ALM5270

Literacy

Proposed to be offered next in 2000

Edina Eisikovits

12 points -Clayton -2 hours per week -This subject is at present available only on campus.

Objectives On the successful completion of this subject, students should have developed a coherent view of literacy as an alternative to the prevalent narrowly technical view of reading and writing. Students will be familiar with notions of genre and register and have an understanding of children's writing and reading development, and of the relevant pedagogical approaches, and have developed skills in responding to children's texts.

Synopsis The subject focuses on issues of mother-tongue and second language literacy. We consider literacy in a socio-cultural context, examining cross-cultural and gender issues relevant to literacy. The development of literacy is also considered, both in the pre-school years and in the classroom context, as are approaches to the teaching of reading and writing. The course will include an examination of genre theory and the contribution of a systemic-function approach to the development of writing.

Assessment Research Project (5000 words): 50% -Classwork (oral and written, 2000 words): 50%

Preliminary reading

Garton A and C Pratt Learning to be literate: The development of spoken and written language 2nd edn, Blackwell, 1998

Recommended texts

Hasan R and G Williams (ed.) Literacy in society Longman, 1996
Barton D Literacy: An introduction to the ecology of written language. Blackwell, 1994

Back to the 1999 Arts Handbook