Bill Boyd’s Literacy Adviser

Ciao,

Managed to find a cafe in Bergamo with great coffee (not difficult) and a free internet connection (not so easy). We’ve had a great week so far, much of it spent on trains. On Tuesday we took a train along the shores of Lake Como and on up into the mountains. There is still a considerable amount of snow on the tops. Yesterday we went to Verona, which was much more touristy even at this time of year. However I did manage to get a good picture of Juliet’s balcony - could be a useful visual aid if I ever get to teach Romeo and Juliet again, which I used to enjoy doing very much. I was never really into holiday snaps in the real world so I’m not going to bore you with them in the virtual one. Instead, here is something which is a common sight in Italy, some graffiti.

In this case it is on the side of the train, but it is equally prevalent on buildings, and in public spaces. The question is, is it a valid expression of the creative artistry of the people, just as valid as the works of high art which we pay good money to see in the art galleries and museums, or is it something which despoils an otherwise beautiful country? The previous government in Scotland placed the removal of graffiti and punishment of “offenders” high on the political agenda, but just how offensive is it? Can’t quite make up my mind where I stand on it but it’s usually interesting to read. Is it another form of text?

Hi,

Writing this from Bergamo in northern Italy where I am taking it easy for a week and catching up with some reading, including various helpful articles on the art of blogging and the benefits to teachers of introducing it into their classroom practice. I know instinctively that the idea of having your work read and possibly commented on by an audience way beyond the teacher must be a motivation for young people to write and to be more conscious of the effect their writing has on a reader, so I am determined to explore it and to encourage teachers who have an innate fear of technology, the web and social networking in particular. As the old saying goes, if I can do it………..

Picked up a copy of The Word magazine at the airport on the way out. I had forgotten how good it can be if you want to check out what’s new in music and writing. The latest edition has an interview with Will Self, enigmatic as ever but always interesting.