Year 4 Australian Curriculum English

The Essentials of the English Australian Curriculum Together the strands focus on developing students’ knowledge, understanding and skills in listening, reading, viewing, speaking, writing and creating. Learning in English builds on concepts, skills and processes developed in earlier years, and teachers will revisit and strengthen these as needed₁ . The curriculum aims to develop a continuity of knowledge in learners that spans their learning journey and increasingly develops their confidence and enjoyment in the using the diverse forms of English skills and knowledge and in using these to participate fully in the rapidly developing Global community. A consistent level of participation in Multimodal and Digital mediums are required to meet the increasing demands of social, cultural and everyday needs for communicating.

What are Digital Texts? A text may be defined as digital when.. they are produced through digital or electronic technology. These may be interactive and include animations and/or hyperlinks. Examples of digital texts include DVDs, websites, e-literature.₁ E-Literature: An Electronic publication of literature using the multimedia capabilities of digital technologies to create interactive and possibly non-linear texts, through combining written text, movement, visual, audio and spatial elements. It may include hypertext fiction, computer art installations, kinetic poetry and collaborative writing projects allowing readers to contribute to a work. E-literature also includes texts where print meanings are enhanced through digital images and/or sound and literature that is reconstituted from print texts.₁

What are Multimodal Texts? A text may be defined as multimodal when it combines two or more semiotic systems. There are five semiotic systems in total: Linguistic: comprising aspects such as vocabulary, generic structure and the grammar of oral and written language Visual: comprising aspects such as colour, vectors and viewpoint in still and moving images Audio: comprising aspects such as volume, pitch and rhythm of music and sound effects Gestural: comprising aspects such as movement, speed and stillness in facial expression and body language Spatial: comprising aspects such as proximity, direction, position of layout and organisation of objects in space.

Why do we need these Modes of Meaning How could a group of learners experience these modes when building a narrative? In groups use your mode to help demonstrate the importance it has in interpreting and expressing a narrative. Do they work effectively by themselves OR as a whole? Does this engage and help in ‘developing students’ knowledge, understanding and skills in listening, reading, viewing, speaking, writing and creating’₁? Consider the aspects of grammar used, understanding the purpose and audience type Consider the implications for the intrinsic development of the individual learner

Reading Language Literature Literacy Identify features of online texts that enhance readability including text, navigation, links, graphics and layout. Use comprehension strategies to build literal and inferred meaning to expand content knowledge, integrating and linking ideas and analysing and evaluating texts.

Building on prior knowledge: Cartoon

Multimodal and Digital Text in Year 4 Writing Language Literature Literacy Plan, draft and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive texts containing key information and supporting details for a widening range of audiences, demonstrating increasing control over text structures and language features Use a range of software including word processing programs to construct, edit and publish written text, and select, edit and place visual, print and audio elements

Multimodal and Digital Text in Year 4 Speaking & Listening Language Literature Literacy Interpret ideas and information in spoken texts and listen for key points in order to carry out tasks and use information to share and extend ideas and information Use interaction skills such as acknowledging another’s point of view and linking students’ response to the topic, using familiar and new vocabulary and a range of vocal effects such as tone, pace, pitch and volume to speak clearly and coherently Plan, rehearse and deliver presentations incorporating learned content and taking into account the particular purposes and audiences

Electronic Storyboard: YouTube

Example of Multimodal Text A picture book, in which the textual and visual elements are arranged on individual pages that contribute to an overall set of bound pages.

I am not sleepy and I will not go to bed by Lauren Child A webpage, in which elements such as sound effects, oral language, written language, music and still or moving images are combined.

Angelina Ballerina – Ballet Performance A live ballet performance, in which gesture, music, and space are the main elements.

Annotated list of Multimodal and Digital Texts Features Links to the Australian Curriculum. C.D Caterpillar Online Reading A range of online readers across a broad spectrum of genres including, narratives, fairy-tails, fiction, non-fiction. Digital text is presented in the format of a bound book which combines words and images on consecutive pages that are turned by the click of a mouse. Every word has assistance available -- even the page numbers! All students have to do is click on a word to hear the word spoken aloud. Not in a difficult-to-understand computer voice, but in a real live human voice. Year 4: Reading new and different kinds of texts with the use of established word identification strategies including knowledge of the topic and of text type together with self monitoring strategies.

Annotated list of Multimodal and Digital Texts Features Links to the Australian Curriculum Intelli-Tunes Teaching Students to learn with music. Grammar and English are taught through the semiotic systems comprising linguistic, auditory and visual elements. MP3 file can be uploaded and used on electronic whiteboard whereby words are displayed in time to an audio tune encouraging students to sing along. Year 4: Identifying and selecting appropriate software programs for constructing text. Using phonological knowledge, consonant clusters as strategies for spelling words.

Annotated list of Multimodal and Digital Texts Feature Links to the Australian Curriculum Collaborative Table top Interface Online story board. Table top features multiple mice where students can select and drag images and text from story boards to match the elements of narrative. This application has multiple uses to simulate cutting and pasting activities associated with elements of story wheel. Year 4: create Literary texts by developing story lines, characters and settings. Collaboratively plan, compose, sequence and prepare a literary text along a familiar story line, using film, sound and images to convey setting, characters and points of drama in the plot.

Annotated list of Multimodal and Digital Texts Feature Links to the Australian Curriculum Shape Poem In this online tool, elementary students can write poems about shapes in four different themes: Nature, School, Sports, and Celebrations. Year 4: Understand, interpret and experiment with a range of devices and deliberate word play in poetry and other literary texts to create a sense of freshness, originality and playfulness.

Annotated list of Multimodal and Digital Texts Feature Links to the Australian Curriculum Oz Speller Oz Speller has a powerful Online keyboard tutor that:     * starts with letters - using a 'key hunt' game;     * then to words (4 levels) & sentences (3 levels);     * users try to beat the meter and scores are shown as letters & words per minute, with wizard grades Year 4: Using meaning and context when spelling words. Building etymological knowledge and building vocabulary from research about technical and subject specific topics.

Annotated list of Multimodal and Digital Texts Features Links to the Australian Curriculum Improving reader fluency Students read text at instructional level and record their decoding and listen to the playback. Students repeat the task using the same text each day in an effort to improve their phrased fluency. Year 4: Reading new and different kinds of texts with the use of established word identification strategies including knowledge of the topic and of text type together with self monitoring strategies; including re-reading, self questioning and pausing, and including self correction strategies. Reading aloud with fluency and expression.

Annotated list of Multimodal and Digital Texts Features Links to the Australian Curriculum Read Write Think Creative writing tool. Creative writing tool for expositions, reports, narratives, interviews, poetry and scripts. Has electronic whiteboard capabilities for whole of class interaction. Application has student login for individual homework tasks. Year 4: Identify and explain language features of texts from earlier times and compare with the vocabulary, images, layout and content of contemporary texts.

Annotated list of Multimodal and Digital Texts Feature Links to the Australian Curriculum Instructional PowerPoint resource Students have auditory instruction through MP3 files in conjunction with printed text help book to step them through the creative steps for creating a PowerPoint presentation. Intrinsic skills are made explicit through this instructional tool that builds sophistication through a supportive structure for students who may be challenged when using ICTs. Year 4: Identifying and selecting appropriate software programs for constructing, editing and publishing written texts. Select edit and place visual, print and audio elements.

Writing an Exposition

Summation In order to teach these skills and processors to students learning managers need to find and use resources that scaffold the students’ through content that they are familiar with and can relate to their world so that the acquisition of this learning becomes deep understanding. We would suggest the key to making multimodal texts function to their fullest in classrooms is for educators to embrace fully youths’ new digitally mediated subjectivity instead of ignoring the literacy practices that have been shaped by the new media age. Traditionally, the curriculum has privileged print-only representations of semiotic systems rather than recognising and valuing the linguistic, social, economic and cultural capital that different students bring to the classroom. The acquisition of intellectual quality may be facilitated by harnessing the unappreciated repertories of practice which allows young people to use their imagination and creativity to combine print, visual, aural and digital modes in combinations that enhance the learning environment (Walsh, C., 2007). Curricular design for the 21st century will need to find a place on the pages of pedagogy to engage the contemporary learner as they will choose to validate their learning through multimodal representations or manifestations of their out-of-school literacy practices. Christopher S. Walsh, Creativity as capital in the literacy classroom: youth as multimodal designers. Article first published online: 21 JUN 2007