Work

Graphical models for narrative texts: Reflecting and reshaping curriculum demands for Swedish primary school

Year: 2022

Type: article

Abstract: This study explores how graphical models, teaching resources and language arts curricula for primary school in Sweden represent features of narrative genre. Furthermore, it provides a conceptual and methodological approach for studying the recontextualization of genre knowledge in different educational contexts. We selected two particular models (the Story Face and the Obstacle Chart) because they are promoted by the Swedish National Agency of Education. We analyzed the models, curricula, and related teaching resources through Bernstein's concept of recontextualization fields, Martin's genre theory, and Kress and van Leeuwen's visual grammar. The results show that both graphical models use metaphors to evoke students’ everyday experience and break down a narrative text to key story elements. Aligning with Swedish language arts curricula, the models de-emphasize the need to manage tension in narratives. Finally, the results show that the models’ different ways of representing key story elements may be difficult for teachers and students to decode.

Source: Linguistics and Education

DOI: 10.1016/j.linged.2022.101137

Authors: Kim Ridell, Robert Walldén

Institution: Malmö University

Language: English

Topic: Linguistics and Education Research

Subfield: Literature and Literary Theory

Field: Arts and Humanities

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Quality education

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $2,480