I recently saw a revised version of Bloom's taxonomy that placed 'Creativity' at the top of the pyramid (Can't find the link at the moment).
Interestingly, Stephen Downes has recently posted about Bionic Teacher's criticism of Bloom's and technology: http://www.downes.ca/cgi-bin/page.cgi?post=48409
I'm of the opinion that what their criticisms highlight is the way that technology has permeated every level of our learning now. The real skill comes in how we take a tool and apply it for learning.
If I expand that to 'English', then it becomes about how pupils use language across the curriculum rather than in a specific subject. For too long, perhaps, we have pigeon-holed particular knowledge within particular subjects... and of course, that is not how the world works...
Any thoughts?
I like the fact that by using 'broad' descriptors we will be given the freedom to be more imaginative and creative in the texts we use and how we approach them. This will give us some wonderful opportunities for investigating literacy...
...but, I can see how this may be intimidating to those who prefer more direction in their teaching. Perhaps we need to think about making some finished lesson plans/lessons/units available... or even better, run a session (on Glow?) about how to create such a unit/lesson?
Any thoughts?
This was added to the original. I'm glad to see that it shows recognition of the variety of sources for texts. This is also echoed in the range of 'texts' in the table at the bottom of the page... which I suspect the Daily Mail will have a field day on! (social networking in schools anyone?)
those that are used regularly by everyone in their everyday lives
This is laudible and right, but I hope there is not going to be a move towards removing 'unnecessary' langauage (aka, literature!).
I'd hate to think that utility was to be the main criteria by which a text is judged.
I believe this to be one of the key skills we need to impart. The skill of evaluating any text is crucial to making sense of the plethora of information we have to deal with every day.
I like 'should' rather than 'could'. This will have implications for accurate record keeping of what a pupil is doing... perhaps by means of an e-portfolio?
Carry out an audit of existing practice with a view to seeing how it relates to the outcomes.
As a first step, you might want to consider the ways in which you use listening, talking, reading and writing for learning day to day in your teaching programmes.
Where you answer ‘yes’ to these questions, you are contributing to the development of the literacy of the learners for whom you are responsible.