Cirrus@Austlit

'At the heart of Required Reading is a database called ALIAS (Analysis of Literature in Australian Schools). It includes all the reading material prescribed for senior secondary English and Literature courses in most of the states from 1945 to 2005. Like all electronic databases, ALIAS comprises a structured collection of items to view, navigate, and search. To make meaning from these items they need to be framed in narrative terms. This is precisely what the chapters in this book achieve in the most interesting ways.' (Introduction)

'...The Literacy Wars explains the reasons for the often bitter disagreements between the critics who want to reclaim old ways of teaching literacy and the educators who emphasise the possibilities for creative change. It is a story of strong beliefs and deep divisions. It is also a story of the politicisation of the debates, which has repercussions for policy decisions and funding." "Drawing comparisons with the UK and the United States, The Literacy Wars shows how the debates in Australia resonate with similar battles in other parts of the world. The challenge facing literacy teachers everywhere is to find a balance between preserving the legacy of the past and preparing children for the literacy demands of the future." "The Literacy Wars is essential reading for everyone who cares about literacy education: parents, teachers, students, academics, politicians and policy makers.' (Source: TROVE)