Jacqueline Wilson talks
Teaching notes
How to use this resource
‘Jacqueline Wilson talks’ is part of the larger resource, Writers talk and aims to stimulate students to read and respond to literature. Jacqueline Wilson is an award-winning author of over eighty books, mainly for children and teenagers. She writes witty and realistic stories about the problems children face in their daily lives. She was one of over a hundred authors participating in the 2007 Sydney Writers’ Festival.
This resource contains five videos addressing her ideas about inspiration for writing, the writing process, characterisation, literary techniques and the messages in her work. Each video has a series of questions or comments for students to consider and discuss. Teachers may find it useful to combine this resource with others listed in the Related resources section to extend students’ learning.
‘Jacqueline Wilson talks’ can be used with students to achieve outcomes from Stages 4 and 5 of the NESA English syllabuses. The syllabuses can be found at:
Stage 3
Students using ‘Jacqueline Wilson talks’ have the opportunity to:
- learn to respond to themes and issues in texts RS3.5
- learn to recognise the reader responses expected by the author and analyse techniques used by writers to create certain effects RS3.7
- learn to justify opinions about the motives and feelings of characters in literary texts RS3.7
- learn to adjust reading strategies for different texts and different purposes – examine pictures and text when reading picture books RS3.6.
Stage 4
Students using ‘Jacqueline Wilson talks’ have the opportunity to:
- learn to read and respond to texts for pleasure and enjoyment
- learn to explore real and imagined worlds through engagement with texts
- learn about the features of texts including characterisation and setting
- learn about experiences and perspectives that shape texts.
Quality teaching
This resource, along with study of the texts written by the featured author, can be used to address the elements of Quality teaching in NSW public schools.
The Writers talk resource, related classroom discussion and learning activities enable students to:
- explore the features of stories and concepts developed by current writers whose work is acknowledged for its significance (Higher order thinking)
- use the metalanguage of literary criticism and language use (Metalanguage)
- learn through focussing questions that knowledge is socially constructed with multiple layers and personal interpretations (Problematic knowledge)
- recognise and explore connections to values and attitudes. Through the writers’ narratives, students can reflect on the way stories affect the perception of self in the modern world (Connectedness).