Australian Literature finds its Place in the Curriculum

The Age, Jewel Topsfield, 8 August 2007; The Australian, Imre Salusinszky, 8 August 2007; The Australian, Kevin Donnelly, 9 August 2007; The Advertiser, Baden Eunson, 10 August 2007

 

The Australian Literature in Education roundtable was held in Canberra on Tuesday 7 August 2007. A group of
academics, teachers, authors and publishers sat down together to discuss the future of Australian texts in secondary
and university classrooms.

Their primary recommendation to the Australian Government is to create a component within the English curriculum
for Australian Literature, which will be tested in national exams.

The participants in the roundtable also believe that there is too much pressure on teachers and students to respond
to texts through particular perspectives and interpretive frameworks, such as postmodernism, feminist and post-
colonial.

Education Minister Julie Bishop has promised to consider all suggestions, including a summer school for teachers,
the development of a list of Australian literary texts by teachers and authors, and education ministers to work with publishers to keep Australian books in print.

Furthermore, the panel believes that Australian literature will help students to understand how Australian culture
evolved, and foster an appreciation for local writing.

This is only the beginning of many discussions to come and not a final ruling.

 

 

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