Asia priority in English History

Barbara Bereznickib.bereznicki@asialink.unimelb.edu.au

Aim

To build confidence in teaching about Asia in English and History

Aim

Don’t boil the ocean

Chinese proverb

21st Century Capabilities

What are 21st century capabilities?

For students

For teachers

21st Century Capabilities

Cisco, a private company in the USA said in its paper Equipping Every Learner for the 21st Century, Cisco 2008 that:

“… 70% of jobs created in the last decade were ‘interactive intensive’ …

these interactions increasingly occur on a global scale putting a premium on cross-cultural knowledge and understanding, such as multilingualism, and the values of appreciation, understanding and respect. … The importance placed on creativity is matched by a need for employees to be far more adept at collaboration.”

• Consider how English and History provide opportunities for students to

build their ‘interactive intensive’ skills.

Six modules for English and History

• Walking in the footsteps of the dragon – Years 5 & 6 integrated English and History

• Feudal Japan – Years 7 & 8 History• Folktales, Sijo, Anime and Cosplay: Stories that change lives –

Years 7 & 8 English• Strangers bearing gifts: 19th century China – Years 9 & 10

History• Understanding China through literature – Years 9 & 10 English• Overarching Professional Learning module

Introduction – Why Asia?

• Melbourne Declaration (2008)

• Australian Curriculum

• Relationship building & good neighborly relations

Australian CurriculumAsia and Australia’s engagement with Asia cross-curriculum priority

• Not separate content areas

• Priorities designed to equip young Australians with the skills, knowledge and understanding that will enable them to engage effectively with and prosper in a globalised world.

Do all teachers need to teach the Asia priority?

• Yes.

• The Australian Curriculum identifies Asia and Australia’s engagement with Asia as a Priority across the curriculum and at all levels of schooling from Foundation to Year 10.

• Asia literacy is therefore, a curriculum imperative and policy

enacted through the Australian Curriculum. As such, all teachers, whether primary or secondary, regardless of sector and regardless of Key Learning Area are teachers of Asia literacy.

Asia and Australia’s engagement with Asia – auditing tool

Three themes and eight organising ideas to ensure that students:

• learn about and recognise the diversity within and between the countries of the Asia region

• develop knowledge and understanding of Asian societies, cultures, beliefs and environments, and the connections between the peoples of Asia, Australia, and the rest of the world.

• have the skills to communicate and engage with the peoples of Asia so they can effectively live, work and learn in the region.How do you do this now?

Asia priority Organising Ideas links to the learning areas

General Capabilities• Literacy• Numeracy• Information and communication technology capability• Critical and creative thinking• Personal and social capability• Ethical understanding• Intercultural understanding

How do you teach these now?

Australian Curriculum

• Subject – content, pedagogy, skills, knowledge• Asia cross-curriculum priority• General capabilities

How do these link?

Joining the dots

What do teachers need to deliver the Asia priority?

Asia Literacy and the Australian Teaching Workforce research report (Halse et al 2013) identified five enablers that support teachers delivering the Asia priority in the Australian Curriculum.

• Experience of Asia from work, study, travel or family connections• Substantial, ongoing tertiary study and/or professional learning• School connections to the countries of Asia• Support from their school and school system• Schools teach an Asia language

• Website > AEF > Policy and research

The research findings state that an Asia literate teacher:

• Possesses expert knowledge of content, assessment strategies and pedagogy for teaching Asia related curriculum

• Demonstrates familiarity with a wide range of Asia related resources• Actively builds intercultural understanding• Frequently, purposefully and seamlessly integrates Asia into the

curriculum• Uses ICT to connect their students with students in Asia• Leads Asia related learning within and beyond the school

How do you do this now?

A note on pedagogy

Consider whether there is a special pedagogy for teaching the Asia priority

Mindfulness and predisposition?

Survey

Survey – an auditing tool for you and your faculty – adapted from the Halse research report

1. Complete the survey for you as an individual2. and, as a member of a Learning Team

What did you learn?

Finding opportunities to teach the Asia priority in English History

Cuc Lam’s suitcase

Watch the video and decide how you might use it with students

http://nationaltreasures.com.au/treasures/suitcase/

Visual literacy – observing not interpreting

Families of Fortune – Chinese People In The Tweed. NSW Migration Heritage Museum – Video – observing not interpreting

Sample mapping exercise

A small group activity - choose two level descriptions and locate opportunities to infuse the descriptors with Asia content.

Report back to whole grouphttp://www.asiaeducation.edu.au/curriculum_resources/australian_curriculum_sample_maps.html

Finding opportunities to teach the Asia priority

The modules

The modules will be available online on the AEF website

1. Walking in the footsteps of the dragon – Years 5 & 6 integrated English and History2. Feudal Japan – Years 7 & 8 History3. Folktales, Sijo, Anime and Cosplay: Stories that change lives – Years 7 & 8 English4. Strangers bearing gifts: 19th century China – Years 9 & 10 History5. Understanding China through literature – Years 9 & 10 English6. Overarching Professional Learning module

Reading the modules – small group activity. How would you use them in your classes?

Survey – please take a few moments to complete

su.vc/aef2013

Joining the dots

Australian Curriculum subjects – English History – the core

Professional Learning

Asia and Australia’s Engagement with Asia – cross curriculum priority

The General Capabilities

Australian Professional Standards for Teachers

Research – What Works and the Prof. Chris Halse’s work (available on the AEF website)

Resources on the AEF website

Websites

• Aussieeducator.org.au – go to Site map• Difference Differently• Chinese Museum – language on the goldfields unit• Scootle• ABC Splash• Resource Banks:

http://www.asiaeducation.edu.au/curriculum_resources/resources_banks.html

For English and History teachers

Geography of Thought. How Asians and Westerners Think Differently … and Why. Prof. Richard E. Nisbett

Australia's Asia: From Yellow Peril to Asian CenturyDavid Walker and Agnieszka Sobocinska

For teachers – a few recommendations

• Texts in translation – rich sources of intercultural understanding

• Haruki Murakami – Kafka on the Shore• Yasunaria Kawabata – Snow Country• Banana Yoshimito - Kitchen• William Dalrymple - all• Amatav Ghosh – Hungry Tide• The Toss of a Lemon - Padma Viswanathan

More

• The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet – David Mitchell

• Miss Chopsticks – Xinran Xue• The Last Empress – Anchee Min• Wild Swans – Three daughters of China – Jung Chan• Amy Tan – all • Phryne Fisher’s Murder Mystery - Ruddy Gore – a

surprise awaits you!