Week 7 - ED

Having reflected on the use of technology and media at Shirley Warren Primary School, discuss anything that surprises or challenges you. What questions arise for you as a result of today's visit?

I believe that the media resources and technology at the school were outstanding. The diverse amount and quality of the resources undoubtedly gives the children a wide range of technology to choose from, be it iPads or filming equipment, some they would have used before and others they would never had opportunity to if it weren't for the school. Technology such as the radio studio, not only allows children to explore the equipment within a setting like this, but also teaches them about different peoples jobs and roles within a workplace like this, and how they can cooperatively work as a team. Therefore, it is apparent that having a wide use and range of media and technology in the school, not only develops children's understanding about the technology itself, but also enhances further learning skills, such as communication, leadership and teamwork. 

One aspect that did stand out for me today was the vast knowledge of the teacher himself. Without his understanding and passion for the media in the school, it is questionable whether it would be such a success? As discussed today, some teacher's may not be as supportive or confident about using technology such as the resources available at Shirley Warren, however, with training and support it seems realistic that school can adopt this within everyday teaching. The 21st Century Fluency Project suggests teachers need to ‘become learners themselves, and discover the digital world’ (21^st CFP: 4).Teachers can improve their confidence in using new technology by: learning about different digital tools, exploring the online world and familiarising themselves with what the children are doing and how they are doing it (21^st CFP). Before coming to the school today, I was very pessimistic about being able to learn how to 'do' and edit an animation, film or podcast, however, with only a short tutorial, I feel that it would be possible for me to do this myself and with children. Therefore, by giving teachers training and support, media and technology can be accessible to teacher's and children with engaging and exciting learning outcomes. 

Bibliography

The 21st Century Project Understanding Digital Kids II

Advertising- Should children learn about it in the primary classroom?

Advertising is a complex area of discussion. In terms of children and advertising it is often seen that children are more vulnerable than adults and will therefore succumb more easily to their power, however if we seclude children all together from advertising, we may risk children not learning about current social issues and environments as well as advertising as a literacy-based resource to use (Banaji, 2010).

The main concerns for children and advertising power is that children are vulnerable to advertising intentions of consumerism. That children will become a materialistic generation that want to spend money they do not have. It is seen that advertising creates ‘pester-power’, where children persuade their parents to buy the latest product (Gunter, Oates and Blades, 2005). Other issues concern obesity from food advertising, stereotyping and the desensitising of religious or annual events. (Gunter et. al., 2005).

However, advertising can be, and is used, in the primary classroom for literacy-based learning. Persuasive texts and media is an important part of the literacy curriculum- to unpick the advert just like any other literacy texts (Banaji, 2010). Using advertising in school can also teach children about the current society and world they live in today, and be used to help children understand why and how advertising is used in the world around them and help them learn the skills to desensitise themselves where needed from advertising and be able to unpick what the advert is telling or selling to them so that they can make informed decisions about their own ‘consumption’ and consumerism in society (Banaji, 2010).

 

Banaji, S. (2010) Analysing Advertising in the Classroom in Bazelgette, C. (Ed) Teaching Media in Primary Schools London: Sage

Gunter, B., Oates, C., and Blades, M. (2005) Advertising to Children on TV New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Association

Multimodal Texts

Both the Primary National Strategy (PNS) and the National Curriculum state that it is important to incorporate ICT in the teaching and learning of literacy (Medwell, Moore, Wray and Griffiths, 2012). The PNS states that “children should be taught to read and write for a range of purposes on paper and on screen.” (Medwell, 2012:196) and in agreement the National Curriculum states that children should be taught through the use of ICT-based information texts to develop their own ideas and enhance them where necessary. It also shares an importance of using ICT to share and exchange information.

Multimodel texts enables children to contextualise the literacies they are learning and experience them in ways that are comfortable to them, as they are a generation literate in the use of ICT (Medwell, et. al., 2012). It is important that children have access to digital communication in schools in which they access freely at home and that will be used considerably in their future lives (Walsh, 2010).

Personally, using Multimodel texts has highlighted the benefits for utilizing them in my own practice. It offers opportunities to create individual stories or text-based work that is free from the strains of physically writing. It enables the user to evaluate and proof-read, to make changes or improvements and frees their mind to think purely on what they would like to communicate rather than also having to think about handwriting or spelling. This could be seen as a hindrance as the children will not learn the vital necessities of writing. However, to use multi-model texts alongside traditional literacy learning, the benefits of both can be taught and may interlink and help each other to create an enriched learning environment of literacy.

 

Medwell, J., Moore, G., Wray, D., Griffiths, V. (2012) Primary English Knowledge and Understanding London: Learning Matters

Walsh, M. (2010) Multi-modal literacy: What does it mean for classroom practice? Australian Journal of Language and Literacy 33 (3)

Should children learn about advertisement in school?

Gunter, Oates and Blades (2004), state that the purpose of an advertisement, is to portray a message or brand in a certain way, with careful consideration towards the consumers needs and desires. Gunter et al (2004) further explains this can have negative effects on children, including low self-esteem due to unrealistic role models, desires of the latest gadgets, which can cause pressure on the children and parents to keep up to date in society.

In contrast Benaji (2010), believes advertisement can have a positive effect on children. He explains that if children have an understanding of the purpose and function of advertisements, then this can aid in their own writing. I have seen evidence for this, as on my school experience the children made their own vehicles in a design and technology lesson, and then had to produce an advertisement in the literacy lessons in order to sell their product. This allowed cross-curricular links to enforce the purpose of advertising, and the literacy lessons acted as a tool for educating children on the features of persuasive language.

In reflection, I understand there are positive and negative effects of advertisement on children. However, based on my own experience and reading, I feel that the positive effects out-weigh the negatives. This is because children can learn to be critical of advertisements from a young age, rather than being sheltered throughout childhood and then bombarded with the effects of the media in adulthood, where they may feel inadequately prepared, and become easily influenced.

Bibliography

Banaji, S. (2010) ‘Analysing Advertisements in the Classroom’ in Bazelgette, C. (Ed) Teaching Media in Primary Schools London: Sage.

Gunter, B. Oates, C. & Blades, M. (2005) Advertising to Children on TV. New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Should children learn about advertising in school?

As Gunter et al (2005) informs “the main function of an advert is to convey a message about a brand effectively to influence consumers’ perceptions of the brand, to render the brand more desirable, and to create an intention to buy, to eventual purchase.” (Gunter 2005:100) This can have a hugely negative effect on children with the encouragement of wanting things for ‘purely commercial terms’ (Gunter et al 2005:4).  He goes on to discuss that young children are vulnerable to advertising as they “know less about the intent of advertisers” (Gunter et al 2005:9) and the process behind advertising. This view is supported by Banaji (2010) who states that children are more vulnerable than adults to the effects of the media and it is an innocent and easily influential target audience.

Therefore, a way to increase children’s understanding, is by spending time in school learning about advertising. (Gunter et al 2005) Banaji (2010) concurs stating that it is hugely important children have an understanding of adverts and teachers should take time and care in ensuring appropriate methods are used to ensure full understanding of the advertising world is portrayed. (Banaji 2010) By using discussion as a starting point to explore children’s current knowledge and perceptions allows the teacher to see where understanding is lacking. (Banaji 2010) this can then lead to teachers choosing appropriate areas of focus.

I feel that the teaching of advertisement is necessary in the classroom. Rather than sheltering the children from real life, popular cultures, and the persuasion behind advertising we should just educate them around the issues of advertising and make them aware of the negative sides and the aims behind it all.

Banaji, S. (2005) 'Analysing Advertisements in the Classroom' in Bazelgette, C. (ed) Teaching Media in Primary Schools London: Sage

Gunter, B. Oates, C. & Blades, M. (2005) Advertising to Children on TV New Jersey, Lawrence Eribaum Associates

 

week 6 blog

Should children learn about advertising in school?

‘The main function of an advert is to convey a message about a brand effectively to influence consumers’ perceptions of the brand, to render the brand more desirable, and to create an intention to buy, to eventual purchase’ (Gunter, Oates and Blades 2005:100). The intended purpose of advertisement might not be recognisable for all adults and children. Banaji (2010) highlights the importance of children having an understanding of adverts, as Livingstone (2006 cited in Banaji, 2010) claimed that children of all ages are affected by advertising. Gunter et al (2005:4) outline some of the negative affects advertising can have on children: encouragement of unhealthy eating, family arguments due to advertising causing children to pester their parents and children viewing religious occasions in ‘purely commercial terms’. Gunter et al (2005) recognise that advertisements can be used to aware children of important issues, for example healthy eating. However, some have argued that this is a selling point (Gunter et al, 2005).

Children have been viewed as being vulnerable to advertisement; Craggs (1992, cited in Gunter et al, 2005) has suggested a way to increase children’s understanding is through learning about advertisement in school. The research showed that teachers should use children’s perceptions and current knowledge as a starting point (Banaji, 2010). The outcome of the discussion emphasised that the teaching of advertisement allowed the teacher to see how much the children actually understood by hearing their critics (Banaji, 2010). The research project showed that allowing children to create or edit adverts created opportunities for children to develop persuasive skills through writing and design features (Banaji, 2010). The level of engagement reported from the teacher shows the success of using advertisement in education. It allowed the children to develop their: persuasive writing skills, media skills and awareness of how consumers are targeted in advertising (Banaji, 2010). It has been argued that the teaching of advertisement will help the children to be ‘adwise’ when viewing advertisements (Banaji, 2010:72). However, Banaji (2010) raises the question of, what age is appropriate to teach advertisement?

Banaji, S (2010) ‘Analysing Advertisements in the Classroom’ in Bazelgette, C. (Ed) Teaching Media in Primary Schools London: Sage

Gunter, B. Oates, C. & Blades, M. (2005) Advertising to Children on TV New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates

Week 6 - Advertising

Children are exposed to a very large number of advertisements, there has been much controversy over the influences this has on children to conform they have been seen to influence pester power,  unhealthy eating habits, stereotypes and gender role expectations (Gunter et al, 2005). Furnham (2000) however suggests ‘banning advertising of any sort shelters or at least delays a child’s understanding and decision making’ (Gunter et al, 2005). This led Gunter et al (2005:1) to raise the question ‘is it fair to advertise to children unless they fully understand the intent of the advertisers?’
Gunter et al (2005:9) states ‘young children are thought to be particularly vulnerable to advertising because they know less about the intent of advertisers and the process of creating an advertisement’. With this in mind this creates a variety of reasons to teach advertisements in the classroom which have an important contribution to make to children’s learning, firstly in terms of the design and content of advertising (Banaji, 2010), secondly to discuss the effects used for purpose, Furnham (2000) supports this view, adding the most effective way to help children understand advertising is by discussing products to inform the nature of advertising (Gunter at al, 2005), however this needs to be tackled in an age appropriate manner (Banaji, 2010).

Banaji (2010, 69) however found that some teachers avoid teaching advertisement as they believe they get enough at home. Children may not be given the chance when watching advertisements at home to discuss and critically analyse the effects used and how they impact on us as consumers. Furnham (2000) however supports this view that it is the role of parents to educate their children into the economic world (Gunter et al, 2005). Should we as teachers leave this to parents? as Gunter et al (2005:12) suggests pressures on primary school curriculum mean that time spent on topics such as advertising may be limited’.

It could be suggested that as adults our role in society is as consumers therefore adverts are merely guiding children into their role in society, the more understanding children gain about the purpose of advertisments can help enable them to make informed decisions.

Banaji, S (2010) ‘Analysing Advertisements in the classroom’ in Bazelgette, C. (Ed) Teaching Media in Primary Schools London: SAGE

Gunter, B. Oates, C. & Blades, M. (2005) Advertising to Children on TV New Jersey, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates pp1-13

Week 6 - ED

Children's advertising

The debate of whether advertising is appropriate for children is current and ongoing within today's society. There are many aspects and dependents that highlight whether advertisements may be beneficial to children or not. The main issue of adverts is that they are targeting an innocent and easy influenced audience as 'children are more vulnerable than adults to the effects of media' (Banaji 2010:62). The majority of critics believe that children are vulnerable to advertising because they are unaware of the intent of adverts and that they are usually unrealistic and may create many negative impacts on their lives (Gunter, Oates & Blades 2005:9). Critics have also said that advertising encourages children to view important events, such as Christmas, as a commercial event, all about receiving presents which is not its religious intent (Gunter, Oates & Blades 2005:4). Food advertisements also reflects the growing obesity rate, due to the persuasive nature of food advertising (Gunter, Oates & Blades 2005:5). Advertising can also create stereotyping by always using physically attractive people which children may aspire to be like, even though it is unrealistic and create pressures to conform to ideals of beauty (Gunter, Oates & Blades 2005:9).

Gunter, Oats and Blades (2005:3) states another issue of advertising is the exploitation of children by persuading children to want and buy products they do not need and spend money they do not have. Television advertisers treat children as consumers as children are aware of far more products than their parents are able or willing to buy and therefore 'children have spending power' (Gunter, Oates & Blades 2005:2). This desire is known as 'pester power' whereby children nag their parents to buy these advertised items for them (Gunter, Oates & Blades 2005:3).

School education can inform children's understanding about advertising in a positive way. Teacher's can incorporate the subject of advertising in many ways within their classroom to benefit their understanding and general development. Children and teenagers in the UK and US may be spending between 4-5 hours a day watching some form of electronic media (Gunter, Oates & Blades 2005:2) highlighting that advertisements are relevant to many children's lives and therefore discussions about advertising can be very engaging for children (Banaji 2010:68). Learning could include such issues as comparing products, product information, discussing slogans or designing adverts. These areas can be very beneficial to children's learning development in many subject areas, however, 'teachers need to take care in choosing appropriate methods and materials that will allow children of different ages to express what they think and best show what they understand about advertisements' (Banaji 2010:63).

Although there are many aspects of children's advertisement that could be explored in much greater detail, it is apparent that children's advertising can be inappropraite in relation to children's self-concept and in terms of them being consumers. However, educating children around the issues of advertising and using this to benefit their leaning and engage the children can spin a negative issue to a positive outcome.

Bibliography

Banaji, S. (2005) 'Analysing Advertisements in the Classroom' in Bazelgette, C. (ed) Teaching Media in Primary Schools London: Sage

Gunter, B. Oates, C. & Blades, M. (2005) Advertising to Children on TV New Jersey, Lawrence Eribaum Associates pp 1-13

Multiple Literacies and Multimodal Texts.

Multiple Literacies and Multimodal Texts.

The use of a Power point to create a story, allowed me to experiment with the font, images and sound for an overall aesthetically pleasing end product. UKLA (2005), explain that teachers should incorporate such technical devises into literacy because children already have gained a wide experience from multimodal texts outside school, and therefore should be using their knowledge to further understanding in literacy and to engage and make links with relevant tools that they access every day.

UKLA (2004) express a further advantage for multi modal texts, as writing alone can not show a child’s entire strengths. The choice of background, positioning of characters and font all play a part in adding to the overall theme of the story, and allow children to make explicit links to the written text to emphasise points that may be ambiguous through writing alone. An example of this, is that I used the images, in my multi modal text, to portray the landscape as a fairy tale setting, which I did not remember to describe in the text. The choice of colour also allowed me to show my characters mood, in a more emotive way as I could make use of my inference and deduction skills, and link to previous images I have seen in books or on screen.

Brooks-young (2007) provides a point that the use of auditory tools on multimodal texts, allows literacy to appeal to different learners, who struggle to express their thoughts through writing, in particular boys. He explains that allowing children to record and listen to their voices, encourages them to understand the importance of stressing certain parts of words, and is particularly useful in helping children understanding the effects of punctuation.

However, UKLA (2005) accept that multi modal texts can not raise attainment in literacy merely on their own, but when used in conjunction with purposeful questioning and cross curricular links, it encourages children to think about the choices they made, and make links with texts they have read or hear, and their own in order to justify their choice. UKLA (2004) explain this will allow children to become critical writers, as eventually teachers will not need to scaffold children with questioning as the children will automatically be making the links as to why they are making specific decisions about word choice or colour of a background, without conscious effort.

Bibliography

Brooks-young, S. (2007) Digital-age for literacy teachers: Applying technology standards for everyday practice. Washington: ISTE publications.

QCA/UKLA (2004) More than words: Multimodal texts in the classroom London: QCA

QCA/UKLA (2005) More than words 2: Creating Stories on page and screen. London: QCA

week 5

Walsh (2010) proposed that teachers need to prepare their pupils for the new literacy practices. This is supported by the QCA who stated that, children should be taught to read and write through ICT based texts (Medwell, Moore, Wray and Griffin, 2012). However, the PNS explains how children need traditional books alongside ICT based texts (Medwell et al, 2012). If ICT based texts are being suggested, then why are they not included in national tests (Walsh, 2010)?  Walsh (2010) claims that an implication for teachers using a solely multimodal approach is that the children may miss out on the rich and imaginative knowledge which books offer. 

Reading multimodal texts require different skills from reading books (Walsh, 2010). Medwell et al (2012) outlined that a child needs to be able to read and interpret the ‘symbols’ which multimodal texts use. This may cause children difficulties if they only read text based books. Picture books can be used as a starting point to show children how the author has constructed meaning through the pictures (UKLA, 2005). The UKLA (2004) recommend teachers should spend time discussing the layout of features and how the design combines with the text. Children need to be exposed to multimodal texts in the classroom, before we expect the children to create multimodal texts (UKLA, 2004). Before seeing examples of multimodal texts I found it difficult to design my story. I used the examples to capture ideas and to develop my knowledge of multimodal texts. The seminar made me aware of the importance of discussing the features of design and exposing children to multimodal texts.

Medwell et al (2012) highlight some of the benefits of using multimodal texts. Multimodal texts can be used to foster and maintain children’s interest (Medwell et al, 2012). Could this be due to children using technology which is part of their popular culture?

Medwell, J. Moore, G. Wray, D. Griffiths, V. (2012) Primary English Knowledge and Understanding London: Learning Matters (Ch 14 Electronic Texts pp196 – 202)

QCA/UKLA (2004) More than words: Multimodal texts in the classroom London: QCA

QCA/UKLA (2005) More than words 2: Creating Stories on page and screen. London: QCA

Walsh, M. (2010) ‘Multimodal literacy: what does it mean for classroom practice?’ Australian Journal of Language and Literacy 33 (3) pp211 – 239

Multimodal Literacy in practice

The use of PowerPoint to create stories was effective allowing you to create a story board type piece of work incorporating text, image and sound. The ability to add the effect of a spoken story or sound effects would engage children in thinking of different elements to their story. The use of image, text and sound to create a story incorporates lots of different mediums to make up the text. (UKLA 2005) Multimodality is about developing ways of constructing texts. It is important for children to produce texts using more than one mode. (UKLA 2004) Readers have the ability to access texts in many different ways – the writing, the pictures, the layout etc all have to be interpreted and are all forms of reading in different ways. (UKLA 2004) Therefore for the children to be able to put together a piece of text incorporating pictures, text and sound this will take a “great deal of conscious effort”. (UKLA 2004:26)

QCA/UKLA (2004) More than words: Multimodal texts in the classroom London: QCA

QCA/UKLA (2005) More than words 2: Creating Stories on page and screen. London: QCA

week 5 - multimodal texts

Multiple Literacies and Multimodal Texts – reflection of the implications of this session on my future practice 

It is apparent that in multimodal texts a particular set of reading skills are needed to fully engage and comprehend them, ‘many books and other media now available in schools cannot be read by attention to writing alone’ (UKLA, 2004:5). Particularly inferential and deductive skills are needed to make sense of for examples picture books which use words and pictures combined to depict the story. As teachers it is our role to ensure children are equipped with these skills to access these texts, UKLA (2004, 18) states ‘what is on offer in the classroom influences what children are able to achieve in constructing these texts’, therefore it is important to provide multimodal texts in the classroom. It was interesting in the seminar to look closely about the knowledge we have when accessing these texts and what we do to engage in them, such as the use of layout features, different fonts, illustrations, and colours all used for purpose. Discussing multimodal texts with children makes explicit the purpose of these features ‘and is likely to have an impact on their use of different modes and media for specific purposes’ (UKLA, 2004: 18). This was made more explicit to me whilst creating my own multimodal text using power point and the thought process I went through in selecting different effects for purpose in my story.

 

UKLA (2004) also makes explicit how these texts can be used cross curricular for children to communicate their own learning for example in Science to demonstrate the life cycle of a plant, they further stress that purely ‘looking only at the words runs the risk of missing a lot of what children know’ (UKLA, 2004:5) therefore introducing multimodal texts to children so they can use and apply them can help reveal a great deal about the learning taken place.

 

QCA/UKLA (2004) More than Words: Multimodal texts in the Classroom London:QCA

Digital Literacy and Technologies: Resources

Futurelab (2010) state that digital literacy is not just about understanding how to use technology, but about “collaborating, staying safe and communicating effectively. It’s about cultural and social awareness and understanding, and it’s about being creative” (2010:19).  This means resources should be understood and used to inhibit these ideologies of using technology and digital literacy.

From personal experiences, resources seem to have benefits for literacy teaching, however lack aspects which are essential, for example resources to reflect upon learning and using these resources. Futurelab (2010) understands this and therefore suggests using such resources alongside traditional literacy, whilst Halsey (2007) reinforces this viewpoint saying it is vital to merge digital skills with other cross curricular subjects other than literacy.

 

Resources that I have found interesting and beneficial include: ‘Storybird’; an interactive resource which enables children to create stories, using page layout techniques, pictures to resemble the story and whole story layout. It was fun, easy to use and gave children opportunities to express, imagine and invent their own stories. However, it is limited in its capacity to let children express their stories as creatively as they may want (for example, the amount of pictures available to use).  Merchant (2007) suggests that using technological resources like this, can hinder children by making them lazy with traditional literacy and sloppy in their written language skills.

Another resource recently used is Tagxedo; a program that lets children create word art pictures. My creation was words involving the theme of snow white in the shape of an apple. It is a great way in which children could maybe show their understanding and comprehension of a story they have read, in a digital and creative way.

To conclude, with reflections on resources I have used, it is beneficial to use digital literacy in the classroom to enhance upon traditional literacy, but caution should be understood that not all digital literacy tools will fully underpin what is needed in literacy and therefore teachers should be understanding of this and able to adapt and suit these to their needs (Merchant, 2007).

 

Bibliography

Futurelab (2010) Digital Literacy across the Curriculum [online]

Halsey, S. (2007) Embracing emergent technologies and envisioning new ways of using them for literacy learning in the primary classroom English Teaching; Practice and Critique 6 (2)

Merchant (2007) Writing the future in the digital age Literacy 41 (3)

Storybird http://storybird.com/

Tagxedo www.tagxedo.com

 

week 4 blog

‘Introducing new digital literacies into classroom settings is an important and challenging task’ (Merchant, 2009:38). Rylands (2013) (Online) claimed that ‘there is a huge, and accessible, range of digital, and analogue, ways to engage, and motivate students of all ages, and abilities’. Before the seminar I had limited knowledge of resources to use when using ICT within Literacy. Turbill’s (2001 cited in Halsey, 2007) research showed that some teachers lacked confidence in using digital text when teaching, and felt they did not have enough time to search for software. I felt the seminar improved my confidence in using computer software packages and it gave me a range of websites and software packages to use in the Primary classroom.

The Future Lab (2010) highlights the importance of giving children time to experiment with different technologies. I feel this is important as the time given in the seminar to experiment with the different technologies developed my understanding and confidence when using the different software packages.

The National Curriculum (QCA, 1999 cited in Medwell, Moore, Wray and Griffiths 2012:196) outlines that ‘children should be taught the skills of reading and writing through ICT’. The separation of ICT and Literacy in the classroom has stood in the way of progression (Merchant, 2009). This highlights the importance of teachers planning cross curricular links for ICT and Literacy. The Future Lab (2010) proposes that using digital technologies can encourage creative thinking and develop the child’s subject knowledge.

The QCA (1999) stated that Key Stage Two pupils should be taught to use a wide range of vocabulary. As a student teacher I would use Tagxedo as a way of encouraging and motivating the children to use adventurous vocabulary to describe their chosen theme. Halsey (2007) describes the advantages of using software similar to Tagxedo in the classroom; the children were excited to find interesting words which could be due to the stimulus.

Children should be taught to write for a range of purposes on paper and on screen (PNS, 2006 cited in Medwell et al, 2012). To improve children’s use of speech in narrative I would use the Seussville story maker as it allows the child to focus on the speech and narrative as the animations are already created. Software packages which children choose options from a pre-established story can encourage children to focus on character development and dialogue (Montague, 1990). When setting the task I would give the children a real audience, by allowing them to share their story with a child from a younger key stage/ class. ‘Writing for a real audience is said to contribute to more thoughtful content and structure of the writing’ (Godwin-Jones, 2003; Oakley, 2003 cited in Hasley, 2007:102).

Futurelab. (2010) Digital literacy across the curriculum. London: Becta.

Halsey, S. (2007) ‘Embracing emergent technologies and envisioning new ways of using them for literacy learning in the primary classroom’ English Teaching; Practice and Critique 6 (2) pp 99-107

Medwell, J. Moore, G. Wray, D. Griffiths, V. (2012) Primary English Knowledge and Understanding London: Learning Matters

Merchant, G. (2009) ‘Literacy in virtual worlds’ Journal of Research in Reading 32, (1) 38-56.

Montague. M. (1990) Computers, Cognition, and Writing Instruction New York: State University of New York Press

QCA (1999) The National Curriculum London: DfEE/QCA

Rylands, T. (2013) ICT to inspire (Online) http://www.timrylands.com/ (Accessed: 12.2.13)

Seussville story maker http://www.seussville.com/games_hb/storymaker/story_maker.html (Accessed: 12.2.12)

Tagxedo http://www.tagxedo.com/ (Accessed 12.02.13)

The princess and her unexpected friend!

The gruffalo

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Week 5 - ED

 Week 5 - Rethinking literacy: Multimodal texts

The National Curriculum program of study for English state that children should be taught the skills of reading and writing through ICT-based texts (Medwell, Moore, Wray and Griffin (2012:196).  'Rapid changes in digital communication provide facilities for reading and writing to be combined with various and often quite complex aspects of images, music, sound, graphics, photography and film' (Walsh 2010:211) and therefore, within current society, it is important to incorporate multimodal texts within the classroom. Multimodal texts or literacy can be defined as 'meaning-making' that can occur through reading, viewing, producing and interacting with multimedia and digital texts (Walsh 2010:213). 

Making my multimodal text through a Powerpoint movie was a beneficial experience for numerous reasons. Looking from a literacy aspect, it can provide children with a text that differs from the usual books, and allows the children to read the story from a computer screen and make links with the pictures with it. It allows me as 'teacher' to consider the types of pictures and amount of text that would be appropriate for this type of multimodal text. I found that, as it is a movie, it was more appropriate to provide pictures as the most stimulating way to deliver information of the story, and the text allowed children to read if they wanted to but was not overindulged so the child could view it as a movie as well as a story. This process, also enabled me to see how simple the process of making a Powerpoint and including different effects and transitions is, and how this could be easily made accessible to children and part of my own furture practice. I believe that children would enjoy making their own stories and creating different texts in this way, especially as they come out with a finished project at the end that they can sit back, watch and show it off to their friends.

Medwell, J. Moore, G. Wray, D & Griffiths, V. (2012) Primary English Knowledge and Understanding London: Learning Matters

Walsh, M. (2010) 'Multimodal literacy: what does it mean for classroom practice?' Australian Journal of Language and Literacy 33 (3) pp211-239