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36 results

Page 1 of 2

  • Chapter 3 - Bell Shakespeare

  • from Part I - Reimagining Shakespeare with/in Schools
  • Edited by Liam E. Semler, University of Sydney, Claire Hansen, Australian National University, Canberra, Jacqueline Manuel, University of Sydney
  • Book:
    Reimagining Shakespeare Education
    Published online:
    02 February 2023
    Print publication:
    23 February 2023, pp 54-68

  • Summary

    In 2013 Bell Shakespeare, Australia’s national theatre company specialising in Shakespeare in performance, education and community settings, formalised their primary Shakespeare programme. The programme includes in-school performances of Shakespeare’s plays specially scripted for young audiences, immersive workshops and teacher professional learning opportunities.

    The authors share their own early experiences with Shakespeare before discussing why adults and secondary students sometimes develop negative perceptions of Shakespeare’s works. The potential of introducing Shakespeare in primary contexts is then explored. The findings from initial exploratory research with participant teachers and students in three diverse schools together with the perspectives and experiences of the Company suggest primary children readily engage with Shakespeare’s stories, characters and language. Many of the themes resonate with young learners’ lives and imaginations. Finally, Bell Shakespeare’s arts-rich pedagogy and principles for optimising the introduction of Shakespeare’s work to primary students are detailed.

English and Literacies
  • Learning How to Make Meaning in Primary Classrooms
  • Robyn Ewing, Siobhan O'Brien, Kathy Rushton, Lucy Stewart, Rachel Burke, Deb Brosseuk
  • Published online:
    02 March 2022
    Print publication:
    18 February 2022
  • Being literate in the twenty-first century means being an empowered receiver, user and creator of diverse text types communicated across multiple and rapidly changing modalities. English and Literacies: Learning to make meaning in primary classrooms is an accessible resource that introduces pre-service teachers to the many facets of literacies and English education for primary students. Addressing the requirements of the Australian Curriculum and the Early Years Learning Framework, English and Literacies explores how students develop oracy and literacy. Reading, viewing and writing are discussed alongside the importance of children's literature. Taking an inclusive and positive approach to teaching and learning for all students, it explores the creation of texts using spelling, grammar in context and handwriting/keyboarding skills, as well as the need for authentic assessment and reporting. Finally, the text explores the importance of literacy partnerships and how teachers can address literacy challenges across the curriculum.

  • 6 - Reading and viewing

  • Robyn Ewing, Siobhan O'Brien, Kathy Rushton, Lucy Stewart, Rachel Burke, Deb Brosseuk
  • Book:
    English and Literacies
    Published online:
    02 March 2022
    Print publication:
    18 February 2022, pp 124-153

  • Summary

    This chapter initially defines the terms ‘reading’ and ‘viewing’ as social practices with meaning-making at their core and makes the point that viewing is defined in curriculum documents as an integral and important part of reading rather than separately. It includes a brief snapshot of the history of reading and the so-called ‘reading wars’. Building on the importance of the development of oral language as a precursor to literacy, as discussed in previous chapters, this chapter then focuses on how children learn to read before moving on to explore how teachers can help children with this learning. The centrality of explicit teacher modelling and scaffolding of the reading process are discussed. Early childhood and primary teachers need to develop a rich repertoire of reading strategies and provide a rich selection of texts and resources, coupled with explicit guidance and support, to enable them to meet children’s individual needs at different stages of their reading journey. A range of assessment strategies are also briefly introduced. Finally, a number of common myths about the reading process are considered in light of the ongoing debate about reading. Throughout the chapter the discussion will focus on the need for a balanced approach to learning to read with meaning-making at the centre of the process.

  • Introduction

  • Robyn Ewing, Siobhan O'Brien, Kathy Rushton, Lucy Stewart, Rachel Burke, Deb Brosseuk
  • Book:
    English and Literacies
    Published online:
    02 March 2022
    Print publication:
    18 February 2022, pp 1-5

  • Summary

    Children begin to make meaning from the moment they are born. Their emerging abilities to communicate are central to the development of their thinking and imaginations; expression of their feelings and emotions; access to their cultural heritage(s); and, growth of their own unique identities. Learning how to mean and becoming literate continues to be critically important in shaping children and young people’s life chances. Yet it does not follow the same pattern for all children and cannot be reduced to a simple, linear hierarchy of skills (Ewing, 2020) or a one-size-fits-all approach to teaching those skills. Perhaps, because of its centrality to our lives and learning, becoming literate remains a complex and challenging area in education, broadly, but particularly in the primary classroom, where it is riddled with controversy. This book is underpinned by research and practice and reflects our serious commitment to every child’s entitlement to a rich and creative English and literacies education in the primary classroom.

  • 3 - Assessment and reporting

  • Robyn Ewing, Siobhan O'Brien, Kathy Rushton, Lucy Stewart, Rachel Burke, Deb Brosseuk
  • Book:
    English and Literacies
    Published online:
    02 March 2022
    Print publication:
    18 February 2022, pp 48-69

  • Summary

    As teachers we are always accountable to learners, parents and caregivers, the education system we are employed by and our community more broadly for the learning we plan and implement in the classroom. Our goal is to facilitate the learning process for all the individuals in our classrooms and our effectiveness is most often judged by learners’ achievements. While the content in this chapter provides rich examples of assessment in primary English and literacy, the principles and terms discussed apply across all stages of education and key learning areas. This chapter underlines the complexity of authentic or educative English and literacy assessment. It begins by considering definitions for many of the key assessment terms in use in education contexts, including ‘evaluation’, ‘assessment’ and ‘measurement’. The importance of implementing inclusive and authentic assessment practices is discussed along with formative assessment processes (assessment for learning) and summative (assessment of learning) and assessment as learning strategies. A range of examples and case studies follow. Each demonstrate the relationship between curriculum and assessment in English and literacy.

  • 8 - Understanding and responding to texts

  • Robyn Ewing, Siobhan O'Brien, Kathy Rushton, Lucy Stewart, Rachel Burke, Deb Brosseuk
  • Book:
    English and Literacies
    Published online:
    02 March 2022
    Print publication:
    18 February 2022, pp 179-204

  • Summary

    This chapter builds on Chapters 6 and 7 by exploring in more detail a range of concrete strategies and activities that teachers can introduce in the classroom to facilitate the deepening of learners’ understanding of different kinds of spoken, written, digital, multimodal and visual texts. In this chapter, we again refer to all kinds of texts (oral, written, digital and multimodal), so text is used here in its broadest sense. This chapter begins with a case study that illustrates how learners can respond to texts in creative ways facilitated by the class teacher. It moves to briefly examine reader response theory before exploring the importance of building learners’ understandings through talk and teacher modelling to ensure learners have both context and field knowledge. A range of classroom strategies and approaches are then considered that can facilitate different ways learners can respond to texts. Through such responses, learners can build critical understandings of texts that go beyond literal or surface comprehension. A particular emphasis is placed on metacognitive and creative arts-rich strategies that can be adapted for imaginative, instructional and information texts.

  • 9 - Creating texts

  • Robyn Ewing, Siobhan O'Brien, Kathy Rushton, Lucy Stewart, Rachel Burke, Deb Brosseuk
  • Book:
    English and Literacies
    Published online:
    02 March 2022
    Print publication:
    18 February 2022, pp 205-226

  • Summary

    This chapter stresses the importance of both teachers and learners as writers (Graves, 1983) as they create, either together or individually, a range of different texts for different purposes and become a community of writers. After considering a parent’s account of her daughter’s experience in learning to write, we look at how substantial dialogue always needs to underpin the development of writing. The interrelationship between speaking and writing is then considered using the mode continuum. We then explore the different aspects of learning to write within the teaching and learning framework, including the importance of building learners’ field knowledge, teacher modelling to break down the features of different kinds of texts, joint construction and independent writing. We use a range of examples of children’s writing to illustrate different kinds of texts and emphasise that creating texts can and should be enjoyable.

Language and Literacy Development in Early Childhood
  • Robyn Ewing, Jon Callow, Kathleen Rushton
  • Published online:
    17 August 2019
    Print publication:
    02 June 2016
  • This book provides pre-service and practising teachers with an integrated approach to language and literacy learning in early childhood. Written by leading academics in the field, it explores how children learn to talk, play using language, become literate and make meaning - from birth through to the pre-school years. Emphasising the importance of imagination and the arts in language learning, this book addresses a wide range of contemporary issues, highlights the impact of diverse socioeconomic, language and cultural backgrounds on young children's language and literacy development, and shows how early childhood teachers can effectively partner with parents and caregivers to help children learn through and about language. Case studies, interviews, reflective questions, clear links to the Early Years Learning Framework and the Australian Curriculum, and a rich array of practical and creative activities for use in early childhood environments help students connect theory and current research to practice.

  • Chapter 11 - Digital literacies in the lives of young children

  • Robyn Ewing, University of Sydney, Jon Callow, University of Sydney, Kathleen Rushton, University of Sydney
  • Book:
    Language and Literacy Development in Early Childhood
    Published online:
    17 August 2019
    Print publication:
    02 June 2016, pp 169-184

  • Summary

    This chapter looks more closely at the types of digital resources that are integral to children's lives and their literacy landscape. Rather than seeing digital texts as additional to traditional literacy resources, they are in fact core texts, along with books and other media. Digital texts and experiences are intertwined with young children's lives, from popular culture to multimedia production.

    Anticipated outcomes for the chapter

    After working through this chapter, you should be able to:

  • • appreciate the role of digital texts in children's literacy lives

  • • understand key principles for integrating digital resources into literacy learning

  • • explore practical activities for teaching with digital resources.

    • SCENARIO: INTERACTIVE APP

    Gathered around the iPad, a group of five-year-old children are exploring the interactive app The Fantastic Flying Books of Morris Lessmore, a story about the power of reading where Morris takes up residence in a library of living books. While a finger swipe across the screen will turn the screen pages of this book, it does not take long for the children to work out that exploring the content by touching, tapping and swiping the screen with their fingers yields other surprises. Wind storms are summoned, skies turn blue, music starts playing and books talk as the story unfolds. On some screens more traditional print literacy is explored – a bowl of milk allows letter-shaped cereal pieces to be dragged out to spell a word.

    ‘I'm doing the alphabet,’ explains Shafeef, while placing each letter in order.

    ‘I'm going to write my name,’ says May, while dragging out the letters, and Shafeef helpfully reminds her about which letters she needs. Some pages engage the children more closely than others, but the pull of the story is strong: ‘Let's keep reading’. The story concludes with a very old Morris leaving his beloved books.

    ‘Do books ever die?’ asks Shafeef.

    ‘They're not alive, silly!’ Adina asserts. The conversation continues as to how stories might live in you until you are very old. Shafeef explains how you can even get lost in the book ‘because you can't stop reading as it's so good’.

  • Chapter 5 - Difference and diversity in language and literacy development

  • Robyn Ewing, University of Sydney, Jon Callow, University of Sydney, Kathleen Rushton, University of Sydney
  • Book:
    Language and Literacy Development in Early Childhood
    Published online:
    17 August 2019
    Print publication:
    02 June 2016, pp 60-75

  • Summary

    In this chapter we will explore the diversity in language and literacy development that reflects the multicultural and multilingual society comprising contemporary Australia. We will look at the relationship between language, culture and identity, and how language helps to shape identity. We will then explore some of the unique aspects of language learning for bilingual children. We will also look at the need for these young learners to learn English, learn through English and learn about English (Halliday, 2004; ACTA, 2015).

    Anticipated outcomes for the chapter

    After working through this chapter you should be able to:

  • • empathise with a child who is learning English as an additional language, learning through English and learning about English and support them to engage in learning using all their language resources

  • • draw on your understandings about language development to support bilingual learners

  • • explore strategies for communicating with the families and communities of bilingual learners.

    • SCENARIO: A FAMILIAR DAILY ROUTINE

    Michel's mother, Catherine, is standing at the front door of the family home with Michel, her young preschool-aged son while they watch his father back the car out of the driveway and then head off to work for the day. She looks down at her little son and says: ‘Michel, wave goodbye to Baba’. Her son waves to his father until the car disappears from view. He then looks up at his mother and says, ‘Baba wented’.

    This family speaks English at home but Michel's grandparents also speak to him in Arabic, Welsh and a dialect of Italian. Michel Idris has been named after his two grandfathers, one an Arabic speaker born in Lebanon whose second language is French and third language English, and the other who is a bilingual Welsh speaker from Wales in the UK. When Michel's father Jacob speaks with his parents and extended family he speaks Arabic and French as well as English. Michel's mother, Catherine, has mixed ancestry as her mother is Italian and the only language that her parents share is English. Catherine therefore speaks English with both her parents but also knows some Welsh and some Italian. Far from being confused by his multicultural, multilingual family, Michel Idris interacts happily with the speakers of all these languages, calling his father ‘Baba’ and his grandparents ‘Daid’, ‘Nonna’, ‘Jiddo’ and ‘Tayta’.

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