Academic Literacies in the Middle Years
A Framework for Enhancing Teacher Knowledge and Student Achievement

The professional learning framework this book presents is designed to support teachers? understandings of how language functions in their academic disciplines. This framework?a 4 x 4 metalinguistic toolkit?is informed by systemic functional linguistic theory and international educational research on academic and disciplinary literacies.

The book shows and explains how teachers have applied specific 4 x 4 toolkits with students in middle school classrooms across a range of subjects for curriculum literacy instruction, assessment and feedback, resulting in substantial growth for their students in high-stakes national tests of literacy, as well as writing assessments in a number of subjects. In its focus on disciplinary literacies in diverse sociocultural settings, Academic Literacies in the Middle Years responds to contemporary international curricula for English language and literacy and the need for a strong evidence base for professional learning design.

Preface

Acknowledgements

1 The Context of Middle Years Literacy Research

2 Design and Foundations of a Metalanguage Framework

3 Designing Literacy interventions

4 Exploring Narratives as Prose and Drama Script

5 Writing Responses to Analyse Cultural Works

6 Factorial Explanations in History, Science and the Social Sciences

7 Persuading Audiences in the Academic Domain

8 Persuasion for Civic Purposes

9 Towards Design Principles for Middle Years Literacies

Index

Sally Humphrey is Senior Lecturer, English and Literacies Education, Australian Catholic University, Australia.