Friday, 10 June 2011
Thursday, 24 March 2011
Reference List
Barratt-Pugh, C., & Rohl, M. (2000). Literacy Learning- In the Early Years. Australia
Bull, G., & Ansley, M. (2005). The Literacy Landscape. Frenchs Forest : Pearson Education Australia
Clay, M.M. (1991). Becoming Literate- The Construction of Inner Control. Auckland
Department of Education, Science and Training. (2002). What Successful Readers Know and Do. Retrieved 15 March, 2011 from
Hargrevs, A. (1994). Changing Teachers, Changing Times: Teachers work and culture in the postmodern age. London
Santoro, N. (2004). Using the four resources model across the curriculum. In A. Healy 7 E. Honan (EDs.), Text Next (51-67). Newton
Sutz, R. (1996). The Literacy Company. Retrieved 15 March, 2011 from
Wedding, A. (2006). Middle Years Literacy and the Four Resources Model – Planning and teaching for the four resources. Retrieved 15 March, 2011 from
Winch, G., Johnston New York : Oxford
Winch, J. (2007). Critical Literacy and the Politics of English Teaching in the 21st Century. English in Australia
The Four Resources Model
In the 1990’s Allan Luke and Peter Freebody developed The Four Resources Model. This model is regarded as a valuable tool for teachers as it helps teachers make decisions about the teaching strategies they employ in their lessons. However, Luke and Freebody “argue that there is no single ‘right’ method of teaching literacy as different methods simply shape social practices of reading and writing in different ways” (Barratt-Pugh and Rohl, 2000, p.23). Nevertheless, they created this model as they understand that in order for children, teenagers and adults to become effective literacy users that they “need a variety of practices which enable them to break the code of the text…. participate in the meaning of the text… use texts functionally… and critically analyse and transform texts (Barratt-Pugh and Rohl, 2000, p.23).
This is where the four levels of literacy practice gain there name of Code Breaker, Text Participant, Text User and Text Analyst from. All of these have different roles for example the role of Code Breaker is to decode “the codes and conventions of written, spoken and visual texts” (Department of Education, Science and Training, 2002.) This shows that functional literacies are need in this literacy practice as it relates to the style of the text. Whilst the role of Text Participant is to “comprehend written, spoken and visual texts” (Department of Education, Science and Training, 2002). This shows that personal literacies are need in this literacy practice as it relates to the readers own experience, their prior knowledge of the text and their knowledge of similar texts. Hence, influencing the way they view the text.
Whereas, in the role of Text User readers understand “the purposes of different written, spoken and visual texts for cultural and social functions” (Department of Education, Science and Training, 2002). This shows that cultural literacies are need in this literacy practice as the reader needs to understand that different types of texts have been composed for different audiences. Thus, reflecting different cultural experiences or societal expectations. Lastly, the role of Text Analyst is to help readers understand “how texts position readers, viewers and listeners” (Department of Education, Science and Training, 2002). This shows that critical literacies are needed in this literacy practice as not only do readers need to know information about the text, but they will also need to know information about the composer and techniques used by the composer to represent certain views or ideas. As well as how these techniques, views and ideas influence the audience’s perception.
However, it should be noted that “the four resources are, in fact, interactive not discrete resources unconnected from one another there is a good deal of overlap between them. In many cases, the same test or learning task can require students to take up two or more of the same role” (Santoro, 2004, p.53). Nonetheless, my favourite thing about this model is that it can be applied to all levels of schooling.
My literacy memory is functional, as by the teacher explaining to me what direction a ‘b’ went and what way a ‘d’ went I was able to decode the previous mistakes I had made when writing words beginning with these letters, thus improving my writing. The worksheet in which the teacher got me to read out loud also showed me the relationship between spoken sounds and written symbols/ words. As I was able to recognize the sounds in words, identify whole words as well as identify letter and sound interactions. Hence, enabling me to spell accurately. Therefore my memory relates to literacy practice of Code Breaker within The Four Resources Model.
Whereas, in the Literacy Learning Triptych which is another contemporary language development model. My memory relates to the Learning Of which like Code Breaker within The Four Resources Model is a functional approach. As it incorporates the how to of literacy. Nonetheless, Clay (1991) states that what a child writes is a rough indication of how they views printed language. So during the first year of instruction what the child spontaneously writes tends to be a fair reflection of what they have learnt to look at in the detail of the print (p.101). This quote demonstrates the reason I was getting my ‘b’s’ and ‘d’s’ mixed up as at the time I viewed these letters details similar in print.
My Literacy Memory
In kindergarten I always struggled to remember which direction a ‘b’ went and which direction a ‘d’ went. When it came to revising the alphabet or speaking I knew that ‘b’ was for ball and ‘d’ was for dog, however once it became time for diary writing or any various other writing activities I started to get really confused between the two letters. There were many times were I wrote a ‘b’ where a ‘d’ should have been and vise versa. I got into trouble from the teacher for doing this numerous times. The only time I managed to work out which direction the ‘b’ or ‘d’ should go was when it was written in front of me.
One day when the rest of the class was having free time the teacher approached me and asked “Nastassja could you please sit down at your desk”. At the time I was a bit annoyed because I was having fun playing barbies but I followed her instruction and sat down. Then she showed me a sentence I wrote in my journal which she had just marked. She underlined the word I though said bat at the time and told me it said “dat not bat and dat isn’t a word.” “It’s supposed to say bat” I argued. Then she pointed to the word she had written in blue pen beside it and said “this is how you spell bat.” This made me feel a little embarrassed, as I could feel my face starting to get hot.
“You get your “b’s’ and ‘d’s’ confused a lot don’t you sweetie.” Lost for words I just nodded. “Well I am going to teach you a trick” she said whilst putting her left hand in a thumbs up position. This is a “b, can you make a b with this hand” she asked as she touched my left hand. So I made a ‘b’ shape with my left hand. “Now Nastassja look at your hand and remember that b goes behind the line.” She then put down her left hand and placed her right hand in the thumbs up position. “This is a ‘d, can you make a d?” she asked so I made a ‘d’ with my right hand. “Now, I want you to remember that ‘d’ goes in front of the line.” Then she asked me to repeat what she had just told me, so I did. After this, she showed me a few examples of where I had previously got my ‘b’s’ and ‘d’s’ confused. Finally, she gave me a work sheet on the letter ‘b’ to complete and handed me a sheet on the letter ‘d’ to read out loud. Whilst I was reading this to her she got me to circle the letter ‘d’. Once I completed this I was aloud to go play again.
For a while after that when I got stuck with writing my ‘b’s’ and ‘d’s I would make my hands do the thumbs up position and say “b goes behind the line, d goes in front of the lin.” After a while I didn’t have to look at my hands and I could say the saying to myself in my head. Eventually I didn’t even have to say it to myself in my head as writing gradually became easier and easier. From that moment during play time and on I very rarely got my ‘b’s’ and ‘d’s’ mixed up.
Defining Literacy
Before I start to analyze my literacy memory through The Four Resources Model, I thought I would begin by defining literacy. Many definitions of literacy exist as “the way in which literacy is defined changes over time” (Bull and Anstey, 2005, p.33). However, as a pre service teacher the definition that means a lot to me is “we can think of literacy not merely as a set of skills, but as a way of operating with a variety of text within particular sets of social situations… Literacy practices are embedded in the practices of our everyday lives… There are school literacies, computer literacies, out of school literacies, social literacies and so on that are characterized by a wide range of written, spoken, aural, visual and multimodal texts” (Santoro, 2004, p.52).
Like The Los Angeles Times Winch, Johnston , March and Holiday (2004) understand that competence in literacy is essential if an individual is to participate fully in society. Nonetheless, “traditionally, departments or ministries of education describe literacy in syllabus and curriculum documents as listening, speaking, reading and writing” therefore “recently there has been a movement towards collapsing listening and speaking into a single category, talk, and adding critical thinking, viewing and non-verbal communication” (Bull and Anstey, 2004, p.33).
Critical like the word literacy can be complicated to define. Nevertheless, when you combine these two words together you have “a teaching philosophy which offers readers a way of reading texts which can empower and contribute to both an understanding of the self and the world” (Winch, 2007, p.49). However, this term “continues to be a concept which is widely, misused, mis-applied and misunderstood” (Winch, 2007, p.49). This is why teachers need to have broad understanding of literacy and the contemporary models of language development.
Nonetheless, there is a need to recognize that “teachers don’t merely deliver the curriculum. They develop it, define it and interpret it too. It is what teachers think, what teachers believe and what teachers do at the level of the classroom that ultimately shapes the kind of learning that young people get” ( Hargeaves, 1994, p.5). Thus, reinforcing how crucial it is for teachers to have broad understanding of literacy and the contemporary models of language development, as well as illustrating the importance of pedagogy.
A Brief Overview of My Literacy Experience
I have a lot of literacy memories from my childhood, most of which have occurred during school time. Some of these memories include revising the alphabet as a class, taking turns at reading out sounding words and sitting on the floor as a class listening to the teacher read out loud. I can also remember being taught the basics of spelling, reading and writing. As the years progressed my ability to do all of these things improved and gradually the tasks involving them became harder and harder. For example as my reading ability improved I progressed in reading levels. Thus, exposing me to a range of written words I hadn’t previously had much exposure to.
When I was really young the text that impacted on my development included ‘Alphabet’ by Active Minds, ‘Busy Birthday’ by Susan Baun and books from the Ladybird ‘Read It Yourself’ series. The picture book of ‘Alphabet’ helped me to learn my alphabet and understand what the various letters looked like and stood for. The pictures in ‘Busy Birthday’ were labeled, thus helping to make sense of my surroundings. Where as the Ladybird ‘Read It Yourself’ series supported my ability to read as by having different level groups to progress through my reading gradually improved.
Today my knowledge of literacy is still being added to as I am now learning how to be an effective teacher of literacy. The reason I am learning this is because one day it will be my responsibility to teach students vital literacy skills. Santoro (2004) states all teachers are teachers of literacy (p.52). So regardless of what subject I am teaching it is important that I help students with their development of literacy. As “students literacy skills affect how well they learn subject content” (Santoro, 2004, p.51). The Los Angeles Times also realizes the significance of literacy as it quoted; no skill is more crucial to the future of a child, or to a democratic and prosperous society, than literacy (Sutz, 1996).
Nevertheless, the subsequent blogs relate specifically to my earliest literacy and how it can be critically appraised through The Four Resources Model which is a contemporary model of language development.
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