This book presents cutting edge theoretical research embedded in classroom practice and it is written to be accessible for practitioners as well as researchers, building up pedagogic, linguistic and social theory in steps, contextualized within teaching practice. The pedagogies described are used in all educational contexts, from primary through secondary to academic study, TESOL and vocational education. The literacy theories presented here -- genre-based approaches to teaching writing -- have been developed in the 'Sydney School' over the past 25 years and are a unique collaboration between SFL language research and literacy educators. They share elements with current neo-Vygotskyan theory and Berstein's theory of pedagogic discourse but have developed in the contact of large scale, long term action research. The volume also presents scaffolding methodologies for teaching reading and writing, drawing on applications and research currently being delivered in in-service teacher training programs throughout Australia and internationally.
Everyone should read this. Well, not everyone. But everyone involved in education, especially language education and more especially those involved in foreign language teaching and those who teach writing. The Hallidayan genre approach deserves to be much more widely known. And applied.
The book is rich in theory, and rich in very clear practical approaches to applying it. There are times when you have to take a step back from the text and grasp the fact that the authors are providing practical advice. I wondered at times if the book might have driven home its practical side by using a Step 1, Step 2, Step 3 etc format.
But this is not a book whose writing can be criticised. I would like all my trainees to read it, absorb it and apply it. I wish I had come across it earlier.