Teaching Context

Simonds Catholic College

All boys school
Teaching Considerations
Low socioeconomic status
Hugh range of cultures within the classroom this became the crux for many bullying issues
High percentage of refugee students
Great range of student ability within the classroom
My focus was on scaffolding ideas, allowing for person growth and developing students ability to
comprehend the structural aspects of the text as most lacked foundational literacy skills
Teacher Concerns
Differentiation
Teaching to ALL the students in my classroom
Classroom management
Unit
Based around narrative structure
2 weeks duration
Assessment task in SAC conditions at the end of these two weeks
20% of the term grade

Examples of varying student levels

Orientation
Climax

Plot

Moral

OCCR

New/unfamiliar terms

Cultural/
Contextual
differences

Characterization

Resolution

Low literacy
levels

Narrative

Metalanguage

Apply increasing knowledge of vocabulary, text structures and language

features to understand the content of texts (ACELY1733).
Oxymoron
Alliteration
Adjectives

Simile

Metaphor

Grammar, sentence
structure, paragraphing
etc.

Excellent.
4.5 - 5

Location
Time
Character
Complication
Something goes wrong
Climax

Text structure
specific to narrative
relating back to
AusVELS statement

WRITING
Literature
ACELT 1632
WRITING

Point of greatest tension

Resolution

Literacy

How the situation resolves

ACELT 1736

o
o
o
o
o

Similes (Blue)
Metaphors (Red)
Oxymoron (Green)
Alliteration (Orange)
Adjectives (Purple)

Writing

Language features
relating back to
AusVELS statement

o You have colour coded the above mentioned literary

techniques.
o You have written a minimum of 350 words

Ability to structure a narrative according

to correct format
Orientation, Complication, Climax and
Resolution
Use of a range of language techniques
(appropriate to format) to try to
position readers to accept particular
views of people, characters, events and
ideas.

Mainly testing
students writing ability
looking at the
understandings of text
structure and
language features.

Eg: descriptive language using

similes, metaphors, adjectives,
alliteration

Include at least one of each literary technique:

Literacy

You have used correct spelling,

grammar and punctuation.

ACELA1544
Writing
Literacy

Needs Attention
2 or less

What you can do

Strands and
AusVELS Reference Point

Satisfactory
2.5 - 3

Orientation

Very Good
3.5 - 4

Character Narrative Criteria

Year 8 ENGLISH Character Narrative Checklist

You have edited and proofread your

work to ensure clarity and cohesion of
ideas.

ACELA1549

20 - 18 (A+)

17 - 16 (A)

15 - 14 (B)
13 - 12 (C)
(E)
7 -0 (F)

11 - 10 (D)

9-8

You have used:

o
o
o
o

Put your narrative into paragraphs

You have used a dictionary
Capital letters, Commas, Full Stops, Apostrophes
You have actively drafted your narrative

Vocabulary

Text structure

Two different
representations of
Comments:
criteria allowing differentiation
and catering for a range of
learners

Language features

Score

20

Grammar

Critical Literacy - The Four Resources Model

Code Breaking/Coding Practice

Text-participating/Semantic Practice

Recognizing and using the features,

conventions and patterns of the text
Focus on the metalanguage of narrative
structure
Recognizing and using grammar, vocabulary,
punctuation etc.
Assessment task is aimed specifically at this
as the task is based on a 2 week unit which
will lead in to more in-depth text analysis

What does the text mean to me?

Students able to choose their own text
encouraged to choose one of interest to them so
they can be engaged in reading.
Most chose novels that they felt a connection to
socially and/or culturally
See own lifestyle or interests reflected in texts
Beginnings of recognizing the context of the text

Text Using/Pragmatic Practice

Text Analyzing/Critical Practice

Implementing their thoughts on the context

and beginning to see why the author did
what they did.
Chapter summaries journal entries
regarding their own reactions to the text
compared to the authors purpose of the text
Shared these with the partner/class so
students could recognize how different texts
have different features. E.g. Why were your
and Tommys novels different?

As students begin to realize that authors can

manipulate audiences they now become the
author
Assessment task is aimed to get students to
critically think about the composition and
meaning of the text
Students become the author and have to take
their understandings of the novel they have read
both in terms of context and structure to
create their own engaging narrative

Adapted from Luke & Freebody 1999Further Notes on the Four Resources Model, Reading Online http:www.readingonline.org/research/lukefrebody.html.

Lesson Outline
Considerations when creating lessons
Students inability to recall/transfer knowledge from previous lessons work
Student concentration levels very low
Lesson Outcome
Students should be able to identify the various aspects of plot, in correct order,
within various narrative texts.
Plotting Narrative
Show The Three Little Pigs YouTube clip to students
In pairs, student should attempt to plot the story on their A3 scaffolds
Class discussion regarding correct answers
Students are to begin to plot their own narratives on the A3 scaffold of
their choosing

The Three Little Pigs Minecraft YouTube clip

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTyFGvd8-5k

Narrative(Scaffold!
Orientation(

Complication(

C)
L
I)
M)
A)
X)

Location:)
)
Time:)
)
Characters:)
What)goes)wrong:)

Temporary(
Solution(

How)does)the)character)first)try)to)fix)this)problem:)

Recurring(
Complication(

Why)did)the)first)solution)fail:)

Resolution(

How)does)the)situation)finally)resolve:)

Climax'
!

PLOT%YOUR%NARRATIVE%
!

Temporary'Solution'
!

Complication'
!

Recurring'Comp.'
!

Orientation'
!

Resolution'
!

Critical Literacy - The Four Resources Model

Code Breaking/Coding Practice

Identify concepts relating to the metalanguage of narrative structure

Recognize narrative structure, specifically the order and elements plot
Use plot to break down the structure of a narrative, in correct order
Begin drafting ones own plot for their character narrative

Lessons = structural understanding + class modeling + student scaffolding =

competently complete assessment
&
Sets them up for further analytical work within the next unit

Adapted from Luke & Freebody 1999Further Notes on the Four Resources Model, Reading Online http:www.readingonline.org/research/lukefrebody.html.

Brief Lesson Outline

Students watch The Three Little Pigs YouTube clip
Video was engaging and relevant to students lives. Showing
the example instead of believing students will know it
limited contextual awareness

Incorporating multiliteracies within

the classroom so students
recognize the various types of
narrative

In pairs students work together to plot the story from the clip
Class discussion based on the correct answers
*Could also make students plot their chosen novel

In terms of critical
literacy this focuses
on code breaking
what part of the story
goes where. Need to
know the structure of
narrative according to
AusVELS

Students then chose a scaffold to being drafting the plot of their character
narrative
Linking every class activity to
the overall assessment
making this explicit to
students to allow them to
become responsible for own
learning

Choice of scaffolds allowed for

greater differentiation for students.
Allowed students to work the best way
for them specifically personal
growth & teacher being aware of
individual students needs

Continually modeling and

scaffolding allows
students to understand
what is expected of them
and gives them the ability
to grasp the concept
better.

References
Cope & Kalantzis (2009), Multiliteracies: new literacies, new learning. Pedagogies: an
international journal, 4, p 178-179
Darder, A., Baltodano, M., & Torres, R. D. (Eds.). (2003). The critical pedagogy reader.
Psychology Press.
Luke, A. (2000). Critical literacy in Australia: A matter of context and standpoint. Journal
of adolescent & adult literacy, 448-461.
Luke, A., & Freebody, P. (1999). Further notes on the four resources model. Reading
online, 3.
Rowsell, J., & Walsh, M. (2011). Rethinking literacy education in new times:
multimodality, multiliteracies, & new literacies. Brock education, 21(1), 53-62.