I began this subject through the gaze of a primary school teacher, knowledge of how diverse literature supports multiple curriculum areas and with recent curriculum updates, the importance of using high quality Mentor texts within units of work. I have a strong passion for using Picture books with upper primary as I understand the multiple affordances they bring in resourcing deeper cross-curriculum themes, exploring visual literacy and promoting critical thinking (Cochrane, 2018) as discussed in my blog post. In other words, I was very excited to learn about a subject I personally and professionally find extremely vital.
I took my passion project for sophisticated picture book use for upper primary further in my Assignment 1, exploring this genre and professional literature more deeply in order to gain further professional knowledge. Through research I discovered the affordances for reluctant and struggling readers, second language students and their use to investigate deeper complex issues and emotions (Templeton, 2020 & Vercelleto, 2018).
It was after this assignment that I truly began to understand the larger picture of literacy:
Literature is a dynamic and fertile resource and a direct conduit for expanding practices and experiences of language and literacy in the 21st century (Ross Johnson, 2014).
Literacy is the active synthesis of listening, speaking, reading, writing and critical thinking which allows people to use language to enhance their capacity to think, create and question, in order to participate effectively in society (The National Secretariat for the International Year of Literacy, 1990).
Multiliteracies – the idea of multiple 21st-century literacies that have developed – visual literacy, cultural literacy, digital literacy. I built on from my knowledge, explored in my blog post, to confirm that these multiple aspects of literacy are not separate but
rather interconnected and interrelated (Ross Johnson, 2014). As students become multiliterate, they are able to construct meaning as they simultaneously draw on experiential, contextual, and disciplinary knowledge they have developed about the world. (Navehebrahim, 2011). The act of being multiliterate also involves being critically literate, having the ability to analyse and evaluate texts effectively (Anstey & Bull, 2006).
Assignment 2 is where I really felt I could combine all my newly discovered literacy theory to expand on Teacher Librarian skills and practice in developing a resource kit for Literary Learning. It was a lot and I could see areas that I still need to work on, for example better understanding of the uses of multiple formats and other digital technologies to support learning. However, I did excitedly learn yet another form of literacy! Transliteracy- the ability to read, write and interact across multiple platforms, tools and media. Enabling students to meet the various multimedia and multimodal demands of the world they participate in (Hamilton, 2010 & Jenkins, 2011).
A pertinent reminder that an effective TL is always maintaining their professional understanding of the ever-changing educational landscape.
References
Anstey, M., & Bull, G. (2004). The picture book-modern and postmodern. In Hunt, P (Eds.), International Companion Encyclopedia of Children’s Literature. (2nd ed., pp. 328-339). Taylor & Francis Group, 2004.
Cochrane, G. (2018, February 5). Picture books are relevant for students of all ages. National Library of New Zealand. https://natlib.govt.nz/blog/posts/picture-books-are-relevant-for-students-of-all-ages
Hamilton, B. (2010, April 9). Reading and writing world: School libraries as sponsors of transliteracy [Slide presentation]. Slideshare. http://www.slideshare.net/buffyjhamilton/reading-and-writing-the-world-school-libraries-as-sponsors-of-transliteracy
Jenkins, H. (2011, July 31). Transmedia 202: Further reflections. Confessions of an ACA-fan. http://henryjenkins.org/2011/08/defining_transmedia_further_re.html
Navehebrahim, M. (2011).Multiliteracies Approach to Empower Learning and Teaching
Engagement. Procedia – Social and Behavioral Sciences , 29, Pg. 863-868. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877042811027765
Ross Johnston, R. (2014). Literature, the curriculum and 21st-century literacy. In G. Winch, R. Ross Johnston, P. March, L. Ljungdahl & M. Holliday (Eds.), Literacy: Reading, writing and children’s literature (5th ed., pp. 472-491). Oxford University Press.
Templeton, T. (2020). Picture perfect: The role of picture books in a secondary classroom. Scan, 39.
Vercelletto, C. (2018). NEVER TOO OLD: Educators embrace picture books to teach older students. In School library journal (New York, N.Y.) (Vol. 64, Issue 2, pp. 32-). Library Journals, LLC.
