1. The Curiosities of Trauma in the English Classroom
The relationship between trauma, cognitive load and subject English
ETAWA State Conference

2. Cognitive Load Two Key Points
Brain can only process a limited amount of new information
No known limits to the amount of stored information the brain can process
Source: Cognitive load theory: Research that teachers really need to understand
Centre for Education Statistics and Evaluation
Cognitive Load
Image adapted from Kirschner, Sweller and Clark, 2006

3. Transfer to long-term memory
A minimum of 24 repetitions is needed to take information to long term permanent memory (Allard, 2007)
Transfer to long-term memory

4. Trauma Affects Thinking
Disorganised minds
Forgetfulness
Limited attention span
Shutdown
Source: Calmer classrooms: A guide to working with traumatised children
Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services
Department of Education, Training and Employment PLD
Trauma Affects Thinking

5. Warnbro Community High School
> 60 % of student population with Developmental Trauma Background (DTB)
Warnbro Community High School

6. Transfer to long-term memory
A minimum of 24 repetitions is needed to take information to long term permanent memory (Allard, 2007)
Transfer to long-term memory
It can take up to 70!

7. “Children with a Developmental Trauma Background (DTB) experience change to routines and their environment as potential threat. The familiar is safer for these children than the unfamiliar.”
Source: The Australian Childhood Foundation’s Smart P.R.A.C.T.I.C.E.(2006) and adapted by the WCHS ESC
Predictable Practice

8. The WCHS English Lesson Framework

9. Now, about that content…

10. Year 7 English
Language
Literature
Literacy
LANGUAGE VARIATION AND CHANGE Understand the way language evolves to reflect a changing world, particularly in response to the use of new technology for presenting texts and communicating (ACELA1528)
LITERATURE AND CONTEXT Identify and explore ideas and viewpoints about events, issues and characters represented in texts drawn from different historical, social and cultural contexts (ACELT1619)
TEXTS IN CONTEXT Analyse and explain the effect of technological innovations on texts, particularly media texts(ACELY1765)
LANGUAGE FOR INTERACTION Understand how accents, styles of speech and idioms express and create personal and social identities (ACELA1529)
Reflect on ideas and opinions about characters, settings and events in literary texts, identifying areas of agreement and difference with others and justifying a point of view(ACELT1620)
INTERACTING WITH OTHERS Identify and discuss main ideas, concepts and points of view in spoken texts to evaluate qualities, for example the strength of an argument or the lyrical power of a poetic rendition (ACELY1719)
Understand how language is used to evaluate texts and how evaluations about a text can be substantiated by reference to the text and other sources (ACELA1782)
Compare the ways that language and images are used to create character, and to influence emotions and opinions in different types of texts(ACELT1621)
Use interaction skills when discussing and presenting ideas and information, selecting body language, voice qualities and other elements, (for example music and sound) to add interest and meaning (ACELY1804)
TEXT STRUCTURE AND ORGANISATION Understand and explain how the text structures and language features of texts become more complex in informative and persuasive texts and identify underlying structures such as taxonomies, cause and effect, and extended metaphors (ACELA1531)
Discuss aspects of texts, for example their aesthetic and social value, using relevant and appropriate metalanguage(ACELT1803)
Plan, rehearse and deliver presentations, selecting and sequencing appropriate content and multimodal elements to promote a point of view or enable a new way of seeing (ACELY1720)
Understand that the coherence of more complex texts relies on devices that signal text structure and guide readers, for example overviews, initial and concluding paragraphs and topic sentences, indexes or site maps or breadcrumb trails for online texts (ACELA1763)
EXAMINING LITERATURE Recognise and analyse the ways that characterisation, events and settings are combined in narratives, and discuss the purposes and appeal of different approaches (ACELT1622)
INTERPRETING, ANALYSING, EVALUATING Analyse and explain the ways text structures and language features shape meaning and vary according to audience and purpose (ACELY1721)
Understand the use of punctuation to support meaning in complex sentences with prepositional phrases and embedded clauses (ACELA1532)
Understand, interpret and discuss how language is compressed to produce a dramatic effect in film or drama, and to create layers of meaning in poetry, for example haiku, tankas, couplets, free verse and verse novels (ACELT1623)
Use prior knowledge and text processing strategies to interpret a range of types of texts(ACELY1722)
EXPRESSING AND DEVELOPING IDEAS Recognise and understand that subordinate clauses embedded within noun groups/phrases are a common feature of written sentence structures and increase the density of information (ACELA1534)
CREATING LITERATURE Create literary texts that adapt stylistic features encountered in other texts, for example, narrative viewpoint, structure of stanzas, contrast and juxtaposition (ACELT1625)
Use comprehension strategies to interpret, analyse and synthesise ideas and information, critiquing ideas and issues from a variety of textual sources (ACELY1723)
Understand how modality is achieved through discriminating choices in modal verbs, adverbs, adjectives and nouns (ACELA1536)
Experiment with text structures and language features and their effects in creating literary texts, for example, using rhythm, sound effects, monologue, layout, navigation and colour (ACELT1805)
Compare the text structures and language features of multimodal texts, explaining how they combine to influence audiences (ACELY1724)
Analyse how point of view is generated in visual texts by means of choices, for example gaze, angle and social distance (ACELA1764)
CREATING TEXTS Plan, draft and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive texts, selecting aspects of subject matter and particular language, visual, and audio features to convey information and ideas (ACELY1725)
Investigate vocabulary typical of extended and more academic texts and the role of abstract nouns, classification, description and generalisation in building specialised knowledge through language (ACELA1537)
Understand how to use spelling rules and word origins, for example Greek and Latin roots, base words, suffixes, prefixes, spelling patterns and generalisations to learn new words and how to spell them (ACELA1539)
Edit for meaning by removing repetition, refining ideas, reordering sentences and adding or substituting words for impact (ACELY1726)
Consolidate a personal handwriting style that is legible, fluent and automatic and supports writing for extended periods (ACELY1727)
Use a range of software, including word processing programs, to confidently create, edit and publish written and multimodal texts (ACELY1728)

11. Year 7 English
Language
Literature
Literacy
LANGUAGE VARIATION AND CHANGE Understand the way language evolves to reflect a changing world, particularly in response to the use of new technology for presenting texts and communicating (ACELA1528)
LITERATURE AND CONTEXT Identify and explore ideas and viewpoints about events, issues and characters represented in texts drawn from different historical, social and cultural contexts (ACELT1619)
TEXTS IN CONTEXT Analyse and explain the effect of technological innovations on texts, particularly media texts(ACELY1765)
LANGUAGE FOR INTERACTION Understand how accents, styles of speech and idioms express and create personal and social identities (ACELA1529)
Reflect on ideas and opinions about characters, settings and events in literary texts, identifying areas of agreement and difference with others and justifying a point of view(ACELT1620)
INTERACTING WITH OTHERS Identify and discuss main ideas, concepts and points of view in spoken texts to evaluate qualities, for example the strength of an argument or the lyrical power of a poetic rendition (ACELY1719)
Understand how language is used to evaluate texts and how evaluations about a text can be substantiated by reference to the text and other sources (ACELA1782)
Compare the ways that language and images are used to create character, and to influence emotions and opinions in different types of texts(ACELT1621)
Use interaction skills when discussing and presenting ideas and information, selecting body language, voice qualities and other elements, (for example music and sound) to add interest and meaning (ACELY1804)
TEXT STRUCTURE AND ORGANISATION Understand and explain how the text structures and language features of texts become more complex in informative and persuasive texts and identify underlying structures such as taxonomies, cause and effect, and extended metaphors (ACELA1531)
Discuss aspects of texts, for example their aesthetic and social value, using relevant and appropriate metalanguage(ACELT1803)
Plan, rehearse and deliver presentations, selecting and sequencing appropriate content and multimodal elements to promote a point of view or enable a new way of seeing (ACELY1720)
Understand that the coherence of more complex texts relies on devices that signal text structure and guide readers, for example overviews, initial and concluding paragraphs and topic sentences, indexes or site maps or breadcrumb trails for online texts (ACELA1763)
EXAMINING LITERATURE Recognise and analyse the ways that characterisation, events and settings are combined in narratives, and discuss the purposes and appeal of different approaches (ACELT1622)
INTERPRETING, ANALYSING, EVALUATING Analyse and explain the ways text structures and language features shape meaning and vary according to audience and purpose (ACELY1721)
Understand the use of punctuation to support meaning in complex sentences with prepositional phrases and embedded clauses (ACELA1532)
Understand, interpret and discuss how language is compressed to produce a dramatic effect in film or drama, and to create layers of meaning in poetry, for example haiku, tankas, couplets, free verse and verse novels (ACELT1623)
Use prior knowledge and text processing strategies to interpret a range of types of texts(ACELY1722)
EXPRESSING AND DEVELOPING IDEAS Recognise and understand that subordinate clauses embedded within noun groups/phrases are a common feature of written sentence structures and increase the density of information (ACELA1534)
CREATING LITERATURE Create literary texts that adapt stylistic features encountered in other texts, for example, narrative viewpoint, structure of stanzas, contrast and juxtaposition (ACELT1625)
Use comprehension strategies to interpret, analyse and synthesise ideas and information, critiquing ideas and issues from a variety of textual sources (ACELY1723)
Understand how modality is achieved through discriminating choices in modal verbs, adverbs, adjectives and nouns (ACELA1536)
Experiment with text structures and language features and their effects in creating literary texts, for example, using rhythm, sound effects, monologue, layout, navigation and colour (ACELT1805)
Compare the text structures and language features of multimodal texts, explaining how they combine to influence audiences (ACELY1724)
Analyse how point of view is generated in visual texts by means of choices, for example gaze, angle and social distance (ACELA1764)
CREATING TEXTS Plan, draft and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive texts, selecting aspects of subject matter and particular language, visual, and audio features to convey information and ideas (ACELY1725)
Investigate vocabulary typical of extended and more academic texts and the role of abstract nouns, classification, description and generalisation in building specialised knowledge through language (ACELA1537)
Edit for meaning by removing repetition, refining ideas, reordering sentences and adding or substituting words for impact (ACELY1726)
Understand how to use spelling rules and word origins, for example Greek and Latin roots, base words, suffixes, prefixes, spelling patterns and generalisations to learn new words and how to spell them (ACELA1539)
Consolidate a personal handwriting style that is legible, fluent and automatic and supports writing for extended periods (ACELY1727)
Use a range of software, including word processing programs, to confidently create, edit and publish written and multimodal texts (ACELY1728)

12. Jim Knight – High Impact Instruction
How to Create Great Guiding Questions (p. 39)
Address the standards.
Identify the knowledge students need to learn.
Identify the skills students need to learn.
Identify the big ideas students need to learn.
Choose meaningful or important topics.
Choose personally relevant topics.
Use the most appropriate words.
Keep language easy to understand.
Jim Knight – High Impact Instruction

13. Unit Planning Framework
Unit Title
Exploring Marvel’s Heroes through Non Fiction Texts
Mentor Texts
Movie posters
Film reviews
Information texts about Marvel characters using the five information text structures
Unit Length
5 Weeks
Assessments
Multi-choice test on information text structures
Annotated film review
Primary Content Descriptor
Understand and explain how the text structures and language features of texts become more complex in informative and persuasive texts and identify underlying structures such as taxonomies, cause and effect, and extended metaphors (ACELA1531)
Secondary Content Descriptors
Understand that the coherence of more complex texts relies on devices that signal text structure and guide readers, for example overviews, initial and concluding paragraphs and topic sentences, indexes or site maps or breadcrumb trails for online texts (ACELA1763)
Understand how modality is achieved through discriminating choices in modal verbs, adverbs, adjectives and nouns (ACELA1536)
Ongoing Content Descriptors
ACELA1532, ACELT1803, ACELY1721, ACELY1722, ACELY1725, ACEL1726
Knowledge (nouns)
Skills (verbs)
Big Ideas
Text structures
Language features
Informative texts
Persuasive texts
Taxonomies
Cause and effect
Extended metaphor
Understand
Explain
Identify
Informative and persuasive texts have specific structures and language features that increase their complexity.
Students need to be able to identify, understand and explain those structures.
Terminology Words
Non-fiction texts
Information texts
Description
Cause and Effect
Compare and Contrast
Sequence
Problem Solution
Repetition
Hyperbole
Rhetorical question
Vocabulary Words
Abandoned
Beware
Confidence
Damage
Exciting
Frightened
Galaxy
Hilarious
Intention
Muscular
Opposition
Personalities
Grammar Focus
Clauses
Commas

14. Week 1
Session 1
Session 2
Session 3
Session 4
Review
Non-fiction and informative texts
Vocabulary
Clauses
Description
Sequence
Compound Sentences
Cause and Effect
Vocabulary – review all words
Clauses, compound sentences and coordinating conjunctions
Literacy
Terminology
Non-fiction texts
Informative texts
Abandoned
Grammar
Exciting
Compound sentences
Intention
Coordinating conjunctions
Compare and Contrast
Personalities
Comma
Content
Informative texts overview
Informative texts – description and sequence
Informative texts – cause and effect
Informative Texts – compare and contrast
Writing
Write a sequence of 5-10 events since you woke up this morning.
Select a marvel hero. Use the graphic organiser to collate information for a description. Write a description.
Reflect on an event from a Marvel film. Use a T-chart to list the causes and effects then write a paragraph summarising the causes and effects
Use a Venn diagram to compare and contrast two marvel characters’ personalities, then write a paragraph that summarises your thoughts

15. Important Not just for students with DTB
Supports the cognitive load of all students
Important

16. Calmer classrooms: A guide to working with traumatised children Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services Department of Education, Training and Employment PLD
Kirchner PA; Sweller J & Clark R (2006) Why Minimal Guidance During Instruction Does Not Work: An Analysis of the Failure of Constructivist, Discovery, Problem-Based, Experiential, and Inquiry- Based Teaching, Educational Psychologist
Knight, J High Impact Instruction
SCSA for Curriculum Documents
The Australian Childhood Foundation’s Smart P.R.A.C.T.I.C.E.(2006) and adapted by the WCHS ESC
References / Sources