'Beauty is truth, truth beauty,--that is all Ye know on earth and all ye need to know.' - John Keats, Ode on a Grecian Urn.
One of the beliefs commonly held by English teachers is that literature invites us into a world of beauty, a world of aesthetically pleasing language, a world that values art. It is perhaps this beauty, this carefully wrought arrangement of words and images, which opens us to truths that might have been previously concealed. As readers of diverse literary texts, we also understand that beauty can be harnessed to obscure truths. Thus, there are always conversations to be had about English as a discipline, its value and its purpose.
We value it for many reasons: to lead students to an appreciation of great works of art; to develop students’ personal growth through literature; to encourage a critical understanding of the world and culture. These goals are valued alongside the renewed focus on teaching students how to read for meaning and write with clarity, skills that will serve them in school and beyond.
Join us at the AISNSW English Conference, ‘Truth and Beauty’, where we will engage in these conversations about English, about truth, and about beauty.
This professional learning experience meets the criteria for NESA Accredited PD in the Priority Area of Delivery and Assessment of NSW Curriculum.
