Developing Literacy and the Arts in Schools

The teaching of the arts and literacy in schools is often at odds with one another. The desire for schools to improve results on high-stakes testing can lead to a narrow view of literacy rather than one that acknowledges the unique and distinct literacies that exist in other curriculum areas including the arts. With methods of communication becoming increasingly complex, it will be more and more important for students to be able to utilise all semiotic modes. Developing Literacy and the Arts in Schools investigates this key issue in education and offers a solution to the negative relationship between the arts and literacy. Drawing on interview data and evidence from diverse classrooms, it explores the pedagogies of effective arts practitioners and teachers, and how they relate to theoretical frameworks, to unpack the key elements of effective practice related to literacy and the arts. A model of arts-literacies is provided to assist arts and literacy educators in developing a common language that acknowledges and values these distinct arts-literacies. Themes of multimodality, diversity, aesthetics and reflection in relation to the arts and literacy are foregrounded throughout. This book will be of great value to postgraduate students of Education specialising in arts and literacy, education academics, teacher educators, and classroom and preservice teachers.

Georgina Barton is an Associate Professor at the University of Southern Queensland in Australia. She is the discipline leader of literacies and pedagogy and teaches English curriculum and literacy courses in teacher education programmes. Her research focuses on the areas of multimodality, literacies, the arts, and cultural diversity.

Lists of Tables, Figures, Transcripts Acknowledgements SECTION I: Theorising the Arts and Literacy in Schools Chapter 1. The State of the Arts and Literacy in Schools Chapter 2. Being Literate in the 21st Century and Beyond Chapter 3. Multimodality, Semiotics and Meaning-Making Chapter 4. The Arts and Literacy Are Synchronous: Exploring a Model of Theory and Practice Chapter 5. Literacy Demands, and Reading and Writing in the Arts Chapter 6. How the Arts Support Diverse Learners in Literacy SECTION II: Classroom Practice in the Arts and Literacy Chapter 7. Dance Literacies as Embodied and Expressive Aesthetics Chapter 8. Drama Literacies: Exploring Self, Space and Time Chapter 9. Music Literacy: An Aural Art Chapter 10. Visual Art Literacies: 'Seeing' Through the Modes Chapter 11. Creative and Multimodal Writing Across the School Years SECTION III: Arts-Literacies Matter Chapter 12. Conclusion: Arts-Literacies Matter