This assignment requires you to critically reflect on the concept of ‘writing’ in the 21st century, through considering current views on what constitutes writing in today’s primary classroom and the potential pedagogic implications raised for practitioners when supporting students’ writing development.
Writing in schools has changed dramatically of the last decade. It is no longer just about learning how to spell and create written texts on paper, it is about teaching and learning how to create texts using a range of available resources. It involves producing texts on paper, orally, and electronically, that employ one mode (eg written or spoken or visual) or multiple modes to convey a message to an audience.
According to the NSW Syllabus for the Australian Curriculum: English K-10 syllabus (2012, p. 23):
… ‘composing’ is the activity that occurs as students produce written, spoken or visual texts. Composing typically involves:
• shaping, making and arranging textual elements to explore and express ideas, emotions
and values
• processes of imagining, drafting, appraising, reflecting and refining
• knowledge, understanding and use of the language forms, features and structures of texts.
Drawing on a minimum of five recent readings (last 10 years; articles, chapters and books), discuss and critically appraise the above statement. In your essay, reflect on insights gained about what writing looks like in a 21st century classroom and for learners in 2014. In addition, discuss the potential pedagogic implications for you as a practitioner.
Suggested reading (not exhaustive):
Australian Curriculum, Assessment & Reporting Authority (ACARA). (2012). Australian English Curriculum v 3.0. http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/ Accessed: 01.02.2013.
Edwards-Groves, C. (2011). The multimodal writing process: Changing pactices in contemporary classrooms. Language and Education, 25(1), 49-64.
Ferdig, R. & Pytash, K. (2014). Exploring multimodal composition and digital writing. Hershey, PA, USA: IGI Global (Information Science Reference).
Hill, S. (2010) The millennium generation: Teacher-researchers exploring new forms of literacy. Journal of Early Childhood Literacy, v. 10, no. 3, 314-340.
Jewitt, C. (2005). Multimodality, "reading". and "writing" for the 21st century. Discourse: Studies in the cultural politics of education, 26(3), 315-331.
Kress, G. (2000). Multimodality. In B. Cope, & M. Kalantzis (Eds.), Multiliteracies: Literacy Learning and the Design of Social Futures. (pp. 182-202). Melbourne: Macmillan. [seminal work]
McDermott, D., & Kuhn, M. (2012). Communicating like a scientist with multimodal writing. Teaching Science, 58(2), 55-57.
Merchant, G., Gillen, J., Marsh. J. and Davies. J. (Eds) (2012) Virtual Literacies: Interactive Spaces for Children and Young People. New York: Routledge.
NSW Board of Studies (2012) NSW Syllabus for the Australian Curriculum: English K-10 syllabus. Sydney: Author. Accessed at http://syllabus.bos.nsw.edu.au/
Siegel, M. (2006). Rereading the signs: Multimodal transformations in the field of literacy. Language Arts, 84(1), 65-77.
Winch, G.,Johnston, R., March, P., Ljundahl, L. & Holliday, M (2010). Literacy: Reading, writing and children’s literature (4th ed.) Melbourne: Oxford University Press. (Chap 22 Teaching writing in the classroom pp 423 – 458).
Yancey, K. (2009). Writing in the 21st Century. Urbana, IL.: National Council of Teachers of English. Accessed at http://www.ncte.org
Zammit, K. (2007). Popular culture in the classroom: Interpreting and creating mulitmodal texts. In A. McCabe, M. O’Donnell & R. Whittaker (Eds.), Advances in Language and Education. London: Continuum.
Zammit, K. (2010). New Learning Environments Framework: Integrating multiliteracies into the curriculum. Pedagogies: An International Journal, 5(4), 325-337.
In order to complete this assignment you need to:
– reflect on what ‘writing’ looks like and what the act of ‘writing’ involves for learners in today’s classrooms and, in turn, consider the implications for teachers’ professional practices if they are to adequately meet the needs of their 21st century learners.
– engage with at least FIVE recent readings, that are either articles, chapters, books and no older than 10 years, to gain a deeper understanding of the concept of ‘writing’ in the 21st century and to examine discussions on the teaching of writing in contemporary classrooms. These readings do not all have to come from the ‘Suggested reading’ list.
– reference either the English K-10 document (Board of Studies NSW, 2012) or the Australian English Curriculum v3.0 (ACARA), to support your discussion.
– use these readings to develop your thinking, and write your essay based on your critical engagement with the ideas and debates presented in the literature. A suggested structure is presented below:
Introduction: state what the essay is going to address (from the essay topic above), and preview what your points are going to be in relation to your discussion and reflections.
Discussion: draw on your reading to discuss what is considered as ‘writing’ in classrooms in the 21st century, what teaching and learning of writing is like in classrooms and some possible implications arising for teaching writing in today’s primary classrooms.
Summary: reiterate what the essay has covered and what were your reflections and arguments in relation to the essay topic.
– present your work professionally, ensuring you demonstrate an appropriate level of academic literacy. Use APA 6th style for in-text citations and referencing. The Learning Guide provides a range of links and suggestions to help you with this.
– check spelling, vocabulary choice, grammar (wording of sentences, correct tense etc.) and punctuation.
– proofread your essay before you submit your work.
– submit to Turnitin and redraft if necessary before your final submission to Turnitin and hard copy into your tutor’s assignment box..
Assessment criteria
1. Discusses insights gained about what constitutes a piece of ‘writing’ or text in today’s primary classroom
2. Reflects on the concept of ‘writing’ as it relates to teaching and learning in a primary classroom
3. Discusses how teaching and learning involves create texts using multiple modes
4. Discusses how texts are produced using a variety of resources and tools
5. Critically appraises insights and ideas presented in above criteria (1-4)
6. Discusses pedagogic implications for current teachers
7. Presents potential pedagogic implications for pre-service teachers in their future role as teachers
8. Draws on a minimum of FIVE recent academic references, either articles, chapters and/or books and no older than 10 years;
9. Uses APA referencing style for citations and reference list
10. Presents work professionally, using appropriate and clear academic writing in 12 point font, double spaced and within the word limit.
Examples of assignment 1
Past exemplars/excerpts of assignments can be found in the assessment folder on the Unit’s vUWS site.
Assessment Standards
Please relate to Australia coz that’s were we are from
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