Literary Learning Program: Year 10 History – Rights and Freedoms.
Rational.
Providing students with high quality reading material creates literary development and motivates students to engage in more complex literature (Cornett, 2014). It is the role of the Teacher Librarian (TL) to curate and provide reading material that meets the learning and recreational needs of students; through their knowledge of children’s literature the TL will select appropriate titles which will increase student’s desire and ability to read (Akins, Tichenor, Heins, & Piechura, 2018). Literary learning occurs when literature is used to support and create meaningful learning in curriculum areas. This allows students to become active readers and develop higher order thinking skills through their engagement with texts; literary learning provides students with the opportunity to become evaluators, thinkers, creators and innovators through reading (Lamb & Johnson, 2010).
The use of historical fiction and non-fiction narratives in history classes can reinvigorate the subject and allow easier access for students to create connections, provoke inquiry and form a deeper understanding of the concepts which are traditionally covered in the history classroom and textbooks (Howell, 2014; Murdoch, 2015; Sliwak, 2008). Literary learning, through the use of engaging historical fiction and non-fiction narratives, assists in developing students’ understanding and perspective of historical events; and cultivates empathy for individuals and groups impacted from injustices of the past. Through the use of literary response strategies students develop critical and creative thinking skills such as critical reasoning, logic, resourcefulness, imagination and innovation (ACARA, 2010a); essential skills required for 21st Century learners.
The following resource kit has been curated to meet the needs of a mixed ability Year 10 NSW Department of Education History class focusing on the depth study Rights and Freedoms 1945-present (ACARA, 2010b). The class has a reading ability of 9-17 years, 8% of students identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander and 4% of students are English as an Additional Language/Dialect. The use of historical fiction and non-fiction narratives within a history class will assist to address curriculum outcomes, provide alternative perspectives and create empathy for others. Collaboration between the Classroom Teacher (CT), a specialist in their subject, and the TL, a literary specialist, will lead to innovative lessons and greater engagement of students to ultimately learn through literature (Schwartzbach-Kang & Kang, 2019; Lamb & Johnson, 2010).
Resource List
| Resource Number | 1 |
| Title | The little red yellow black book: an introduction to indigenous Australia. (Fourth Edition) |
| Contributors | Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies
Pascoe, B. |
| Genre | Historical Fiction |
| Format | Illustrated literary nonfiction novel |
| Publisher and Date | Aboriginal Studies Press, 2018. |
| Annotation | This book has been written from an Indigenous view point to provide an introduction and background to Aboriginal culture and heritage. The book is easily accessible to students and has a large number of illustrations throughout the book which will assist visual learners. This is the fourth edition of the highly popular book; it has the inclusion of significant contributions made by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people across all aspects of Australian society. The book allows students to develop a strong understanding of the First Peoples culture and struggles they have faced since colonisation; including government policies which negatively impacted large numbers of individuals and communities. The recommended reading age of the book is upper secondary – 14 years (Education Services Australia, 2018). |
| Resource Number | 2. |
| Title | Sorry Day. |
| Author | Vass, C. |
| Illustrator | Leffler, D. |
| Genre | Historical Fiction |
| Format | Picture Book |
| Publisher and Date | National Library of Australia, 2019. |
| Annotation | Sorry Day illustrates the significance of the acknowledgement by then Prime Minister Kevin Rudd to the Aboriginal children and families of the Stolen Generation. The book is beautifully illustrated and with each page turn, readers are taken from the day of the Prime Minister’s speech to the history of the children being taken from their families. It is an important book that highlights the significance of saying sorry and acknowledging the pain brought about to individuals and families due to past government policies. The end of the book also provides further information regarding reconciliation and the importance of National Sorry Day being commemorated each year to remember and acknowledge the hurt caused to the Stolen Generation.
The book has received two literary awards and while having a reading age of 6-12 years (Pledger Consulting, 2020); the significance of the book makes it an important inclusion for students completing the Rights and Freedoms Year 10 History depth study (ACARA, 2010b). |
| Resource Number | 3. |
| Title | Young Dark Emu: A truer history. |
| Author | Pascoe, B. |
| Genre | Historical Fiction. |
| Format | Sophisticated Picture Book. |
| Publisher and Date | Magalaba Books, 2019. |
| Annotation | Young Dark Emu: A truer history is a junior version of the multi award winning Dark Emu novel. This sophisticated picture book provides readers with an alternative history of how Indigenous Australians lived pre-European colonisation. The book includes a large number of illustrations of historic value, including first hand diary entries, sketches and accounts from early colonist’s first contact with Indigenous Australians. The way that the book is organised, with the inclusion of headings and pictures throughout, entices young readers to further explore historical facts and information about Australia’s First Nations People. Young Dark Emu: A truer history has been shortlisted for four separate awards in 2020; proving the importance of this nonfiction narrative text for inclusion in a study of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history. The book has a reading range of 9-14 years (Pledger Consulting, 2020). |
| Resource Number | 4. |
| Title | Took the Children Away. |
| Author | Roach, A. |
| Illustrator | Hudson, P.
Hunter, R. |
| Genre | Historical Fiction |
| Format | Sophisticated Picture Book |
| Publisher and Date | One Day Hill Publishers, 2010. |
| Annotation | This sophisticated picture book is a visual representation of the dual ARIA and international Human Rights Achievement award winning song by the same name. Archie Roach is a member of the Stolen Generation and is a strong advocate for Aboriginal and Human Rights. The book is inspirationally illustrated throughout to guide the reader through the story of the impact of Aboriginal children being forcibly removed from their families as a result of government policy 1910 – 1970. There are also stunning landscape paintings of the author’s traditional homelands. The book has a reading range of 8-12 years (Pledger Consulting, 2020). |
| Resource Number | 5. |
| Title | Growing up Aboriginal in Australia. |
| Author | Heiss, A. [Editor] |
| Genre | Autobiography |
| Format | Literary Nonfiction Anthology |
| Publisher and Date | Black Inc., 2018 |
| Annotation | This book is a collection of nonfiction stories from a diverse range of Aboriginal authors from all over Australia, including the stories of high profile individuals, elders and youth. Each memoir provides a background of the individual’s life and upbringing; and how they have been treated in the wider community. As each story is relatively short, it benefits students who may have difficulty engaging in longer or more complex readings. There are a number of stories related to the Stolen Generation which would specifically assist with the depth study of Rights and Freedoms (ACARA, 2010b). The book has a reading range of 14-18 years (Pledger Consulting, 2020). |
| Resource Number | 6. |
| Title | Who Am I? [the diary of Mary Talence, Sydney, 1937] |
| Author | Anita Heiss |
| Genre | Historical Fiction |
| Format | Novel – Diary Entry |
| Publisher and Date | Omnibus Books, 2020 |
| Annotation | This powerful story details a year in the life of a fictional Stolen Generation child. It is written in a diary format and guides readers through her everyday life activities, thoughts and dreams. It is a poignant look at the impact of the removal of Indigenous children from their families to assimilate them into white society. The book is very easy to read; allowing students to develop empathy and a deep understanding of the daily life of children who were a part of the Stolen Generation. Anita Heiss is an award winning author and member of the Wiradjuri Nation. A large number of historical records and resources were used in the writing of this fictional novel; in an attempt to provide a realistic view of the time period and impacts government policy on Aboriginal people. The book has a reading range of 11-14 years (Pledger Consulting, 2020). |
| Resource Number | 7. |
| Title | Twelve Canoes. |
| Author | De Heer, R. and the Yolngu People of Ramingining |
| Retrieved from | https://www.12canoes.com.au/ |
| Genre | Documentary |
| Format | Website |
| Publisher and Date | 2008, Indigemedia Incorporated. |
| Annotation | Ramingining is a small and remote Aboriginal community in the Northern part of Central Arnhem Land. Rolf de Meer and the Yolngu People of Ramingining have worked together to create an immersive digital experience which reveals the First Peoples culture and present day lives. The experience is based around twelve visual short stories and allows viewers to learn about the Yolngu Peoples culture, history and homelands. Each short story also provides extras which provide further information related to the story viewed. Our Ancestors, First White People and Thomson Time are directly related to the depth study of Rights and Freedom (ACARA, 2010), however all stories assist in the development of empathy and understanding of the First Nations Peoples. Due to the nature of the resource, it would be accessible to a large age range. |
Literature Response Strategies.
- Book Bento.
A book bento is a multimodal strategy that can enhance a student’s response to literature through creative means (Bales, 2018; Victoria State Government, 2019). Students select significant items related to a text and provide reasoning behind the inclusion of the items into their book bento. Creation of a book bento allows students to personally express their ideas and thoughts about a given text. Students will be creating their book bento using the digital tool Thinglink to produce and present their book bento; using technology leads to greater motivation and engagement of 21st Century learners (Francis, 2017).
Procedures:
- The TL will provide the CT and Student Learning Support Officer (SLSO) with in depth information about the use of book bentos as a literary response strategy, examples of book bentos will be provided as well as training in the use of Thinglink; the program which will be used by students to create their book bentos.
- The TL will work with the CT and SLSO to select four texts which are accessible to the class. The following texts will be included: Sorry Day (Vass, 2019), Young Dark Emu: A truer history (Pascoe, 2019), Who Am I? [the diary of Mary Talence] (Heiss, 2020) and Took the Children Away (Roach, 2010). These books have been specifically selected to meet the outcomes related to:
- Background to the struggle of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples for rights and freedoms before 1965, including the Stolen Generation (ACARA, 2010b)
- The significance of the following for the civil rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples: the Apology (ACARA, 2010b).
- The TL, with their specialist knowledge of children’s literature will assist students select an appropriate text which will increase their desire to read and complete the activity (Akins, Tichenor, Heins, & Piechura, 2018). Students read their selected texts and make notes on interesting information they have discovered from the text.
- Students are introduced to the concept of book bentos, shown examples of book bentos and introduced to the program Thinglink.
- Explicit information is provided to students regarding copyright and the ethical use of music, pictures and book covers; students will be encouraged to use Creative Commons to access media and will be shown the correct way to acknowledge sources used (State of NSW, 2020). Discussion will take place in regards to gaining permission to use other peoples work such as book covers, it will be explained to the class that the TL has gained permission to use the covers from each publisher.
- Students will create their book bento and provide explanation to the reasoning of inclusion of each item, leading to the development of higher order and critical thinking skills (Collins, 2014).
- Students will peer review two other students’ book bentos; peer reviewing enhances students’ learning, promotes reflection, provides valuable feedback and creates positive learning environments (Jisc, 2015). Once feedback has been received students can review their work and make changes as required.
- Students’ work will be displayed within the library to showcase the students’ understanding of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples struggle for rights and freedoms.
- For support and instructions of how book bento boxes can be implemented in the classroom read: Highfill, L & Kloos, R. (2018). #BookBento HyperDoc Original. Retrieved from https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1FggkSwPyKx4YW1VlD9UB1b9FbfDBdQvEz93D2JgYUl4/edit#slide=id.p this article provides an in depth, practical guide for creating book bentos including using Thinglink.
- For further information related to the pedagogical benefits of book bentos read: Bales, J. & Saint-John, L. (2020). ‘Book bento boxes: Creative reading response’, Scan, 39(3). This article provides detailed information on book bentos as a literary learning tool which creates meaning through reading and multimodal expression.
- Digital Storytelling
Digital storytelling is a multimodal approach to sharing a narrative (Wyman, 2020). Students are using digital tools in their everyday lives to create and produce personal digital stories through a variety of social media sites such as TikTok and Instagram (Lorenz, 2019). Using digital storytelling as a literary response strategy promotes and motivates student learning, that allows for the authentic use of literature and technology to enhance literary learning and foster 21st Century skills. (Laflan, 2013; Loera & Sinclair, 2019; Mills & Levido 2011; Smeda, Dakich & Sharda, 2014). Digital storytelling creation increases the engagement of students, through multiple learning styles and connects student’s interest with technology to desired learning and curriculum outcomes (Educause Learning Initiative, 2007; Mills & Levido 2011).
- The TL will collaborate with the CT and SLSO to discuss the desired learning outcomes of creating a digital story, the technology to be used and the structure of groups of students. Students will work in groups of four with assigned roles to create their digital story using the Book Creator app for Ipads. Background information on the creation of digital stories and the features of Book Creator will be provided by the TL to the CT and SLSO.
- The following texts and website will be available for students to choose from: Growing up Aboriginal in Australia (Heiss, 2019), Twelve Canoes (De Heer, & the Yolngu People of Ramingining, 2008), Young Dark Emu: A truer history (Pascoe, 2019). Students will use these texts as a basis for the creation of their digital story to meet the outcome of the struggle of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples for rights and freedoms before 1965, including the Stolen Generations (ACARA, 2010b).
- In their group students will read and discuss their chosen text and establish a purpose for their story. Each student is assigned a specific role and responsibility; director, producer, writer, editor. This assists students in their own comprehension, understanding and perspectives of the text (Tobin, 2012).
- Students are provided with instruction on the use of Book Creator and the importance of copyright, cultural sensitivity and the ethical use of music, pictures and video recordings; students will be encouraged to use Creative Commons to access media and will be shown the correct way to acknowledge sources used (State of NSW, 2020).
- Once groups have completed their digital stories they will peer review two other groups’ digital stories; peer reviewing enhances students’ learning, promotes reflection, provides valuable feedback and creates positive learning environments (Jisc, 2015). Once feedback has been received students can review their work and make changes as required.
- With students’ permission their digital stories will be uploaded to the school website and Facebook page to showcase the students’ understanding of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples struggle for rights and freedoms
- For support and instructions of how digital storytelling can be implemented in the classroom view the following YouTube tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TE5DTD87-IE (Center for Innovative Learning Design at Fairmont Private Schools, 2014)
- For further information related to the pedagogical benefits of digital storytelling read: Robin, B. (2008) Digital Storytelling: A Powerful Technology Tool for the 21st Century Classroom, Theory Into Practice, 47(3), 220-228, DOI: 10.1080/00405840802153916
Bibliography.
Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies and Pascoe, B. (2018). The little red yellow black book: an introduction to indigenous Australia. (4th ed.). Canberra, Australia: Aboriginal Studies Press.
De Heer, R. and the Yolngu People of Ramingining. (2008). Twelve canoes. Australia: Indigemedia Incorporated.
Heiss, A. (2020). Who Am I? [the diary of Mary Talence, Sydney, 1937]. Sydney, Australia: Omnibus Books.
Heiss, A. [Editor]. (2018). Growing up Aboriginal in Australia. Carlton, Australia: Black Inc.
Pascoe, B. (2019). Young dark emu: A truer history. Broome, Australia: Magalaba Books.
Roach, A. (2010). Took the children away. Australia: One Day Hill Publishers.
Vass, C. (2019). Sorry day. Canberra, Australia: National Library of Australia.
References
Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARAa) 2010, Critical and creative thinking. Retrieved from Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority website: https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/resources/curriculum-connections/portfolios/online-safety/
Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARAb) 2010, Year 10 content descriptions. Retrieved from Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority website: https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/f-10-curriculum/humanities-and-social-sciences/history/
Akins, M., Tichenor, M., Heins, E. & Piechura, K. (2018). Teachers’ knowledge of children’s literature: What genres do teachers read? Reading Improvement, 55(2), 63- 66. Retrieved from http://www.projectinnovation.com/reading-improvement.html
Collins, R. (2014).Skills for the 21st Century: teaching higher-order thinking. Curriculum & Leadership Journal, 12(14). Retrieved from http://www.curriculum.edu.au/leader/teaching_higher_order_thinking,37431.html?issueID=12910
Cornett, C. E. (2014). Integrating the literary arts throughout the curriculum. In Creating meaning through literature and the arts: Arts integration for classroom teachers (5th ed., pp. 144-193). Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall.
Education Services Australia (2018). Schools Catalouge Information Service. Retrieved from https://my.scisdata.com/discover
Educause Learning Initiative. (2007). 7 things you should know about digital storytelling. Retrieved from https://library.educause.edu/resources/2007/1/7-things-you-should-know-about-digital-storytelling
Francis, J. (2017). The effects of technology on student motivation and engagement in classroom-based learning. Retrieved from https://dune.une.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1120&context=theses
Howell, J. (2014). Popularising History: Re-igniting pre-service teacher and student interest in history via historical fiction. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 39(12). doi: 10.14221/ajte.2014v39n12.1
Jisc. (2015, October 9). Transforming assessment and feedback: peer review. Retrieved from https://www.jisc.ac.uk/guides/transforming-assessment-and-feedback/peer-review#
Laflen, A. (2013). Putting Wikis to Work in the Literature Classroom. Modern Language Studies, 43(1), 54-73. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/24616720
Lamb, A., & Johnson, L. (2010). Divergent convergence part 2: Teaching and learning in a transmedia world. Teacher Librarian, 38(1), 64-69. Retrieved from https://ezproxy.csu.edu.au/login?url=https://search-proquest-com.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/docview/808408775?accountid=10344
Loera, M. & Sinclair, H. (2019). 5 reasons to integrate digital storytelling into your teaching. Retrieved from https://www.eschoolnews.com/2019/08/29/5-reasons-to-integrate-digital-storytelling-into-your-teaching/2/
Lorenz, T. (2019, October 19). High Schools to TikTok: We’re Catching Feelings. The New York Times. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/19/style/high-school-tiktok-clubs.html
Sliwka, C. (2008). Connecting to history through historical fiction. Language arts journal of Michigan, 23(2). Retrieved from https://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1125&context=lajm
Mills, K. & Levido, A. (2011). iPed pedagogy for digital production. The Reading Teacher, 65(1), 80-91. doi: 10.1598/RT.65.1.11
Murdoch, K. (2015, October 26). Inspiring inquiry through picture books [Blog post]. Retrieved from https://www.kathmurdoch.com.au/blog/2015/10/26/bo3tpx8qkbkn6vwtemuj674amslke8
Pledger Consulting. (2020). ReadPlus. Retrieved from https://www.readplus.com.au/booksearch.php
Smeda, N., Dakich, E., & Sharda, N. (2014). The effectiveness of digital storytelling in the classrooms: a comprehensive study. Smart Learning Environments, 1(1). doi: 10.1186/s40561-014-0006-3
State of New South Wales [Department of Education]. (2020). Copyright and creative commons. Retrieved from https://www.digitalcitizenship.nsw.edu.au/articles/copyright-and-creative-commons
Tobin, M. (2012) Digital storytelling: Reinventing literature circles. Fischler College of Education: Faculty Articles. 1. Retrieved from https://nsuworks.nova.edu/fse_facarticles/1
Victoria State Government. (2019). Literacy teaching toolkit: multimodal literacy. Retrieved from https://www.education.vic.gov.au/school/teachers/teachingresources/discipline/english/literacy/readingviewing/Pages/litfocusmultimodal.aspx
Schwartzbach-Kang, A. & Kang, E. (2019). CSI Verona: Science and Literature Combine. Edutopia. Retrieved from
https://www.edutopia.org/article/csi-verona-science-and-literature-combine
Wyman, K. (2020). Why Teachers Need to Embrace Digital Storytelling. Resilient Educator. Retrieved from https://resilienteducator.com/classroom-resources/digital-storytelling/
Part B – Reflective Blog Post.
At the beginning of my ETL 402 journey, I will admit I had very little understanding of the difference between literacy learning and literary learning or the importance of selecting books to engage students in sustained enjoyable reading (Dunn, 2020a). This subject has allowed me to develop a very strong appreciation of the importance of literary learning across curriculum units to provide greater choices, to motivate students in their engagement with literacy and ultimately assisting students to learn ‘through’ literature. I noted it was important that educators are dealing with individuals who are reading in a vastly changed literature landscape and that the more ‘traditional’ reading of the past may not provide the same enjoyment and engagement with students of today (Dunn, 2020b).
I am now very excited to use the knowledge gained from assignment one to highlight the importance of various fiction collections within the library and how I can incorporated fiction into a variety of curriculum units. While assignment two has provided me with a greater understanding of the opportunities available to collaborate with classroom teachers and engage students with Literature Response Strategies within units of work. It is through our role as Teacher Librarians (TL) that we are able to provide relevant and engaging reading opportunities for students (Gibbons, 2020) as well as decreasing the anxiety of teachers of using technology with their classes; ultimately, through our role, we are able to bring new ideas about the use of technology and teaching strategies into the school (Dunn, 2020c).
I have already planned collaboratively with our HSIE faculty to implement the literary learning program, created for assignment two, with our Year 10 cohort when they are completing the depth study Rights and Freedoms 1945-present (ACARA, 2010) later this year. The students will be creating their own book bentos following the steps outlined in assignment two; this will involve collaboration between the HSIE faculty and myself. Collaboration will provide classroom teachers with a greater understanding of literary response strategies, use of historical fiction and non-fiction in the history classroom and the use of technology as a motivational and engagement strategy for students.
I am looking forward to spending more time developing further literary learning programs for our school and working collaboratively across curriculum areas to team teach units of work using a variety of literary response strategies. A large number of excellent examples of literary response strategies have been highlighted in our discussion forums (Murphy, 2020; Templeton, 2020). It has been an exciting journey discovering new aspects of children’s and young adult’s literature which I had a limited understanding of; applying literature to new learning experiences for students to engage and motivate reading at our school and ultimately create the bibliophiles of the future.
References
Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) 2010, Year 10 content descriptions. Retrieved from Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority website: https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/f-10-curriculum/humanities-and-social-sciences/history/
Dunn, B (2020a, March 20). Childrens literature [Blog post]. Retrieved from https://thinkspace.csu.edu.au/bellid/2020/03/20/childrens-literature/
Dunn, B (2020b, March 6). The changing of the book [Blog post]. Retrieved from https://thinkspace.csu.edu.au/bellid/2020/03/06/the-changing-of-the-book/
Dunn, B (2020c, April 29). Re: 4.2 Reading from the screen [Online discussion comment]. Retrieved from Charles Sturt University website: https://interact2.csu.edu.au/webapps/discussionboard/do/message?action=list_messages&course_id=_44234_1&nav=discussion_board_entry&conf_id=_88815_1&forum_id=_181938_1&message_id=_2862910_1
Gibbons, S (2020, May 2). Re: 4.2 Reading from the screen [Online discussion comment]. Retrieved from Charles Sturt University website: https://interact2.csu.edu.au/webapps/discussionboard/do/message?action=list_messages&course_id=_44234_1&nav=discussion_board_entry&conf_id=_88815_1&forum_id=_181938_1&message_id=_2862910_1
Murphy, D (2020, May 14). 6.3 Literature Circles in History [Online discussion comment]. Retrieved from Charles Sturt University website: https://interact2.csu.edu.au/webapps/discussionboard/do/message?action=list_messages&course_id=_44234_1&nav=discussion_board_entry&conf_id=_88815_1&forum_id=_181940_1&message_id=_2937474_1
Templeton, T. (2020, May 10). Book Trailers – [Online discussion comment]. Retrieved from Charles Sturt University website: https://interact2.csu.edu.au/webapps/discussionboard/do/message?action=list_messages&course_id=_44234_1&nav=discussion_board_entry&conf_id=_88815_1&forum_id=_181940_1&message_id=_2920970_1