Editorial introduction.

Statkus, Susan ; Rohl, Mary ; Rivalland, Judith 等

Once again we have managed to gather a diverse collection of literacy topics for this issue. Our authors cover assessment, systemic change, teacher theory, Reading groups and technology as part of home-school communication.

Heather Fehring opens the discussion with 'Critical, Analytical and Reflective Literacy Assessment: Reconstructing Practice'. Here she examines the complex issues arising in the 'Information Age' where concepts of literacy are undergoing constant change and expansion. She poses three challenging questions which need to be considered in assessing 21st century literacy:

* What does it mean to be literate in the 21st Century?

* How can we effectively assess students' literacies?

* How can we ensure that the assessment process empowers an individual?

Issues of the new languages of literacy: SMS, computer English, critical literacy, media and visual literacy, document literacy, globalisation; are discussed. Approaches using matrices and rubrics are explored and examples given, including parent assessments and parent-teacher assessments. A very detailed rubric demonstrating assessment of oral language in a Year 2 is particularly interesting. Computerised and online assessments are discussed as well as digital accumulative literacy assessment portfolios. Fehring concludes by reminding us that professionally informed and articulate teachers are still the keystone of any assessment process.

Mary Ryan in her article, 'Systemic Literacy Initiatives: Stories of Regulation, Conflict and Compliance', takes us into the problematic area so many of us are familiar with: systemic change. Through examination of the different Discourses arising from changes in literacy practices in one rural primary school, Ryan effectively links theory and sound research practices. From the data Ryan has constructed fictitious narratives representing the Discourses of the policy maker, school leader and classroom teacher. The 'multi-literacies approach' of text boxes presenting data alongside the narratives is an unusual and creative idea. Many readers will recognise the dilemmas faced by each of the 'players' and can perhaps gain insights into the changes in their own systems.

In the same way Fehring has highlighted the importance of teacher knowledge, Lyn Wilkinson shows us the pivotal role of teacher knowledge in 'Improving literacy outcomes for students in disadvantaged schools: the importance of teacher theory'.

As part of a research project into improved student outcomes in literacy and numeracy in eight disadvantaged schools, Wilkinson dissects the success of a school's literacy program through the interplay of theory and practice.

While initially taken aback by the school's proud promotion of its use of Accelerated Reading and levelled readers, Wilkinson discovered the key to the school's success lay not in these isolated examples but in the theory put into place by the coordinator and classroom teachers. Their awareness of the needs of 'these' children in 'this' school lead them to balance their personal experiences with theories from research and study and create both a 'wide and narrow' curriculum.

Teachers will respond to the empowerment shown by these teachers in constructing successful literacy programs which meet children's needs.

Suzanne Allen takes us back to 'grass roots' with her elegantly simple '... Reading Group timetable integrating major comprehension components'. The one-hour group work time table is constructed from five main areas of comprehension:

* Using Background Knowledge Appropriately

* Decoding and Word Recognition

* Vocabulary Knowledge

* Fluency

* Strategy Use and Metacognitive Skills

* Differentiating Between Common Text Structures.

Each area is described and various activities are suggested. The activities are designed for both mainstream groups and children with learning difficulties. Early career teachers and those looking at rejuvenating their repertoire will gain a great deal from this discussion. When the spotlight of literacy is turning on early reading practices, this is a very timely article.

In her article, 'Students talking about home-school communication: can technology support this process?', Lisa Kervin explores how technologies can improve the contact between teachers, parents and students. She discusses the power issues inherent in classroom assessments and their reporting and the need to empower all stake holders in the process. New technologies such as email and digital photography have begun to play increasing roles in strengthening the links between home and school. The accessibility and ease of use of these make communication much easier and more frequent and therefore more likely to draw parents into the classroom dialogues.

Kervin describes a research project using a mobile phone with multiple messaging capabilities (SMS, MMS, email, photo, video) in a Year 6 classroom. The results were extremely positive, and comments such as 'they [her parents] were impressed with two things, firstly my work ... and also because we had the technology to do that kind of stuff during school time' show the impact. Students showed they could understand and use the technology, and also developed the language to articulate the process.

Through this coverage of one piece of technology, Kervin has offered an insight into the myriad possibilities of all learning technologies.

A clear motif emerges from this unrelated group of articles: the power, importance and pivotal role of the classroom teacher. As we set forth into the second half of the year we can all take a moment to reflect on our roles and how effectively we can use them, as demonstrated in the articles of this issue.