Description
ISBN: 978-0-9808397-9-1 About Play
This 80-PAGE workbook evaluates the theme of “play” in relation to the four mentor texts. It covers various ways that individuals play with and against social norms and conventions. It deals with the damaging consequences of misogynistic rituals of power (“About the Boys” by Tim Winton) and considers the groundswell of support for women as they change culture of traditional masculine arenas (Chelsea Roffey, “An Open Letter to Doubting Thomas”). Playing with the theme of make-believe, wish-fulfilment and day-dreaming students will consider Virginia Gay’s “Monologue from Cyrano” and Penni Russon’s All that We Know of Dreaming. Positive representations of inclusion and diversity lie at the heart of Gay’s monologue while Russon focuses on childhood re-imaginings. The relationship between the “real” and the “imagined” and the digital and non-digital spaces provides the context for explorations of playing, collaboration and connections.
This workbook consists of typical “student” pieces spanning a variety of text types: a personal reflective text; oral histories-monologue; a key note address at a rally; an opinion-style reflective article.
The sample reflective commentaries alternate between journal excerpts and a “supervised classroom” style.
In both scenarios, students must systematically evaluate the links between their piece and the mentor text. They must detail their literary journey including structure, and literary and linguistic features. In their respective commentary, students will explain: the choice of mode, audience and context; key language features, style, tone and register and their purpose.
A detailed categorisation of the features as well as checklists will help students craft both their piece and their commentary.
