Comments for Bill Boyd - The Literacy Adviser http://literacyadviser.wordpress.com Bringing literacy into the 21st Century Sat, 28 Nov 2009 17:35:56 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 Comment on Picture Books, Comics and Graphic Novels by literacyadviser http://literacyadviser.wordpress.com/books-10-14/picture-books-comics-and-graphic-novels/#comment-606 literacyadviser Sat, 28 Nov 2009 17:35:56 +0000 http://literacyadviser.wordpress.com/?page_id=1322#comment-606 Thanks for that Steve. I was aware of the graphic novel version of Coraline, and in fact I had a link to it on the front page of my blog for a while, so I can't think why I didn't add it to the list - I will now though! Somebody on Twitter had a link to the Graphic Classroom website and I added it to my bookmarks - great stuff. Best rgds Bill Thanks for that Steve. I was aware of the graphic novel version of Coraline, and in fact I had a link to it on the front page of my blog for a while, so I can’t think why I didn’t add it to the list – I will now though! Somebody on Twitter had a link to the Graphic Classroom website and I added it to my bookmarks – great stuff.

Best rgds
Bill

]]> Comment on Literacy for All by literacyadviser http://literacyadviser.wordpress.com/2009/11/25/literacy-for-all/#comment-605 literacyadviser Sat, 28 Nov 2009 17:28:35 +0000 http://literacyadviser.wordpress.com/?p=1576#comment-605 Hi Steve, Thanks for the considered and detailed response, and for providing more food for thought. I suppose in some ways the argument might lead you to the conclusion that we don't need English teachers, but I don't see it that way. Rather, I think what we need to do is identify which particular strengths, specialist knowledge and interests each English teacher in a school has, and to play them to their strengths as far as possible, since in my experience they have a huge range of talents. Part of the problem in Scotland at the moment is that Higher English, arguably the only benchmark for 'literacy' at that level, is heavily weighted towards the study of literature and literary criticism, which is quite irrelevant for many students. Agree totally with your comments about good teachers in all subjects teaching literacy skills all along - the challenge for schools now will be how to coordinate and record that activity effectively while they try to maintain what John McBeath called 'the egg-box curriculum'. Hi Steve,
Thanks for the considered and detailed response, and for providing more food for thought. I suppose in some ways the argument might lead you to the conclusion that we don’t need English teachers, but I don’t see it that way. Rather, I think what we need to do is identify which particular strengths, specialist knowledge and interests each English teacher in a school has, and to play them to their strengths as far as possible, since in my experience they have a huge range of talents.
Part of the problem in Scotland at the moment is that Higher English, arguably the only benchmark for ‘literacy’ at that level, is heavily weighted towards the study of literature and literary criticism, which is quite irrelevant for many students.
Agree totally with your comments about good teachers in all subjects teaching literacy skills all along – the challenge for schools now will be how to coordinate and record that activity effectively while they try to maintain what John McBeath called ‘the egg-box curriculum’.

]]> Comment on Literacy for All by never mind the optics » literacy in physics http://literacyadviser.wordpress.com/2009/11/25/literacy-for-all/#comment-604 never mind the optics » literacy in physics Sat, 28 Nov 2009 01:44:29 +0000 http://literacyadviser.wordpress.com/?p=1576#comment-604 [...] in my head for a wee while now, it’s only after reading Bill Boyd’s excellent post on literacy for all that I thought I would try write something [...] [...] in my head for a wee while now, it’s only after reading Bill Boyd’s excellent post on literacy for all that I thought I would try write something [...]

]]> Comment on Picture Books, Comics and Graphic Novels by Steve http://literacyadviser.wordpress.com/books-10-14/picture-books-comics-and-graphic-novels/#comment-603 Steve Fri, 27 Nov 2009 15:33:01 +0000 http://literacyadviser.wordpress.com/?page_id=1322#comment-603 Bill, Good list! The graphic novel version of Coraline by Neil Gaiman is worth a look. Very creepy but suitable for younger readers. I tried it out with some S2 pupils who enjoyed reading it. It won the Eisner award this year (or last?) in its category. Also- have you seen this site? http://graphicclassroom.blogspot.com/ Steve Bill,
Good list!
The graphic novel version of Coraline by Neil Gaiman is worth a look. Very creepy but suitable for younger readers. I tried it out with some S2 pupils who enjoyed reading it. It won the Eisner award this year (or last?) in its category.
Also- have you seen this site?

http://graphicclassroom.blogspot.com/
Steve

]]> Comment on Literacy for All by Steve http://literacyadviser.wordpress.com/2009/11/25/literacy-for-all/#comment-602 Steve Fri, 27 Nov 2009 14:46:06 +0000 http://literacyadviser.wordpress.com/?p=1576#comment-602 Bill, Enjoyed reading your blog! You say the division is an artificial construct and to a certain extent I agree but then we could argue that that is true of most of the curriculum in Secondary schools! I have always felt that a teacher in any subject doing their job - inspiring and motivating pupils to think, create, challenge and so on has been teaching literacy skills all along - now they just have to prove it! The word literacy has a lot of baggage, as does the word text and it might have been simpler to use other ones - we could go down the Jabberwocky route or talk about communication skills and modes of communication... Also - I'm not sure about the English department seen as a service industry for the rest of the school. "What are you teaching in them" does come up but I have found that many subjects choose to structure written assignments, group discussions, emphasis on presentation and accuracy quite differently. That isn't a criticism of the way they do things merely a statement about the nature of such a divided curricular beast. I like what you had to say about being an English teacher. I agree being one is often an unfocused affair, with great freedom to explore without maybe the focus on the progression of skills. That maybe is the nub of the problem - the skills. Since it is a skills based subject do we actually know how to teach it in "order"? Here's a thought maybe we don't need English teachers - maybe we need "Literature and Culture" teachers. We look at studying and writing literature. Literacy is the responsibility of everyone! Why am I thinking of "Last Night I had the Strangest dream"? Bill,

Enjoyed reading your blog! You say the division is an artificial construct and to a certain extent I agree but then we could argue that that is true of most of the curriculum in Secondary schools! I have always felt that a teacher in any subject doing their job – inspiring and motivating pupils to think, create, challenge and so on has been teaching literacy skills all along – now they just have to prove it!
The word literacy has a lot of baggage, as does the word text and it might have been simpler to use other ones – we could go down the Jabberwocky route or talk about communication skills and modes of communication…
Also – I’m not sure about the English department seen as a service industry for the rest of the school. “What are you teaching in them” does come up but I have found that many subjects choose to structure written assignments, group discussions, emphasis on presentation and accuracy quite differently. That isn’t a criticism of the way they do things merely a statement about the nature of such a divided curricular beast.
I like what you had to say about being an English teacher. I agree being one is often an unfocused affair, with great freedom to explore without maybe the focus on the progression of skills. That maybe is the nub of the problem – the skills. Since it is a skills based subject do we actually know how to teach it in “order”?
Here’s a thought maybe we don’t need English teachers – maybe we need “Literature and Culture” teachers. We look at studying and writing literature. Literacy is the responsibility of everyone! Why am I thinking of “Last Night I had the Strangest dream”?

]]> Comment on Literacy for All by literacyadviser http://literacyadviser.wordpress.com/2009/11/25/literacy-for-all/#comment-601 literacyadviser Thu, 26 Nov 2009 17:38:04 +0000 http://literacyadviser.wordpress.com/?p=1576#comment-601 Haha. I assume one of your staff is posting these comments then Hilery! Haven't seen 'An Education' but sounds interesting. I'll look out for it. Bill Haha. I assume one of your staff is posting these comments then Hilery! Haven’t seen ‘An Education’ but sounds interesting. I’ll look out for it.
Bill

]]> Comment on Literacy for All by Hilery Williams http://literacyadviser.wordpress.com/2009/11/25/literacy-for-all/#comment-600 Hilery Williams Thu, 26 Nov 2009 16:05:19 +0000 http://literacyadviser.wordpress.com/?p=1576#comment-600 Hi Point taken about 'deeper specialised learning' at secondary. I was merely commenting on the very wide ranging role of primary teachers that is sometimes dismissed by teachers who work elsewhere. I know this is not a post about education in the olden days but ... I, in the 'academic' stream was discouraged (didn't take much) from pursuing DS very early on. I suppose the assumption was that the 'clever gels' would snare a husband rich enough to provide staff. Have you seen the film, 'An Education'? My schooling is depicted perfectly there. Unfortunately, not the rest of the experience! Regards Hi
Point taken about ‘deeper specialised learning’ at secondary. I was merely commenting on the very wide ranging role of primary teachers that is sometimes dismissed by teachers who work elsewhere.

I know this is not a post about education in the olden days but …
I, in the ‘academic’ stream was discouraged (didn’t take much) from pursuing DS very early on. I suppose the assumption was that the ‘clever gels’ would snare a husband rich enough to provide staff.
Have you seen the film, ‘An Education’? My schooling is depicted perfectly there. Unfortunately, not the rest of the experience!
Regards

]]> Comment on Literacy for All by literacyadviser http://literacyadviser.wordpress.com/2009/11/25/literacy-for-all/#comment-599 literacyadviser Thu, 26 Nov 2009 14:23:56 +0000 http://literacyadviser.wordpress.com/?p=1576#comment-599 Hi Hilery, Thanks for the comments. I would guess the secondary teachers' response to that might be that they have a responsibility to engage kids in deeper learning of a more specialised nature as they grow chronologically and intellectually, but I would prefer some of them to come to the blog and speak for themselves - here's hoping they will in increasing numbers! Sadly I did neither domestic science nor woodwork at school, as we were streamed and the smart-arses such as myself did Latin (which I hated) and modern languages. Glad to say I have made up some of the deficit on the domestic science front, as I now really enjoy cooking, but still struggle to fix something to a wall or drill a hole without having to call in a plasterer to repair the damage. Cheers Bill Hi Hilery,
Thanks for the comments. I would guess the secondary teachers’ response to that might be that they have a responsibility to engage kids in deeper learning of a more specialised nature as they grow chronologically and intellectually, but I would prefer some of them to come to the blog and speak for themselves – here’s hoping they will in increasing numbers! Sadly I did neither domestic science nor woodwork at school, as we were streamed and the smart-arses such as myself did Latin (which I hated) and modern languages. Glad to say I have made up some of the deficit on the domestic science front, as I now really enjoy cooking, but still struggle to fix something to a wall or drill a hole without having to call in a plasterer to repair the damage.
Cheers
Bill

]]> Comment on Literacy for All by Hilery Williams http://literacyadviser.wordpress.com/2009/11/25/literacy-for-all/#comment-598 Hilery Williams Thu, 26 Nov 2009 13:09:29 +0000 http://literacyadviser.wordpress.com/?p=1576#comment-598 Bill Your description of the multiple role of the secondary English teacher mirrors excatly that of the primary teacher; AND they have to teach PE, RME, CDT ..... too! I was not actually around in the 19th century and was at school in England but it was certainly called Domestic Science in the 1960s. I went to an all girls grammar school -my brothers did woodwork at their school. Bill
Your description of the multiple role of the secondary English teacher mirrors excatly that of the primary teacher; AND they have to teach PE, RME, CDT ….. too!

I was not actually around in the 19th century and was at school in England but it was certainly called Domestic Science in the 1960s. I went to an all girls grammar school -my brothers did woodwork at their school.

]]> Comment on Literacy for All by John Connell http://literacyadviser.wordpress.com/2009/11/25/literacy-for-all/#comment-597 John Connell Thu, 26 Nov 2009 00:11:32 +0000 http://literacyadviser.wordpress.com/?p=1576#comment-597 I think I know the source - will check tomorrow - and you are almost certainly right about 'domestic science' ;-) I think I know the source – will check tomorrow – and you are almost certainly right about ‘domestic science’ ;-)

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