Setting the Scene

The most eye opening data collected with regards to Critical Literacy would be that from 'Voice Memo'   and the associated 'Anecdotal Notes' where it was made clear that many students were unable to participate in reflective discussion and questioning. For success in comprehension, whether it be evaluative, inferential or critical literacy the ability to question both intra and interpersonally in depth is an advantage. This competence is reflected across literacy in both reading and writing. These findings made me research further into the effectiveness of two particular areas of Process Drama:  Hot Seating and Mantle of the Expert (MoE) Both of types of drama provide an excellent opportunity for reflective discussion.  Both Hot Seating and MoE allow for the exploration of multiple perspectives which can be adopted to strengthen view points with the opportunity to walk in other peoples shoes. Viv Aitken in 'Connecting Curriculum Linking Learning,' discusses ...

Preliminary Findings Individually, each piece of data informs different strengths and weaknesses in the different areas, however there is a cumulative effect. During 'Hot Seating' the first Voice Memo seemed to be very constrained with one question / one response being recorded by the whole class. Questions were asked in isolation with no follow up or follow through to  'find out more' by digging deeper in particular areas.  Anecdotally, while watching movement and process while creating a 'Postcard ' (where one child is added at a time to replicate a given scene), some students were unable to physically express  themselves as part of a group interpreting a before and after scene. This alluded to the fact that they were unaware of the physical surroundings being portrayed in the story and as such were unable to mentally re-create the situation using spontaneous flexible problem solving.  Following two very disruptive years differing  PAT Reading Comprehension ...

Tools, Measures and Approaches to Profile Student Learning Student voice has been the most powerful tool for me knowing where my students are with regards to their Critical Literacy.                                                                                                                                                                              Using Voice Memos to record student voice allows me to capture and compare discussion and extended interrogative skills ove...

Let's redo last year and roll it into this year. Unfinished inquiries with questions still unanswered. ' That Old Chestnut ' of Inferential and Evaluative comprehension still lurks as an under current with  Critical Literacy being the golden egg.  Critical Literacy,  where students question and examine ideas requiring synthesis, analysis, interpretation and evaluation uncovering a deeper meaning and even potentially challenging the assumptions of the author (Lankshear, 1994).   This year, as last year, I am going to use Process Drama (PD) to continue improving Reading results in my Yr 7 & 8 class. However, I am kick starting with a focus on using PD to improve and refine Sharing, discussion and Interrogation. As with most research you make new discoveries that challenge your initial thoughts. Following last years audio recordings of Hot Seating students it was made apparent that there was a huge growth in their ability to extend lines of questionin...

The year has started with its usual craziness under Covid.  What began with a full class abruptly dwindled down to 5 only to fluctuate over the past 6 weeks. What I have noticed, with the comings and goings, my new Yr 7 students and two new Yr 8 students fall short with their ability to verbally share, discuss and interrogate.  A new class with different expectations is formidable for both student and teacher... righ t? But these are skills that need to be nurtured and built from a students first day at school, aged 5... better yet from day dot!  There needs to be an enthusiastic anticipation that what you bring to school is important... let's hear it! Sharing, discussing and interrogating  is not about being right, wrong or judged but about having a platform to dispense personal realities and to grow a deep understanding of differing views from those around you.  Once this is established inference and evaluative comprehension should have an easier pathway to n...

This year I was fortunate enough to be asked to facilitate a Break Out at Creative Schools: Blaze Of Colour conference, alongside Professor Peter O'Connor and Poet Selina Tusitala Marsh. A wonderful experience sharing how I use digital animation alongside process drama to enhance literacy and comprehension. A highlight of the day was finally being able to listen to our own Poet Laureate, Selina Tusitala Marsh, author of one of my favourite books, Mophead.  I used one of her creative writing techniques in class on our first week back at school... the laughter and engagement while the learners shared their written pieces was magic to my ears! And so the year begins... let Creatives reign!  

 Back to Basics and Back into... Can I continue my inquiry online?   NO! Process drama requires focus, in the moment feelings / expressions and timely discussion and debate. Online learning can be a disruptive slow process where the high trust model within a classroom is swept away and replaced with siblings and others holding you to account for your movements, actions and voice. In short, a difficult task for any teenager!  Fortunately, during our time at school I had made audio recordings of certain parts of our whole class reading while using process drama...specifically 'Hot Seating.' This is where a character or group of characters (playing in role) are questioned or interviewed. This process is not only excellent for developing confidence in oracy but also for examining inferential comprehension as the hot seater needs to fill in the gaps and those questioning need to change their stance or opinion as new facts and information are revealed and further developed...