Title: Teaching English as an additional language/second in senior high school: critical discourses in critical times. Jennifer Alford, Faculty of Education, QUT Discourse and Cultural Practices Conference Uni of Sydney July, Syllabus 2008 Syllabus 2007 Syllabus 2009 Syllabus ESL teaching

Introduction Four policy documents between 2002 and 2009= four ‘sets of possibilities’ for the teaching of ESL in senior. AIMS: to identify the ways in which each document re- presents the notion of critical literacy. : to map the shifts and tensions between the four documents : to suggest some effects of this on the teaching of ESL in senior high school. Tools: Leximancer and CDA - TODA (Fairclough 2003)

Shifting sands of syllabus production English syllabi ESL syllabi

Policy analysis

A CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK FOR ANALYSING POLICY [adapted from Taylor 2004 based on Fairclough 2003] THE SOCIAL WORLD SEMIOTIC ASPECTS SOCIAL ORDER ORDERS OF DISCOURSE [Global, national context] [‘Old basics; ‘Grammar and the canon’] NETWORKS OF SOCIAL PRACTICES GENRES [QSA, Education Queensland] ways of (inter)acting DISCOURSES ways of representing STYLES ways of being SOCIAL EVENT DISCURSIVE EVENT [Reframing the Senior English Syllabus and production of the first ESL Syllabus] POLICY TEXT TEXT [Specific policy documents ] [Major aspects of text meaning: Action, representation, identification.] THE SOCIAL WORLD SEMIOTIC ASPECTS SOCIAL ORDER ORDERS OF DISCOURSE [Global, national context] [‘Old basics; ‘Grammar and the canon’] NETWORKS OF SOCIAL PRACTICES GENRES [QSA, Education Queensland] ways of (inter)acting DISCOURSES ways of representing STYLES ways of being SOCIAL EVENT DISCURSIVE EVENT [Reframing the Senior English Syllabus and production of the first ESL Syllabus] POLICY TEXT TEXT [Specific policy documents ] [Major aspects of text meaning: Action, representation, identification.]

Reinterpreting the critical enterprise – how and for whom? DocumentCritical themes in the document Examples Potential influence i. Previous 2002 Senior English Syllabus, Queensland Studies Authority (QSA). Strong critical dimension as per Freebody and Luke’s (1990) 4 roles of literate practice model. Critical study of language is one of three framing categories (operational, cultural and critical). Key foci: constructedness of texts, ideological assumptions in texts, representations/silences and reader positions. Rationale p. 2 EAL teachers have acquired notions of critical literacy following the use of this syllabus and the (limited) professional development that accompanied it. ii. Revised Senior English Syllabus (QSA) – 2008 Open Implementation Trial. Critical dimension is diminished ; greater focus on literary appreciation & functional skills development. Includes ‘Evaluating Language and Literature ‘as one of 4 dimensions of learning. Critical literacy defined (in appendix) as one of a range of sometimes contradictory approaches teachers might optionally use. xxxxxxxx Revised understandings of critical literacy – diminished emphasis on critical engagement with text. Teachers are trialing it and are likely to follow it closely. Revisions will be made.

DocumentCritical themes in the documentExamplesPotential Inlfuence iii. English for ESL Senior Syllabus 2007 Trial Mostly focuses on genre pedagogy and teaching functional skills; Mandates ‘critical reading’ as one focus of all units. What this entails is not spelled out in this document. First guiding document for senior ESL students. Teachers are trialling it and are likely to follow it closely. iv. English for ESL Learners Senior Syllabus Amended Mar 2009 (QSA)

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