Kenneth – Hello, and welcome to cooking with Kenneth!

Mahdi – [pointing to raspberries] Raspberry should go in the muffin mix.

Erin – No way

Mahdi – Yes way!

Erin – No!

Mahdi – Yes!

Erin – Ugh!

Kenneth – Stop arguing! [freeze on Erin and Mahdi fighting]

Kenneth – I hate arguments don't you? They're always so angry and never really get anywhere. [paper plane flies in, to land in front of Kenneth]

Audience – Ooh!

Kenneth – Ah! [reads the message on the paper plane] They do get somewhere if you present your views in a sensible, and persuasive manner.

Audience – Aah! Ah! [another paper plane flies in]

Kenneth – [reads the message on the paper plane] Arguments can use lots of ways to get someone to accept your idea or opinion.

Audience – Ooh!

Kenneth – Hmm. Let's see if we can turn Erin and Marty's disagreement into this kind of argument.

Erin – I'll show you where you can put your raspberries.

Kenneth – Marty, why do you think raspberries belong in the muffin mix?

Mahdi – Because everyone knows they're juicy, they explode on the tongue, and they go into muffins.

Kenneth – Marty has started his argument by making a claim.

Audience – Ooh!

Erin – Everyone does not know that. That's just your opinion and you're exaggerating.

Audience – Aah!

Mahdi – Oh yeah, well I've just surveyed my whole family via text and they all say raspberries should definitely go into the muffin mix.

Audience – Ooh!

Kenneth – Now, Marty's trying to persuade Erin by using statistics.

Erin – Your whole family. Does that include your dog?

Kenneth – Boom, what a burn!

Erin – Well, I've done some research online, and found Australia's largest bakery sells three times more chocolate muffins as raspberry muffins.

Audience – Ooh!

Kenneth – Erin's got research to support her argument.

Research smesearch, I don't care. raspberry muffins are better.

Erin – It's not really about if they're better, we're making them for our cooking show audience.

Erin – So it's about if raspberry muffins are more popular, which they're not. And that's my argument.

Mahdi – Fine, only one way to settle this. Let's both make raspberry muffins, and chocolate muffins. And see which ones the audience like the most.

Erin – Game on.

[Fast forward as Erin and Mahdi make muffins, then reveal muffins from beneath the table. Hands appear. No-one takes either of the muffins offered]

Kenneth – Oh, doesn't look like anyone won the argument. Arguments don't always have to have a winner. They're a way of debating and testing the strength of ideas. Arguments are powerful things! [ A paper plane flies in to land in front of Kenneth] Wah! What now, plane thrower?

Audience – laughter

Kenneth – Arguments are powerful things when structured properly and they can take different forms. They may be a review, a poem, a story, a documentary, poster, speech, or an image! Hmm, interesting. Maybe I should structure an argument now to persuade this plane thrower to stop throwing planes at me. The reason for this, is it's annoying, and it's damaging my delicate epidermis.

End of transcript

[Mrs Murray is standing still, in a pose, wearing a princess dress, looking intently through a magnifying glass]

Perfumer 1 – [sniffing towards Ms Murray] I'm getting notes of, notes of, by gum, this one stumped me.

Perfumer 2 – And me. I can't for the life of me figure out what genre it is.

Perfumer 1 – Our reputations as the best genre perfumers in the country will be ruined. [picks up book and starts looking through the pages]

Perfumer 2 – But I haven't seen a case like this in years. Do you mind? You're disturbing my sniffing here.

Perfumer 1 – Sorry, it's just, I've forgotten what genre it is.

Perfumer 2 – Genre is a term used to group different types of text according to similarities in form and function. Knowing what genre a text falls into helps us to know what to expect of it.

Perfumer 1 – But why is it so important we know what genre this is?

Princess with lasoo and magnifying glass – Because without a genre, you won't know what to expect of me. You won't know what patterns I follow, so you'll get really confused.

Perfumer 2 – You can say that again. I am confused. I mean. [sniffs] I'm getting notes of a fairy tale with this princess dress, and if the genre were a traditional fairy tale, you'd expect her as a princess to be helpless. But I'm also getting... [sniffs] a hint of lasso, which suggests she isn't going down without a fight.

Princess with lasoo and magnifying glass – [throws the lasso off screen as if she has caught something] Yee haw!

Perfumer 1 – Mmm, yes, definitely lasso overtones here. That's something you'd expect to find in a cowboy genre, where good guys are trying to rid the town of bad guys, with fast-paced, high-octane action.

Princess with lasso and magnifying glass – Time's up, you cowardly warthog! Ha ha.

[Warthog squeals]

[Mysterious music]

Perfumer 1 – But hang on, now I'm getting sudden notes of something else. [Sniffs] What is that?

Perfumer 2 – The aroma of the detective genre.

Perfumer 1 – So what, now we're expecting this cowboy princess to look for clues and solve a crime? I'm so confused.

Perfumer 2 – Me too! What genre is she?

Princess with lasso and magnifying glass – Great barnacles, Watson! I think I've got it!

Perfumers – So do we.

Perfumer 2 – Could it be?

Perfumer 1 – Yes, I think it could be.

Perfumer 2 – Label. Pen. [Mahdi hand a pen and label to Reannah] All right, I think our work here is done.

Perfumer 1 – A blended genre. [The label is pinned to princess]

Perfumer 2 – With notes of cowboy action, a round of detective scent, and fairy tale overtones.

Perfumer 1 – Now we know where she fits into the world, and we also know what to expect from her story. We can expect the unexpected.

Perfumers – Delicious. Our reputations are saved. [Both begin sniffing her again]

Princess with lasso and magnifying glass – Well, can you save yourselves from sniffing me? It's getting really annoying.

Perfumers – Sorry.

End of transcript

Ms Murray (quiz master) – Hello and welcome to Once Upon a Time the game show where I tell a story and our two contestants have to predict how the story ends by using intertextuality.

[Audience ooohs]

Mahdi – Uh, Ms. Murray, what's intertextuality again?

Ms Murray (quiz master) – [reads from a book] Intertextuality is when one text refers to another in a recognizable way. Not only is this fun for the audience, [audience laughs] but it also adds layers of meaning. [Audience aaaahhhhh] Makes sense?

Mahdi – Yes

Reannah – Kind of...

Ms Murray (quiz master) – Okay. Let the game begin.

[Audience cheers and claps]

Ms Murray (quiz master) – Once upon a time, there was a rap artist named Kevin.

[Audience ooohs]

Ms Murray (quiz master) – He loved to rap, and he was the best rapper in the world.

[Audience aaahs]

Ms Murray (quiz master) – But his one real true love was his dog, Subwoofer.

[Audience aaahs]

Ms Murray (quiz master) – One day, Kevin and Subwoofer went for a walk in the streets. There, they met a stranger.

[Audience ooohs]

Ms Murray (quiz master) – Kevin was nice to the stranger, but unbeknownst to him, that stranger was a haggard old beatboxer,

[audience boos]

Ms Murray (quiz master) – who was very jealous of Kevin's success. The stranger gave Kevin an enormous doughnut, knowing that doughnuts made Kevin really sleepy. Of course, Kevin ate the doughnut and he fell into a deep, deep sleep. So deep that he missed his big rap show that night

[Audience ooohs]

Ms Murray (quiz master) – and his fans were very angry.

[Audience aaawws]

Ms Murray (quiz master) – The beatboxer was really happy. She planned to takeover as the best hip-hop artist in the world! But people missed sleeping Kevin.

[Audience aaars]

Ms Murray (quiz master) – No one knew what to do to wake Kevin up. But do you, do you know how this story ends?

[Click]

Ms Murray (quiz master) – Madhi!

Mahdi – With a kiss?

Ms Murray – (quiz master) –That answer's almost right.

[Audience ooohs]

[Click]

Ms Murray (quiz master) – Reannah!

Reannah – With a kiss from the beatboxer.

Ms Murray (quiz master) – That answer's not right at all.

[Click]

Ms Murray (quiz master) –Madhi!

Mahdi – With a kiss from Kevin's one true love, his dog Subwoofer. Subwoofer gives Kevin a lick, and then he wakes up.

Ms Murray (quiz master) – That answer's just right!

[Fanfare plays and audience cheers]

Ms Murray (quiz master) – For a bonus point, could you tell me how you knew that's how the story would end?

Mahdi – Because it reminded me of the story of Snow White. Snow White wakes up after being kissed by her one true love.

Ms Murray (quiz master) –Excellent!

[Click]

Ms Murray (quiz master) – Yes, Reannah.

Reannah – When you said "Nearly right, not right at all", and "just right" about our answers, were you referring to the way Goldilocks says "Too hot" or "Too cold" and "Just right" in Goldilocks and the Three Bears?

Ms Murray (quiz master) –Yes! It was another intertextual reference! You get a bonus point too.

Reeanah – Yes! I love intertextuality. It is so fun.

Ms Murray (quiz master) –You heard it straight from the student's mouths. That's all we have time for today on Once Upon a Time. Bye now.

End of transcript

[upbeat music]

Narrator

This professional learning is called 'Pushing the boundaries' because it involves thinking about texts in new ways. Often texts we are very familiar with, are used the same way each time. The beauty of using a conceptual approach, is that the concepts create a brand-new lens with which to view and explore texts.

When exploring the concept intertextuality, a great place to start is to watch the intertextuality video, which is included in the links document for this module. It is housed on the Department of Education’s website and will provide you with a definition of intertextuality along with some examples.

It is one of 15 videos that explain the core concepts in an engaging and clear way, for both teachers and students. These videos were created with the NSW English Teachers Association and The School Magazine. I would like to acknowledge and pay my respect to the First Nations people, as the Traditional Owners and ongoing custodians of the land we are all meeting on today.

I’m speaking to you from Kamilaroi country, but some may know this vast expanse of land by another name, as there are a number of variations. The artwork that you can see was created in this nation by a very talented student from Bogabilla Central School. It expresses the themes of community, school, friendship and family. So, what is Intertextuality? Intertextuality refers to relationships or connections among texts.

These interrelationships or connections may come from the composers structural or stylistic choices, like adaptation or appropriation. They are often purposefully created by the composer to shape meaning and to also influence the reader's response.

Intertextuality is everywhere and it is easier to explore than you might initially expect. Even our youngest students have enhanced experiences with texts when these intertextual connections are made. In summary, intertextuality refers to the interrelationships among and within texts that help shape a text’s meaning. The recognisable echoes of other texts intensify the experience and understanding of the text, by adding layers of meaning.

Why is it important? Recognising and understanding intertextuality leads to a rich reading experience. It invites new interpretation as it reveals another context, idea or story to the text.

As new layers of meaning are introduced, there is pleasure in the sense of connection and the continuity of texts and of cultures. These connections mean that the responder is engaging with a broader literary heritage than just a discreet text. Intertextuality also invites us to revisit familiar texts often with new insights into its meaning for our time.

Rob Pope is a Professor of English at the School of Humanities, Oxford Brookes University. He has worked in universities around the world and led staff and curriculum development projects in Australia, Central Europe, South-East Asia and the USA. In his text titled The English Studies (2002), he distinguishes between three types of intertextuality:

• Explicit intertextuality, which is alluding specifically to another text through quotation or reference
• Implied intertextuality, where the allusion is more indirect. It may occur through such commonalities as genre or style.
• Inferred intertextuality, referring to the texts drawn on by the actual responder. They will likely include texts that had not even existed when the text was composed.

The concept progressions for intertextuality are outlined for Early Stage 1 through to Stage 6 on page 19 of the ‘English Textual Concepts and Learning Processes resource book'. It is recommended you explore each part of the progression, as it will help you to gain a clearer understanding of your students’ previous learning experiences, and importantly, the ‘where to next’.

This is crucial in effectively planning and differentiating teaching and learning. This resource can help in shaping pre-assessment, as well as providing a vocabulary base with which to build upon. You may want to pause this video now to further explore these progressions through the English Textual Concepts website, using the link provided.

Now let's talk about how to plan for quality teaching and learning experiences that develop student understanding of intertextuality. Here is where the English textual concepts and learning processes sit within the teaching and learning cycle. The learning processes I am referring to can be found on pages 34 to 44 of the ‘grey book.’

Effective teaching and learning occurs when conceptual knowledge, texts, syllabus outcomes and assessment align to challenge and extend what students already know. The structure of the teaching and learning cycle guides our practice.

We always start with the NSW English Syllabus and the outcome or outcomes students are working to achieve. Factor in the content and text requirements in the syllabus and select the most suitable texts that are fit for purpose. Do the texts you’ve selected meet the needs and interests of your students?

Then layer in the English textual concepts and learning processes using the three concept structure, which we will discuss further in a moment. Our understanding builds to ’planning and programming’, then ‘classroom practice’. We use our knowledge to design and implement units of works, resources and teaching activities. When planning and programming, ask yourself:

• What outcomes do students need to achieve?
• What do the students need to learn and be able to do?
• Which textual concepts are appropriate for this unit of learning or learning experience?
• What assessment would allow students to best demonstrate their conceptual knowledge and understanding?
• How will each process shape the learning experience?
• What text or texts will enable students to engage with, understand and appreciate the concept or concepts?

As with all units of work, begin your planning with the syllabus. This outcome for Stage 3 falls under Objective C: think in ways that are imaginative, creative, interpretive and critical. Here are some examples of content points that work towards achieving the outcomes through the lens of Intertextuality. You may like to pause the video now so you can read through these. Now that you have an understanding of what intertextuality is and why it is important, let's discuss what it looks like in a Stage 3 classroom.

Intertextuality occurs across and within modes and may occur through adaptation of structure and style. A whole text may be appropriated for a new audience and purpose. Appropriation, to take as your own, can occur within different modes and media. Transformation, adaptation and appropriation, gives great opportunities for originality. Using the terminology from the dot points in the Stage 3 statement, form the focus ‘how’ and ‘why’ questions. For example:

• How can adaptation of structure and style be used by composers to create intertextuality?
• Why might composers appropriate whole texts for different audiences and purposes, modes and media?
• What opportunities for originality exist when transforming texts?

Now let’s move onto examples of specific teaching and learning activities. David Walliams, is an English comedian, actor, author, and television personality. He was also appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2017 for services to charity and the arts. He has written many books, including this one, ‘Gangsta Granny’. It is a humorous novel, well-supported with engaging illustrations.

You wouldn't know that this text involves dancing, looking at the title page, but indeed there are multiple refences to a reality TV dancing show and competitions throughout. Ben, the protagonist, has parents who are obsessed with dance. They, particularly his mother, plan and plot for him to become a dance star, but he wants to be a plumber and dreads dancing.

I am going to read to you an excerpt from pages 12 and 13 of ‘Gangsta Granny’. I'm doing this to illustrate the intertextual references, many more of which can be found throughout the novel. It will also help you to start recognising the features of his style of writing.

Narrator reading from ‘Gangsta Granny’ by David Walliams:

Now, Ben's mum and dad loved ballroom dancing. Sometimes, Ben thought they loved it more than they loved him. There was a TV show on Saturday evenings that Mum and Dad never missed called 'Strictly Stars Dancing', where celebrities would be paired with professional ballroom dancers.

In fact, if there was a fire in their house, and Mum could only save either a sparkly gold tap-shoe worn by Flavio Flavioli (the shiny, tanned dancer and heartbreaker from Italy who appeared on every single series of the hit TV show) or her only child, Ben thought she would probably go the shoe. Tonight, his mum and dad were going to an arena to see 'Strictly Stars Dancing' live on stage.

Narrator:

This is the three concept structure, I referred to earlier. The text 'Gangsta Granny' was selected here as it clearly represents the mentor concept – intertextuality. The excerpt read is an example of implied intertextuality. Can you tell which reality television show the author is referencing, despite his transformation of the name? Does this help to build layers of meaning? And humour?

Through the following sample activity, students learn about the concept of intertextuality. I will make mention to how you can investigate supporting concepts within the same text and others written by David Walliams, in this case: Style and Character. Through discussions, students can begin to understand that particular styles result from the use of identifiable language features.

And that characters may be complex or simple, change or remain unchanging, and have individual characteristics or be based on a stereotype. Notice how Code and convention runs across because an understanding of the Code and conventions of a text is vital to making meaning. The patterns provided by codes and conventions in a text are cues for our understanding.

When exploring the mentor concept Intertextuality, students will develop an understanding that authors make connections to other texts. These connections may be, as we discussed before; explicit, implied and inferred.

As part of the 'understanding' learning process, you could read to the end of chapter one – 'Cabbagy Water' where the excerpt I read is found. You could then ask students to work in pairs or small groups to draw, or even dramatise what 'Strictly Stars Dancing Live' may look like.

Support students to identify any features they included in their drawing or drama that are additional to what is described in the text. You may choose to record responses using a Venn diagram. Ask and discuss: Why did you include this particular feature? What television shows do you think might look a little like 'Strictly Stars Dancing'?

You may like to share an image or clip from the Australian version of a popular TV dance show at this point to enhance discussion. This is the time to introduce and explain the concepts of appropriation and transformation. The author has appropriated and transformed the television show 'Dancing with the Stars' and the name of the 1992 Australian movie, 'Strictly Ballroom'.

This is part of the skill of David Walliams, he adds layers of humour that appeal to the adults who are reading these texts with children. He adds layers of meaning, while embracing originality, such as the creation of Flavio Flavioli.

To support the mentor concept of Intertextuality, I have identified the concepts character and style. Discussion points with students can include: How has David Walliams used verbal and visual statements to develop characters? Exploration of style occurs when students observe the author's written expression and strong stylistic modes.

How can we recognise a David Walliams text without knowing it's his? What can we say about his style? You might like to address the fact that David Walliams is well known in England as a TV actor, comedian and author, so in that context his style may be quite obvious.

For our Australian context, he may be less well known, but his style of writing is still attributable. The code and conventions worth exploring in this text, include the strategic use of alliteration, different font to emphasise particular words, the text path and at times, the creative use of punctuation.

I would use this text, 'The Three Pigs', in conjunction with 'Gangsta Granny' to further explore intertextuality. This picture book was written and illustrated by David Wiesner. It won a Caldecott Medal, which is an annual award for the most distinguished American picture book.

It starts with the familiar story, ‘The Three Little Pigs’ but the pigs, rather than being under constant threat of the Big Bad Wolf, as we would expect, escape the text, by means of a page folded into a paper plane. The pigs then enter the traditional nursery rhyme, 'Hey, Diddle Diddle' and then appropriated familiar characters or props we often see in traditional fairy tales. a dragon and a rose, pop into the story. The protagonists from these tales and nursery rhyme join the three pigs and return to the original text, where they transform the ending.

This text is an excellent example of explicit intertextuality, and textual appropriation and adaptation. As illustrated in the three concept model, rich conversations and learning experiences surrounding narrative and literary value can also be facilitated through the use of this picture book.

Students can begin to develop an understanding that there are conventions of the narrative form that combine to involve responders in the story. By recognising the familiar tales within the text, discussions can be had about texts being designated as ‘highly valued’.

This concept is called literary value. Texts are considered valuable because of their universal and timeless appeal. Again, code and convention runs across because an understanding of the code and convention of a text is vital to communicating how meaning is made. In this instance – speech bubbles and the framing of images.

When reading 'The Three Pigs', there are many opportunities for rich discussions about the circular narrative structure, the story ending where it began, and characters, setting, complication and resolution. The tales transformed within the narrative have high literary value. You could also ask:

• What makes these tales popular/highly valued?
• Why are they considered to have a timeless appeal?

Opportunities for originality exist in transforming texts, as this picture book demonstrates. As part of the 'engaging critically' learning process, you could ask students to consider other traditional tales, such as ‘Three Billy Goats Gruff’, ‘The Gingerbread Man’ or ‘Hansel and Gretel’.

How could the protagonist from a different story also lead to a changed ending for the three pigs? How could you appropriate and adapt the story in a way that will engage the reader? Ask students to rewrite the ending using a protagonist from a different traditional tale. Students may like to include images to support their composition.

By embedding monitoring and assessment strategies throughout the teaching and learning cycle, teachers are best equipped to extend the learning of all individuals in their classroom. Effective assessment practices are responsive and result in change to teacher practice, based on student need.

When planning and programming, you may choose to create learning intentions and success criteria for a whole unit, or each individual learning process. Ensure these are student-friendly and linked to the syllabus outcomes and content points you have identified. The use of learning intentions and success criteria provides an excellent tool to ensure feedback is specific and constructive. Students can engage in personal reflection and receive feedback from their peers and teachers through discussions, checklists and other creative forms, such as exit slips.

For example, after the 'Gangsta Granny' learning activity discussed earlier, students could complete an exit slip in the last five minutes of the lesson, answering the question: What is textual appropriation? To extend learners, you may also ask: What does it mean when a text is transformed?

This inital understanding is required for students to be able to demonstrate the content point: explore and discuss simple appropriation of texts. Summative assessment allows the teacher to determine the degree to which students have achieved the unit outcomes. The assessment should involve clear criteria, possibly in the form of a student-friendly rubric. This will ensure students gain a clear understanding of the expectations and specific feedback can be provided. It would also allow for assessment moderation across classes and cohorts.

In regards to the aspects of a learning sequence discussed in this module, a summative assessment could involve students selecting a traditional tale, like 'Hansel and Gretel', and adapting it in innovative ways, to appeal to a specified audience. Within the rubric would be levelled statements linked directly to the focus outcomes and content points. When planning units of work, it is helpful to refer to the five elements of effective assessment practice. You may wish to use the link provided to explore these elements further.

When selecting texts, remember that a text that is used in the Early Stage 1 to Stage 1 classroom can most likely be used in the Stage 2 to Stage 3 classroom as well, however, the same cannot be assumed the other way. A text recommended for Stage 3 is unlikely to be a good fit for Early Stage 1.

It is also important to remember that a whole text doesn’t need to be read every time. A chapter or paragraph may be a perfect illustration of intertextuality. Have a clear purpose in your mind when choosing a text. These texts are appropriate for exploring various aspects of intertextuality for Stage 3. This is by no means an exhaustive list, and as we know, a text should serve multiple concepts.

It is important to note that intertextuality can be observed in artworks, advertisements and other modes too. You may know of, or discover, other texts that could be used to teach the concept of intertextuality. A shared document for intertextuality text suggestions has been created and we would very much welcome your contributions to this. You will see the link here, on the screen. It is also in the 'Intertextuality module links' document.

For further information, resources and to engage in collegial discussions, you may find the following links helpful. The English Textual Concepts website is the 'go to' for further information and resources surrounding the concepts and learning processes. On the English curriculum website, you will find the English Textual concepts videos, which are staff and student friendly.

There are also links to professional learning, information about selecting and exploring quality literature, learning sequences and more. Resources are continually uploaded to this page, so it is a good idea to add it to your favourites and revisit regularly. Statewide Staffrooms share announcements and resources, and provide opportunities for staff to engage in professional discussions. Use the link to find out more and subscribe to the staffroom or staffrooms that are relevant to your context.

Remember the English Curriculum Team is always here to answer questions, discuss ideas and receive feedback. We can be reached using the email listed.

[upbeat music]

[End of transcript]

Expert – Hello. And welcome to "How Much is it Worth?" The show where you bring in your literature, and our esteem team of experts, that's me tell you what literary value is. First up, we have Reannah with a rather interesting book. So Reannah, tell us about your book.

Reannah – [holds up golden book] I found this book in the attic, and I believe the cover is made of solid gold.

Expert – Wowzers gold? That's got a lot of value. But, does it have literary value? Let's open it up and read what's inside. Roses are red, violets are blue, cashews are nuts, and so are you. Charming.

Reannah – So, how much is it worth in terms of literary value?

Expert – Let's just consult my trusty textbook. A text has literary value because it helps us understand something about ourselves in the world. What it says is important to us, and so remains meaningful to people over time. Does your text have any of these things? Is it universally appealing? Timeless? Does it have a significant message?

Reannah – No.

Expert – Then it doesn't have any literary value.

Reannah – But it's made out of pure gold.

Expert – That's monetary value not literary value.

Reannah – How dare you.

Expert – I dare. Let's move on to our next guest, Madhi. So, what have you got for us today Madhi?

Madhi – A book I found in the library called 'The Magic Pudding'.

Expert – Well, the cover looks a bit old and scrappy, so it might not have much value in terms of money. But, does it have literary value? Let's see. Hm... "Apologies are totally inadequate," shouted Uncle Wattleberry. "You're a danger to the whisker growing public. "You have knocked my hat off, "pulled my whiskers, and tried to remove my nose." Oh, this pudding is so mischievous such a rascal. He doesn't play by the rules at all. He doesn't do what he's told.

Madhi – I know exactly how that pudding feels. I don't like being told what to do either.

Expert – Oh and look. This book was written in the year 1918.

Madhi – And I still find it appealing more than a hundred years later? Whoa.

Expert – I'd say this text was definitely timeless, and has wide appeal. I'd say it definitely has literary value.

[spring sound effect]

Pudding – [person dressed as a pudding jumps up from under the table] I object!

Expert – Why do you object?

Pudding – Because, as a pudding I find this book offensive. It talks about a pudding with thoughts and feelings, just like me. But despite that, it was always being eaten. As if it were mere object.

Expert – Interesting. Not all texts hold literary value for all people or puddings. Looks like literary value can change depending on which culture, society, or groups of people are consuming it. Well, that's all we have time for now on How much is it worth.

End of transcript

Girl – [rushes into shot, holding a hand to her head] Help! It's drawn blood!

Man – What has?

Girl – [points to the sky] Out there!

Man – Where?

Girl – It flew down.

Man – What flew down? You're not making any sense.

Girl – Why not?

Man – Because you haven't told me what's happened in a way that I can understand. Your thoughts aren't organized and I can't make sense of them.

Girl – How can I make you understand?

Man – Why don't you tell me what's happened in a narrative form.

Girl – Er, what's a narrative?

Man – Narrative is the way we organize thoughts and make sense of things that happen to us or to other people.

Girl – Can you help me turn this into a narrative?

Man – Sure. Why don't you tell me where you were when this happened?

Girl – I was in the park.

Man – Okay, so the narrative takes place in the park. Got it. What were you doing in the park?

Girl – I was skipping with a skipping rope under the big gum tree.

Man – Okay, what happened next?

Girl – Something hit me on the head, I was bleeding. It really hurt.

Man – And how did you feel?

Girl – I freaked out, I was in such a shock. I didn't know what hit me.

Man – And did you hear anything before you were hit?

Girl – I heard a swooshing, whooshing, flapping sound. Then a squawk and a smack. Something hit my skull!

Man – Interesting. So you were in the park skipping with a rope under the big gum tree. Then you heard a swooshing, whooshing, flapping sound. And smack! Something hit you on the head, but we don't know what.

Girl – That's right!

Man – It hurt so much that you clutched your head and you felt shocked because you didn't know what had hit you. I wonder what it was. When did this happen?

Girl – At lunchtime.

Man – Today at lunch. What's special about today? Well, it's spring. You were under a tree when you heard a flapping sound. Oh, I know! You must have been pecked by a magpie. It's spring which means it's nesting season for magpies. They often swoop unsuspecting humans who they think are a threat to their babies. There must be a magpie nest in the tree you were skipping underneath.

Girl – Wow, it all makes sense now.

Man – Because you've organized your thoughts in a narrative form. You've made a story! If it's spring, someone else might get swooped by a magpie. We should put this narrative in the school magazine.

Girl – But don't narratives usually have a meaning or a moral?

Man – Yes.

Girl – So I guess the moral of my narrative is, don't forget to wear your zip tie hat during magpie season.

Man – Excellent. This is good inspiration for my next comic. If it hadn't been a magpie that hit you, I wonder what it could've been?

Man – Hmm...

End of transcript

Welcome to professional learning about the English textual concept: narrative. This professional learning meets standard 6.2.2, 'participate in learning to update knowledge and practice targeted professional needs and school and or system priorities.' Your understanding of the concept of narrative and the two supporting concepts will be developed through the exploration of the example texts that can be used in the Stage 3 classroom and appropriate teaching and learning activities and resources.

You may register this professional learning with NESA as 'teacher identified professional learning.' The essential resources for any planning of teaching and learning through the English textual concepts and learning processes are the English K-10 syllabus which can be downloaded from the NESA website, the English textual concepts and learning processes sometimes referred to as the 'grey book' and the English textual concepts and learning processes related syllabus content booklet, in this professional learning, Stage 3. These English textual concepts can be downloaded from the English textual concepts website. The digital links for all resources mentioned in this professional learning presentation can be accessed through the attached word document.

When exploring the concept narrative, a great place to start is to watch this video which can be found on the Department of education's website or by using the link on the attached word document. It will provide you with a definition of narrative, along with examples. It is one of 15 videos that are engaging and clear, designed for teacher and also student reference. These videos were created with the NSW Teachers Association and The School Magazine. You may like to pause this presentation at this point and watch this video.

Link: English textual concepts – narrative

Narrative is fundamental to thinking. When we think, we think in narrative form. Narrative can refer to a story itself or to the conventions by which we communicate and understand it. These conventions are the way we construct a world that sets up and depends on expectations of human behaviour to amplify it. They include the selection and organisation of actions and events into a plot and a suite of individualised or stock characters to carry the plot forward.

A narrative is usually structured in such a way as to invite responder involvement through recounting challenges of characters attitudes towards them and moving towards resolution. Narrative is part of everyday communication. To convey any message, be it political for example, an annual budget, commercial for example, a fashion collection, or institutional for example, public health warnings, in these messages the elements of narrative may not be obvious and are inferred through personal identification with the situation.

Why is it important? It is innately human to tell stories as this is the way we organise and shape life experience. We use narrative to connect people to information, values and ideas. Through narrative we can explore human actions, interactions motivations and reactions. This slide shows the narrative progressions from early Stage 1 to Stage 3. Having a look at each progression really helps to see where the students are headed and where they have come from. This can help shape your pre-assessment, as well as provide you with a vocabulary base to build upon. Referring to the concept progression for Stage 4 is also useful, so you know where your students are heading towards.

Whether you have a print copy of the English textual concepts and learning processes grey book or if you are using the online version, you may like to pause the video here to read through these statements.

Understanding the Stage 3 landscape begins with understanding that narrative is a foundational concept. Children are immersed in narrative from the moment they can communicate. We all tell narratives informally for example, when relaying a story to a colleague about an incident, when listening to a small child explain their totally justifiable reactions to an event - this is narrative. Ads on TV or in print, the riffs of a song, they're narratives. We create them and respond to them all the time, it's how we communicate.

As a side note, if children are only exposed to functional language, for example 'come and eat your dinner, put your shoes away,' these are all very necessary and occur routinely, but if we don't engage children in extended conversations using narrative, we're denying them the opportunity to extend vocabulary, to experiment with sentence structure and length and more complex sophisticated concepts about themselves and their lives and the people and animals in it.

Narratives don't exist without characters or setting. Character is another English textual concept that is intrinsically linked. Narratives have a 'problem' and this will be related to what the character wants, even if the problem is external, for example, a flood - the character wants to escape the flood - narrative may have multiple complications, but there is always some complications, some climax or crisis and then the resolution. It may be a bad, sad or mad resolution, but a resolution exists. Characters do or don't get what they want and often there is a coda, a lesson to be learnt through the narrative, such as; we need to prepare for emergencies better, don't take everything on face value.

When drilling down into the concept of narrative, we look at the way we communicate analytically and critically. In the Stage 3 landscape students are developing their knowledge, skills and understanding about how they interpret specific textual detail, to understand and appreciate narrative voice and structures. We know we want our students to be critical, creative, interpretive and imaginative as they read and view text and as they respond to and compose texts.

As with all units of work, begin with the syllabus. An outcome for Stage 3 falls under Objective A: communicate through speaking, listening, reading, writing, viewing and representing. Here is one example of a syllabus content dot point that comes under 'respond to and compose text' that works towards achieving the outcome.

Using the English textual concepts and learning processes grey book, you can unpack the concept progressions to create driving questions for your unit of work. This slide shows the Stage 3 progressions for narrative. Students understand there are conventions of the narrative, form that combine to involve responders in the story. Using the terminology from the dot points from the Stage 3 statements form the focus how and why questions.

For example, how does narrative engage responders through the use of recognisable characters, events and places? How does skilful plot development engage the reader? Why does mood and atmosphere engage a reader? How are narrative conventions adapted to different modes and media?

Here is where the English textual concepts and learning processes sit within the teaching and learning cycle. The 'understanding, applying and assessing' structure guides our practice, as well as the way we design the supporting teaching and learning materials. Effective teaching and learning occurs when conceptual knowledge, texts, syllabus outcomes and assessment align to challenge and extend what students already know. When planning teaching and learning activities for the narrative concept, bear in mind that Stage 3 students are very capable of learning about different English narrative structures. Traditionally we think of novels as the best way to illustrate a narrative, however other texts lend themselves to dive into narrative. Examples of this will be on the following slides.

Some narrative texts may follow a linear path - the narrative is told in order. It starts at the beginning and progresses to the end. It's often told in present or past tense, but there are other narrative structures to explore. These include; stream of consciousness or flashbacks. These usually do not pay attention to time or travel conventions, it's non-linear. There are circular narratives; they conclude where they began but the characters have changed over the course of the narrative. There are parallel, or frame structures. A parallel story is two stories told simultaneously to add layers of meaning, two distinctly different but related story lines. A frame structure has many little stories within the frame of a larger story, think of your typical sitcom.

Meaning is deepened or explored when analysed alongside the larger narrative. The Ant Explorer is a poem by C.J. Dennis, published in 1921. It begins as follows: 'Once a little sugar ant made up his mind to roam, to fare away, far away, far away from home. He had eaten all his breakfast and he had his ma's consent, to see what he should chance to see and here's the way he went. Up and down a fern frond, round and round a stone, down a gloomy gully, where he loathed to be alone. Up a mighty mountain range seven inches high, through a fearful forest grass that nearly hid the sky...'

The little sugar ant is lonely and exhausted and so decides to turn around and go home and he travels the same path, but he is a changed little sugar ant. The Ant Explorer was selected here as it clearly represents the mentor concept narrative. Through the following sample activities, students learn about the narrative concept using The Ant Explorer text. The activities will also demonstrate how you can investigate supporting concepts within the same text, in this case, Point of view and Connotation imagery and symbol.

Notice how Code and convention runs across, because an understanding of the code and convention of a text is vital to communicating how meaning is made and is communicated. There are many things to explore in this Ant Explorer text, apart from the literary value. The cadence, the rhyming rhythm of the poetic structure, adds to the success. The code and convention in this instance refers to the form of the text – a poem.

When exploring the mentor concept narrative, students will develop an understanding of the circular structure of this particular narrative, it concludes where it began but the ant has changed over the course of the narrative. Students can explore the ant as a character - he wants to go exploring, see the world. Can we relate to the ant? How? Look at the setting - it's a familiar landscape. What's the significance of this? It's relatable. Look at the complication - he was lonely and the journey was difficult. What was the resolution? He turned around and went back home. How has he changed? He's tired and weary from the experience, but is that all? Does he have a new appreciation of home and all it represents?

Ask students to identify a moment in their lives where they changed. A good example could be when they first went to school. Describe a journey from the school gate that returns there. Over the course of the journey, students identify key points, either physical or eventful, that stood out. For example, eating their lunch at school with their friends for the first time, sitting on the school mat in the classroom, using scissors for the first time. Students can brainstorm a multitude of ideas and then use literary devices such as alliteration and hyperbole to describe their journey. It doesn't need to rhyme.

There are also many activities which can explore the supporting textual concepts. The form of the poem refers to the physical structure of the poem - the length of the lines, the rhythm and rhyme, the repetition. We can hear rhyme in this poem, which is cadence. This is also known as an a/b structure of rhyme: roam/home, sky/high, tread/bed. The use of assonance, 'up and down a fern frond, round and round a stone, down a gloomy gully where he loathed to be alone', gives the rhythm and sing-song type of cadence. This is the code and convention of the text. Alliteration is also used to great effect, 'bracken bridge bending in the moss...to see what he should chance to see...gloomy gully...'this could all be a week's worth of learning!

The author designs the Point of view to perceive the character as small in stature, but the ant's point of view of his world is gigantic and treacherous. The 'fearful forest grass that nearly hid the sky', here C.J. Dennis uses hyperbole to exaggerate the ordinary grass to portray a deep adventure. When considering the grass from the point of view of the ant, a simple journey around a rock, across a leaf, through some grass and over a pile of dirt is suddenly a mountain range ,a fearful forest etcetera.

The activities for students here could be a, 'what if?' short response. Students could list ten items they would find in their backyard or apartment. It could start with 'what if I was an ant?' This introduces students to a point of view activity here, as the composers they privilege the ant's point of view over a human's focused representation.

When you have read the lyrical poem in its entirety, a longer activity with the whole class could be designed, what would be the equivalent for us? What would be the equivalent for a baby? Why does our view of the world change as we get older or bigger do we change the way we see things as we get older or bigger? Why? Is it the journey that changes us or the feelings that come with that journey? What journey have they taken that has changed them? It's not just a physical journey, but an emotional one.

Another great text to explore narrative is the short story, The Truth about Possums by James Maloney in the Kids 19 anthology. The narrator, a young boy, starts out describing noises in the ceiling and at the end, describes the return of the noises in the ceiling. The family home is also home to a possum. The family are all affected by the events that unfold over the course of the story. The story is full of humour.

Humour is actually a sophisticated construct. It takes a sophisticated understanding of nuance, timing and character to understand humour and so humorous, fun pieces should not be discounted as less worthy to use in the classroom. Humour is also difficult to write. With this text in addition to the mentor concept narrative, point of view and genre are two supporting concepts to be explored.

The narrative structure of the Truth about Possums also has a circular component and the dad joke it opens with: 'My dad has a standard answer, if anyone asks him whether he likes animals, he starts up enthusiastically, 'Yes I love animals, they taste great,' and 'so many cats, so few recipes.' The father no longer thinks it's funny when he can't free the house of the possum and when he asks a friend for advice, he is offered a recipe for possum stew - this is where it starts and finishes.

Characters as we know, are vital components of the narrative and in this case we have the narrator, a mum, dad, brother and possum. The mum, whilst the deliverer of deadpan one-liners, is flat - she doesn't change. The brother and the possum are also flat characters but the narrator and the father are changed by the events.

This makes the story interesting – what do the characters want? Mum and dad to get the possum, dad to look like a hero, the narrator to get the possum out of the ceiling above the bed, and to get dad to acknowledge that mum does know best. Even the possum has a want - he wants to be in the ceiling and not caught!

The setting is related to the genre. The complication is the possum disrupting everyone's sleep. The resolution, albeit temporarily, is Dad eventually takes the possum a few kilometres from the house and releases it...however another problem is now apparent - possums are territorial and it returns.

The possum demonstrates a circulatory narrative structure too by returning back to its home. What is the coda? What do they learn? Animals, like humans, have a strong sense of home. Why is home important? They, like humans, like routine. Parents are not infallible. Dad is a funny but flawed character. The genre is an Australian setting. The possum, the reference to the tin roof, 'our house has an iron roof, you see when it rains on summer nights, I lie in bed listening to the heavy drops drumming on the corrugated sheets.'

The reference to Possum Magic by Mem Fox, 'What do possums eat? Vegemite sandwiches,' said my little brother, 'and they like lamingtons too,' he added, 'in case we're out of vegemite. It was in that book mum read to me a hundred times you know the one.'

Point of view is a first-person narrative. This allows the reader to be inside the mind of the protagonist and make a personal connection. Two assessment options are briefly listed here. Consider co-developing success criteria with your students to scaffold their compositions. When selecting text, remember that a text that is used in the Early Stage 1 or Stage 1 classroom can most likely be used in a Stage 2 Stage 3 classroom as well, however the same cannot be assumed the other way. A text recommended for Stage 3 is unlikely to be a good fit for Early Stage 1.

It is also important to remember that a whole text doesn't need to be read every time. A chapter or a paragraph may be a perfect illustration of narrative. Have a clear purpose in mind when choosing a text. These texts are appropriate for exploring various aspects of narrative for Stage 3. This is not a definitive list by any stretch, and as we know a text should serve multiple concepts. A shared document for narrative text suggestions has been created, feel free to contribute to the list.

Please do not hesitate to email the English team if you require further support. We also love to hear about your trials and adaptations and we love to celebrate successes. So try some of these ideas with your class and let us know how your students respond.

[end of transcript]

[music]

Shop lady – Oh, hello sir, how can I help?

Logan – Hi, shop lady. My name is Logan, and I'm after a new perspective.

Shop lady – Well, you've certainly come to the right place. We have a smashing variety of different perspectives here, each designed to shape what you see in a text and the way you see it. [points to a number of eyeglasses on display]

Logan – Which one should I try first?

Shop lady – Well, how about these? [Logan puts on a pair of glasses adorned with fruit] Logan is modelling a fruit-lovers perspective here. Designed to make him view a text with the attitude, values, and beliefs of, you guessed it, a fruit lover. Let's watch now as he reads a text to see how this perspective shapes what he sees and the way he sees it. [Hands Logan a book to read]

Logan – By gum, there's a serious lack of fruit in this book. And what, the only piece of fruit in here, worked hard to be a part of the main characters breakfast, but the character tried a stinky old vegetable instead? Rude.

Shop lady – Interesting, let's try another perspective. How about this one. [Hands Logan a pair of glasses with musical notes on each side] Logan is now modelling the music lover's perspective. Through this perspective, he will view text with the attitudes, values, and beliefs of, that's right, you'd better believe it, music lovers. Let's see what aspects of the text this perspective brings out. [Hands Logan a book to read]

Logan – Wow, all I can see now is how much the main character loves music. He's singing while he makes the breakfast, and now he's playing the air drum while he eats his breakfast. This is awesome.

Shop lady – And what about the fruit?

Logan – What fruit?

Shop lady – Remember, you were worried about the lack of fruit in the book when you viewed the text through a fruit lover's perspective.

Logan – Pfft, fruit-shmoot, all I can see now is music.

Shop lady – Interesting, let's try one more perspective, shall we?

Logan – Oh, the world looks the same as it always does to me.

Shop lady – That's because Logan is modelling how he usually looks at things, through his own perspective. When he views the text through this perspective, he'll bring his own personal experiences, values, and beliefs to the text. Let's watch as Logan views the text through this perspective. [Hands Logan a book to read]

Logan – [Looks at the book with own glasses on] Wow, I see the text differently again. But what I'm most worried about now is that there are no boys like me in this story. I hate this book.

Shop lady – Isn't it interesting how there are so many ways of looking at one text. You know, the author of this book has a perspective, too.

Logan – Really, can I try that on?

Shop lady – Well, you can see it in things like the language they've chosen to use, what is included or left out of the text, and the way they've structured the text.

Logan – I see.

Shop lady – So, which perspective can I interest you in today, sir?

Logan – I'm not going to take just one, I'm gonna take them all. It's fun seeing text through different perspectives. It makes us think about our own values, like why don't I value fruit more? I think I'm gonna give it a go.

[Fly buzzing]

Logan – Oh, that's right. That's why I don't like fruit, it attracts fruit flies, ugh.

End of transcript

Welcome to professional learning about the English textual concept: Perspective - challenging our thinking. This professional learning meets standard 6.2.2 'participate in learning to update knowledge and practice targeted to professional needs in school and or system priorities.'

Your understanding of the concept of Perspective and the two supporting concepts will be developed through the exploration of example texts that can be used in the Stage 3 classroom and appropriate teaching and learning activities and resources. You may register this professional learning with NESA as Teacher Identified Professional Learning.

The essential resources for any planning of teaching and learning through the English textual concepts and learning processes are the English K-10 Syllabus which can be downloaded from the NESA website, the English textual concepts and learning processes, sometimes referred to as the 'grey book' and the English textual concepts related syllabus content booklet, in this professional learning, for Stage 3, is the green book.

These English textual concept resources can be downloaded from the English textual concept website. All links will be available in the attached document. This shows the Perspective progressions from that grey book. It is recommended that you have the grey book, as well as the Stage book and the syllabus on hand, due to the comprehensive definition it provides and a concept progression it outlines with each concept and learning process.

This progression is from Early Stage 1 to Stage 3. Having a look at each progression really helps see where the students are headed and where they have come from. This can help shape your pre-assessment as well as provide you with vocabulary base, from which to build upon. Referring to the concept progression for Stage 4, also found in the grey book, is useful to know where your students are heading towards.

Whether you have a print copy of the English textual concepts and learning processes grey book, or if you are using the online version, you may like to pause the video here to read through those statements.

Here is where the English textual concepts and learning processes sit within the teaching and learning cycle. The understanding, applying and assessing structure guides our practice, as well as the way we design the supporting teaching and learning materials. Effective teaching and learning occurs when conceptual knowledge, texts, syllabus outcomes and assessment align to challenge and extend what students already know.

When exploring the concept Perspective, a great place to start is to watch this video, which can be found on the Department of Education's website or by using the link in the attached word document. We'll also provide you with a definition for Perspective along with examples.

It is one of 15 videos that are engaging and clear and designed for both teacher and student reference. These videos were created with the NSW English Teachers Association and The School Magazine. You may like to pause this presentation at this point and watch the video above.

Understanding perspective

Perspective, what is it and why is it important. Perspective is the lens through which we learn to see the world. It shapes what we see and the way we see it. It includes the values that the responder and composer bring to a text. These values are expressed or implied through the composer's language and structure which may position the reader to accept them. If that's our perspective then why is it important? It's important because students need to understand that neither texts nor they themselves are neutral. It's also important because students accept certain views of the world.

Whilst the focus for this professional learning is Perspective, we'll also model how you can use other supporting concepts using sample Stage 3 texts. Notice how Code and convention runs across, because an understanding of the Code and convention of a text is vital to communicating how meaning is made and communicated.

A supporting concept of Representation, is the depiction of a thing, person or idea in written, visual, performed or spoken language. In representing, we make choices from the language offered by those modes. Representation may aim to reflect the natural world as realistically as possible or may aim to convey the essence of people, objects, experiences and ideas in a more abstract way. In Stage 3 students, understand that Representation positions audiences to adopt a particular response.

Context refers to factors acting upon composers and responders, that impinge on meaning. Context and text are in a symbiotic relationship in the production of meaning. To understand Context, we need to look beyond the text and consider the world in which it was produced and the world of its reception. In Stage 3 students begin to recognize how Context may be expressed in texts. If we look at the Stage 3 concept progressions for Perspective, students understand that perspectives may differ and that these differences need to be considered.

In Stage 3, students learn that Perspective may be expressed in different ways through the values represented in texts and the language used. They learn that text may construct a perspective that challenges accepted ways of thinking and they learn that different perspectives can be adopted for particular purposes. Looking at the Stage 3 Stage statement, we're able to create guiding questions to help with units of work.

The English textual concept progression statement terminology has been used to develop these guiding questions. The Stage 3 guiding questions are connecting to key terminology from the progression statement. Firstly we begin by shifting the statements into questions and these can be 'why' and 'how' style questions.

Our activity structure utilises the learning processes and explicitly connects to the syllabus outcomes. These can be easily modified to suit a different Stage of learning. Some resources are an activity starting point and they are there to give you an idea of how you could introduce an aspect of the text into the Stage 3 classroom. The outcomes that have been selected for Stage 3 fall under objectives A, B and D. The syllabus content dot points have been identified and come under 'respond to and compose texts.' Remember though, these content dot points work towards achieving these outcomes and are there to help us achieve those outcomes.

The first learning activity that will be unpacked is a cartoon for Stage 3. Just to note, all permissions have been granted from the cartoonist Isabella Bannerman to show and discuss her cartoon. A little bit of information about Isabella Bannerman - she's an American cartoonist, known for her role as one of the contributors to the comic strip Six Chicks. Bannerman's cartooning career began in 1987 when she won a cartoon contest in the San Francisco Bay Guardian. She's also worked in the television industry as an animator on the TV series Doug. All social media contacts with Isabelle Bannerman will be shared in the attached document, for you to explore her work further.

The purpose of a cartoon is to challenge our thinking through humour. We'll focus on Perspective, but also take the opportunity to model how you can use other supporting concepts of Representation and Context. Perspective is the lens which the composer and responder sees the world. The lens can clarify, magnify, distort or blur what we see. It includes the values that the responder and composer bring to a text. In a text, these values are expressed or implied through the composer's language and structure which may position the responder to accept them.

In Stage 3 students understand that perspectives may differ and that these differences need to be considered. Having a look at the cartoon by Isabella Bannerman in the Stage 3 classroom, there are a number of discussion, questions that could be explored. These questions could include;

· 'Can we see the perspective of the cartoonist?

· Why did Bannermen select 2 female hikers?

· There is no male representation, what does this suggest about Bannerman's perspective?

· Can we, as responders see the perspective of the factory owner?

· I wonder what his or her perspective would be?

There are also silence perspectives in this text, what perspective has been silenced?' We could discuss with the students that the economic and industry perspective is not shown. 'I wonder what their perspective would be?'

Having class discussions around the perspectives of the composer, the hidden perspectives and also the two characters in the text, will challenge students ways of thinking. It will challenge students to look at the environment versus the need for industry. A guiding question that we shared on an earlier slide for Stage 3 was, 'How can texts challenge accepted ways of thinking?'

By exploring cartoons similar to the one shared now will allow students to dive into this guiding question. Possible guiding questions for classroom discussion around Representation could include, 'What do the hikers represent?' Students may express things, such as, they represent health, they represent naturalist, they represent independence.

'How are the values and attitudes represented by two females?' As a class you could look at the females being represented as strong and independent.

'What does the composer use to create these representations?' Discuss with students the females are wearing sporty clothes. 'How are they standing? What is their body language showing? Where are their hands and what is this representing?' Again, there are no males represented in this comic. I wonder why the two females are standing up high on green land? What do students think that this may represent? Some Stage 3 students may need a number of prompts and 'think alouds' to see these representations.

We can also unpack the concept of Context. In this cartoon, context to be considered should include the context of composition, and the context of response. With students, we could unpack the following discussion questions, 'What do students think the purpose of this cartoon is, and who's the intended audience?' When thinking of context, explore with students when the cartoon was published, and that was 2015. 'What was happening in the world at that time? Were there political elections? Were there debates taking place? Were any new policies being implemented?' Our Stage 3 students may not know the answer to any of those questions posed, it may require some research and teacher prompts because we meet our students where they're at.

When students are aware of context they've realized that all meaning is contingent upon a range of factors, not simply in the text, but also outside it. The previous slides discussed a range of ideas that could shape our discussions and possible activities for the classroom. Looking at the concepts of Perspective, Representation and Context. In terms of assessment, we'll identify an activity that has a through line, from concept to learning process, to outcome content point.

From the syllabus to the assessment opportunity, remembering any activity that we do in our class can be used as a formative assessment opportunity. For this particular activity we'll look at the outcome EN3-1A, the content point is 'to participate in and contribute to discussions, clarifying and interrogating ideas, developing and supporting arguments, sharing and evaluating information, experiences and opinions.' Through the learning process of 'engaging critically' students recognise that texts can influence and position responders, they analyse and evaluate different ideas and values and texts.

This assessment activity will allow students to do just that. The assessment activity is all-around a role-playing. There are a number of role-play opportunities that students could perform for this cartoon, students can role play a conversation between the two females in the cartoon - what perspectives are they both bringing that will impact on the conversation? Their perspectives may not be the same when we look at their body language and posture, their beliefs and values may differ.

Students could also role-play a conversation between one of the females and the factory owner. Students could also role-play a scenario between the factory owner and a nearby neighbour. Role-playing will allow students to develop supporting arguments, taking into account perspectives, experiences and opinions.

Stage 3 students will be aware that texts may challenge accepted ways of thinking. As a teacher, I would share with students that every person has their own way of looking at things even when we speak the same language. We can misunderstand each other because we can't see into other people's minds and hearts. You can never assume you totally understand another person or assume they understand you completely. We come from different families, have different ethnic backgrounds and cultures and have different personal experiences and values. We want different things from life and different things from each other. We have different dreams, goals and expectations. This is what provides us as humans with our perspectives.

In this activity, students are provided with two images of completely different settings. In this case, the two settings will bring values, opinions and perspectives in. In these activities students will explore where they would like to go for a holiday. Perspective is a lens in which the composer and responder see the world. In Stage 3 students understand that perspectives may differ and that these differences need to be considered.

We have identified the driving question: how can texts construct a perspective that challenges accepted ways of thinking? Possible classroom ideas and discussion points for Stage 3 could include, 'Is this the place you would like to visit? Why or why not?' Students will provide an explanation, justification and reasoning as to which location they would prefer to visit.

With our students we could then unpack that further; what values and life experiences impact our justification? What are students bringing to this image? Placed around the image are a small number of impacts that students could be bringing. Let's have a look at the water park image. A student who lives on a farm in rural Australia who is experiencing drought and extreme hardship, may not like the idea of wasting water at a water park. They therefore may not like the idea of holiday or visiting them.

This perspective may be different from a child in the city who does not share the same values for water and land. Even though we're looking at the same image, what we are bringing to that image shapes our response and may challenge our ways of thinking. We will discuss with students the factors outside of the text that impact on them as a responder.

Some activities that you could do in the classroom around Perspective for these images, besides the discussion questions already mentioned, could include a senses poem. Looking at the same image, students compose a senses poem; what they see, feel, hear, taste and smell. This activity will allow for students perspectives to be showcased. All students are seeing the same image, however what they are bringing to that image is very different.

Students could also write two persuasive pieces: one piece around why coming to the park will be socially and emotionally beneficial, and another piece around why coming to the park could be environmentally detrimental. Students could also explore a consequences flowchart and a compare and contrast chart. All activities would allow and create discussions and explore moral, ethical and social dilemmas encountered in texts, which is a Stage 3 content point from the syllabus.

We have discussed a range of ideas that could shape our activities and discussions for the classroom. Looking at the concepts of Perspective, Representation and Context. In terms of assessment, let's identify an activity that has that through line, from concept through to assessment. We'll be looking at the outcome EN3-5B, the content point is 'to consider and develop sustained arguments and discussions supported by evidence.'

This assessment task will showcase that a discussion is a text that presents both sides of an argument. Students will compose a discussion using the visuals as the stimulus discussion. Topics could include: Should we ride elephants when we are on holidays? Should we visit a water park when Australia is in drought? This task will allow students to showcase two different perspectives as they will present both sides of the argument.

This will challenge accepted ways of thinking. Song lyrics are another great text to use to showcase Perspective. Take for example Archie Roach's, 'Took the Children Away.' Archie Roach was part of the Stolen Generation, a policy that ran from 1909 until 1969, where Indigenous Australian children were forcibly removed from their family by Australian government agencies and placed in an orphanage.

Roach wrote 'Took the Children Away' about this experience. Australian musician Paul Kelly invited Roach to open his concert in 1989, where he performed the song. His performance was met with stunned silence followed by shattering applause. The song became significant as it was released at a time where there was increasing public focus on the Stolen Generation. Stage 3 students could explore the perspectives and context of this song.

What perspective is Archie bringing? Stage 3 students could also explore the perspectives of the parents, the government and the orphanage staff. What are they all bringing that is shaping their lens of the world? When exploring these song lyrics, it would also be beneficial to expose students to the 'Sorry speech' by Kevin Rudd, about the Stolen Generation and the government apology. It's also worth noting that in 2015, musician Briggs remade Archie Roach's classic into a song called 'The Children Came Back.'

Again, all links and references will be available in the shared document. When selecting text remember that a text that is used in the Early Stage 1 or Stage 1 classroom can most likely be used in the Stage 2 and Stage 3 classroom as well, however the same cannot be assumed the other way, a text recommended for Stage 3 is unlikely to be a good fit for Early Stage 1. It is also important to remember that a whole text doesn't need to be read every time, the chapter or paragraph may be a perfect illustration of Perspective. Have a clear purpose in your mind when selecting a text.

These texts are appropriate for exploring various aspects of Perspective. This is not a definitive list by any stretch and as we know a text should serve multiple concepts. A shared document for perspective text suggestions has been created, please contribute to that list. All links and resources that have been suggested in this session will be available in a separate word document.

Please do not hesitate in emailing the English team if you require further support. We love to hear about your trials and adaptations, we love to celebrate successes. Try some of these ideas with your class and let us know how your students respond.

[end of transcript]

[Number 1 is the character Cinderella, Number 2 is the wicked step-sisters, Number 3 is the narrator. They are in a line-up with the number held against their chests.]

Chief – So, detective. Recognize any of these points of view?

Detective – Uh, I haven't read the book yet so, I don't know.

Chief – And you call yourself a point of view detective.

Detective - What about you? Do you recognize any of them?

Chief – I uh, haven't read the book either.

Detective – What?

Chief – Okay, shh! Let's just read the book and then we'll figure out whose point of view it is.

Detective - Uh Chief, shouldn't we figure out what a point of view is first?

Chief – Good point. Let's ask Drewy.

Detective – Who's Drewy?

Chief – He's like Siri, but he's called Drewy.

Drewy – Point of view is the position from which a text is designed to be perceived. In a narrative, it's who's seeing, thinking, and telling the story.

Detective – Okay, got it. Who's telling the story, let's go.

Chief – Ahem. The wife of a rich man fell sick and died, leaving behind a good pious daughter named Cinderella. By the next spring, the man would take another wife, with two daughters, who were black of heart. Now began a bad time for poor Cinderella. Is the girl to sit in the parlour with us? The wicked sister said.

Detective – The wicked step-sister spoke. It must be written from their point of view. Guilty! [shines a torch on Number 2]

Chief – Hold up, read on.

Detective – The father was once going to a fair and he asked Cinderella what he should bring back for her. Father, break off for me the first branch which knocks against your hat on your way home, said Cinderella. What? So now Cinderella's talking? Is it written from her point of view too?

Chief – Hang on, who's actually telling us the story? Yes, the two wicked stepsisters speaks. Yes, Cinderella speaks, but whose point of view is the story being told? And who's telling us is speaking.

Detective – Good point, let's look for clues in the language of the text.

[Image of text – She put on the dress with all speed and went to the wedding. Her step-sisters and the step-mother however did not know her, and thought she must be a foreign princess, for she looked so beautiful in the golden dress. They never once thought of Cinderella.]

Detective – Let's see, on this page, there are words like 'she' and 'her', see 'she put on the dress', and 'her stepsisters and step-mother'.

Chief – There are also words like 'they'. See, 'they never once thought of Cinderella'.

Detective – So third person words like she, her, and they tell us the story is written from an outsider's point of view. Someone not actually in the story.

Chief – But, who's not in the story? The step sisters are in the story.

Detective – And so is Cinderella. Oh, I've got it! The only person not in the story is

Detective and chief – The narrator! Guilty!

[Dramatic music]

Chief – Ahem, step forward number 3. You have been identified as the point of view in the Cinderella book.

Narrator – Yes, I'm telling the story and I'm making Cinderella the heroine. So that you, as readers, can identify with her. It's Cinderella's story.

Detective – So is Cinderella guilty, too? Let's highlight her, too.

Narrator – I, the narrator, am telling the story. But the story is told through what the character Cinderella sees, thinks, and feels. So I, the narrator, am shining a light on Cinderella's point of view, the way she sees and experiences the world.

Detective – Step forward, number 1. You have also been identified as the point of view in the Cinderella book. Hey Drewy, anything else we need to know about a point of view before we take the narrator and Cinderella in? [speaks to the phone]

Drewy – Yes, the author chooses the text point of view to influence how we feel about what happens. Point of view plays a big role in the way we respond to texts. We can experiment with point of view to change how we see things in a text.

Chief – Ahem, right that down, detective. Might be useful for the narrator's and Cinderella's trial. Guys, bring in number 1 and 3 for questioning.

Cinderella and narrator –No, no please no!

End of transcript

Customer – Mr. Cranna, I'd recognize your style anywhere.

Mr Cranna – Well, why, thank you.

[Mr Cranna looks in mirror]

Mr Cranna – I do have a certain charm about me, don't I?

Customer – Uh, awkward. I wasn't talking about your hairstyle, Mr. Cranna.

Mr Cranna – You weren't?

Customer – No, I was talking about your writing style.

Mr Cranna – My writing style?

Customer – Yeah, I've been reading your latest comic from the school magazine. I could pick up your style anywhere.

Mr Cranna – How?

Customer – Well, your comics have a style that's unique to you. All your character drawings have big faces, crazy hair and sharp teeth. And the words you choose and the way you phrase them are also a style of your own. And your dialogue is super short and snappy. And you do love a good exclamation mark, don't you?

Mr Cranna – Hmm, I suppose I do. It makes the action in my comics move quickly.

Hairdresser – Hey, I write stuff too. My dialogue is super short and snappy.

Customer – Really?

Hairdresser – Yeah, really.

Customer – Let's hear it then.

Hairdresser – Roses are red, violets are blue, onions stink and so does glue. How's that for short and snappy, hey?

Mr Cranna – Uh...

Customer – Sure, it's short and snappy but it doesn't move the action like Mr. Cranna does. You're just tryin' to be funny. You couldn't both have exactly the same style.

Hairdresser – Why not?

Customer – Because everyone is different and our styles are a very personal thing and need to suit our purpose. Sure your styles could be similar because you live in the same place and experience similar social and cultural conditions, but they're unlikely to be exactly the same.

Hairdresser – So writing styles aren't identical but what about hairstyles?

[dramatic trumpet music]

[upbeat synthesiser music]

Customer – (clears throat) Ah!

Hairdresser – I know, right? You love it.

Mr Cranna – Uh.

Customer – No, I don't. I really don't.

[duck quacking]

End of transcript

[characters are all sitting on chairs holding art books and pencils]

Erin – So what's that drawing assignment for today, Mr. Cranna?

Mr Cranna – Today, I want you to draw a hero. And go!

[Horns play]

Mahdi and Mr Cranna – Done.

Erin – Done.

Mr Cranna – Time to reveal our drawings.

Erin – Wow they're all super different.

Mahdi – How? We all drew the same thing. A hero.

Mr Cranna – Our drawings are different because they're our individual representations of a hero. A representation is how we depict things or ideas, when we compose a text. In this case, a drawing. When we try to represent things in the world, we are influenced by our experiences, beliefs, cultural background and the audience for whom we're making the text.

Erin – Right, nah still don't get it.

Mr Cranna – Well, let's look at our drawings. I've used a werewolf to represent my hero, because I usually use werewolves as the main character in my comics and I always think of them as saving the day. But Erin, your representation of a hero is very different.

Erin – Yeah, well I don't think of werewolves as being heroic. I think of them as being scary.

Mahdi – So who's your hero, then?

Erin – Australian Paralympian, Jocelyn Neumiller. She's a para-canoest and competed in the Rio Paralympics.

Mr Cranna – Why have you chosen her as your representation of a hero?

Erin – Because she's got discipline and she competes in a very hard sport at the highest level.

Mahdi – Well my representation of a hero isn't a werewolf because I'm pretty sure I'm allergic. And it isn't of a sports star either, because I'm allergic to sports as well.

Erin – Then who is it?

Mahdi – It's my grandmother. My Tata's is my hero because she loves me no matter how many times I get things wrong and she gives the best hugs.

Mr Cranna – See how our representations the same thing, a hero can be so different. My representation of a hero is someone who saves the day in my stories. Erin's, is someone who is disciplined. While, Mahdi sees a hero, as someone who provides unconditional love.

Mahdi – Actually, Mr. Cranna. I've got a new representation of a hero, now.

Mr Cranna – You do?

Mahdi – Yeah, this apple.

Erin – How can an apple be representation of a hero?

Mahdi – Cause it's about to save me from my hunger.

End of transcript

[Jazzy music]

[2 constables are taking photos of a crime scene]

[Clicking of camera]

Police chief –What have we got here, constables?

Constable 1 – Unidentified theme found loitering in this text here.

Constable 2 – No one saw it come in, no one saw it go out. I'm afraid there's no way of identifying it, chief.

Police chief – Never say never constable! We'll just have to do some serious detective work. What clues do we have?

Constable 1 – Let's see, we've got plot, characters, setting, language.

Police chief – Tell me about the characters.

Constable 2 – We've got three little pigs and a big wolf.

Police chief – Mm-hmm, and the setting?

Constable 2 – A house made of straw, a house made of sticks and a house made of bricks.

Police chief – And the plot?

Constable 1 – The three pigs build a house. The first two rush and build their houses out of straw and sticks. The third pig takes it's time, carries heavy bricks and stacks them carefully into a solid house.

Police chief – Anything else?

Constable 2 – Yes! A wolf comes and blows down the first two pigs' homes, but the third pig's house stays put!

[Bell rings]

Constable 1 – By gum, I've cracked it! The theme is house building.

Police chief – House building! My dear sweet constable, that's not the theme. That's the topic!

Constable 2 – What's the difference?

Police chief – A topic is what the content is about, while the theme is the message of the text. It invites us to think about our own lives and what we value.

[Swoosh sound]

Constable 1 – So what message is the author trying to send us here?

Police chief – Hmm, let's see. We've got a polite wolf and three pigs building houses. Two rush their builds, a third doesn't. That third pig is the only one who's house doesn't get blown down by the wolf. It wins. The other pigs lose.

[Bell rings]

Police chief – I think we've identified a possible theme!

Constable 2 – We have?

Constable 1 – Things aren't always what they seem, because the nice wolf turns out to be a bad wolf?

Constable 2 – I thought the theme, was be prepared for danger.

Police chief – Yes, it could be either of those, but the theme could also be, taking your time to do something right, pays off!

Constable 1 – Ah chief?

Police chief – Yes constable.

Constable 1 – Now that we've identified a theme, what do we do?

Police chief – We see what it tells us about our lives and if we agree or disagree with it. Does taking time to do things right, payoff?

Constable 1 – Well, to start off with, I was like the first two pigs and rushed to conclusions, and said the theme was house building.

Constable 2 – But now we've done our detective work properly, we've succeeded! Taking our time to do things right, does pay off.

Police chief – Yeah!

End of transcript

Kenneth the cook – Hello, and welcome to Cooking with Kenneth! Today, we're going to bake a scrummo-yummo chocolate cake.

Erin – Yeah, my favourite!

Mahdi – Ah! [appears to have something caught in his throat]

Erin – What's wrong? What happened?

Mahdi – Ah!

Erin – What's "ah"? Why can't I understand Mahdi?

Mahdi – Ah!

Kenneth – Because he's not using any codes and conventions that you understand.

Mahdi – Ahh. Ah!

Erin – What's a code and convention? And can Mahdi use it ASAP? The screaming is kind of getting annoying.

Mahdi – Ah!

Kenneth – Codes and conventions form the basic elements of speech, writing, and visual language. They work together to convey meaning. Without using the codes and conventions of language, it becomes really hard for us to understand one another.

Mahdi – Ah!

Erin – Nope, still don't understand you.

Kenneth – Like that. Mahdi, why don't you try using some of the codes and conventions of language to help us understand what’s happened. For example, try using gestures. [Mahdi points to his mouth]

Erin – Marty swallowed something, but what?

Kenneth – Mahdi, why don't you try using some visuals now. [Mahdi pulls out a picture of a skateboard]

Erin – Mahdi swallowed a skateboard?! [Mahdi shakes his head ‘no’]

Kenneth – Mahdi has just used a conventional code to convey meaning!

Audience – Ooh!

Erin – Oh, you swallowed something while you were riding a skateboard. But what did you swallow?

Kenneth – Mahdi, do you think you can use any words? Are you able to speak?

Mahdi – Bug!

Erin – Oh, you swallowed a bug while you were riding your skateboard on the way to the studio. Hooray, we figured it out using a combination of gesture, visual, and speech. Wow, these codes and conventions are pretty powerful, aren't they?

Kenneth – That's right, and codes and conventions are used in lots of things like speeches, the game Charades, TV shows, text messages, and even recipes for chocolate cake!

Audience – Ooh!

Mahdi – Yum! Oh, well now I've got my speech back, I'm going to use its codes to ask you to hit me on the back and try to get this bug out of my throat. Go on, be a pal.

Erin – [Begins to pat him on the back] It's a shame you got your voice back, you were much more interesting and innovative when you were playing with all those codes and conventions. [Appears the bug is released from Mahdi’s throat, flies out and lands in the cake mixture]

Kenneth – Uh oh, I think we better start making a new scrummo-yummo chocolate cake.

End of transcript

[2 police approach Mr McSkimming who is sitting at his table typing on his computer]

Erin – [police officer 1] You're under arrest!

Mahdi – [police officer 2] Put your hands up and move away from the laptop!

Mr McSkimming – What's going on? What crime have I committed?

Erin – This! [shows phone]

Mahdi – On the section of the Literary Act of Right This Moment, you have committed a dastardly crime.

Erin – You've created a text with minimal authority.

Mr McSkimming – Huh?

Mahdi – Authority of a text refers to how trustworthy it is. Is it written by an expert? Is it written in an appropriate style? Is it published by a reputable source?

Erin – Our guys down at the lab have determined this post, this blog post you made about a hot river of lava coming for us all has no authority whatsoever.

Mahdi – Yeah, we've done our detective work. We know you're not an expert in lava detection and your publication's not trustworthy.

Erin – Anyone can write anything on there.

Mahdi and Erin – Guilty!

Mahdi – You're going away, McSkimming. It's the end of the line.

Mr McSkimming – Wait, I wasn't the only one who had authority over the text!

Erin – Huh?

Mr McSkimming – Authority in literary terms, doesn't just refer to authority of a text or how trustworthy it is. It also refers to authority over a text as in who controls the text's meaning. I may have authored that post, but my editor told me what to write. And where I wrote the post only allows me to use nine words at a time, so I didn't get to finish what I was told to say.

Erin – Which was?

Mr McSkimming – "Hot river of lava "coming for us right now" says Cairo Jim, the main character in my new novel "Cairo Jim and the Rampageous River of Lava." Coming soon to a bookshelf near you.

Erin – Oh, so you didn't have sole authority over the meaning of your post. And your editor also had authority, and so did the microblog where you publish a text.

Mr McSkimming – That's right. Now that I think about it, maybe I should have chosen somewhere else to publish my text. Somewhere that would have let me finish what I needed to say in the way I wanted to say it. But writers, editors, and publications aren't the only people and things that influence a text. You, the reader, also have control over the meaning of a text.

Mahdi and Erin – We do?

Mr McSkimming – Yes, your personal ideas and experiences influence the way you interpret a text.

Erin – Do you know what this means, constable?

Mahdi – Yes.

Erin – We're guilty of a crime, too. A crime of jumping to conclusions.

Mahdi and Erin – Lock us up and throw away the key!

End of transcript

Mr McSkimming – Hello and welcome to Planet Literature. Today, we'll be examining the concept of context.

Mr McSkimming – What is context? How does it work? What does it mean? Let's consult the ancient context oracle for a definition. [holds a flashlight on a dictionary] It's not actually an ancient oracle. It's just a dictionary. [reads from dictionary] "Context refers to the factors outside the text that shape its meaning. This means our own experiences and knowledge influence how we create texts, and how we respond to them. Context is impossible to escape, but we must recognize that it is there." Can you see it? Can you see the context? No, me neither.

Mr McSkimming – Luckily, I've brought this context detector helmet to help us out. I'll just program it to detect and take me to the context of an author. [programs helmet and places it on his head] There, that ought to do it. Let the context detecting begin! According to my helmet, we've just landed in the year 1917, where famous Australian writer Norman Lindsay is penning the children's classic "The Magic Pudding" Let's take a look.

[Mr Lindsay is sitting at a table in an empty room writing and reading]

Norman Lindsay (Erin) – The magic pudding is a pie, except when it's something else like a steak or a jam doughnut or an apple dumpling or whatever its owner wants it to be and never runs out. No matter how many slices you cut there's always something left over. It's magic!

Mr McSkimming – See how the author's context, the time, place, and culture in which he lives, is shaping the composition of his text? He lives in 1917, when the First World War was on and life was hard and hungry. Just look around, there are hardly any treats in this time. Hardly any food, hardly any sugar, hardly any butter just lumps of stale old bread. No wonder Mr Lindsay decided to write a book about a delicious sugary sweet that keeps becoming whole even after you take a bite! [takes a bite from a stale bread stick]

Oh, I think I broke a tooth! Let's use our helmet to take us to the context of our reader now.

[presses buttons and helmets and transports to another setting]

According to my context detector helmet we've just arrived in modern-day Australia where a reader is responding to Mr Lindsay's "The Magic Pudding".

[Reannah is sitting in a colourful bedroom reading The Magic Pudding at her desk. A bowl and bag of lollies are sitting on the desk]

Reannah – A pudding that keeps refilling? I mean, it's not that amazing. It's just like how this bowl of sweets keep refilling. [tips bag of lollies into bowl] If I wanted something that never ran out, I’d want battery power for my smartphone that never ran out. [points to phone]

Mr McSkimming – See how this reader's context, the fact that she is a person living comfortably in modern-day Australia and has plenty of treats available to her is shaping how she reacts to the text?

Reannah - Yeah, I'm really not amazed by this book. I can have sweets any time I want.

Father (Erin) – [enters bedroom] That's enough lollies, mate. They'll rot your teeth! Eat some vegetables instead. [walks out, taking lollies away]

Reannah - Hey! No, don't! Aw, man. I could really do with a magic pudding right now.

Mr McSkimming – Fascinating! The reader's situation has just changed and so the way she is responding to the text has changed as well! So, there you have it. Context at work. Context of the author, and context of the reader. These two things work together to create meaning. Meaning is never stable. It can change with time and place and even situation [roaring sound]. Oh, my situational and personal contexts have just changed! So I'm going to change how I respond, too! Ah, mummy! [runs away scared]

End of transcript

Erin – Hey Mr. Cranna!

Mahdi – What are you doing?

Mr Cranna – Drawing a new character for my comic. [Mr Cranna turns around notepad to reveal image of a volcano]

Erin –Oh, let's see.

Mahdi – Your new character's a volcano? I thought characters have to be human.

Mr Cranna – Actually, the concept of character can be a fictional person or idea. So long as you give your character an identity. That means a personality, wants, emotions, and feelings. So a fictional character could be a volcano, or, a disgruntled lobster! [draws lobster on page]

[Erin turns into a lobster with pincer hands and lobster head]

Erin – Ugh, what's with these pincers? They're not good for anything!

Mr Cranna – Characters are important because what happens to them and what they do drive the action in a narrative. They have to want something, or need to do something, and then set about trying to achieve, or obtain, that goal.

Mahdi – I still don't get how a character doesn't have to be human. Aren't you supposed to be able to connect with a character? I mean, I definitely don't connect with a shellfish.

Mr Cranna – Well, what if you knew she had a goal? She's been training for months to become the world's greatest hairdresser.

Mahdi – You wanna be a hairdresser too?

Mr Cranna – But she's finding it tough to get clients because no one wants to get the hair cut by a crustacean.

Erin – Why does nobody wanna be friends with me?

Mahdi – I find it hard to make friends sometimes too. Hang on! I've got an idea. Why don't we become friends and open a hairdressing salon together?

Erin – Yay!

Mr Cranna – Still think you can't connect with a crustacean character?

Mahdi – Wow, how did that happen? To begin with, I didn't care about the lobster, but now she's my bestie.

Mr Cranna – You were able to connect with the lobster when I gave her some characteristics. I told you what her goal was, and what the problem she was facing. Goals and flaws are important, because they allow us to connect with a character on an emotional level. Hmm, it's got me thinking. I need to give my volcano a want, and a motivation.

Erin – Yeah, so we can connect with it.

Mr Cranna – I know, maybe the volcano is kind, and wants animals to live on it. But it gets angry when the animals keep littering on the volcano. So it gets mad, and boom! Blows it's top.

End of transcript

Quizmaster – Greetings, and welcome to everyone's favourite game show,

[crowd applause and cheers]

Quizmaster – Connotation imagery and symbol R Us. Time for round 1 – name that connotation.

Erin – Huh?

[crickets chirping]

Reannah – Huh?

Quizmaster – Mervin,

[laughter]

Quizmaster – [speaks into an earpiece to the announcer] we're experiencing some technical difficulties here. The contestants don't know what connotation is.

Announcer – [speaks as a voice-over to the contestants and the audience] Connotation is an idea or feeling that we sometimes connect to a word. It suggests more than the word's basic meaning.

[crowd oohing]

Quizmaster – For example, the word 'park', usually reminds us of having fun, and enjoying ourselves.

[crowd aawing]

Quizmaster – Doesn't he have a nice voice?

Quizmaster – So, connotation is the ideas and feelings words make us feel, aside from their literal meaning. Got it?

[crowd oohs]

Reannah and Erin – Uh [looking confused]

[Crowd laughs]

Quizmaster – Great! Let's get into, 'name that connotation'. In this round, I'll say a word, and you have to tell me what that word makes you feel, as in, what is the connotation of the word? All right, hands on buzzers. What do you feel when I say the word, "sun," as in, "the sun in the sky was shining bright?"

[Alarm buzz]

Erin – I think of happiness. I'm always happy on a sunny day. The sun is so life-giving.

[Audience ooohs]

[Alarm buzz]

Reannah – Well, I think of exhaustion. When the sun is constantly beating down on you, it makes you feel hot and bothered.

Quizmaster – You're both correct.

[audience aaws]

There can be a number of connotations around a word. These can be very different. It all depends on your personal and cultural experiences.

[Audience ooohs]

Quizmaster – Right. Time for round two – create that imagery. In this round, I'll give you two very different words. I want you to combine those words to create imagery.

Erin – What's imagery?

Reannah – What's imagery?

Quizmaster – Mervin.

Announcer – [speaks as a voice-over to the contestants and the audience] Imagery brings two different things together to say something new about each one. For example, take some clouds. Now, take a ship. They're both very different but are similar. In one way, they both can move. So, if we put them together, as in, "the cloud sailed across the blue sky," we've created beautiful imagery. Now, we see the clouds as ships and the sky as the sea.

Quizmaster – Got it?

Erin – I think so.

Quizmaster – Great! So, what is some imagery you can create by combining these two different words? [shows two words on cards, sun and face]

Erin – A sunny smile. My mum has a sunny smile. It's so warm and bright like the sun.

Quizmaster – Reannah?

Reannah – Shining beauty, as in, "I have shining beauty." It radiates from within and will last an eternity. [looks at herself in a hand mirror]

Quizmaster – Wow, a very different description, but also very rich in imagery, and I can reveal that both of your examples of imagery are correct. There is no one way a word can be used in imagery. Words can be used in lots of different image rich descriptions which allow us to experience more than one thing at a time.

Okay, now for the third and final round; draw that symbol. In this round, you'll use the sun to create a symbol. [Erin bangs 2 cymbals together] No, not that sort of.. Mervin, more technical difficulties. Now the contestants don't know what symbols are.

Announcer – [speaks as a voice over to the contestants and the audience] Symbols are pictures, colours or things that represent something else, usually something abstract, like an idea. Composers use symbols in their texts to enrich meaning. It's like a shortcut to a bigger idea.

Quizmaster – I do like the way he sounds. Right, so, you have to draw something involving a sun that means or symbolises something else. Go. [both draw on a card] Erin, what symbol have you drawn?

Erin – [Holds up her drawing] A smiley emoji. It's round and yellow like the sun, and it's a symbol of happiness, just like the sun makes you happy. It's a shortcut to a bigger idea.

Quizmaster – Yes, Reannah? What symbol have you drawn that involves a sun?

Reannah – [Holds up her drawing] I've drawn the Aboriginal flag. It has a large yellow circle in the middle, which is a symbol of the sun. It represents the giver of life and the protector.

Quizmaster – Both of your answers are correct. A sun can be used as a symbol for many things, just like imagery involving the sun can create many meanings. Just like the connotation or the feeling behind the word, "sun," can be many things. The meanings created by connotation, imagery or a symbol are complex, because they take you beyond the basic meanings of a word. These meanings differ for each of us and depend on our own cultural and personal experiences. Let's see if you can guess the meaning behind one more symbol, a hand symbol.[Mr McSkimming waves at the camera]

Erin and Reannah – It means bye. [They both start waving at the camera]

Quizmaster – That's right. Bye, bye.

End of transcript