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GTIP Think Piece - Geography and Literacy
Geography as a subject has a distinctive knowledge base. It also has an approach that encourages us to ‘think geographically’ about the world and how human beings live in it. But it is hard to imagine learning geography without the application and practice of literacy skills.
The word ‘geography’ means ‘earth description’, but this requires much more than simply the naming of places. Even primary school children are encouraged to describe, explain, hypothesise and apply their best reading, writing and thinking skills to the places and issues they discover through geography.
Geography inspires children to seek a better understanding of the world. To achieve this most effectively for primary children, teachers need to help them to:
- employ geographical vocabulary,
- describe and compare effectively,
- structure explanation well,
- engage in debate,
- express ideas and hypotheses tentatively, and
- sensitively understand the views of others.
These needs underscore the links that exist between geography and language development in the primary years. This goes far beyond the scope of the ‘Use of language requirement’ on page 38 of the Primary National Curriculum document.
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Simon Catling’s (2005) evidence from research into primary PGCE courses suggests a number of issues, all of which have implications for teaching about geography and literacy.
- A geography unit/input is provided in 91% of taught programmes, but not in 9%.
- The average time for geography is 10.5 hours over 6-7 sessions, but with a variation from 4-6 hours in one day to 16-18 hours over 8-10 sessions.
- Primary geography tutors undertake 70% of teaching, with 20% by secondary geography tutors and 10% by primary non-geographers, but increasingly part-time and hourly paid tutors are taking on the teaching of geography units.
- Average class sizes are 25-30 trainees, which is felt to be too large.
- The focus of teaching is on introducing and trying to cover the teaching of the full range of primary geography in 50% of programmes, but is selective in the other 50%, and there appears to be no relationship between coverage of geography and time for the unit.
- In only 70% of units is any fieldwork carried out, even on the institution’s campus.
- Some 70% of units include planning and assessment for geography teaching.
- Some 70% of units include the use of ICT in primary geography to a greater or lesser degree.
- In most units teaching is interactive with tutors trying to make up for deficiencies in trainees’ geographical understanding, trying to build their confidence.
- In less than half of units are connections made to other primary subjects.
- In only 50% of programmes is the taught geography component assessed for all (25%) or some (25%) of the trainees, but there is no consistency in the types of assessment tasks set.
- The core concern of primary geography tutors is that there is not enough time for geography in the programmes (but they recognise that it is in no different a position to any other foundation subject and RE).
Below are some ideas on how tutors can encourage PGCE students to consider literacy in geography in a number of ways.
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| Suggested activities for PGCE sessions |
The time available for foundation subjects on primary PGCE courses means that an understanding of the enquiry process and the importance of a key questions framework are essential for trainee teachers. There are a number of productive ways to develop such understanding.
Activity 1
One way of maximising the value of discussions about key questions is to consider the relationship of each question to the specific language demands it makes on pupils. This is summarised in Figure 1.
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| Figure 1: key questions, related concepts and associated language skills |
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Key Question
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Concept
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Language Skills
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What is it?
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Naming and identifying
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Developing new vocabulary as pupils encounter an increasing variety of physical, human and environmental features and processes. Stories, poems, information books and dictionaries are important sources of words and ideas for all age groups.
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Where is it?
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Locating places and features
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Understanding and using prepositions of place (in, beside, behind, under, etc.) out of doors and on pictures. The description of relative locations leads to the use of specialised vocabulary of absolute location (compass points, grid references, latitude, longitude) on globes and maps.
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what is it like?
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Describing and comparing
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Developing descriptive language from visual and other sensory stimuli, progressing through increasing clarity, improved vocabulary and attention to detail. Also developing the ability to describe and compare at an increasing range of scales. Acquiring and practising comparative and superlative adjectives and adverbs and noun hierarchies.
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How did it come to be like this?
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Explaining
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Sequencing an explanation or hypothesis. Weighing and ordering ideas to enhance meaning. Offering alternative explanations using the language of tentative reasoning. Drawing on an increasingly wide range of geographical factors in framing ideas using drafting and editing skills.
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How is it changing and what might happen next?
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Hypothesising and predicting
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Using tentative language to predict, speculate and suggest hypotheses about places and the processes of change. This may include expressions of uncertainty, hope, anxiety, delight, anger, relief and the use of persuasive language in relation to environmental issues. Oracy is highlighted in debate, drama and role-play.
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How do I feel about it?
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Evaluating, expressing opinion and caring
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Employing expressive language to convey or evaluate, aesthetic emotional responses to places (e.g. landscape appreciation, conservation). Could involve prose, poetry, opinionated or journalistic writing or oral responses such as speech making.
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The session might begin with a ‘field’ visit during which the students are encouraged to raise questions for geographical enquiry. This represents the first stage in the planning of a lesson or unit of work. Next, trainees can use Figure 1 to identify and classify types of question and to consider ordering the tasks progressively. Finally, supported by the third column, trainees can precisely identify links between literacy and geography.
Considering these language links also builds awareness that opportunities for talk are a vital part of geography. They should help trainees to confidently adopt a wider range of exciting geographical learning contexts. For example, debate, recorded presentation, role-play and drama.
Activity 2
The wide range of exciting children’s stories, which have application in primary geography work, is well documented. As with the brief field experience envisaged, a similar analytical planning activity might be based on the use of stories (see Bibliography and children’s books below).
One advantage is that using a range of stories within the group will both illustrate progression and increase the trainees’ familiarity with the range of material available. It also enables the tutor to address the breadth of the curriculum as the stories may address important concepts, geographical skills, themes, place studies or issues.
Perhaps the most important message in such as session is that a ‘good’ geographical story is the one which will establish geographical understanding.
Activity 3
Information texts, photo packs and video can be foci for planning which takes account of literacy opportunities. Experience of ‘How would I evaluate this?’ tasks within geography sessions will enable trainee teachers to align their choice of literacy hour texts of all genres, to the content of geographical work.
A map provides an excellent way of teaching about proper nouns, capital letters and the use of different font styles to convey specific meanings.
Activity 4
Less has been written about poetry in geography. A range of poetry is about geographical features, processes, places and issues, i.e. where the poet has been inspired to express a deeply felt response. Such poetry can be a good starting point for enquiry.
Poetry also provides a suitable genre for children to express their understanding and feelings after a memorable field experience. Therefore, it is valuable to encourage trainee teachers to include selected poems whenever their content matches geographical purposes.
Examples aligned to aspects of work about seaside localities at key stage 1 and coastal processes at key stage 2 are shown below.
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Poems for geography at KS1
The first poems show that the genre can help establish fundamental concepts in human and physical geography. The third poem demonstrates how varying the subject can inspire children to answer the key questions – ‘What is it?’ ‘Where is it?’ ‘What is it like? and ‘How do I feel about it?’ in a succinct and engaging way.
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| Figure 2: poems for geography at key stage 1 |
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'... "I’ll keep you safe"
the wall seems to say
"Come here."
And it gives the boats a cuddle'
Taken from The Harbour Wall by Wes Magee
Seaside Poems Oxford University Press
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Key questions
What is a harbour? What is it for? How does it work? Use poem to help develop conceptual understanding of how a harbour protects boats from damage by the sea. Use with an aerial photograph or simple large scale map of a harbour – ideally after a visit – discuss the shape of the harbour and why this is a good place for a harbour.
See also the storybook The Mousehole Cat (Barber, 1993)
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Rocks by Florence Parry Heide
Read the full poem here
Seaside Poems Oxford University Press
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Key questions
What is sand? Why is it different colours? How is sand made? Use poem to accompany a practical sand-making activity in the classroom, using beach materials from a previous visit or on the beach. (Remember the goggles!)
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'I like sand
The run between your fingers kind...'
Taken from Sand by Shirley Hughes
Out and About
Walker Books
Writing in the style of Shirley Hughes:
Title word
I like (hate)_________(titleword)
The______________________kind,
The______________________kind,
__________of(titleword)_______
_____(titleword)_____________
I do like(hate)_______(titleword)
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Key questions
What is sand like? What can we do with sand? What kinds of landscapes are made from sand? How do I feel about it?
Use the model opposite to make other poems about seaside features, which address the key geographical questions above.
For example, cliff, rock pool, cave, wave, groynes, beach, pebbles, rocks, stack, seaweed, crab, fish, driftwood, boat, sail, kite, sandcastle, fishing boat, lobster pot, shell, seagull, puffin, lifeboat, surf, pier, beach hut, litter, ice cream, splash, burger bar, candy floss, car park.
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A poem for geography at KS2
This poem has been successfully used with year 4 children. It demonstrates how the use of imagery that children are familiar with - in this case the behaviour of a dog - can support deeper understanding of physical processes on the seashore.
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| Figure 3: poem for geography at key stage 2 |
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'The sea is a hungry dog,
Giant and grey.
He rolls on the beach all day...'
Taken from The Sea by James Reeves
Read the full poem here
A Puffin Quartet of Poets
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Key English/literacy issues
Using literature to create an imaginative ‘sense of place’- what is a metaphor? (comparison with simile)
- what makes the word choice effective? (stress on adjectives)
- which words mimic sound of sea? (onomatopoeia)
- production of wave rhythm by word repetition
- imagery (the dog shaking itself dry, the dog sleeping)
- what is a stanza? is it the same as a verse?
- underlying meaning - what has the poet experienced? why was he moved to write in this way?
Key geographical issues
Using geography subject knowledge to unlock meaning of the poem- danger and power of sea wavesregularity of waves
- relationship of sea state to wind strength
- plunging, spilling, crashing breakers (‘rolls on the beach’, ‘scarcely snores‘ and ‘shaking his wet sides over the cliffs’)
- contrasting beach environments - pebbly beach, cliff line, grassy dunes – (mental mapping?)
- sense of place - sensory stimuli – aesthetic or emotive responses to place
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Recent developments within the national curriculum framework, including the QCA Creativity materials and the recent Excellence and Enjoyment agenda invite primary teachers to explore more imaginative ways of delivering geography. The knowledge that children learn best in different ways should drive us all towards an awareness of the variety of approaches that trainee teachers can utilise to achieve the best for their pupils.
Everyone loves stories and poems and using these as starting points for geography is an excellent way into what may be unfamiliar territory. Meanwhile, to get the best from children we need to offer them the best opportunities for self-expression in speech and writing within geography.
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| Bibliography and children’s texts |
Bloom, B. (ed) (1972) Taxonomy of Educational Objectives: Handbook 1 cognitive domain. London: Longman.
Catling, S. (2005) Geography for Generalist Primary Trainee Teachers in English PGCE Programmes: 2004/05 – An Initial Report, Oxford Brookes University
Devlin, M. (1994) 'Geographical vocabulary in the junior school', Issues in Education, 2, 1, pp. 26-30.
Geographical Association (1998) Primary Geographer 32, 'Focus on Language’. Sheffield: Geographical Association.
Lewis, L. (2005) ‘Geography and language development’ in Scoffham, S. (ed) Primary Geography Handbook. Sheffield: Geographical Association
SCAA (1997) Geography and the Use of Language. London: SCAA.
Scoffham, S. (ed) (1998) Primary Sources. Research findings in primary geography. Sheffield: Geographical Association.
Scoffham, S. and Jewson, T. (1992) ‘Geography through nursery rhymes’, Primary Geographer, 11, p. 2.
Scoffham, S. and Jewson, T. (1993) 'A glossary of terms for key stage 1 geography', Primary Geographer, 15, p. 2.
Scoffham, S. and Jewson, T. (1994) 'A glossary of terms for key stage 2 geography', Primary Geographer, 16, p. 2.
Tide~ (2002) Start with a Story. Birmingham: Tide~.
Wiegand, P. (1993) Children and Primary Geography. London: Cassell.
Children’s texts
The following titles are great for inspiring further geography-literacy links:
Baker, J. (1989) Where the Forest Meets the Sea. London: Walker Books.
Baker, J. (1991) Window. London: Red Fox.
Barber, A. (1993) The Mousehole Cat. London: Walker Books.
Bennett, J. and Sharratt, N. (1998) Seaside Poems. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Cowcher, H. (1988) Rainforest. London: Walker Books.
Dupasquier, P. (1986) Dear Daddy. London: Puffin.
Emberley, M. (1993) Welcome Back Sun. London: Little Brown.
Farjeon, E., Reeves, J. and Rieu, E.V. (1970) A Puffin Quartet of Poets. Harmondsworth: Penguin.
Grindley, S. and Foreman, M. (1995) Peter’s Place. London: Andersen Press.
Hedderwick, M. (1994) Katie Morag and the New Pier. London: Random House.
Hedderwick, M. (1994) Katie Morag and the Two Grandmothers. London: Random House.
Hughes, S. (1988) Out and About. London: Walker Books.
Salkey, A. (1965) Earthquake. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Jackson, E. (1999-2003) Barnaby Bear big books (series). Sheffield: Geographical Association.
Lewis, L. (2000-03) Barnaby Bear little books (series). Sheffield: Geographical Association
Orr, K. (1990) My Grandpa and the Sea. Minneapolis MI: Carolrhoda Books.
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(Updated 15.07.05)
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