STANDARD 2.5
Literacy and numeracy strategies: Know and understand literacy and numeracy teaching strategies and their application in teaching areas.
artefact 1:
analysis of literary experience
Artefact 1 is an excerpt from an assignment completed in my Language Literacies unit, where I documented and analysed a text composition experience with “Galadriel” (pseudonym), a Year 11 student with autism spectrum disorder. This experience significantly expanded my understanding of literacy, highlighting that it is not confined to written texts but can include multimodal forms of expression that actively engage both the creator and the audience. It also deepened my awareness of the need to differentiate literacy strategies to meet the diverse needs of learners, particularly neurodivergent students who may process information differently and thrive through alternative modes of communication.
During our interaction, I observed Galadriel creating a detailed drawing while verbally describing her Dungeons & Dragons character. Through this process, I explored how drawing and dialogue function as legitimate literacy practices, enabling students to construct meaning beyond the boundaries of traditional text-based approaches. I documented the experience through field notes and analysed the data using Vygotskian theory, funds of knowledge concepts, and culturally responsive pedagogy.
My analysis revealed that multimodal literacy practices can powerfully support student engagement and agency.This experience reinforced the importance of recognising and valuing diverse forms of composition, especially for learners with additional needs, whose strengths may be overlooked within traditional assessment frameworks.Throughout this task, I prioritised student-centred pedagogy, emphasising Galadriel’s voice and choice. Allowing her to select her pseudonym and lead the creative process aligned with contemporary literacy practices that value student agency and ownership of learning.Ultimately, this artefact challenged me to move beyond narrow, traditional definitions of literacy and embrace culturally responsive practices that honour students’ funds of knowledge.
The work showcases several literacy teaching strategies:
-
Using drawing as a scaffold for language development
-
Incorporating student interests (D&D) to enhance engagement
-
Documenting and reflecting on student thinking processes
-
Creating authentic purposes for text creation
Literacies are how people generate, communicate, and interpret meanings using the “medium of encoded texts” (Lankshear & Knobel, 2011, p.46)
Artefact 2:
Numeracy, the Arts, and Social Equity
Artefact 2 is an excerpt from a case study analysing the inequities in numeracy results between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal students, highlights numeracy’s critical role across all learning areas.
I undertook an analysis of attendance and NAPLAN data which showed significant inequities between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and their non-Indigenous peers, particularly in secondary school, where declining attendance and engagement directly impacted numeracy outcomes. Critically examining this data helped me understand the systemic barriers influencing student achievement, including historical disadvantage, disengagement, and a lack of culturally relevant teaching practices. Approaches such as the 8-Ways Pedagogy and GOOMPI Model provide frameworks for connecting numeracy to students’ cultural contexts, making mathematics meaningful and empowering. Similarly, initiatives such as Make It Count (Australian Association of Mathematics Teachers, 2009) demonstrate how inclusive, creative approaches can engage all learners while addressing inequities.
As a pre-service teacher specialising in the Arts, I have come to appreciate the deep connections between creativity and numeracy. Both the Arts and Mathematics share core concepts such as pattern, measurement, proportion, and spatial reasoning. In the Arts, these concepts are explored through creating and interpreting artworks, while in Mathematics, they underpin problem-solving and logical reasoning. Both disciplines encourage students to observe, model, and make sense of the world, fostering curiosity and innovation.
For many students, particularly those who may feel disconnected from traditional mathematics, the Arts provide an alternative entry point for developing problem-solving, critical thinking, and confidence.The Australian Curriculum frames numeracy as essential for navigating daily life across home, work, and community contexts (Goo et al., 2019). This positions numeracy as a social practice, shaped by interpersonal, sociocultural, and environmental factors (Colwell, 2011).The Alice Springs (Mparntwe) Education Declaration reinforces this view, outlining Australia’s commitment to equity and excellence. It highlights that all students must develop strong numeracy skills in their formative years and deepen these skills across the curriculum to become active, informed, and valued members of society (Education Council, 2019). Strong numeracy is therefore foundational not only to academic achievement but also to students’ social, emotional, and cognitive development.
.I now see numeracy not simply as a skill set, but as a creative vehicle for equity and social justice. By critically analysing data and embedding numeracy within creative and culturally responsive practices, I can design learning experiences that close gaps, foster inclusion, and help all students recognise the relevance of numeracy in their lives and futures.Rather than students viewing mathematics as a collection of rote-memorised rules, teachers can embed sociocultural, anthropological pedagogies so students can see mathematics as an essential analytical tool towards social justice (Gutstein, 2006).