Week 6 Blog Post (Part 2)- My significant learning from this module and implications for future practice.

This module has altered my thinking greatly about my future role as English subject leader within a Primary School. 

Comics and graphic novels were genres I was least familiar with when I started this module; however, I now see the importance these hold as many children across both key stages enjoy reading comics (Graham and Kelly, 2008).  As a result of our seminar sessions, I now feel I have a greater understanding of the typical codes and conventions these texts contain. One the requirements stated in the new National Curriculum is how ‘schools should do everything to promote wider reading’ and children should be encouraged to read for pleasure (DfE, 2013:p10). Therefore, this would support the idea that it is important to give children freedom when choosing their books as they are more likely to be engaged if is it a genre they are interested in (Senior, 2008). Consequently, to encourage wider reading texts like comics and graphic novels will be made available both in my classroom and in the school library where children have full access to and are encouraged to use. 

Another implication for my future practice is I now realise the power of popular culture and how this can greatly enthuse children when it is integrated into their work. This is apparent with children’s personal reading choices as these are often influenced by popular culture. However, it is important that we allow children to have their own reading choices and have ownership over them (Graham and Kelly, 2008).  

My time in school at Shirley Warren has taught me how easy it is to integrate ICT within the curriculum subjects.  I believe it would be important to use ICT to support the teaching of English as ICT motivates children and can capture children’s ideas whilst allowing them the creative freedom to complete their work through various mediums (Audain, 2014). I have increased my understanding of the app ‘Comic Life’ which allows children to take photos and add texts to blank comic strip templates (Audain, 2014). Therefore I believe this will be a fun method for children to apply their understanding of comic strips and will be an app I will encourage the use of in my school. Similarly, I would like to explore the use of websites like ‘Jigzone’ within English lessons as I believe this could be a brilliant way for children to problem solve whilst applying and testing their knowledge.

The successful use of blogs as demonstrated by Shirley Warren has proven the power and importance these hold when engaging children. In this way, children’s literacy work could be posted on a blog, book reviews could be created and discussions could be made focusing on the children's favourite authors. For this, parents, teachers and children could actively contribute (Graham and Kelly, 2008). An implication for my future practice is that I now believe that children’s written work should be completed for a purpose, therefore through sharing children’s work on a blog, it makes the tasks they complete more meaningful (Wyse et al., 2013). 

 Audain, A., (2014) The Ultimate Guide To Using ICT Across The Curriculum, London and New York: Bloomsbury.

DfE (2013) Primary National Curriculum for Science Key Stages 1 and 2 [online] http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20131202172639/https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/260481/PRIMARY_national_curriculum_11-9-13_2.pdf  (Accessed 30.10.2014) 

Graham,J., Kelly,A., (2008) Primary Reading under control (3^rd Edition) Oxon and New York: Routledge.

Senior,C., Getting the buggers to read (2^nd Edition) London and New York: Continuum.

Walker, D., (1998) Education in the Digital Age, London: The Bowerdean Publishing Company Ltd.

Wyse,D., Jones,R., Bradford,H., Wolpert, M., (2013) Teaching Enlgish, Language and Literacy (3^rd Edition) London and New York; Routeledge.