Anita Heiss talks
Teaching notes
How to use this resource
‘Anita Heiss talks’ is part of the larger resource, Writers talk and aims to stimulate students to read and respond to literature. She was one of over a hundred authors participating in the 2007 Sydney Writers’ Festival.
Dr Anita Heiss is a member of the Wiradjuri nation of central NSW. She grew up in Matraville, Sydney (Gadigal country). An academic and a promoter of Indigenous literacy, she has written fiction, nonfiction and poetry books for young people and adults. She produced the book Yirra and her deadly dog, Demon with the students of La Perouse Public School. Together they came up with the ideas for the stories and characters portrayed in the book which presents a view of life in the city for Indigenous people. She also wrote Me and my mum, a story about family life for the Indij Readers series of literacy materials. Her book Not meeting Mr Right is more suitable for adult readers.
This resource contains five videos addressing her ideas about inspiration for writing, the writing process, characterisation, literary tips and 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.
‘Anita Heiss talks’ can be used with students working towards achieving outcomes from Stages 4, 5 and 6 of the NESA English syllabuses and parts of the Aboriginal Studies 7–10 Elective course syllabus. The syllabuses can be found at:
English
Stage 4
Students using ‘Anita Heiss 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.
Stage 5
Students using ‘Anita Heiss talks’ have the opportunity to:
- learn to read and respond to texts for pleasure and enjoyment
- learn to explore real and imagined worlds through consideration of different perspectives
- learn about the ways situational and cultural elements of context shape texts
- learn about the way texts explore emotional and moral complexity.
Stage 6
Students using ‘Anita Heiss talks’ have the opportunity to:
- learn to read and respond to texts personally, critically and interpretively
- describe and analyse the ways that language forms influence responses
- learn about the ways situational and cultural elements of context shape texts
- learn about the way relationships between composer, text and context shape meaning.
Aboriginal Studies
Stage 5
Students using ‘Anita Heiss talks’ have the opportunity to:
- learn about the effect of media portrayal of Aboriginal peoples and their culture
- learn about how contemporary Aboriginal people use the media for their message
- learn to explain how the media creates images of Aboriginal people, positive and negative
- learn to analyse media stereotypes and judgements about Aboriginal culture
- learn to investigate examples of media showing positive and balanced images and showing actions by people that contribute to their communities
- learn to evaluate how the media contributes to Aboriginal self-determination and autonomy.
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, and 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)
- analyse the use of language that creates positive and negative images of Aboriginal people (Metalanguage)
- learn through focusing questions that knowledge is socially constructed with multiple layers and personal interpretations (Problematic knowledge)
- recognise, acknowledge and value substantial cultural knowledge (Cultural 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).