Download - AATE/ALEA National conference

2009 AATE/ ALEA National Conference, Wrest Point Conference Centre 9-12 July
FRIDAY
Biography
Margaret Gill, MEd (Honours), an ESL/Special Assistance teacher at Orchard Grove Primary School
(OGPS), has an interest in innovative and creative ways of promoting early literacy skills in the
classroom as well as across the community.
11.00 - 11.40
Executive
Board Room
Audience:
Early Years
Editing partners: a collaborative approach to better writing
MARY WEAVEN, DONNA LOURENSZ
This session presents early findings from research conducted in Donna’s Prep classroom. Donna’s
‘beginning writers’ were allocated an editing partner from the same grade to assist in their
learning. Mary’s role was to record the implementation of this process. The concept of Editing
Partners is aimed specifically at ‘bridging the divide’ between those students who are confident,
competent writers, and those who claim that they ‘can’t write’. As teachers we continually search
for activities to motivate reluctant writers. This approach, however, of engaging each child as
an editing partner, assumes that all children do actually want to write, and that they want to be
able to do it well. One of the challenges of this approach is that it requires teachers to relinquish
some of their authority. The research being conducted in Donna’s prep classroom investigates
and critiques what actually happens when a teacher implements an approach to writing that
recognises learners as taking an active role in their own development. We contend that this can
occur even in ‘beginning’ writers; early evidence strongly supports this contention. What then are
the conditions necessary for this approach to work properly and to achieve the goal of ‘ensuring
access, equity and quality in literacy and English education’ This research examines the teaching
decisions and judgements that contribute to the development of written skills in very young
writers who are operating within a milieu of engaged collaborative learning. We recognise too that
although this approach may not be new, very little research has been conducted so far into the
application and evaluation of the use of Editing Partners as a teaching technique.
Biographies
Donna Lourensz is in her third year of teaching at Wembley Primary School, after having come a
little later than is conventional to the profession. Donna’s teaching places a strong emphasis on
the work that students themselves have produced. Her interest is in promoting literacy excellence
for all students.
Dr Mary Weaven lectures in Diversity, Inclusion and English Method in the School of Education at
Victoria University. She taught English in state secondary schools for many years, has worked as
a curriculum consultant and taught in the TAFE sector. Mary is a past vice-president of Victorian
Association for the Teaching of English. Both presenters are recipients of this year’s ALEA
scholarship for classroom research.
11.00 - 11.40
Loft Restaurant
Audience:
All
Literature to find the lost and indulge the found
JOY LAWN
Literature can find the lost and indulge the found. We need to lure child readers then keep them
hooked by offering wonderful literature. A plethora of things, including lost children, can be found
within its pages. Children may be lost literally or metaphorically. Most lost children are found but
many of our students are not confident of their direction, or face different scenarios. The lost child
needs an escape, a solution, others to emulate — especially those who have succeeded. The
vicarious experience that books can offer the metaphorically lost, or simply curious readers, can
provide insight and comfort. The ‘found’ can be avid readers or anyone who has discovered the
gift of reading. We can keep them reading because the body of literature is constantly replenishing
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