News

The Unlocking the World community is the perfect place to ask questions, discuss ideas and exchange information with other teachers and our program consultants.

Kineikonic Texts in the Literacy Classroom

June 28, 2011

News

 'Now I know their secrets': kineikonic texts in the literacy classroom

Australian Journal of Language and Literacy

Volume 34 Number 1, February 2011; Pages 24-37

Kathy Mills

The importance of the moving image as a form of media continues to grow, and they are studied increasingly within the literacy curriculum. They are sometimes known as 'kineikonic' texts. The article explores the nature of these texts, and the educational issues related to them, through the example of a 'claymation' film created by year 6 students. To investigate these issues the author applies multiliteracies theory and concepts derived from Halliday's concept of functional grammar. Functional grammar brings out the ways in which different genres can be used to convey meaning. However, genres themselves do not exist in static form: they change in response to social contexts and technologies. Halliday's functional grammar uses three categories of text organisation. The representational category refers to the way in which a text presents the external world. The interactive category refers to the way in which the text positions the viewer or reader in relation to what is being presented. One example, in relation to film, is the use of camera angle. The compositional category refers to the relative emphasis of each element of the text; for example, the relative importance of actors' gestures and musical accompaniment in a silent film. In some respects, the conventions of kineikonic texts parallel written ones; for example, in the way that an article or a film might both convey cooking instructions. However, other aspects of kineikonic texts refer specifically to film. They include sets and props, characters' costumes, screen layout, animation techniques and lighting. The article describes film-specific techniques, considerations and issues related to meaning-making, as they emerged in the students' creation of a claymation film.

For more of this article go to http://eprints.qut.edu.au/38994/1/38994.pdf

KLA

Key Learning Areas

English


Subject Heading

Subject Headings

Films
Grammar
Communication

Read more

0 comments