Language and literacy workshops: supporting the learning of four focal English language arts practices through the use of quality texts

• Main Author: Braun, Joanna
• Other Authors: Serebrin, Wayne (Curriculum, Teaching and Learning)
• Published: 2016
• Subjects: Education; Curriculum; English language arts; Practices
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/1993/31174

In Manitoba, a new English Language Arts (ELA) curriculum focusing on language and literacy practices invites learners to authentically and meaningfully engage with a variety of texts in the classroom. This thesis supports educators by valuing their professional judgment, as they are provided with researched text selection criteria and called upon to evaluate and choose texts of rich quality for use with children in classrooms in the beginning years of school (Kindergarten–Grade 2). Drawing upon this ELA curriculum, the author questions, provides insight, and reflects on how a variety of multimodal texts could be incorporated into the classroom learning by interweaving the four key literacy and language practices that represent valued ways of thinking, being, and doing in ELA. The author’s insights are presented in a written workshop format, in which a critical literacy stance is adopted in order to examine, discuss, and analyze an assortment of multimodal texts. === May 2016