1. Choose short texts as focus texts e.g. short stories, poems, novellas. This is because "students are introduced to understandings about theoretical approaches to interpreting texts." The emphasis need not be on the text itself; it does not need to be long but it does need to be complex. (Assessment objective 1 "demonstrate understanding of the selected complex literary text in order to develop a valid interpretation in the reading".)
Suggested short stories and novellas for the task:
Henry James, “The Turn of the Screw” Edgar Allen Poe, “The Murders in the Rue Morgue” Edgar Allen Poe, “The Fall of the House of Usher” W.W. Jacobs “The Monkey’s Paw” Theodore Sturgeon, “Yesterday Was Monday” Jerome Bixby, “It’s a Good Life” Daniel Keyes, “Flowers for Algernon” Franz Kafka, “The Cell” Stephen King, “Battleground” | Charlotte Perkins Gilman, “The Yellow Wallpaper” Ambrose Bierce, “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” Shirley Jackson, “The Lottery” H.H. Munro (“Saki”), “The Open Window” Frederick Marryat, “The Werewolf” Franz Kafka, “Metamorphosis” Arthur Conan Doyle, “The Hound of the Baskervilles” Tim Winton “ The Water Was Dark and It Went Forever Down” Ray Bradbury “ There Will Come Soft Rains” |
Description of task: "The extended response focuses on applying particular aspects of either the reader-centred or author-centred theoretical approach to a text to produce a reading and an accompanying defence. In a reading, students make meaning of a literary text by applying interpretive strategies associated with a particular theoretical approach. In a defence, students analyse the reading they have produced, applying and evaluating aspects and strategies of the theoretical approach and explaining how the theoretical approach used has allowed them to make meaning of the text in particular ways." QCAA
You don't want kids diverted or overloaded by the study of lengthy texts; they can achieve just as highly responding to a short story.
2. Focus on reader-centred approaches (after introduction to four approaches) - they're more accessible than author-centred (unless you just MUST focus on film and auteur theory!) Start with Louise Rosenblatt and introductory theorists then focus on Richard Beach in depth before moving to other later theorists.
3. Use the John Lye three positions categorisation of reader-centred approaches so that students can better organise their ideas and categorize reader-centred approaches on a continuum in their defence. i.e.
Position 1:
This approach focuses more on the role the text plays in constraining interpretations by the competent reader than on the role of the reader in the interpretive process. Here, the text has more power over the interpretive process than the reader; some interpretations are seen to be more valid than others. This approach aligns with New Criticism but role of reader in meaning making process is acknowledged.
Position 2: Here, the text and the reader play a more equal role in the interpretive process. When reader and text interact, meaning is created, and exists, only in the mind of the reader. e.g. Louise Rosenblatt transaction theory.
Position 3: Here, the focus is on a psychological and social approach to constructing meaning. This places the greatest emphasis on the reader in the interpretive process. The reader's thoughts, beliefs and experiences play a greater part in shaping the text's meaning than the actual text. Critics are often called psychological or subjective critics. e.g. Norman Holland
There is no need to mention Lye but understanding how reading approaches clash or complement one another and understanding the subtle differences between them is important. The idea of a continuum assists in the organization of approaches.
4. Explicitly enable students to evaluate theoretical approaches. Understanding the Lye categories assists with this.
5. Have students infer task requirements through deconstruction of a model response rather than just read through the task sheet. Use a second model later in the course to analyse text structures and language features. Use a three column analysis ie column 1: identify text structures column 2: text column 3: analyse and evaluate language features
6. Provide students with a clear scaffold for reading and defence. Use a gradual release of responsibility model for teaching construction stages of teaching/learning cycle. e.g. I do - teacher think-aloud as they construct parts of reading and defence; We do - teacher leads students in joint construction of parts of reading and defence; You do - students independently draft own parts of reading and defence.
7. It seems from the QCAA a-c model provided, that third persona narration is used in the reading and a mixture of first (defending own application of theory) and third person (explaining theory) in the defence. My students usually used first person in the reading when applying reader-centred approaches but the ISMGs in the new syllabus specify an academic audience so third person might be more appropriately used in the reading now. In breaking news, another very experienced extension teacher agrees that reader-centred reading if best in first person. This is the usual practice, he says. Tread your own path.
8. The huge mistake that can be made by beginner teachers to the course is to misunderstand the difference between the reading and defence genres. You must be crystal clear on this so as to not disadvantage students at confirmation. Basically, readings refer to the focus text and not to theory and the defence refers to the reading and to theory but not to the focus text except to identify it. i.e. you don't want students mentioning or applying theory in the reading and you don't want a continued analysis of the text in the defence. Please refer to the syllabus definitions of these two genres frequently until you are sure, as this knowledge underpins the effectiveness of your teaching in this unit. Reading student exemplars is also invaluable for understanding the genres.
Concluding Remarks
Students should be able to identify HOW they produced a reader-centred or author-centred reading of a text. That is, they should be able to defend their own reading practices by writing a defence of those reading practices that they have used to produce a reader-centred or author-centred reading. They have to read the text from a reader-centred or author-centred perspective then write a defence of their reading practices. In order to do this efficiently, it is a good idea to number all the lines of the reading so that they can easily identify the reading practices they applied in reading the text. These reading practices are then defended in the defence.
Please note that reading and defence are very different genres – reflective and analytical, respectively.
Thank you to Tony Cuppit (BGGS) for provision of an IA1 model planning and response document.