| The Australian Association for the Teaching of English
Statements of Belief for English Teaching
1. We respect the enduring values and traditions of Australia’s cultural heritage.
In English, students learn to appreciate the values and traditions that are part of this nation’s cultural heritage. Students identify and evaluate these values and traditions as central elements of the context in which texts are created, read and viewed.
English teachers:
- believe that English encompasses the study of literature and a range of other types of texts
- are committed to the development of critical thinking, which is at the centre of the Western European intellectual tradition
- promote understandings of literary heritage, cultural engagement and the ways in which ideas shape identity
- acknowledge and value diversity
- promote values such as a ‘fair go’, acceptance and understanding
- help students explore significant representations of the world through literature and other types of texts.
2. We believe students come to understand themselves and their world by investigating the ways in which human experience is represented through language and texts.
The ‘human condition’ has been a central historical concern of English. The development of self-understanding and a better understanding of others are key aims of the English curriculum.
Students achieve this by:
- considering what the study of language, literature and other types of texts reveals about the connections between people across social, cultural, temporal and geographic divides
- exploring ethical and moral issues to develop and understand their own values and perspectives, and the values and perspectives of others
- engaging with different representations of ethnicity, culture, class, gender, language, sexuality, and socio-economic status
- respecting Australia’s Indigenous cultural heritage, and by learning more about its traditions, history and achievements
- valuing the multicultural nature of Australia
- studying and using language in written, spoken and visual modes and through different types of texts, including: classic and popular texts, multimodal texts, fiction and non-fiction texts
- recognising that texts have a range of purposes, not the least of which is to provide pleasure.
3. We value the power of the imagination and literary expression to provide pleasure and enrich life
The study of literature provides opportunities for vicarious experience of other lives, places and times; greater understanding of the human condition; and increased appreciation of artistry in the use of language.
- Students gain pleasure from and are enriched by:
- deepening their understandings of language and texts
- understanding how language and text shape cultural and personal identity
- using language for imaginative and critical purposes.
4. We are committed to developing powerfully literate students who are able to realise their own goals and aspirations, and participate effectively as citizens in the twenty-first century.
Effective language use lies at the heart of active participation in individual and community life. English teachers draw from a rich repertoire of teaching strategies, which acknowledge and extend the experiences of the young people they teach.
English teachers teach students to:
- understand that language is used differently in different contexts
- communicate effectively in a range of situations, using a variety of communication modes and media
- understand and use appropriately the codes and conventions of Standard Australian English
- take account of purpose, audience, register and genre in their speaking, writing and creating
- appreciate the rich diversity of language backgrounds in Australia.
5. We use research and evidence to inform practice and improve the learning of students.
Quality educational research is rigorous and evidence-based. Teachers find educational research most valuable when it enables them to extend and strengthen their professional knowledge and skills, and when it helps improve learning for students. Research that informs effective teaching and learning takes a variety of forms, using both qualitative and quantitative methods.
Quality research can be:
- school based
- action or practice based
- based on other forms of empirical and theoretical research
- drawn from and supportive of group collaboration and the sharing of professional knowledge
- critically reflective practice by individual teachers and students
6. We are committed to ongoing professional learning especially through active participation in a range of professional communities.
Ongoing professional growth and development are critically important in effective English teaching. The Australian Association for the Teaching of English (AATE) encourages teachers to take major responsibility for their own professional learning. AATE facilitates this through:
- promoting the Standards for Teachers of English Language and Literacy in Australia (STELLA), as a framework for professional learning
- publishing journals, books, and electronic resources
- running conferences and workshops
- conducting and sponsoring research
- supporting the eight state and territory English Teachers Associations.
AATE’s commitment to the professional learning of English teachers is based on an understanding of the importance of:
- high standards in teaching and learning
- the STELLA professional standards
- opportunities to reflect on, analyse and articulate aspects of professional practice
- professional collaboration
- mentoring
- research
- strategic partnerships
- innovative practice
- creativity.
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