ERIC Number: EJ1013705
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2013-Sep
Pages: 12
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0155-2147
EISSN: N/A
Exploring Representations of Asian Identities in Films for the Australian Curriculum
Henderson, Deborah; Jetnikoff, Anita
English in Australia, v48 n2 p33-44 Sep 2013
In this paper we focus on one facet of Asia literacy and examine the potential of intercultural understanding through two films about Asians in Australia, as the basis for exploring Asia and Australia's engagement with Asia "inside" and not through the more accepted mode of "outside" the nation. In doing so we foreground how teachers' critical and imaginative curriculum work can realise some of the promises of the framing document for the current national curriculum project, the Melbourne Declaration (MCEECDYA, 2008). In particular, we focus on opportunities for young people to develop an Asia-related cultural literacy that goes beyond instrumental notions of engagement with Asia and explore the evolving nature of contemporary Australian society; a society that continues to develop in response to regional flows and interactions with people and cultures. To this end we engage with the notion of "diasporic hybridity" as a dynamic cultural space through selected films and literature, about Asia in Australia, in particular, "Bondi Tsunami" (Lucas, 2004) and "Footy Legends" (Do, 2006) and selected prose works. Our paper introduces the policy background of the Australian Curriculum and suggests multimodal, English classroom applications for the films and literature under study.
Descriptors: Asians, Self Concept, Films, Literacy, Cultural Awareness, Foreign Countries, National Curriculum, Cultural Literacy, English Curriculum, Literature
Australian Association for the Teaching of English. English House, 416 Magill Road, Kensington Gardens, SA 5068 Australia. Tel: +61-8-8332-2845; Fax: +61-8-8333-0394; e-mail: aate@aate.org.au; Web site: http://www.aate.org.au
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Australia
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A