What does literacy in music look like? (PDF 950KB)

The literacy you are teaching without even knowing it.

• Reading, singing and analysing the lyrics of a song. Breaking up rhythms and syllables.
• Discussing musical preferences and musical concepts. For example, using adjectives for tone colour - a 'majestic' sound.
• Exploring the structure of a piece of music - relate this to the structure of a written text.
  Using quality literature as stimulus for composing or organising sound. For example, recreating a scene from a text, creating sound effects or sound stories to match the text. Why not include visual literacy?
• Write a story based upon a composition you have heard or created, for example, listen to Beethoven's 6th Symphony Pastoral.

What is the literacy in visual arts? (PDF 1.1MB)

The literacy you are teaching without even knowing it.

• Discussing artworks, artists, preferences, artistic forms and techniques. For example, describing the way an artist has used a particular technique to create an effect or interpretation.
• Exploring the structure of an artwork - how has an artist constructed it and what layers were involved in this process? Planning an artwork is just like planning a writing task.
• Using quality literature as a stimulus for creating own artworks. For example, recreating a scene from a text, creating images to reflect the text.
• Exploring visual literacy or picture books. How does this representation tell a story? Create your own. Explore and discuss subject matter and interpretation by artists and audiences.
• Using a series of artworks or illustrations to construct a narrative such as using a set artist or through programs such as Storybird.
• Reading about artworks, art in advertising and media. Critically discussing meaning and intention.
• Writing a story based upon an artwork you have seen. Firstly, discuss perspective and possible meanings. What could the artist have been trying to convey? What role does the title have?
• Writing in visual arts journals or reflecting upon practice.
• Critically reflecting upon historical studies of art and artists, representation, conceptual strength and meaning.