Literacy is viewed as interdisciplinary and multimodal… so how do young people make and communicate meaning. This workshop presents classroom strategies for primary and lower secondary teachers to engage students about literate knowledges and skills that reflect contemporary youth culture and communication.

In this interactive workshop, participants explore:

• using screen media to encourage thinking, reading and language development
• the stages of media literacy and how to develop analytical, critical and creative skills in young children
• using screen media to teach Values.
• how young children respond to TV, film, advertising and multimedia and how teachers can encourage critical judgement and understanding through viewing
• the effects of various media on children and empowering parents to monitor their children’s’ media use and encourage discerning viewing

This workshop looks at popular Australian television and film produced by the Australian Children’s Television Foundation (ACTF). Titles and themes include:

• My Place for Teachers - The My Place for Teachers, website uses the TV series which involves the stories of children through 13 decades (2008-1888) as a starting point for teachers to explore topics and concepts in English, Australian History and Media studies.
• Double Trouble – a television series set in Alice Springs the story looks at the value of culture, family, relationships and personal development.

About the presenter

Maggie is experienced in developing Victorian educational policy in the areas of curriculum, assessment and reporting. A former secondary drama teacher and primary classroom teacher, she has worked with teachers providing professional development for The Arts domain, as well as developing resource materials for schools to use in the areas of contemporary 21st learning and teaching, and associated evidence based assessment.

Maggie’s role at the ACTF involves making connections with professional teacher associations and education authorities across Australia. Promoting to schools, tertiary and pre-service educators the productions, programs and digital resources developed by the ACTF.