PETAA Papers

Practical articles focusing on a specific aspect of English teaching

Receiving three new PETAA papers annually and access to the entire digital collection is one of the many entitlements of PETAA membership.

Reading models
Teaching with AR
Exploring explanations
Rocks in the head

Reading models: Putting the jigsaw together

By Dr Bronwyn Parkin

‘This PETAA Paper has one simple purpose: to look at some of the most familiar models of reading, view them from the perspective of the broader context of language development, see how they fit with each other, and work out their strengths and limitations.’

Teaching Language, Literacy and Literature using Augmented Reality

By Dr Dr Lynde Tan, Angela Thomas and Alice Chik, with Nita Novianti and Grant Jones

This PETAA Paper — as a preliminary product of the most recent PETAA Research Grant — describes reviews and evaluates augmented reality (AR) apps to provide an introduction to AR apps and their potential for classroom use.

Also find a webinar on this topic with Dr Lynde Tan

Exploring explanations: The how and why of things

By Katrina Zammit

This PETAA Paper focuses on sequential and causal explanations used in primary years, to unpack a range of valuable insights for teaching and understanding around language vocabulary and grammar.

Rocks in the head: Children and the language of Geography

By Beverly Derewianka

This PETAA Paper describes an action learning project involving a class of seven-year-olds in a country school in Australia . Their teacher, Fran Egan, had been introduced to Michael Halliday's Functional Grammar (2007) and was keen to try applying her new insights about language in her classroom.

Members can explore the full digital list of PETAA Papers below.

Discover a rich back list (including e:updates and PENs) in PETAA’s open access and member archives.

Reflect on evolving teaching practice over time in the archival list of PENs and PETAA Papers.

Digital List of PETAA Papers

If you are not logged in as a member only the open content, freely available PETAA Papers are displayed below. Log in to access dozens more. Membership gives you access to a broad range of publications including PETAA Papers — and that access is just is one of the many benefits of PETAA membership. Discover the benefits of PETAA membership.

PETAA PAPER 215 — Let’s Write a Unit

Date of Publication: 5/24/2019
This PETAA Paper by Michael Murray and Dr Lorraine Beveridge in 2019 includes exemplars and downloadable resources and outlines a collaborative process to write a unit of work based on a quality text and tailored to student needs.

PETAA PAPER 214 — Explicit teaching of the alphabetic principle

Date of Publication: 2/24/2019
This PETAA paper by Jennifer Asha in 2019 examines the practice of four experienced teachers as they respond to the needs of their students and the demands of texts, in order to shine a light on best practice for teaching the alphabetic principle.

PETAA PAPER 211 — The Power of Teacher Talk: Developing quality mentoring relationships

Date of Publication: 4/16/2018
This PETAA Paper by Gill Pennington and Margaret Turnbull in 2018 explores ways of improving the quality of mentoring relationships in schools by focusing on professional dialogue, extending understandings of the value of talk in the classroom ...

PETAA PAPER 209 — Understanding research and evidence: a guide for teachers

Date of Publication: 12/4/2017
This PETAA paper by Susan Feez and Robyn Cox in 2017 explores what is meant by evidence, data, research and methodology, to then consider how teachers might best use research evidence for improved language and literacy outcomes.

PETAA PAPER 206 — Two weeks with Oliver Jeffers

Date of Publication: 3/16/2017
This PETAA Paper by Robyn Ewing, Kathy Rushton and Jon Callow in 2017 uses an author study of Oliver Jeffers to explore playing with language, exploratory talk, storytelling, drawing and sharing contemporary literature as part of early literacy ...

PETAA PAPER 202 — Engaging and supporting all our students to read and learn from reading

Date of Publication: 5/12/2016
This PETAA Paper by David Rose in 2016 outlines a set of strategies, based on practical classroom research, that are designed to help teachers meet the complex requirements of curriculum, student behaviour and individual needs

PETAA PAPER 200 — Connecting research and practice

Date of Publication: 8/28/2015
This PETAA Paper by Marcelle Holliday celebrates its status as Number 200 by exploring the methods and collaborative potential of action research, using PETAA publications and resources for professional learning

PETAA PAPER 196 — The critical conversation about text: Joint construction

Date of Publication: 11/3/2014
This PETAA Paper considers theory related to learning and pedagogy, particularly in regards to the joint construction of knowledge and language, and then applies those ideas to practice by considering the design of teaching and learning ...

PETAA PAPER 190 — Literacy within, across and beyond the curriculum

Date of Publication: 8/30/2013
This PETAA Paper by Lorrae Ward in 2013 argues that to ignore the rich learning experiences beyond the school gates and outside the curriculum is to trivialise the world young people inhabit and risk making school irrelevant.

PETAA Paper 188 — Literacy as behaviour, process, and social activity

Date of Publication: 12/5/2012
Also published as PETAA Paper 188, the companion essay to Project 40 Part 1 — a three-part video, in which Professor Peter Freebody reflects on PETAA's anniversary and interprets the journey of forty years, with reference to key PETAA publications.

PETAA PAPER 177 — Why bother Blogging?

Date of Publication: 10/1/2010
This PETAA Paper by Georgia Constanti (originally published as e:update 015 in 2010, updated in 2015) explores the role of blogs in developing students’ literacy and presents a practical approach to starting your students’ blogging.

PEN 162 — Planning the learning environment for refugee background students

Date of Publication: 9/11/2008
In the series later re-named PETAA Papers, this PEN by Pam Luizzi and Janet Saker outlines the very different needs of students from refugee and disrupted schooling backgrounds and provides background knowledge in planning a literacy program

PEN 150 —Teaching students who speak Aboriginal English

Date of Publication: 9/22/2005
In the series later re-named PETAA Papers, this PEN by Yvonne Haig, Patricia Konigsberg and Glenys Collard explores the relationship and differences of Aboriginal English to Standard Australian English and the implications for teaching.

PEN 120 — Language tracks: Aboriginal English and the classroom

Date of Publication: 6/15/1999
In the series later re-named PETAA Papers, the purpose of this PEN by Lee Simpson, Geoff Munns and Sue Clancy is to encourage teachers of Aboriginal students to see how Aboriginal English is a pivotal element of their classroom relationships

PEN 093 — Aboriginal English

Date of Publication: 7/1/1995
In the series later re-named PETAA Papers, this PEN by Diana Eades focuses on issues for Aboriginal children and English language teaching in primary schools, including the language skills and strengths, and needs of Aboriginal children

Explore the digital list for contemporary and landmark PETAA Papers (and PENs) in digital format. Discover a rich back list of articles (including e:updates and PENs) in PDF format in PETAA’s open access and member archives. Reflect on evolving teaching practice over time in the archival list of PENs and PETAA Papers. The key icon in the digital list denotes member access.