thesis

Literacy education in school: Research perspectives from the past, for the future

Abstract

An overly negative view of literacy and reluctance to take account of history has limited research and led indirectly to the advancement of some unproductive ideas about literacy, according to this review of research on literacy education by the Australian Council for Educational Research. The review argues that a false dichotomy has developed in literacy theory between \u27code\u27 and \u27meaning-emphasis\u27, a dichotomy sometimes wrongly equated with the debate between \u27phonics\u27 and \u27whole language\u27 approaches to teaching. This leads teachers of early literacy to believe that they must choose between the two methods, when in fact effective teachers use elements from both, as well as additional strategies. Professor Freebody is concerned that the idea of literacy is sometimes simply used as a form of punishment, saying \u27The effects of research are less productive when the primary function is to cut "underperforming" teachers, students or target demographic groups out from the herd for naming, branding or punishment.\u27 He argues that future research into literacy education must include a focus on observational study of teaching in actual classrooms. NB please be warned that this is a large (11.48 MB) fil

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