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Information Sheet <<< Click on the link at the left to download information about the Literacy Educators Coalition. We encourage you to duplicate the sheet and distribute it widely.Thank-you.
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Stop High-Stakes Testing: An Appeal to America's Conscience
This new book may be relevant in Australia if Rudd and Gillard go the American way: high-stakes testing. Click here for a review of the book by Audrey Amrein-Beardsley. |
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Toward a definition of 21st-century literacies
Literacy has always been a collection of cultural and communicative practices shared among members of particular groups. As society and technology change, so does literacy.
A position paper from NCTE (National Council of Teachers of English).
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Shaping a progressive revolution in education
Neil Hooley, Lecturer, School of Education, Victoria University (January 2008)
Published in 'The Age' with the title, "Students Deserve Genuine Educational Reform."
Click here to read the article -- it is a great argument for inquiry based learning in accessible language.
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Education or Learning
Education is different from learning. Children are programmed to learn and develop: that is the work of childhood and youth. Education institutionalises that work. We spend many hours thinking about our childisen's education, but little time actually thinking about our children's learning. Click here to read the article (On Line Opinion, 12 February 2008)
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Refugees in our schools
Schools are the best place to address the damage done to young refugees, says Dorothy Hoddinott (principal of Holroyd High School in Sydney). Click here to read this article from Teacher (ACER National Education Magazine). |
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All our students thinking
Any subject – be it physics, art, or auto repair – can promote critical thinking as long as teachers teach in intellectually challenging ways. Click here to read this article from Educational Leadership, February 2008, Volume 65, Number 5. |
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The cost of accommodating classroom technology
Michael Bugeja, Teachers College Record, 14 Dec 2007
In the course of thirty years in higher education, I have seen technology used as delivery system, then as content in the classroom, and finally as classroom, building and campus itself, and in every case, pedagogy changed to accommodate the technology. Click here to read the article.
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NCTE Guideline:
On Reading, Learning to Read, and Effective Reading Instruction:
an overview of what we know and how we know it.
National Council of Teachers of English. http://www.ncte.org/about/over/positions/category/read/118620.htm |
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ONLINE LITERATURE FESTIVAL
The festival, which engages thousands of young people from all schools across Australia, is on again. See www.learningplace.com.au/sc/ipswich/olf
"Ideas, concepts, stories, raps, conversations with mystery guests andinterviews with loved and renowned Australian authors, illustrators, publishers, game makers, script writers and songwriters will leap from keyboards in Australia’s largest online festival. This highly creative and interactive online festival captivates, excites and amazes all who participate." |
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Harry Potter Casts a Spell on Student Readers
Resources for exploring Harry Potter in your classroom: National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE). http://www.ncte.org/groups/cee/inbox/127655.htm |
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Collateral Damage: How High-Stakes Testing Corrupts America's Schools
Nichols, Sharon & Berliner, David (2007)
Click here to read the review by Susan Ohanian, Education Review, May 2007.
"High stakes testing is wrong – intellectually, morally, and practically. Not only will it 'not work' to improve education, it is already doing demonstrable harm."
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Educating the Whole Child
Special Report. "The Whole Child: An International Perspective."
Click here for short report.
To download the full report, go to www.unicef-icdc.org/publications/pdf/rc7_eng.pdf
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Quality School Leadership
Katina Zammit et.al. (University of Western Sydney) "Teaching and Leading for Quality Australian Schools: a review and synthesis of research-based knowledge." Click here
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Beyond the Reading Wars
A new book, published by PETA, which helps teachers and parents of primary children struggling to understand the issues behind the debate related to the teaching of reading.
Open and print a FLYER (pdf file) or lick on this link:
http://www.peta.edu.au/Catalogue/Publications/books/page__1589.aspx
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In Teachers' Hands:
Effective Teaching Practices in the Early Years of Schooling
A Report commissioned by the Federal Government.
The Age (24 Apr 06): "the difference between the best teachers of young children and
ineffective teachers is not what they do, but how they do it."
CLICK HERE for the DEST web site to download a PDF version of the report. |
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Gerald Bracey
The List – Personal Qualities Not Measured by Tests
Click here
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Submissions to the National Literacy Inquiry, 2005
See below
Papers, Presentations and Commentaries
from the
'FUTURE DIRECTIONS IN LITERACY' Conference
The University of Sydney, 3rd and 4th March, 2006
Prof Derrick Armstrong (Dean, Faculty of Education & Social Work,The University of Sydney)
This paper was presented as the opening address at the conference.
Please click on this link: Future Directions in Literacy (Prof Derrick Armstrong) |
Prof Brian Cambourne (Faculty of Education, University of Wollongong)
Brian's Powerpoint presentation is available for downloading.
Please click on this link: Response to Literacy Inquiry (Powerpoint Presentation)
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Pauline Harris (Faculty of Education, University of Wollongong)
A paper reporting on the preliminary findings of research which asked the question, "What is the
nature of the relationship between literacy research, policy development, and classroom practice?"
Such a question is timely in the current climate of literacy inquiries and reforms.
Please click on this link:
Probing Relationships between Literacy Research, Policy Development and Classroom Practice
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Commentary from Gary Maitland, Master of Teaching student, University of Sydney.
Please click on this link: Conference Commentary GM
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Submissions to the National Literacy Inquiry, 2005
- AATE (Australian Association for the Teaching of English)
- ACSSO (Australian Council of State School Organisations)
- ALEA (Australian Literacy Educators Association)
- Bean, Wendy (curriculum consultant, author)
Success in a School using a Balanced Approach
- Emmitt, Marie, David Hornsby & Lorraine Wilson
Teaching Phonics in Context
- Rousch, Peter OA
- Walsh, Maureen PhD
Reading Multimodal Texts
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Parent (who needs to remain anonymous to protect her son's identity).
Isolated phonics programs are not appropriate for children with
Developmental Verbal Dyspraxia
Papers, Articles, Position Statements
- Derewianka, Bev (2005) "Questioning the credibility of the Donnelly Report: Benchmarking Australian Primary School Curricula."
For someone purporting to champion rigour and academic standards, Kevin Donnelly has produced a flawed and cynically inaccurate report about Australia Primary School curricula. Why would Australia want to be seen to be denigrating its own well-regarded, internationally recognised curriculum documents?
- Fox, Mem (2005) Phokissing on Phonics
A clear explanation of phonics and how to incorporate phonics into meaningful reading/writing activites.
- Hooley, Neil (2005) "Let's be clear about student-centred learning."
Criticism of our schools is fine but the purpose is sinister, says Neil Hooley.
- Amid Apathy, A Voice of Sanity
Alan Ramsey, 15 April 2006 (Sydney Morning Herald)
Address by Dr Paul Brock AM, Graduation Ceremony, University of New England, April 2006
- The Politics of the English Curriculum: Ideology in the campaign against critical literacy
in The Australian
David Freesmith, March 2006
Reprinted with permission.
- Breaking some of the myths – again
Dr Paul Brock. Director, Strategic Policy, NSW Department of Education and Training.
Edited version of Opening Address: Refocus on Reading Conference,
University of Wollongong, July 18-19, 1997.
- Celebrate Strengths, Nurture Affinities
A conversation with Dr Mel Levine (a pediatrician, author and cofounder of the nonprofit institute
"All Kinds of Minds"). Levine is dedicated to expanding our understanding of differences in learning.
- Texting helps children's literacy, claims research
Research carried out by Bev Plester, a psychologist at Coventry University, concluded that text message "shorthand" may in fact help youngsters to improve their literary skills. CLICK HERE to read the report.
- Educational Research
Robert McClintock (Teachers College, Columbia University)
Educational research accumulates in great, growing bulk, with all manner of contradictory findings, and no leverage by which to effect practice in any significant way. Better schooling depends, less on research, but on adequate resources for the job, human and financial, and lots of hard work, day by day, in an ethos of support and high expectation, in school and out.
- Neuroimaging evidence for English spelling patterns
Evidence from neuroimaging of the psycholinguistic reality of regular spelling patterns in English, versus processing of irregularly-spelled words. www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1751-228X.2007.00005.x
- Life chances at 16: Life chances study stage 8
Disengagement with schooling. The survey responses confirmed the continuity and layering of disadvantage.
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