In this event teachers discuss using Writers Talk with their students to support and enhance their understanding of writing for different purposes and audiences.
Writers Talk is a collaboration between Sydney Writers’ Festival and the NSW Department of Education and Training’s Centre for Learning Innovation. Writers Talk brings the authentic experience, knowledge and skills of world-class authors to students, teachers and the wider community.
In Writers Talk teachers interview authors about the writing process including how they develop and research their ideas, characters and plots.
DONNA MCGUFFICKE (LOCAL) DONNA McGUFFICKE is a history teacher at Evans High School. She has used Writers Talk to teach students of Stage 6 Modern History, Stage 6 Ancient History and Stage 5 History. Donna will discuss how Writers Talk brings historians into the classroom, enabling the discipline of history to come to life and enhance students’ learning by giving it meaning beyond the classroom. This connection allows students to see work in class as having value for life after school.
In the resource, historians such as William Dalrymple, Peter Fitzsimons and Paul Ham tell about their research processes, their approaches to history and to their writing. This facilitates deep understanding of these concepts and assists students to develop skills for their own historical investigations.
KARLA ASPDEN (LOCAL) KARLA ASPDEN is a teacher at Bondi Public School. She uses the Writers Talk resources to answer many questions about popular authors asked by the primary school students she teaches.
Karla will discuss how the Writers Talk resources bring popular authors to the classroom providing a diversity of rich, meaningful literary experiences. Using the resources as virtual excursions, Karla provides an authentic experience, introducing popular authors such as Deborah Abela, Ursula Dubosarsky, Andy Griffiths, Alison Lester and Emily Rodda. Students are able to experience the authors talking about aspects of the writing process such as characterisation and plot, and gain useful advice for their own writing. Karla and her students attend masterclasses given by selected authors, then adopt the processes and strategies learned in their classroom.
EVE MAYES (LOCAL) EVE MAYES is an English teacher at Condell Park High School. She has used Writers Talk to introduce students to internationally renowned authors and their writing processes. Eve will discuss how students learned about different writing styles and genres aimed at a variety of audiences.
Popular writer Andy Griffiths motivated Stage 4 students to question: 'What would the reader expect?’ and to write pieces inspired by Griffiths’ use of toys as stimuli for writing. Author, journalist and radio host Richard Glover’s crafting of humorous text gave Stage 5 students ideas on how to amuse and challenge readers. Peter Ho Davis provided insight into the relationship between history and fiction as he spoke about his novels. Students have been excited and inspired by these writers accessed through Writers Talk.
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