The 1970s Dawn Raids: exploring historical literacy through the context of a significant New Zealand event

Mary Libby and Stephanie AshtonSocCon 2013

Using the context of the 1970s Dawn Raids we intend to:

• clarify understandings of historical literacies

• consider ways to support students through the literacy demands inherent in engaging with the historical concepts of:– perspectives– bias or propaganda – cause and effect– significance

 

Co-constructing a definition of Historical Literacies

In our efforts to co-construct

a working definition of ‘historical literacies’

we will chunk Jeffery D Nokes’

2011 paper

Contextualizing the 1970s Dawn Raids

One way to contextualize an unfamiliar historical event is by starting with non-text based rather than text based sources. This hooks the student into the context and gives them a foundation for their new learnings.

STUDENT

Contextual Demands (Dawn Raids)

Learning Demands (Historical Concepts)

Literacy Demands (Comprehension and Vocabulary)

Secondary Non-Text Based Source: Dawn Raids Documentary

Dawn Raids Documentary (NZ OnScreen 2005)

Contextualized TextsAnother strategy is to use highly contextualized texts to support students in understanding the context so they can engage in the literacy and learning demands of their new learning (e.g. historical concepts)

Primary Text Based Source: What makes this text highly contextualized and how could

it help students to engage with historical concepts?

References

• Nokes, J (2011): Historical Literacy

• NZ On Air Documentary (2005): Dawn Raids (Clip One)

• Amnesty Aroha (Organisation) (1976): Information sheet - Dawn raids, the ugly reality