakespeare is when students are exposed to many versions and interpretations of the play. Through engaging in many interpretations, pupils are able to understand as well as relate the play to their own experiences.

As a starting point to understanding the social and cultural issues, the first lesson involves brainstorming

AC:Es!Idiom49


prior knowledge students have on Shakespeare as well as watching the start of Polanski’s (2002) film production. This stage of diagnosis is important as it assists the teacher to determine the level of scaffolding students will require for each learning activity covered in the unit (Smagorinski, Daigle, O’Donnell-Allen and Bynum, 2010). Following this introduction, students undertake a close reading of Act I of the play in the second lesson after completing three short questions on the opening of the film. This close reading will provide students with an overview of the text’s key themes and the background knowledge they will need to complete a short creative podcast in the third lesson.

lessoN oNe: teaChiNg aNd learNiNg strategies

The first lesson of the unit focuses on engaging the prior knowledge students have on the play. The AusVELS (2013) level ten curriculum guidelines outline that when examining language, students learn to understand how an individual’s evaluation of a text are influenced by their context, mode and purpose of communication. To satisfy this outcome, the teacher will begin the lesson by asking students to draw on their previous knowledge of Shakespeare in a class discussion. The results of the discussion will be displayed on a whiteboard mind map as a means of helping students visualise their current knowledge and promote self-efficacy. After this activity the teacher will distribute a handout that includes a glossary of characters, events and themes located in Macbeth before showing the first act of Polanski’s (2002) film production.

The decision to show students the film and brainstorm background knowledge on the play is informed by literature released by Brooks and Browne (2012), where pupils are found to better understand literature when the teacher takes into account the cultural milieu of their class. Whilst the teacher will provide students with an overview of the play informed by Bell Shakespeare’s Online Learning Pack (2012), the introductory film screening helps pupils locate the play’s original context. To consolidate their knowledge, students are asked to complete three short comprehension questions and begin a reflective journal to record their impressions of the play. The reflective journal forms a summative assessment requirement for the unit and is derived from an AusVELS (2013) curriculum requirement where students learn to reflect on, extend, refute or indorse the various representations of Macbeth encountered in class. Furthermore, the journal will act as an important guide to sequence student learning in lesson two and beyond.

lessoN two: teaChiNg aNd learNiNg strategies

After watching the film, this lesson provides a comprehensive understanding of Act I through a close reading of the play script. At the start of the lesson, students are invited to contribute their impressions of

the film through an introductory class discussion. It is anticipated that students will begin to visualise key themes, events and character roles from watching the film. The discussion will also help students formulate their own questions on the play to be addressed during the lesson. After completing this task, students are organised in a circle and allocated character roles for the purposes of a close reading of Macbeth. By re-organising the room in a circle, a student dialogue will be facilitated that examines cultural knowledge, values and beliefs conveyed in the play (AusVELS, 2013). Through developing a student-centred dialogue, the class will hopefully consider the impact language and themes of the play have on audiences across time.

By encouraging a student-centred dialogue, this lesson draws on and promotes a social-constructivist approach to learning. According to Vygotsky (2004), providing students opportunities to engage in learning discussions not only assists them to develop their creativity, but also instigates the process of ‘internalisation’. Through ‘internalisation’, students who are not familiar with the play will hopefully be able to contextualise and understand language features from their more ‘knowledgeable peers’ in the class. In addition to social-constructivism, the lesson is also informed by an ‘adaptation-centred pedagogy’ outlined in recent research by McKinnon (2011). A central tenet of ‘adaptation-centred pedagogy’ involves supporting students in their understanding of how themes and events in texts such as Macbeth evolve through new creative adaptations of the text (McKinnon, 2011). By using this framework, students will gain valuable assistance in designing their podcast activity for lesson three and continuing to develop their reflective learning journals.

lessoN three: teaChiNg aNd learNiNg strategies

In lesson three, students are introduced to their first summative and performance-based task for the unit. By the end of the class, students will have developed a short podcast recording that reflects their impressions of Act I and its’ central themes. To scaffold this task, the teacher will distribute a handout to students that outlines steps to complete the assessment followed by a PowerPoint presentation on podcasts as a genre. The PowerPoint will include two podcast examples to model genre and introduce some of the metalanguage that compliments this task. Through developing the podcast, students will be engaging in a key AusVELS (2013) curriculum requirement, where pupils develop sustained texts that incorporate a range of software for the purposes of communicating major concerns and perspectives of the unit. The outcome will also be achieved by consulting what Edmiston and McKibben (2011) term a collaborative and dramatic framework for learning.

By using the collaborative framework the year ten pupils will not only engage in dramatic inquiry, but

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develop their oral, written and aural literacy skills. Through a similar activity reported by Edmiston and McKibben (2011), the teachers acknowledged that designing a multimodal response assisted students to use the social and cultural meanings of their classmates to better understand the focus text. By processing a range of interpretations on the play, the short activity will help develop the critical thinking skills of students in preparation for the storyboard activity and analytical essay response in following lessons.

exPlaNatioN of key learNiNg resourCes:In order to help students understand the language and themes of Macbeth, this unit plan provides two key learning resources to be used in the introductory lessons. The first resource includes a handout that features a brief overview of themes, characters and events in the play (see Appendix Two online). The handout also details the parameters of the reflective journal task that forms an ongoing assessment for pupils across the entire fifteen lessons. The purpose of issuing the resource is to assist students not only in their overall understanding of the play, but also provide a brief reference for pupils when they undertake summative assessment tasks during this unit.

In addition to the first learning resource, students will also receive a short PowerPoint presentation to summarise the genre, purpose and techniques of a podcast (see Appendix Three online). Given the first assessment task is a creative podcast, the rationale behind the PowerPoint is to assist students understand the various features of genre as well model for pupils the expectations for the upcoming activity. The PowerPoint will also invite students to work in small groups in order to analyse two short examples of a podcast using the information provided on genre and techniques at the start of the presentation.

refereNCes

Bailey, NM 2009, ‘It Makes It More Real: Teaching New Literacies in a Secondary English Classroom’, English Education, 41(3), 207–234.

Bell Shakespeare’s Online Learning Pack 2012, retrieved from <http://www.bellshakespeare.com.au/downloads/files/Macbeth%200online%20Learning%20Pack.pdf>.

Braunsberg, A, Hefner, HM, Lownes, V (Producers) and Polanski, R (Director), 2002, Macbeth [Video], Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment,Culver City, California.

Brooks, W and Browne, S 2012, Towards a Culturally Situated Reader Response Theory, Children’s Literature in Education, 43(1), 74–85.

Callow, J and Zammit, K 2012, ‘Where lies your text?’ (Twelfth Night Act I, Scene V): Engaging high school students from low socioeconomic backgrounds in reading multimodal texts’, English in Australia, 47(2), 69–77.

Carter, D 2002, Shakespeare and Classic Works in the Classroom, David Fulton Publishers Ltd. London.

Downing, C 2002, ‘Close(d) Reading of Shakespeare: Re-covering Self-Reflexivity in the Classroom, College Literature’, 29(2), 115–123.

Edmiston, B and McKibben, A 2011, ‘Shakespeare, rehearsal approaches, and dramatic inquiry: Literacy education for life’, English in Education, 45(1), 56–101.

Kidd, D 2011, ‘The Mantle of Macbeth’, English in Education, 45(1), 72–85.

Krathwohl, DR 2002, ‘A Revision of Bloom’s Taxonomy: An Overview’, Theory into Practice, 41(4), 212–218.

Kubiak, A and Reynolds, B 2006, ‘The Delusion of Critique: Subjunctive Space, Transversality, and the Conceit of Deceit in Hamlet’, in B. Reynolds (Ed.), Transversal Enterprises in the Drama of Shakespeare and his Contemporaries (pp. 64–84), Macmillan, New York.

McKinnon, J 2011, ‘Creative Copying?: The Pedagogy of Adaptation’, Canadian Theatre Review, 147, 55–60.

Ryan, J 2004, Heinemann New Classroom Shakespeare Macbeth Textbook, Pearson Education Australia, Sydney.

Smagorinsky, P, Daigle, EA, O’Donnell-Allen, C and Bynum, S 2010, ‘Bullshit in Academic Writing: A Protocol Analysis of a High School Senior’s Process of Interpreting Much Ado About Nothing’, Research in the Teaching of English, 44(4), 368–405.

Smart, E and Vincent, K 2012, ‘Active approaches to teaching: Improving and enriching performance and understanding Shakespeare’.in R. Elkington (Ed.), Turning Pupils on to Learning: Creative Classrooms in Action, pp. 26–38, Routledge, London.

Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (AusVELS) (2013). English Curriculum F–10, retrieved from <http://ausvels.vcaa.vic.edu.au/English/CurriculumF-10#level=10>.

Vygotsky, LS 2004, Imagination and Creativity in Childhood’, Journal of Russian and East European Psychology, 42(1), 7–97.

Worster, D 2002, ‘Performance Options and Pedagogy: Macbeth’, Shakespeare Quarterly, 43(3), 362–378.

resourCes


© Martin Dickens, Teacher Candidate, Master of Teaching (Secondary) MGSE, The University of Melbourne.

AC:Es!Idiom49


the suburbaN gothiC, aN exPloratioN of edWard sCissorhands —desigN of a uNit of work for year 8Monica Caillard, The University of Melbourne

This unit of work (available online) is based on an assessment task completed in 2013.

ratioNale

The school in which this unit will be taught is a co-educational government school in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne. It is a middle-of-the-range socio-economic status school, but has approximately 60 per cent English as an Additional Language (EAL) student population (ACARA, 2013b). This has been kept in mind during the development of this unit, and the use of ICT and visual aids have been included in the planning process to enable students who do not understand English well to participate in the class.

This unit of work is informed by the AusVELS (VCAA, 2013) curriculum requirements for Year 8 English studies. The description of the Year 8 English requirements state that students should be developing skills in ‘listening, reading, viewing, speaking, writing and creating’, as well as incorporating texts that are designed to appeal to the students on an aesthetic level. This unit will incorporate all of these elements through a variety of learning activities such as viewing and verbally analysing the film Edward Scissorhands (Burton, 1990). Students will also construct an extended written response to the film and create a collection of visual resources to assist the students in understanding the themes and content of the film (VCAA, 2013). Additionally, AusVELS (VCAA, 2013) states that students should be developing their understanding of how texts are ‘influenced by context, purpose and audience’. This will be a focus of this unit of work, and will form the majority of the teaching and learning activities that the students will be completing in this unit.

AusVELS (VCAA, 2013) states that students should also be working with texts that ‘involve some challenging and unpredictable plot sequences and a range of non-stereotypical characters’. This applies to the film Edward Scissorhands (Burton, 1990) which the Year 8 students will be studying in this unit of work through Burton’s unconventional characters and settings (VCAA, 2013). Embedded in this unit of work, the students will be working on improving their use of language features, including ‘successive complex sentences with embedded clauses, … figurative and rhetorical language,… and information supported by various types of graphics presented in visual form’ through a variety of written pieces and a creative visual task (VCAA, 2013).

The following AusVELS achievement standards will be worked towards during this unit (online): AusVELS

(VCAA, 2013) states that students should be able to ‘select evidence from the text to show how events, situations and people can be represented from different viewpoints’. This will be addressed in this unit through the use of quote sheets and character maps, as well as in the final summative assessment for the unit which will be an analytical essay. The final assessment will also incorporate a number of the AusVELS (VCAA, 2013) achievement standards for writing which state that students should ‘demonstrate understanding of grammar, select vocabulary for effect and use accurate spelling and punctuation’ in their written work.

desCriPtioN of lessoN sequeNCe

oVerView

The sequence of lessons that will be examined in close detail occur in lessons 5–7. The lessons introduce film techniques, develop the students understanding of how film techniques are used to develop characters and setting, and cultivate the students’ ability to use evidence, such as film techniques and quotes, in academic essays. The unit is based on Bloom’s Revised taxonomy and incorporates learning activities that conform to the different orders of thinking within the taxonomy.

Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy places importance on content knowledge, as well as the process of learning, as a result this unit focuses on both skill (or process) and content (Anderson, 1999, p.4). Throughout the unit the students are encouraged to develop their writing skills, specifically the ability to compare and contrast ideas from the text to produce a written response, as well as their knowledge of key terms and phrases used in writing academic essays. These skills and this knowledge will be assessed in Week 10 of the unit, when the students are required to write a text response essay relating to the characters and settings in the film.

In Lesson 5 the students continue to develop the skills necessary to complete the final task through evidence in essays on how to incorporate film techniques. The students go on to develop this skill further in the following two lessons, in which students are explicitly taught to use film techniques as evidence in their essays to describe characters and settings. These learning outcomes relate specifically to AusVELS content descriptor ACELT1632 which states that students should ‘[c]reate literary texts that draw upon text structures and language features of other texts for particular purposes and effects’, which is a focus for this unit.

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the suburbaN gothiC, aN exPloratioN of edWard sCissorhands

—desigN of a uNit of work for year 8Monica Caillard, The University of Melbourne

lessoN fiVe

ratioNale This lesson fits within the ‘building-knowledge’ stage of the learning and teaching cycle, students should be developing their understanding of film techniques and how they are used by directors to construct meaning in a film (Love, Baker and Quinn, 2008). The lesson is also designed to stimulate lower order thinking (remembering and understanding) as it is the first lesson in which the students will be studying film techniques this year. Additionally, as the students have studied film techniques in Year 7, it is important for the teacher to assess how much the students know about the topic by asking open ended questions so that the class does not spend too much time going over information the students already have. This task is also designed so that the worksheet can be used as a resource for the students when they are writing their summative assessment for the unit.

refereNCes

Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. (2013a). AusVELS English Domain Level 8,retrieved from: <http://ausvels.vcaa.edu.au/English/Curriculum/F-10?y=8&s=R&s=W&s=SL&layout=2>.

Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. (2013b), MySchool. Retrieved <http://www.myschool.edu.au>.

Burton, T Dir. 1990, Edward Scissorhands [DVD], Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, USA.

Love, Baker and Quinn, 2008, Bloom, Anderson, Krathwohl

Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority VCAA, 2013, ‘The AusVELS Curriculum: English’, retrieved from <http://ausvels.vcaa.vic.edu.au/English/Curriculum/F-10>.

resourCes

© Monica Caillard, Teacher Candidate, Master of Teaching (Secondary) MGSE, The University of Melbourne.


AC:Es!Idiom49


exPlaNatioN of uNit

When designing this unit, I had in mind a class located within a co-educational government school with a high level of various learning needs and abilities. My main concern with teaching Austen’s Pride and Prejudice is the issue of emphasising its relevance to a group of 16 year-olds who may never have been exposed to 19th century language before. It was with this consideration in mind that I felt it was important that my unit consisted of many different modes of the same text, which I hoped would increase engagement with the material. In terms of resources, this class all had access to a laptop which means that word processing and web-based research projects were often encouraged.

Without wanting to make too many generalisations, one of the serious challenges that this unit hopes to address is the concept of Pride and Prejudice as being just a romance for women. I believe that this would be a definite obstacle to the engagement of the majority of the males in the classroom. My emphasis, therefore, will be focusing on the ideas and themes brought to the fore by both its original title of First Impression and its current title. Getting teenagers to read can often be an arduous task, especially with the added challenge of 19th century language. Creating opportunities to ‘modernise’ the scenes and situations will hopefully provide a more accessible context for students to grapple with the ideas portrayed in the novel. One of the important aspects of this process is the ‘woosh’ activity is its propensity to break down the language into the most vital parts of the story, facilitating the students’ deeper understanding of the novel.

Jane Austen is regarded as one of the greatest writers of the modern English Language and a pioneer of the modern novel. My rationale in teaching this text is to highlight the universality of the human experience as it transcends time and place. Often when confronted with a classic or canonical text, students resist the idea that it holds any relevance to the modern reader. Penelope Fritzer’s article entitled ‘Jane Austen’s novels as a guide to social and individual responsibilities for high school students’ emphasises the role that teaching Pride and Prejudice has on shaping the idea of social responsibility in young people (1998). For example, students are faced with idea that being persuaded into certain actions by others in your social circle is not necessarily a key to individual happiness, seen in the character of Mr. Bingley. I believe this is an extremely relevant lesson to learn for many teenagers. In other research, too, it is widely held that reading literature in an encouraging learning environment where relevant themes and links are made clear to students can assist their long-term personal development (Leggo, 2011).

pride and prejudiCe—year 10 uNit of workElise McGarvie, The University of Melbourne

desCriPtioN of a sequeNCe of lessoNs

In designing a sequence of lessons within my unit on Pride and Prejudice, I felt that it was important to focus on one overarching learning aim: contextualisation. By contextualisation, I’m not referring simply to a chronological frame of reference but one that encompasses linguistic, spatial and social understanding of the Regency era. Teaching a classic text such as this requires a somewhat Historical approach to the teaching of this era. Van Drie and Van Boxtel’s (2007) work on historical reasoning informs the view that Contextualisation is one of the most important factors in teaching history. It is my belief, that this is extremely relevant for the teaching of Pride and Prejudice because some of the themes and attitudes of the writer must be observed through the lens of her day. This notion is reflected in the AusVELS content descriptors that emphasises the textual representations of individuals and groups in different historical, social and cultural contexts, as well as an exploration of the ‘values, beliefs and assumptions’ that the text portrays (ACARA, 2012). These lessons come at the beginning of the unit whereby the students are first introduced to some of the major themes and ideas behind the text, as well as begin to grapple with the political, social and economic factors of the period in which Austen wrote her novels. Contextualisation within a linguistic frame of reference is also an important component of these lessons, continuously aiming to ‘modernise’ the language of Austen in order to heighten its relevance to a group of 16 year-olds.

The first lesson begins with the teacher getting an understanding of how many of the students have already read the book over the holidays. This is done using an anonymous survey where students close their eyes and raise their hand without anyone else knowing what they have indicated. Depending on the answer, the teacher will endeavour to do as much reading in class as possible. I have designed the lessons on the basis that less than 30 per cent of the class has already read the book. In light of this, each lesson will start with a reading of relevant chapters for the lesson. In the first lesson, the class are re-introduced to the audio book, which was provided to them prior to the holidays as well. This is aimed at being a tool on which students with lower-literacy levels can rely when reading at home. After the reading, an excerpt from the BBC adaptation is played with the students directed to take note of three differences and similarities. This is used as a springboard into a brief discussion analysing the passage, including prompting questions based on Bloom’s taxonomy, with the aim of developing an understanding of why Mrs. Bennet is so obsessed

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pride and prejudiCe—year 10 uNit of workElise McGarvie, The University of Melbourne

with how much money Mr. Bingley makes and by emphasising the famous opening line of the book. The task is then set for the students to re-write the exchange in a modern-day setting, including answers to the question: what kinds of (non-physical) attributes would your parents get either excited or horrified over regarding a possible future partner for you? The idea here is to raise the idea that while some of the details have changed since Austen’s day, many of the social cues and characteristics are universal, such as the notion of security and happiness in marriage. (Detailed lesson plan in Appendix One online).

The second lesson will focus mostly on three key learning objectives: developing an appreciation of Austen’s language, understanding some of the key themes relating to the title of the book as well as an understanding of Austen’s biography and the role her life experience has had in her writing. Firstly, the students are asked to read Chapter 3 out loud in a reading-circle style. They are directed to read as much as they feel comfortable without exceeding a page, and then say ‘pass’ to move onto the next person. The aim here is to assess the levels of oral reading skills prevalent in the classroom, as well as highlighting common words within the text that students may trip over, including: insupportable, countenance, fastidious, disposition, finery etc. This will serve as the beginning of what will be a continuing process of creating a glossary of unfamiliar works, which includes a definition as well as a modern-day equivalent. An ‘Austen’ vocabulary website will be provided as an aide. The teacher will then inform the class that the original title of the book was First Impressions and the class will discuss the inspiration for this title after having read the very first encounter between Elizabeth and Darcy. Those who have not read the book will be asked to predict how the relationship between these two characters develops. The students will be directed to write a brief reflection of a time when their first impression of a person, book, film, activity, either lived up to the real thing or not. The class will then move on to look at a short biography of Austen’s life (Appendix Two online). After reading the bio, the teacher then conducts a ‘Line-up’ debate in which students are asked to line up either side of the room and respond in the affirmative or negative to the prompt: ‘The best stories are either truthful or inspired by the life experiences of the author’. (Appendix Three online). This is aimed at providing a formative assessment on the class’ collective ability to come up with original arguments and examples, through honing the skill of using evidence to support a point. (Detailed lesson plan in Appendix Four online).

The final lesson will focus on a historical view of the period in which Austen was writing. This will take the form of a research task that asks the students to work in pairs to discover some aspects about living during the Regency period (Appendix Five online). The pairs will be chosen at random using playing cards in order to mix up the social groups of the classroom and hopefully match students with learning difficulties with a more knowledgeable other who would help promote learning in the less confident student (O’Donnell, p.120). This task lends itself to tackling the Cross-Curriculum Priority from AusVELS which calls for the perspectives of Indigenous and Torres Straight Islander perspectives as well as Australia’s engagement with Asia. In the research task, one of the groups will look at the world of colonial Britain including Australia and Asia. The topics would also be allocated to ensure that they were evenly spread out among abilities and interests. The task requires web-based research in response to three or four focus questions. These questions include both comprehension and evaluative questions that would enable students to delve deeper into the content to produce a response. The task requires the production of a pamphlet that outlines each pair’s information. These pamphlets will be distributed to all students upon completion. This is aimed to motivate the class to work effectively with the knowledge that their peers will be relying on the information on each pamphlet. They will be allowed two lessons to complete the project.

resourCes

© Elise McGarvie, Teacher Candidate, Master of Teaching (Secondary) MGSE, The University of Melbourne.


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Chinese CinderellaCatherine Sparrow, The University of Melbourne

exPlaNatioN aNd disCussioN

This unit has been designed based on an experience of teaching Year 7 English at an all-boys independent school. It assumes a class size of 25–27 students from a range of ethnic and cultural backgrounds. A number of students (20–25 per cent) are likely to have a personal connection with Chinese culture and will be able to draw upon this during their study of the text. Approximately half of the students will have attended the junior school associated with the college and be familiar with the school ethos and studying in an all-male environment. Most of those new to the school should also be settled in, mid-way through the second term.

The class will consist of students with a range of abilities and attitudes towards English. For those who struggle in the subject, the ‘real-life’ appeal of an autobiographical text will hopefully boost engagement (Broughton and Manuel, 2007). Although the protagonist is female, the boys should be able to relate to the various stages of Adeline’s childhood; the text tells her story up to the age of fourteen. Hopefully, the fact that Adeline is a girl will encourage the boys to question how they might react in a similar situation—whether they would behave like Adeline or more like her brothers and the possible motives for each character.

One of the primary objectives when studying a text such as this is to develop the students’ understanding of themselves and the world around them, as well as their ability to articulate their maturing ideas (Grover, 2009; Thomson, 1987). In order to do this, the first few lessons of the unit will focus on building the students’ knowledge of the text and equipping them with the metalanguage required to discuss its themes and characters in detail. This is essential if the students are going to be able to support their ideas during class debate, discussion and role play, etc (Quinn, 2004). According to the school’s internal curriculum, the students will have already studied persuasive writing/speaking, so they should be familiar with the genre of debating (a class activity to take place about two weeks into the unit) and with writing an essay (the final piece of summative assessment). The text-based essay and creative response are the two pieces of summative assessment planned for this unit. By using more formative rather than summative assessment tasks, the boys will be encouraged to read for meaning and learning, not merely to achieve good marks (Guthrie, 2008).

three-lessoN sequeNCe

The three-lesson sequence described here takes place early on in the unit. It is expected that the students will be at least halfway through the text, having begun

reading it for homework. After an initial introductory lesson to the main plot and ideas, the students will begin to dig deeper into the language and structure of the text. The first lesson in this sequence, therefore, is ideally the second lesson of the unit. During these three lessons the main focus will be on ACELA1782; developing the students’ language and ability to evaluate the text, in preparation for the summative assessment pieces where the students will be required to demonstrate their understanding of the text and its ideas. In the overall unit outline, these lessons come under the Engagement and building knowledge stages of the Learning and teaching cycle (Love, Baker and Quinn, 2009). Of course within each lesson there will also be a mini-version of this cycle. The content is designed for a lesson time of 50 minutes.

lessoN aThe purpose of this lesson is to begin to engage the students with the text as more than just a story and to introduce them to some of the metalanguage they require for text analysis.

As a warm-up activity, the teacher will put up the first of a series of photos (see Appendix One online), a picture of a Chinese woman’s foot which has been bound, inside a decorated shoe—and ask the following questions: Does this look natural? Does it look pretty? Do you like the way it looks? Do you think it looks like it would hurt as much as Nai Nai describes?

Expanding on this warm-up activity the teacher will then read out Adeline’s description of Nai Nai’s feet from pages 7 and 20 of the text. Ask a few of the students to describe what they think the bare foot might look like before showing the remaining images. Facilitate a brief discussion: Is this what you expected to see? Does the author’s language do justice to the image? Which are the key words which stand out for you? Underline them in the text. Do you think the author has deliberately toned down her description? Give the students five minutes to write two or three sentences of their own, describing what a bound foot looks like. Select a few volunteers to read theirs aloud and ask the class which is more evocative—the author’s descriptions or their own?

For the second half of the lesson, the students will be divided into groups of three for chapter analysis. Each student will be given an assigned role—scribe, reader and reporter. The groups need to answer the following questions: What happens in your chapter? Provide a brief summary. Which characters are present? What do we learn about them? What kind of things does the author describe? Find one example of a metaphor or simile in your chapter.

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Chinese CinderellaCatherine Sparrow, The University of Melbourne

It is important with this activity to give the students example answers and clarify the definition of a metaphor/simile before they begin. The teacher cannot assume that the boys will automatically be able to recognise and employ various linguistic features (Derewianka, 1995). After using the first chapter as an example, the boys will have 10 minutes in groups to come up with answers to the questions, before their representative will be asked to report back to the class.

lessoN bFollowing on from the previous lesson, the teacher will introduce the topic of textual themes and using quotes to discuss them. Again the focus is on building the students’ knowledge of textual analysis techniques and how to employ them. Brainstorm on the board: What is a theme? What do you already know about themes? What kinds of themes are present in the text? Write the list of possible suggestions on the whiteboard. What is a quote? Can it be anything from the text? How long can it be? After an initial whole-class discussion (approximately 10 minutes) each boy will be given a slip of paper with a quote written on it (see Appendix Two online). The task is to locate the quote in its context and explain how it relates to one or more of the themes listed on the board. The students will have 10 minutes to prepare their answers, then the whole class will sit in a circle and each student will present his or her quote in turn, reading it aloud and explaining how it could be used in an essay as evidence of a theme. The reason this activity is verbal rather than written is to develop the students’ interaction skills when discussing and presenting ideas under ACELY1804. Later tasks in the unit will involve quite a bit of writing but English is a multifaceted subject, involving both written and oral communication skills, as well as an appreciation of literature (Durrant, 2008; Green and Cormack, 2008; McLean Davies and Kent, 2011). It is important therefore, to provide the students with opportunities to develop their speaking and listening skills, which this activity is designed to do. It will also prepare them for the class debate. When teaching students how to analyse language features, it is important not to lose sight of the meaning of the text (Wintle, 2011) and using a reading circle allows the teacher to probe the boys’ understanding of meaning as the discussion progresses.

lessoN CThe third lesson is designed to wrap up this initial sequence of introductory text analysis and engagement. Each student will be assigned a chapter (although there will need to be some doubling up due to numbers) and provided with a chapter summary

template (see Appendix Three online). The teacher will go through the template using a worked example (see Appendix Four online) to make sure that the students understand what each question is asking. At the end of the lesson the teacher will collect all summaries and collate them into a booklet, to be photocopied and distributed amongst the students. The purpose of the summary booklet is to have something written for the students, by the students, to assist them when it comes to writing the creative piece and text response essay under ACELT1625. Having responded orally to the text last lesson, the students will now use a guided writing to task to organise and articulate their thoughts. Subsequent lessons will offer the chance for dramatic and visual responses to the text so that all four of the key response types are covered during the unit—oral, written, dramatic and visual (Bolton, 2000). The chapter summary is a hurdle task (each student is required to complete it) but it will not be a part of the summative assessment for this unit. Belanger (2000) makes a strong case for formative assessment, asserting that papers which are marked and returned are seldom used as a reference for future tasks. The whole purpose of the summary booklet is to be used as a reference when planning an essay, so it is in the teacher’s interests not to grade the students on this task.

The idea is to encourage the boys to collaborate and draw upon the each other’s reflections; incorporating ideas that they might not have experienced themselves when reading the text initially.

refereNCes

Belanger, J 2004, ‘When Will We Ever Learn?, The Case for Formative Assessment Supporting Writing Development’, English in Australia, 141, 41–48.

Bolton, F 2000, ‘Responding to literature’, Classroom 6 30–31.

Broughton, M and Manuel, J 2007, ‘What do Australian boys think about reading?’, Literacy Learning: The Middle Years, 15(1), 9–16.

Derewianka, B 1995, ‘Taking it for granted’, Idiom, 30(1), 28–34.

Durrant, C 2008, English teaching: profession or predicament? English in Australia, 141, 6–8.

Green, B and Cormack, P 2008, Curriculum history, ‘English’ and the New Education; or, Installing the empire of English? Pedagogy, Culture and Society, 16(3), 253–267. doi: 10.1080/14681360802346648.

Grover, P 2008, ‘Writing to Teach; Teaching to Write’, The Australian Christian Education Forum.

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Guthrie, J 2008, ‘Reading motivation and engagement in middle and high school: Appraisal and intervention’, in J. Guthrie (Ed.), Engaging adolescents in reading (pp. 1–16), Sage/Corwin Press, C.A.

Kiely, G. (2010). Gordon’s Blog: Chinese Foot Binding. Retrieved from http://gordonkiely.blogspot.com.au/2012/02/chinese-foot-binding.html.>.

Love, K, Baker, G and Quinn, M 2008, LASS: Literacy Across the School Subjects (CD-ROM), University of Melbourne.

McLean Davies, L and Kent, H 2011, from literature to literary practice: Teaching texts in the Australian curriculum. In B. Doecke, G. Parr and and W. Sawyer (Eds.), Creating an Australian Curriculum (pp. 99–112). Phoenix Press, Australia.

Neatorama (n.d.), ‘The Bygone Practice of Foot Binding in China’, retrieved from <http:://www.neatorama.com/2010/07/07/the-bygone-practice-of-foot-binding-in-china/>.

Quinn, M 2004, ‘Talking with Jess: Looking at how metalanguage assisted explanation writing in the Middle Years’, Australian Journal of Language and Literacy, 27( 3), 245– 261.

Scott James, M, 2006, ‘Sui, Tang and Song China, Another Classical Age’, retrieved from <http://www.gossamerstrands.com/Hist100/lecture10.htm>.

Summersnow 2012, Is Beauty Worth The Pain? retrieved from <http://summersnow1993 blogspot.com.au/2012/07/is-beauty-worth-pain.html.>.

Thomson, J 1987, ‘Teaching literature: more questions than answers’, in Understanding teenagers’ reading: reading processes and the teaching of literature (pp. 10–16), Methuen, Australia.

Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority 2013, The AusVELS Curriculum: Level 7, retrieved from <http://ausvels.vcaa.vic.edu.au>.

Wintle, P 2011, ‘Finding Yourself in Poetry: A reflection on how to encourage ownership through risk taking and shared learning’, English in Australia, 46(2), 57–66.

Yen Mah, A 1999, Chinese Cinderella, Penguin Group (Puffin Books), Australia.

resourCes

© Catherine Sparrow, Teacher Candidate, Master of Teaching (Secondary) MGSE, The University of Melbourne.


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Doesn’t everyone start at the contents page of a school book to see if there is anything useful in there? National English Skills 8 Workbook has certainly got the contents page sorted! It is clear and well laid out without being a list of grammatical terms that most students don’t know and don’t like. Headings such as ‘What is advertising?’ and ‘The language of poetry’ make this book obviously usable for students and teachers. It is a workbook that will help with class work and homework rather than make it all the more confusing.

Having read through the chapters I found that the chapter on persuasive language was especially helpful in encouraging students to break down the advertising they are presented with everyday to see why it is so persuasive and then build it back up to really grasp how it is constructed. The chapter predictably ends with the opportunity for students to write their own advert using the persuasive language they have learnt. I would probably offer students a broader range of pictures to construct an advert around rather than just the dog in goggles and a cape presented by the book, however, it could evoke some interesting ideas from students.

‘Improve your spelling’ is also a great and very practical chapter and I am really happy to see a section on the words in the English language that are just too similar. Mastering the difference between council and counsel, principal and principle and alley and ally is really important for our spell checker reliant students. The activity given in the book to match the word to the meaning would be good to use to see where students are at, or after having gone through the differences in class with helpful memory hints (the princiPAL is your PAL etc.) and once complete will be a resource for students to refer back to.

The ‘language’ sections of nouns, personal pronouns, persuasion, verbs, prefixes and suffixes, adjectives and nominalisation and revising parts of speech are well and relevantly dispersed throughout the chapters and do not come across as being the boring bits that students will just sigh at.

This resource inspires wider reading of literature by offering exerts from novels that are not only useful for the exercise or example being given, but encourage students to want to read the rest of the book. Students are being offered a selection of ideas for their own reading that are interesting and appropriate to them. The Whale Rider, Growing up Asian in Australia, the Tomorrow When the War Began series, Chinese Cinderella and Holes are all used, along with other books, movie examples, pictures and websites.

This workbook is, in the words of a Year 8 student ‘less cluttered’ than most text books. It is easy

reView—naTional english skills 8 WorkBookAmanda Cass, Australian Catholic University

to use, colorful and has great explanations with many supporting examples. It has (once eventually downloaded) ebook access which will be helpful for iPad/laptop schools and classrooms, and even just for students who don’t like carrying heavy books home every night (and leaves less excuses for unfinished homework). I would recommend this book as a class text for Year 8 English and believe it to be a fantastic aid to the teaching of the new Australian Curriculum.

© Amanda Cass is a pre-service teacher completing her Graduate Diploma in Education at Australian Catholic University, Melbourne Campus.

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reView—oxford Big ideas 8 ausTralian CurriCuluM: englishMiriam Iuricich, Craigieburn Secondary College

The authors of Oxford Big Ideas 8 English have created a comprehensive textbook which addresses the required content, scope and sequence of learning for the Australian Curriculum: English for this level. This text is part of the Oxford Big Ideas series across a number of curriculum areas and is similar in pedagogical approach to the other texts in this series. Each section is based on a big idea and several key questions which are linked to the strands and sub-strands of the Language, Literature and Literacy content structure of the course.

The big question in part 1 is ‘What does our language say about us?’ Within that concept, each section tackles a key sub-question, such as ‘How do we use language to identify ourselves as individuals and a part of a group or community?’ Minor subquestions and topic subheadings focus on key knowledge and skill development such as ‘Using the passive voice’. Activities are interspersed throughout these sections to target each concept and there is a range of oral and written tasks as well as individual and group work activities. At the end of each part, assessment tasks related to the individual sub-questions encourage students to actively think about, process and apply the key skills and knowledge to the creation of their own texts.

Visually the text has a number of stimuli such as photographs, cartoons, and concept maps. It draws on a wide variety of texts for students to experience, such as extracts from novels, short stories, poems, plays, and speeches across a number of time periods. There is an emphasis on multimodal texts and the way text and language have developed as a result of new technologies. In particular the cross-curriculum priorities are addressed in the selection of the literature content focusing on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and Australia’s connections with Asia.

There are a number of sidebars sprinkled throughout the text with language focus explanations such defining the term empathy or punctuation and grammar helpers. This is not a grammar and spelling textbook, but these skills are embedded within the various sections of the text and are addressed within the conceptual elements being explored. Teachers are well-supported by an online teaching resource to accompany the text and the text is also available in electronic format on a number of platforms, and can be networked.

As a teaching resource, the Oxford Big Ideas 8 English would be most valuable. It provides clear explanations under each sub-question using appropriate metalanguage and examples to clarify and reinforce key concepts. A key strength of the book is the

incorporation of concept maps throughout. These encapsulate key features and structures of various texts, such as the qualities of an informative text, which students may use as a planning structure for their own texts.

As a student textbook, this text would be best used as a class set, particularly if purchased in an online format for networking. There is a lot of text, and this could be off-putting to students who have difficulties coping with large chunks of text or may have EAL considerations. The font is also small, to keep the page numbers down, and this may also be off-putting for students in the print format. As a class set, however, the text will allow teachers to differentiate the curriculum successfully, so that students of all skill levels will be catered for. Students who are demonstrating skills above the expected Year 8 level will also be challenged and stimulated by this textbook. Oxford’s approach to the big Ideas concept is a creative one and presents a product that is atypical to the standard format English textbook which is structured in units rather than concepts.

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reView—oxford Big ideas 8 ausTralian CurriCuluM: englishMiriam Iuricich, Craigieburn Secondary College

reView—naTional english skills 9 for The ausTralian CurriCuluMNerissa Marcon, St Helena Secondary College

The new National English Skills 9 for the Australian Curriculum workbook by Macmillan has been designed to meet the contemporary learning needs of secondary students in Year 9 English classes with direct links to the new Australian Curriculum’s three strands of literacy, literature and language. Written by experienced authors in the field of education, the workbook is divided into 18 skill-based chapters that explore areas such as intertextuality, context, symbolism, language conventions, using language to persuade, descriptive writing, character development, narrative, dialogue, biographies, short stories, poetry, genre, and reviews.

One of the appealing aspects of this workbook is the choice of engaging and age-appropriate excerpts to support student learning within each chapter. Consistent with the emphasis on both literacy and literature within the Australian Curriculum, the authors have chosen extracts from popular texts, such as Harry Potter to explore fantasy, Twilight for book cover design, Storm Boy for descriptive writing, Outsiders for drama and conflict, Z for Zacharia for science fiction genre, and Lord of the Flies for character and dialogue study. I particularly enjoyed the inclusion of an excerpt from The Diary of a Young Girl as a springboard to study personal context; obviously in this instance to understand the context surrounding 13-year-old Anne Frank’s hiding in Holland to avoid capture during World War II. The frequent ‘How well did you read?’ sections which follow each rich extract prompt students to think critically about what they have read, developing reading comprehension and language skills that take into account audience, purpose and context. I have also personally found the ‘Exploring Poetry’ section to be a valuable resource, with its excerpts from Stephen Herrick’s incredibly popular verse novel ‘Love, Ghosts and Nose Hair’, list of common poetic techniques, annotated poems, and related questions for further discussion.

Another attractive aspect of this workbook is its considerable emphasis on persuasive writing in media texts and points of view, with three specific sections titled ‘Persuasion and Argument’, ‘Issues and perspectives’ and ‘Media Texts’. Activities assist students to develop skills which include how to identify a topic, contention and supporting arguments, as well as an exploration of a variety of different types of media texts, including speeches, editorials, cartoons, websites, magazine front covers and posters. Three specific issues revolving around ‘Animal Welfare’, ‘Youth Violence’ and the origins of food production form the basis for delving deeper into the intricacies and effectiveness of using language to persuade. The inclusion of a specific language section titled ‘Shades

of meaning’ provides a fabulous medium to explore negative, neutral and positive-charged emotive words, as well as nouns, tones and powerful word definitions.

The workbook’s emphasis on specific ‘language’ elements, consistent with the ‘Language’ strand documented within the Australian Curriculum, cannot be ignored. Language components incorporated into the text to extend students’ understanding of the English language include the study of: common, proper, abstract and collective nouns, clauses (although the explanations of different types of clauses, I feel, would not easily be understood by some students), verbs, idioms, adjectives and adverbs. The majority of these language elements are presented clearly and concisely, with ample opportunity for students to practice each in the spaces provided.

Lastly, the use of full colour, neat fonts, bold headings and variety of different types of images associated with text makes National English Skills 9 an attractive workbook for Year 9 English students and teachers. Teacher books are available as an additional teacher resource, as well as access to Macmillan’s ‘One Stop Digital’ interactive ebook. It is my understanding that the publisher is also able to send representatives out to schools to run professional development sessions, explaining the use of the digital ebook associated with this workbook and how it might be incorporated into teaching practice. This was an informative option that we took advantage of at my school. I certainly find this workbook an effective pedagogical tool within my own teaching practice and I’m confident that any other teachers who are looking to supplement their students’ learning with a text that is reflective of the Australian Curriculum would find the same.

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reView—MaCMillan english 7 for The ausTralian CurriCuluMMelanie Pearson, Mount Hira College

Macmillan English 7 for the Australian Curriculum is a visually engaging book which makes good use of images throughout the text, something my students commented on the times that I have used the text with them. The text grabs their attention with vibrant and relevant photographs accompanying many of the pieces of text. The texts selected (visual and written) are a good mix of contemporary and classic; giving students a good overview of the variety of Englishes and texts they can explore as they enter high school.

The book’s chapters are organised into various themes such as ‘good sport’, ‘views of Asia’ and ‘superheroes’. Within each chapter there are sections on the three Australian Curriculum strands of literature, language and literacy, as well as assessment tasks. The layout is fairly consistent throughout the book which would make it easier for students to engage with the work as they become familiar with where the introduction, stimulus text and questions will be each time.

The assessment tasks are not exhaustive and are more summing up activities for each chapter rather than major assessment tasks. There are three suggested tasks for each chapter with some combination of writing/speaking and listening/reading and viewing or creating. Some of the assessment tasks take the form of short answer questions while others are more extensive (e.g. writing a letter or preparing a speech). If the text was to be used as a core text for a class then I’m sure I would use many of the assessment tasks as laid out in the book as they link clearly with what has been learnt in the chapter and with the Australian Curriculum.

The text includes a number of references to websites to be used in the exercises, usually to specific resources rather than just a general page. All of the ones I have tested worked fine, which was good to see. Hopefully the book will be updated regularly to ensure that the links stay correct. The frequent use of websites could be a problem in schools where students do not readily have access to computers, but could be worked around by teachers printing out the relevant pages, as usually the text asks them to look at a specific section of a website, rather than browse around it.

I spent some time looking at the online resources for this book which includes a web version and iPad app.

The iPad app is just a scan of the textbook and isn’t great; the pages aren’t interactive so you can’t click on websites or click menu items to be taken to the relevant page. This could definitely do with improving. The website is a little better with the addition of tasks and quizzes which can be downloaded as word documents, although they don’t seem to connect very much with what was in the textbook. Again, the digital

version of the textbook is not interactive (in the sense of clicking on pages) and there is a delay of about three seconds with each page turn which gets quite annoying. The digital resources are okay but not great; certainly a lot of room for improvement.

As stated in the title, the book is intended for use with Year 7 students. Given its close adherence to the Australian Curriculum content descriptors it does best suit a Year 7 class; however parts of it could be used to extend Year 6 or assist struggling older students too. I could see myself using this book as a resource throughout the year with my Year 7s; picking and choosing spreads that are relevant to what we are learning. The book suggests that it could be used as a core text which I can see as being possible, however, this wouldn’t suit the way we teach at my current school. This is an engaging and useful textbook, |with clear links to the Australian Curriculum.

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reView—MaCMillan english 7 for The ausTralian CurriCuluMMelanie Pearson, Mount Hira College

reView—insighT english skills 8Miriam Iuricich, Craigieburn Secondary College

Insight English Skills 8 integrates the three strands of Language, Literature and Literacy within the Australian Curriculum for English. The text is set out in Units such as Humour, Historical Fiction, Diaries and Blogs, Australian Identity and Sport. In particular, the Cross-curricula priorities of AC:Ecare addressed as part of units and as a whole unit. One of the key strengths of the text is the Sustainability Unit which addresses the curriculum priorities and allows students to create persuasive language points of view; expository texts and multimodal texts in the form of advertisements to promote the benefits of recycling.

Within the Units, there is a three-part structure—Interactive interpretation, Working with language and texts and Research and creating texts. The Interactive interpretation section provides students with an opportunity to read and explore a variety of texts including poetry, drama, extracts from novels, blogs and non-fiction as well as visual texts. The tasks associated with Interactive Interpretation allow for individual, pair and group discussion provide students with the opportunity to formulate explain and justify their interpretations using relevant examples.

Working with language and texts addresses the key concerns of the Australian Curriculum in terms of grammar, punctuation, language and literature Conventions such as evaluating the structure of a fiction text using Freytag’s Pyramid. The explanations are clear and the exercises are set out often in table form for ease of student completion. The skill level of these exercises involve the more basic grammatical elements such as synonyms, vocabulary and verbs as well as more complex concepts such as understanding voice in a text.

Research and creating texts offers teachers and students multiple opportunities to develop written, oral and visual texts and has enough flexibility for tasks to be adapted to individual, paired or group work. Tasks are linked to key concepts and skills such as writing a summary and instructing students to use three of the punctuation marks they have practised in drills in their summary. In this way students build and develop through the progression of the text.

Each Unit ends with a Reflection point activity, composed of a couple of questions where students are asked to think about the text types to which they have been exposed and reflect on their own level of learning through the unit. The Reflection point asks students to evaluate how successfully they have understood and applied the knowledge they have. Many of the Reflection points also open up the possibility for lively debate and class discussion.

There are 20 set units within the text. The final sections of the text include a Glossary and 14 pages of Learning resources. These resources are aimed to focus students on a particular aspect of their learning such as active listening and how to work more effectively in groups. There are the traditional pages on spelling rules, punctuation and grammar as well as detailed overviews of different forms of writing and an editing guide so students can proofread with purpose.

The Insight English Skills website is a useful companion to the textbook as it provides links to teaching resources; extra stimulus material and wide reading lists that are level appropriate. This resource would be excellent as a set text for individual students in Year 8. It is clearly set out, in particular using a readable font style and size and while there is a lot of text, the layout does not make this daunting for students who find reading difficult. The activities allow for teachers to modify and differentiate to meet the needs of their students.

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The MidnighT Zoo

syNoPsis

In Europe, three Romanian gypsy children—two young boys and their baby sister—are the unlikely survivors of a brutal war with Germany. Having lost all of their extended family in the conflict, the children have fled their massacred village. One evening, as the children seek out humanity and sustenance, they happen upon an enchanted zoo. Remarkably, the zoo has survived the ravages of the war around it; and, even more intriguingly, the animals are capable of speaking to the children. The animals, though distrusting of humans, come to develop an empathetic relationship with the children who, in turn, grow to care for the animals deeply. Both parties are united as joint victims of human savagery and cruelty, and—just as importantly—as dreamers who yearn for freedom and peace. As night becomes day, Andrej (the eldest son) has to make a heartbreaking decision: as enemy forces approach, do the children stay in the zoo, or do they leave? And, given the imminent danger, do they free the animals from their captivity?


The text’s anthropomorphic depiction of the displaced, bitter animals is richly evocative for Years 7–10, and would, no doubt, be particularly appealing to Years 7 and 8. However, given the complexity of the language—in particular, the highly sophisticated use of literary devices, such as extended metaphor—the fabulist novel would probably be thematically more accessible to either a very capable class, or a middle school readership. Moreover, the figurative language could prove too challenging for weaker or reluctant readers; especially for Year 7 students. Conversely, the fantastical elements, such as the animation of the zoo animals and the timelessness of the personified ‘night’, would likely appeal to male and female students, given the renewed popularisation of fantasy texts (printed and non-printed). The assortment of different animals could just as easily stand for individual diversity as much as it could for ethnic, thus, it would be highly appropriate for Indigenous, non-Indigenous and international/multicultural students alike.

The piper’s son

syNoPsis

Five years on from Marchetta’s best-seller Saving Francesca, The Piper’s Son is a moving continuation of her exploration of themes surrounding family, friendship, self acceptance, and coping with loss in the face of tragedy and betrayal. Her story centres on a young, troubled man named Thomas Mackee,

reViews—The MidnighT Zoo aNd The piper’s sonJess Brandon, Australian Catholic University

who longs for escape from the bleak reality of his unfulfilling life. He yearns to forget what has hurt him, and what he’s done to hurt others. He moves in with his pregnant, single aunt Georgie, and he, with the reader, soon discovers the bonds of strength and love that hold a very real and dysfunctional family together. When everything seems broken and lost, Tom, along with the help of some old friends, begins to restore the fragmented pieces of his life—and his family.


The honesty and complexity of the text lends itself to the angst-ridden existence of teenagers. In particular, the text would appeal to students in Year 9 and 10, as its mature themes—happiness, sexuality, family, and friendship—are relevant to their early adult years. The narrative voice is male, and the frustrations, anger, heartbreak and confusion of life for a young man; boys aged 15 and older could readily connect with these subjects. Similarly, female readers will be able to relate to the vivid, sensitive writing—typical of Marchetta’s writing—whilst the characterisation of Aunt Georgie and Tara Finke, provides the feminine contrast for girls seeking a representation in which they can self-identify. International issues are addressed through plot points which include Uncle Joe’s death in the London Bombings, and the Vietnam War sub-plot with Tom Finch’s remains, but Indigenous Australian culture does not feature in the domestic setting. The novel is relatively long, and, thus, would be a challenge for poor or reluctant middle school readers.

refereNCes

Hartnett, S 2010, The Midnight Zoo, Penguin, Australia.

Marchetta, M 2010, The Piper’s Son, Penguin, Australia.

© Jess Brandon is a pre-service teacher completing her Graduate Diploma in Education at Australian Catholic University, Melbourne Campus.

Minecraft as a Powerful Literacy Prompt in the Secondary English Classroom

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Transcript of Minecraft as a Powerful Literacy Prompt in the Secondary English Classroom