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=Picture Books in the Secondary classroom =

What this wiki is about
This is about exploring how you go about using picture books in the Secondary English classroom. It may also be helpful for teachers planning units in the content areas. I have started this wiki as a support for my PhD research, a place to plonk ideas, and to tease out some of the issues.

This is a place for my own thoughts, and for using as a "sandbox". It is not necessarily always going to be an academic discussion, so here goes!

One of the issues that fascinates me the most is how to ensure that we engage our students in a literacy and literature environment that doesn't rob them of the enjoyment of reading, of learning, and of staying tuned into the messages of the textual experience, and yet guarantees we turn out what Wayne Sawyer refers to as a **"Powerfully** **literate citizen**" (Sawyer, 2007).

One of the issues that is dear to me is the one highlighted by Michael Rosen, The British Children's Laureate, who argues quite strongly against some of the literacy pedagogies employed in schools. Rosen argues that "The reasons why we write books for children are complex and diverse but amongst them you can find a notion like: wanting to say things that matter to young people. And when I say, 'matter' that can take in such ideas as wanting to intrigue, entertain, educate, amuse, excite, stir up and challenge our audience. I don't know many writers of books for children who would say, 'I write children's books so that a class of year 5 children can count the adjectives on page 43 of my latest novel.' (Rosen, 2005).

Picture books are a way to reintroduce the joy of reading (Anstey, 2002, p.444). This means they are also a way of assisting reluctant readers into the reading process without stigma. Employing literacy circles may also be a way of sharing the reading load, engaging ESL and reluctant readers to overcome an unwillingness to engage.media type="youtube" key="x4BK_2VULCU?fs=1" height="268" width="448" align="right"