Assessment 3

Evan Karageorge 3886756

Topic: An Analysis of The Connection Between the Study of Literature and the
Development of Writing Skills
A 2,000 word essay demonstrating understanding of relevant curriculum and pedagogical approaches, with a
focus on reading and writing.

The study of literature throughout primary and secondary school is

essential for developing reading and writing skills. Reading and writing
are the basic principles involved with the study of English, as they serve
as the gateway to deeper levels of thought. An appreciation and
enjoyment of reading literature gives students the ability to develop this
into an interest in books and reading, as they move away from their
studies and into their adult lives. Students study texts and relevant
literature in class to form an understanding of the world around them.
Its the best possible way to enlarge ones vocabulary, learn about culture
and society, all whilst developing reading and writing skills/habits.
Donald Graves explains that children want to write, in order to express
themselves: Teaching writing well is no different than teaching any
other subject. The teacher has to know the subject, the process, the
children and the means for the children to become independent learners
(Graves, 1983). The study of English helps young people develop the
knowledge and skills needed for education, training and the workplace. It
helps them become ethical, thoughtful, informed and active members of
society (VCAA, 2015). With a heavy pedagogy focus on reading and
writing, studying classical and modern literature is important for many
reasons, but none greater than relating to the link between reading and
writing. However, choosing relevant and exciting literature as set texts is
something educators must carefully consider, in order to maximise
student engagement and willingness to read.
Teachers may often shy away from teaching classical literature, as they
may be intimidated by it. Because of this, they must be competent in
teaching the set texts and have a great understanding of the themes and
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ideas within them the students can only learn as much as the teacher
has taught and guided them. Pedagogy is a common term used
throughout the teaching and learning of the English subject. An excellent
definition of pedagogy refers to the instructional techniques and
strategies which enable learning to take place. It refers to the interactive
process between teacher/practitioner and learner, and it is also applied
to include the provision of some aspects of the learning environment
(including the concrete learning environment, and the actions of family
and community) (Siraj-Blatchford et al, 2002). The Effective Provision of
Pre-School, Primary and Secondary Education research project explored
the differences between poor, average and excellent teachers, through
observation of teaching practice and linking this to effectiveness of
schools. The results from the statistics and data found show five key
findings. The teachers in excellent schools that are academically effective
with good quality pedagogy have great organisational skills, establish a
positive classroom climate, personalise their teaching, use dialogic
teaching and learning and make more frequent and better use of the
plenary (Siraj-Blatchford et. al, 2011).
Henry Giroux uses theory to explain and understand practice, as he is
one of the founders of critical pedagogy. He is strongly influenced by
the work of Paulo Freire, who developed the theory of progressive
education and the pedagogy of the oppressed. Giroux expresses his grief
for his early teaching days, where he claims to have not had the language
to justify and explain what he was teaching. He acknowledges that many
teachers do not understand the relevance of the content and theory of
what they teach you should never engage in a practice where you are
not reflective of that practice. This is something that still occurs today,
especially in regards to the teaching ability of pre service teachers. Basil
Bernstein was a critic known for his work in the sociology of education.
He published work that became a theory of language code. He uses the
word code to refer to the underlying principles which shape
curriculum, pedagogy and evaluation. Bernstein states that How a
society selects, classifies, distributes, transmits and evaluates the
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educational knowledge it considers to be public, reflects both the

distribution of power and the principles of social control (Bernstein,
1977). Volume 3 of his work outlines his theory of the development of
knowledge, which can be linked to the progression of reading and writing
skills. In particular, he outlines curriculum as what counts as valid
knowledge and pedagogy as what counts as valid transmission of
knowledge (Bernstein, 1977). Bernstein's theories have provided
concepts to define learning in social contexts and the interactions that
occur in them that may be used to create contexts where children are
active learners. Moss attempts to explain the link between pedagogic
practices and school learning, detailing how the emphasis is often on
what the teacher feeds to the student: pedagogy is not socially innocent,
but rather can be closely allied with the interests of a fraction of the
middle class (Moss 2002, p.551).
The Australian Curriculum/Victorian Essential Learning Standards
defines literature as past and present texts across a range of cultural
contexts that are valued for their form and style and are recognised as
having enduring or artistic value. While the nature of what constitutes
literary texts is dynamic and evolving, they are seen as having personal,
social, cultural and aesthetic value and potential for enriching students
scope of experience. Literature includes a broad range of forms such as
novels, poetry, short stories and plays; fiction for young adults and
children, multimodal texts such as film, and a variety of non-fiction
(VCAA 2015). The AusVELS domain aims to ensure that students learn to
listen, read, view, speak, write, create and reflect on increasingly
complex and sophisticated spoken, written and multimodal texts across a
growing range of contexts with accuracy, fluency and purpose. The
learning standards are designed as a framework that is integrated with
relevant curriculum to teach in schools. The language modes and sub
strands present a sequence of development of knowledge. Simply put,
the study of English helps young people develop the knowledge and
skills needed for education, training and the workplace. It helps them
become ethical, thoughtful, informed and active members of society. In
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this light it is clear that AusVELS English plays an important part in

developing the understanding, attitudes and capabilities of those who
will take responsibility for Australias future (VCAA 2015). Studying
literature is vital for the development of writing skills and is further
emphasised in the national curriculum, where it is particularly essential
that students are able to investigate how text structures and language
features are used to convey ideas and represent people and events, in a
range of different texts.
S.E Hintons coming of age novel entitled The Outsiders, follows a group
of adolescents part of a gang called the Greasers and is told through
the perspective of the protagonist, Ponyboy. The story follows the young
men and their divergence with a rival gang, known as the Socs. The
two rival gangs often engage in violent acts eventually, come to terms
with the death of their fellow members. Ponyboy and the gang encounter
several scenarios related to conflict and the reader gets a great insight
into everyday life for these young men. Pony is confronted by a group of
Socs and is outnumbered, as they hold Johnnys head underwater and
proceed to drown him. Pony reacts to this and panics, pulling out a knife
and killing one of the Socs called Bob. After seeing help from Dally to
avoid being arrested for the murder of Bob, Ponyboy and Johnny rescue a
group of trapped children from a burning church, when the roof
collapses. Pony and the kids barely escape, however a piece of timber
falls and crushes Johnny, breaking his back in the process. The boys are
rescued by an ambulance and are labelled as heroes; however Johnny
eventually dies from his injury. As a consequence of these events, Dally is
overcome with grief of the loss of Johnny and robs a grocery store, only
to be shot and killed by the police. Pony is traumatized by all the
senseless violence that has taken place, but ultimately deals with his
grief and frustration by writing this series of events as a book. The
Outsiders is a novel that could be introduced as part of a curriculum in
the middle years of secondary school. The violent and conflicting themes
would be more appropriate for students around the Year 9-10 audience,
rather than a Year 7-8 audience. Because the novel has been adapted into
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a film, students would be encouraged to view the film after/while the

book is being studied and could even be used in a unit of film study.
Possible forms of creative literacy include changing the perspective to
another character, adding or changing chapters, and text response
essays.
George Orwells emphatic novel, Nineteen Eighty-Four is and has been
studied at Year 12 level for many years. The novel enables senior
secondary school students the ability to develop their writing skills,
whilst thinking critically about the text. The novel is a dystopian story
about the future. Orwell portrays the perfect totalitarian society, the most
extreme realization imaginable of a modern-day government with
absolute power. The title of the novel was meant to indicate to its readers
in 1949 that the story represented a real possibility for the near future: if
totalitarianism were not opposed, the title suggested, some variation of
the world described in the novel could become a reality in only thirty-five
years. Orwell portrays a state in which government monitors and
controls every aspect of human life to the extent that even having a
disloyal thought is against the law. As the novel progresses, the timidly
rebellious Winston Smith sets out to challenge the limits of the Partys
power, only to discover that its ability to control and enslave its subjects
dwarfs even his most paranoid conceptions of its reach. As the reader
comes to understand through Winstons eyes, The Party uses a number of
techniques to control its citizens, each of which is an important theme of
its own in the novel. Some of the themes displayed in the novel include
psychological manipulation, physical control, control of information and
history, and language as mind control. The study of this novel is ideal for
older students, as it challenges their point of thinking at a more
advanced level. The study of Nineteen Eighty-Four as a literary text in
VCE studies is a classic example of the development of writing skills. The
assessment associated with the text revolves around reading and
responding, as students attempt to write a text response essay as part of
their VCE assessment and exam. Students are required to display
detailed knowledge and understanding of the selected text,
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demonstrated appropriately in response to the topic (Victorian

Curriculum and Assessment Authority 2012). An expository or text
response essay would be an ideal form of assessment to gauge
understanding of the novel. In terms of in class activities, character
analysis, theme brainstorming and even oral presentations could all
contribute to analysing the text and relating it to pre-determined
learning intentions.
A third text that develops academic writing skills at secondary level is
Geraldine Brooks novel, entitled Year of Wonders. In the novel, the main
protagonist Anna Frith encounters many problems and altercations with
the people of Eyam, because of the Plague and the events leading up to
it. Anna Frith is a strong character who shows many positive qualities,
such as intelligence, compassion and selflessness and these are displayed
during the time of the Plague. Annas selfless service and altruism to
assist the villagers who are suffering and dying from the Plague shows
what kind of person she is and brings out the very best of her traits.
Despite losing her two children to the Plague, Anna remains positive in
life and is determined to help others. Her positive attitude is recognised
by her peers. Elinor Mompellion, one of Annas closes friends, recognises
this, saying to Anna I wonder if you know how much you have changed.
It is the one good to come out of this terrible year. Anna is seen as a
hero to those in her village and the Plague has brought out the best of
her qualities. This particular text has also been previously studied at VCE
level, in Year 11 and Year 12. The purpose of studying this book enables
students to develop a context and delve deeper into the key themes and
ideas. At this stage of their education, students would already be familiar
with the TEEL structure of essay writing and could use this as a text for
one of their potential SACs. Encountering conflict was a major subject
on the VCE English exam in 2010 and is still used somewhat today
community and conflict is currently studied at Year 10 level at Footscray
City College.

When teaching English in a classroom setting, it is essential that we are

able to demonstrate understanding of relevant curriculum and
pedagogical approaches and apply these practices. The English subject,
more than any other subject in the curriculum, values beliefs and
opinions of a society should come under scrutiny (Weaven, M, 2005). As
the Australian curriculum and AusVELS outlines the study of literature,
there will always be a major focus on reading and writing. The set texts
and literature that students are surrounded with and the ability of
teachers to engage their students will ultimately influence how students
learn to develop their writing skills. As Lev Vygotsky states children
grow into the intellectual life around them (Vygotsky, 1978, pp. 88).

Word count: 2230

References:
- Bernstein, B 1977, Class, Codes and Control, Vol. 3.Towards a Theory of
Educational Transmission, London: Routledge & Kegan Paul.
- Brooks, G 2001, Year of Wonders, London, Viking Press
- Graves, D 1983, Writing: Teachers and Children at Work, Heinemann,
London
- Hinton, SE 2007, The Outsiders, London, Penguin
- Orwell, G, 1949, 1984 (Nineteen Eighty-Four), London, OBERON
BOOKS Ltd
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- Moss, G 2000, Informal literacies and pedagogic discourse, Linguistics

and Education 11(1), pp 47-64
- Siraj- Blatchford, L, Sylva, K, Muttock, S, Gilden, R and Bell, D 2002,
Researching Effective Pedagogy in the Early Years, DfES Research
Report 356, Nottingham
- Siraj- Blatchford, L, Shepherd, D.L, Melhuish, E, Taggart, B, Sammons,
P, Sylva, K 2011, Effective Primary Pedagogical Strategies in English and
Mathematics, in Key Stage 2: A Study of Year 5 classroom practice drawn
from the EPPSE 3-16 longitudinal study, Institute of Education,
University of London
- Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority 2015, AusVELS:
English Rationale, viewed 7 June 2015, <
http://ausvels.vcaa.vic.edu.au/English/Overview/Rationale-and-Aims>
- Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority 2015, AusVELS:
English Content Structure, viewed 6 June 2015,
<http://ausvels.vcaa.vic.edu.au/English/Overview/Content-structure>
- Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority 2012, English
Language: Study Design, viewed 6 June 2015,
<http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/Documents/vce/englishlanguage/englang-sd2012.pdf>
- Vygotsky, L 1978, Mind in society: The development of higher
psychological processes, Cambridge, Harvard University Press
- Weaven, M 2005, Literature for Social Empowerment, The Australian,
10 February 2005