Young adult literature is a tool of socialisation and acculturation for young readers. This extends to endowing "reading" with particular significance in terms of what literature should be read and why. This paper considers some recent young adult fiction with an eye to its engagement with canonical literature and its representations of…

The French philosopher Rene Descartes (1596-1650) wrote that "to read good books is like holding a conversation with the most eminent minds of past centuries and, moreover, a studied conversation in which these authors reveal to us only the best of their thoughts" (translation of the "Discourse on Method" by F. E. Sutcliffe…

In his paper in "English in Australia" in 2002, Bill Green called for a literacy project of our own, and for the need to think again, and think newly about the place of literary literacy within contemporary curriculum. But what does literary literacy mean in curriculum that recognises a wide diversity of texts and literacies? If literature and…

This paper interrogates relationships among literacy research, policy development and classroom practice. It does so with concern that the fields of literacy research, policy and practice do not interact with one another in ways that are congruent or productive, as evidenced in recent government literacy reports in Australia and overseas. With a…

In this article I use the occasion of farewelling my Year 12 students at the end of their schooling, some intertextual references to "Hamlet", and some conceptual frames of Derrida, to reflect dialogically on the role of critical literacy in Australian English curricula in the past, the present and into the future. (Contains 11 notes.)

Sketches an alternative, or perhaps an addition, to critical analysis and personal response. Notes the approach is historical and intertextual. Demonstrates this method using the popular television series "The X-Files." Shows how a description of a text can be built up through various kinds of research. Argues that historical and intertextual…

Compares representations of Aboriginal identity across a range of text types from Biography and Family History to Mythology. Argues that, although many of the depictions of Aboriginal people can be contested, they are still valuable for the insights they offer. (NH)

Reviews "Constructing Critical Literacies" (1997), describing the various approaches of the main contributors to the book. Sets these selections against a critical literacy rubric which would equip children with literacy for active, autonomous, and democratic citizenship, and finds a qualified positive relationship. (NH)

Offers an overview of contrasts and similarities in various approaches to Shakespeare studies. Discusses how a shift in perspectives from grappling with tragic moral themes to examining aesthetic and semantic complexity represents a productive way to respond to Shakespeare. (NH)

Presents annotations of nine books (or sets of books) published between 1990 and 1997 that look at ways in which Shakespeare can be presented and explored in English or Drama classes. (NH)

Discusses the importance of the reader's response in achieving an understanding of literature. (RB)

Applies Ferdinand de Saussure's linguistic theories on the construction of a text to the literary analysis of texts. Recounts the use of this derivation in a literature class, showing that sensitivity to student experiences facilitates their understanding and appreciation of literary works. (RL)

Illustrates how a linguist might approach literary analysis, emphasizing the behaviors of the reader. Discusses four kinds of signals of meaning, including the lexical, the grammatical, the thematic, and the cohesive. (RL)

Considers how literature and the modern media influence the quality of children's language development. Provides samples of student responses and student writings, showing how they react to literature and learn from it. (RL)

Summarizes the responses of students aged 13-15 and 15-17 to four oral story readings, noting their variety and critical acumen. (RL)