An ocean of possibilities: Exploring the potential of electronic writing

By Lindsay Williams

…Electronic writing can be much like the ocean: beautiful and full of possibilities for some people, menacing and dangerous to others.

Do you want to take a dip in the ocean of electronic writing?

Acceptance speech for The Peter Botsman Memorial Award (March, 2003)

By Lindsay Williams

A number of years ago, I was bemused by an edition of English in Australia that was devoted in its entirety to the place of Shakespeare in English. Now, don’t get me wrong. I have nothing personal against the Bard – although, my own difficulties as a Year 12 student in understanding Shakespearean language almost convinced me that I shouldn’t apply for a tertiary course in English teaching.

Instead, my despair at the time revolved around a few questions which no one has ever been able to answer satisfactorily:

Why Shakespeare? Do we want students to emulate his language?

Critical Literacy, fairness and hope

By Lindsay Williams

Critical Literacy is interested in the relationship between the ‘world’ and the ‘word’ – that is, the part that language plays in influencing the way groups of people talk about the world and interact with each other.

Think about it - each of us belongs to a number of different ‘clubs’ which have rules for: appropriate language; acceptable values, beliefs, attitudes and assumptions; acting and behaving. Membership of various clubs (technically called ‘Discourses’) plays an integral role in shaping our identity, affecting the way we are in the world.

What are the implications of Critical Literacy for English teachers?

Acceptance speech for The Peter Botsman Memorial Award (March, 2003)

By Lindsay Williams

A number of years ago, I was bemused by an edition of English in Australia that was devoted in its entirety to the place of Shakespeare in English. Now, don’t get me wrong. I have nothing personal against the Bard – although, my own difficulties as a Year 12 student in understanding Shakespearean language almost convinced me that I shouldn’t apply for a tertiary course in English teaching.

Instead, my despair at the time revolved around a few questions which no one has ever been able to answer satisfactorily:

Why Shakespeare? Do we want students to emulate his language?

A defence of Critical Literacy

By Lindsay Williams

Recently, writers in The Australian have questioned the legitimacy of Critical Literacy. This has culminated in the Queensland Education Minister vowing to rid the Senior English syllabus of “mumbo jumbo”.

While public discussion of curriculum is welcome, dissemination of misinformation and misrepresentation is the cause of serious concern for me, a teacher who has been actively promoting Critical Literacy for over ten years. The discussion should bring a different perspective to the debate.

What is the perspective?