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AUTUMN 2016

MEMBERNEWS

A MESSAGE FROM YOUR BOARD

BECOMING A PETAA DIRECTOR

Welcome to 2016! I hope your year hasstarted well. In my case, it is the second weekof the academic year and as many of you willknow my main focus is the preparation ofteachers for the teaching of English literacy inthe Primary school. Some of these studentsare at undergraduate level and many are atpostgraduate level in the Masters of Teachingprogram. I enjoy my teaching very much andfind that a highlight of these early weeks isintroducing those new to the profession tothe benefits of a PETAA membership. I alsotry to share some of the joy and excitementthat I get in the current contribution that I am

making to the leadership of PETAA.Might you guess what has taken up muchof my focus in the weeks leading up tothis teaching and in the weeks since wehave started teaching? Well, the answer isassessment. In teacher education we need todevelop learning outcomes that engage veryexplicitly with the ATISL Graduate Standards,and in some courses, the ACECQA standards.These learning outcomes and assessmentprocesses must be approved through a rangeof university and external processes.

However, as an experienced, dedicated andcommitted teacher I cant help but dwell on

questions about assessment. In any form ofteaching and at any level, assessment is theway we fine tune our teaching and check thatour learners are moving forward, whetherit might be in small increments, or, speedilytowards the learning goals. We all knowthat one of the greatest joys of teaching iswhen we see a learner make that step andbegin to demonstrate the knowledge or skillsthat we have all been working towards. Thecelebration of that learning by the learner andthe affirmation that we receive of our workand guidance is indeed heart-felt, in my case.

Yet, in these times of system-wide and

national accountability, together with thedesire to rank our literacy outcomes in theinternational contexts, much classroomassessment feels distanced from ourindividual classroom context. Understandably,systems need to ensure that the learningrequired of students is indeed taking place,schools need to manage outcomes andpoliticians need to know how Australianlearning is ranked in relation to major otherOECD nations.

In early 2016 PETAA is running a seriesof conferences on the broad topic ofAssessment to be held in Brisbane,

Sydney, Parramatta and Melbourne. Theseconferences intend to provide a very broadplatform for our reflection on the place ofassessment in our teaching and learningcontexts with a particular focus on literacy.We have been able to secure some of theleading scholars in the field of assessment inAustralia, together with some practitionerswho will provide practical workshops, at theconferences, exploring the assessment cyclein our classrooms. I invite you to join us andread some of the early information availablein this newsletter and perhaps register yourinterest in attending these conferences.*

I wish you a fulfilling 2016 with your learners!In addition that we, as Primary Englishteachers, move forward in the best informedway through the publications, conferencesand professional learning PETAA offer.

Robyn CoxPresidentPETAA

* To learn more about theseconferences and to registersee reverse of this page.

There exists two vacancies on the PETAABoard and PETAA is seeking nominations frommembers who are interested in standing for aposition to fill these vacancies. To find out moreabout becoming a PETAA Director, the rolesand responsibilities of the position and otherfeatures of the PETAA Board, visit www.petaa.edu.au and under the tab About look in AGM.Nominations for Election to the PETAA Boardarenow open and the nomination form can be foundin the same section of the PETAA website. Pleasesubmit your completed form no later than Friday15 April 2016.

National voting. For the first time, PETAAmembers around Australia will be invited to votefor their preferred candidates to become PETAABoard Directors. Further details will be suppliedto all PETAA members closer to the date of theAGM or else visit the PETAA website (AGM) forupdates.

Deb Fisher, who was elected to the PETAA Boardin May 2015, reflects upon making the decisionto nominate.

Last year, I joined the PETAA Board. My hopewas that after a career in education thatsnow more easily counted in decades thanyears I might have something to offer to thiswonderful organisation that has contributed

so much to my professional development andpedagogical effectiveness over many years. Isimply hadnt considered joining the PETAABoard before now and, in the earlier stages ofmy career, I would have worried (more thanI do now) that I did not enough to offer, thatthere were people with more experience andso forth.

Now I know that there will always be peoplemore knowledgeable than I but that different

perspectives are essential on any board.The people who know most about whatteachers need in the Northern Territory areteachers from the Territory. The people whoknow most about what early career teachersneed on entry to the profession are earlycareer teachers (and their mentors). Thecomposition of the Board needs to be diverseand dynamic if PETAA is to continue its legacyas a professional organisation responsive tomembers needs, cognisant of the educationreform agendas at play across Australia, andclosely connected to research.

So if you havent considered joining the board

of PETAA, I would encourage you do be boldand act now.

Deb Fisher: PETAA Director

NEW PUBLICATIONS ENCLOSED

For the Love of ReadingPETAA Paper 202: Engaging and supporting our students

to read and learn from reading. David Rose

All members canaccess digital

versions online 16Mem

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AGM 2016Members are invited to attendPETAAs 2016 AGM immediatelyfollowing the conclusion of theAssessment into PracticeSydneyConference. PETAA President,Robyn Cox, will reflect on 2015,

while also sharing with attendeessome of PETAAs plans. At theAGM, members will have anopportunity to participate,including casting of votes for newDirectors to the PETAA Board. Visitthe PETAA website (About look inAGM) for further details.

Date:Friday 6 May 2016.

Time: 4.15 5.15pm

Mercure Hotel, Central Station,Sydney

Refreshments will be supplied.

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PROFESSIONALLEARNING

DONT MISS OUT ON PETAAS 2016DAY CONFERENCES!Assessment into Practice Conferences

These full-day conferences will engage attendees in rich conversationon assessmentin English through plenary addresses, interactiveworkshops and opportunities to share ideas and connect with teachersand other Education professionals. To register for any of the following

conferences, please visit the PETAA website and look underProfessional Learning.www.petaa.edua.au> professional learning

QLD

Saturday 16 April Novotel, Brisbane.

Plenary addresses by Dr Lenore Adie and Dr Janelle Wills.

Workshops with Professor Joy Cumming and Dr Fabienne van der Kleij,Dr Eileen Honan, Dr Rod Campbell and Caroline Hollis.

VIC

Tuesday 19 April Rendezvous Hotel, Melbourne.

Plenary addresses: Professor Geoff Masters andProfessor Marie Brennan

Workshops: Dr Elizabeth Hartnell-Young, Dr Prue Anderson,Dr Hilary Hollingsworth and Dr Kaye Lowe

NSW

Friday 6 May Mercure Hotel, Central Station, Sydney

Monday 6 June Novotel Parramatta

Plenary addresses: Dr Phil Lambert, Professor PeterFreebody (Syd) and Professor Jennifer Gore (Pmatta)

Workshops: Professor Jennifer Gore, Dr Jane Mitchell,Dr Jon Callow & Joanne Rossbridge

[WA and SA Conferences currently under consideration]

2016 PROFESSIONAL LEARNINGFOR TEACHERS AND SCHOOLS

PETAAs professional learning courses, presented by leading academics,educational consultants and exemplary classroom teachers, have stronglinks to research and classroom practice while being grounded in theAustralian Curriculum: English.

PETAA presenters can attend your school for half-day, full day ormultiple day sessions, working with groups of teachers and executives,whole staff or clusters of schools to target specific areas and tailorProfessional Learning to address your specific needs. Look at the Authorand Presenter Profiles on our website to choose the person who canassist your school in achieving your Professional Learning goals.

PETAA INTRODUCESAUTHOR WORKSHOPS

PETAA is looking to introduce a new series ofworkshops connecting PETAA members with someof Australias leading authors.

Libby Hathornand Gary Crew!

Which authors would you like to workshopwith? Email any suggestions to:pl@petaa.edu.au

See website for details of upcomingworkshops: www.petaa.edu.au

MAKING YOUR MEMBERSHIPWORK FOR YOU!

Many PETAA members equate their membership benefits with thebooks and PETAA Papers they receive each year. These, however,are only a part of an ever growing range of professional benefitsmembers receive. For example the growthof professional learning opportunities offeredby PETAA is now quite vast and members can

participate at special rates.The range of Teaching Resources to be foundon the PETAA website provides memberswith a treasure chest of resources tohelp with their professional and practicalplanning. Using your member accesscodes, log in and explore what is availableto you. Here are just two examples of whatyou will find a few clicks away!

Share with your casual teachers.Are you a casual teacher called into a school for the day or do youhave casual teachers working with you? The units of work, including

the CBCA Guides, provide sound resources to assist teaching andlearning activities in all classrooms. PETAA has introduced a specialnew membership category specifically for newly graduated or casualteachers. Visit the Membership section of the PETAA website.

VALE SUE BREMNER

Former PETAA Director and friend, Sue Bremner,sadly and unexpectedly passed away in earlyFebruary following a short illness.

Sue was a valued PETAA Board Director from2001 - 2006, working tirelessly alongside other PETAADirectors in helping to guide and strategically direct

PETAAs work. Sue, was also an energetic member ofPETAAs Publishing Committee, helping to develop the ideas, proposalsand subsequent PETAA publications that have been a flagship ofPETAAs success since its inception in 1972. Although Sue stepped awayfrom the PETAA Board in 2006, she continued to be a valued PETAAfriend, an author/contributor and advisor on many issues pertinent toPETAAs educational community, especially with her expertise in theTESOL and EAL/D areas. PETAA acknowledges, honours and respectsSue Bremners many contributions made to the education community inorder, as she once wrote, to help better inform our teachers enablingthem to do better.

WINTERPUBLICATION 2016

Beyond the Script Take 3: Using Drama to enhanceEnglish and literacy in the classroom

By Robyn Ewing & Jennifer Simons with Margery Herzberg & Victoria CampbellISBN: 978-1-925132-31-1 (Printed edn) ISBN: 978-1-925132-32-8 (ePub edn)

It is timely given the expectations of the Australian Curriculumin bothEnglish and the Arts that a revised edition of Beyond the Scriptbecreated. The updated edition will include new content, referencesincluding relevant online resources, revised literary texts and examples,and annotations where appropriate, that relate to theAustralianCurriculum: Englishand the Australian Curriculum: The Arts.

PETAA Papers 202 and 203

Visit www.petaa.edu.auto view and explore PETAA publications,professional learning and purchase online.

02 8020 3900 or 1300 307 382T info@petaa.edu.auE /PETAAcommunity /PETAAconnect