Hamish Fletcher Introduction Post

My name is Hamish Fletcher and I am studying a Bachelor of Education (Primary Middle). This degree allows us to specialize in two learning areas for the upper year levels that we are training to teach. These two areas I have chosen to major in are Mathematics and Science.

I am passionate about becoming an educator and believe it is important to deliver rich, relevant and interesting learning experiences to all students, regardless of skill level and academic ability. I believe that educators are placed in a highly influential role where they have the opportunity to impact upon students lives for the better, and provide them with unique experiences and knowledge.

During my youth I enjoyed reading adolescent novels by Judy Bloom, R.L. Stine, and Morris Gleitzman. I am looking forward to learning and absorbing the fundamental literacy and language techniques and components that will be covered in this course. It will be fascinating to see how these techniques are employed with my favorite authors to get a better grasp of their writing style.

I enjoyed reading the work of Gleitzman and Bloom because of their humorous writing style and comedic appeal. I enjoyed reading Stine's 'Goosebumps' series because I favored the mysterious style that was employed into the story line which kept me reading with intrigue.

I look forward to undertaking this course and gaining a better understanding of the main concepts of language and literacy in relation to becoming an educator. This will enable me to have a much deeper understanding of literacy and language concepts, giving me the knowledge to effectively teach this topic to my future students.     

Matthew's Introductory Bio

Introductory Bio: How does literacy relate to me?

My name is Matthew Neldner, I am currently undertaking my second year of Bachelor of Primary and Middle Education majoring in science and mathematics, at UniSA based in Mawson Lakes. My initial ambition was to study an Engineering degree, which I studied for a semester; however this area of academia did not include enough creative and inspiring aspects that appealed to me. Looking back at a number the teachers that taught me in secondary school, the way that they affected the lives of their students, the power they had to engage individuals and a whole class of students influenced me to follow a new path of study.

Up until year eleven, reading, critical literacy and expression through literature never really appealed to me. Then my year eleven English Studies teacher set a very high quality bar of work, pushing me and all my peers to perform at our potentials. Throughout my studies of English and literacy I developed an insight into the power of words as expression and the many dimensions of meaning behind multiple modes of text. I was able to construct an understanding of the relationship between English and literacy, literacy being a tool to understand bodies of language and to express ideas, understanding and convey feelings about texts and to create our own texts.

I hope that the course English language and literacy will challenge my ideas about literacy and the English language and provide opportunities for me to learn new concepts to aid in my understanding of the complex subject that carries value to all areas of life.

Introduction - Sophie Thorpe

My name is Sophie and I am currently studying to become a primary/middle school teacher. I have chosen English and Health and Physical Education as my majors given I have a specific interest in both areas. All subject areas in the curriculum are integral in a sound education, but for me, these two are particularly important.

I never particularly enjoyed Health and P.E in primary school, which is a shame because I am very passionate about it now. I believe this is as a result of the way it was presented and valued at the primary school I attended. I plan to learn from my negative experiences during primary school to create positive ones for the students I will teach in the future.

I always found reading, writing and literacy easy throughout my school years, and I believe this was due to my enjoyment of reading. This began from when I was very young reading book series' such as Dr Seuss and The Little Golden Books. I believe reading extended my vocabulary and taught me good grammar skills while I passed time doing something I enjoyed.

 Some children never seem to enjoy reading and I think this is for one of two reasons; either they don't think they are a good reader, or they can't find books that interest them. So I think it is important for primary school teachers to encourage good reading practices and help students find books that they enjoy. Being a confident reader leads to the development of good communication skills which are valued so highly in society. Without good literacy skills and the ability to communicate in a social or professional manner, things can become more challenging than they need to be. For these reasons I am passionate about the importance of teaching language skills. I would like to further my education in the future and learn how best to teach English as a second language. I want to be able to support children of families who immigrate to Australia and perhaps one day teach English internationally.
Through this blog I plan to share the picture books and adolescent novels I am reading with my peers and learn from their reading experiences.

Introduction: Sally Corbett

My name is Sally Corbett and I am currently in my second year of studying a Bachelor of Teaching (Primary/Middle) at University. I have always been passionate about teaching, learning and education, as I believe the most powerful asset you can give a person is knowledge. I believe that teachers play a crucial role in the lives of all children and that it is our responsibility and duty to help students reach their full potential. This blog will focus on key components of education including language and literature, as through these topics students are able to learn about and understand aspects of the world through texts.

Throughout my childhood I was passionate about reading and enjoyed spending hours in my room reading books, which is where I believe my love of children’s books has come from. I am now able to read the books I once innocently read with a more critical perspective and develop a deeper understanding of the meanings and intentions of the stories. I am an extremely visual person which is why I think I am drawn to picture books, as they have the ability to simulate your mind and imagination and allow you to follow the authors thoughts whist forming your own. I have always found comfort in books, especially picture books, as throughout my childhood I was able to relate to the characters and relationships described in the stories, which allowed me to engage with the stories on a much deeper level. 

 

I look forward to developing my knowledge and understanding of language and literacy throughout this course and working collaboratively with my peers. I believe all students should be exposed to the knowledge, skills and experiences language and literacy offers. Therefore I hope to increase my own understanding in order to be able to ignite my future students love of literature.