1. STAGE 1: Transformation Task
SAETA Refresher Course
Saturday 11th Feb Workshop 3 ( pm)
Presented by Rebecca Bond:

2. CONTEXT: CREATING TEXTS
Subject Outline Stage 2 English Literary Studies
Assessment Type: Creating Texts - 20%
Transformative Text
The transformative text requires students to select a text and transform it, or an aspect of it, into another form. The text chosen as the basis for this task may or may not come from the texts in the shared studies. The accompanying writer’s statement should outline the choices the student has made in terms of the text type, audience, and purpose.
The Transformative Text is a compulsory component of the Stage 2 English Literary Studies Curriculum in 2017.
In simple terms students develop a new text from a ‘springboard’ text accompanied by a writer’s statement outlining the choices the student has made in relations to context, audience and and purpose.
In Stage 2 English one of the three creative texts that is part of the course requirement also requires it be accompanied by a writer’s statement.
It’s important to provide opportunities for students to write creatively in Year 10 and Stage 1.

3. The People’s Poet Transformed
Shameless plug!!!
The People’s Poet Transformed
By Geoff Goodfellow & Rebecca Bond
(available mid 2017)
A textbook for teachers and senior English students to assist in developing ideas and skills for transformative texts.
“A gem of a book positioned beautifully to engage young people with language so that they see how powerful literature can be created out of everyday life, deeply and sensitively observed. Road tested by teachers, it encourages students to become creators of ideas and texts and to use language to transform both texts and their own view of themselves as people with stories worth hearing.”
Garry Costello
(Former English teacher, Secondary Principal, Chief Education Officer DECD)
Last year I began teaching at Sacred Heart Senior College after a number of years teaching middle school.
A poet and performer Geoff Goodfellow does a three week residency at the school each year.
Taught in conjunction with a Poetry Unit - the Transformation Task was part of the course for Year 10 and Stage 1 at SHC as part of the preparation for new curriculum in 2017.
Transformation Task was exciting for me because I genuinely love to foster creativity in my classroom
I found Geoff’s work accessible and engaging for students and provided a wonderful scope for transformation
It is rich in characters, settings and contemporary themes and issues
The book is a culmination of the transformation ideas Geoff and I presented to my classes on a selection of his original works with supporting materials

4. Introducing Transformation Task to Students
Brainstorm/discuss popular reality or lifestyle TV shows...
What is the essence of these shows?
Home Renovation Shows: Over the course of a season rooms and facades are transformed into something new while the basic structure or shell of the house remain the same. The show is as much about the choices and the process as the final product.
Although the end product seems to have little resemblance to the original, the old charm and appeal remain for the owners who knew the house before it was transformed.
The essence of these shows is to make-over (transform) houses, bodies, food, relationships, careers…even pets!
This is great analogy to use with students about how to approach the Transformation Task
Use this approach generally in Semester 1

5. The ‘Springboard’ Text
The ‘springboard’ text is the published text students use as the basis for the transformative text. This is the jumping off point for the texts the students will create.
Students a required to determine the context in which the text was created, the stylistic features and language choices the author has made and how these choices have positioned the reader/audience in relation to the ideas presented in the text.

6. TRANSFORMATIONS by Anne Sexton
A selection of seventeen of Grimm’s fairy tales that Anne has transformed into poetry. Excellent example of transformation texts.
Activity:
Divide the class up into small groups and ask them to find a prose copy of one of the transformed fairy tales. Eg. Snow White, Rapunzel, Red Riding Hood, The Frog Prince etc
Identify the key points of the story.
Distribute the version from Anne Sexton’s book. In their groups read and analyse the poem.
Respond to the following questions:
In what ways does the poem hold onto the original elements of the story?
In what ways has it been transformed? Context/audience/language/structure/themes
How does the transformation of the fairytale create new meaning/understanding for the audience?
I tried to find resources/texts that had examples of transformation to use in the classroom
I was recommended this text but it is quite complex, certainly for my Year 10’s in Semester 1.
This is, in part, why I was keen to write the book with Geoff.
I used this approach in Semester 2 Pre- Literary Studies - language and ideas can be quite complex, students need to be quite comfortable with poetry analysis.

7. An author in the classroom...
Often the biggest challenge with this aspect of the task is that determining the reason for the author’s choices can feel, at best, like educated guesses. Activities like the one with Anne Sexton’s work is beneficial because she has provided some great examples of transformative text.
However, having Geoff in the classroom allows students to actively engage with the author directly to determine the context, audience and purpose of the poems he has written.
Geoff’s poetry as a ‘springboard’ text:
Geoff introduces his poem - when and why he wrote it
Geoff performs his poem
Identifies the choices he made (language, point of view)
Identifies the message he intended to convey to his audience
Responds to student questions

8. POEM FOR ANNIE by Geoff Goodfellow
Geoff explains that this poem is written about the time his sister came to him after being beaten by her partner. He wanted to highlight the damage domestic violence has on victims, the broader family, society and the need for men to deal with their emotions without resorting to violence.
As a class we highlight key lines that connect with key themes or ideas from the poem.
Eg.
That speak of the impact of domestic violence:
“Her stitches came out yesterday & makeup will hide that slightly visible scar
the deeper ones she’s been working on with sedatives”
That speak of the cycle of violence:
“But she’s laid charges now - And that a first”
That speak of the strength and resilience of victims:
“She cried ‘you’ll never beat violence with violence’ & it isn’t just her hair that’s fair”
These discussions become the basis for brainstorming options for transformation.

9. Class Brainstorm: Poem for Annie
The impact of domestic violence:
The poem presents a number of different voices/perspectives - Annie, her son Sam, the perpetrator Brian, and of course Geoff -
Letter to Annie from the student responding to her experience
Poem from the perspective of Annie about the ongoing trauma of DV
Psychological Report on Brian as part of his rehabilitation from being charged with DV offences
The cycle of violence:
The poem highlights the challenges that women face when experiencing DV -
Newspaper article highlighting the challenges of reporting DV
TV ad campaign to end the cycle by encouraging the public to report DV
Narrative from the perspective of Sam who resorts to violence when he finds out about his mum’s latest partner
The resilience of the victims and their families:
It is Annie who says ‘you’ll never beat violence with violence’ -
Webpage outlining resources and strategies to support victims of DV
Feature article about someone who advocates for survivors of DV
Letter to local MP to have greater funding for DV services in the community
Note the variety of text types that students can explore for their transformative task.
In their decision making they need to clear about what parts of the springboard text they are going to maintain and then what choices they are going to make an author to create their own text

10. Transformation v Adaptation
Adaptation is a form of transformation but is generally limited to written texts transformed for the stage or screen.
The Transformation Task allows for greater opportunity for students to engage with a broad range of text types, both in the ‘springboard’ text and the transformative text that is created.
On the task sheet for the task my students are given the following list of options. Once they have decided what aspects of the springboard text they want to focus on they need to determine what genre of text is going to be most effective in conveying their own ideas.
monologue
cartoon strip
narrative
web-page
editorial
drama script
trailer
song lyric
review
product
advertisement
recount
screenplay
speech/podcast
animation
graphic novel
diary
blog
slam poem
obituary
feature article
letter
exposition
memoir
or…

11. Developing the Transformative Text
When you are providing so much choice for transformation it isn’t possible to explicitly teach the stylistic and language features of all these texts for the students to employ them effectively in their Transformed Text.
Some strategies I use:
Talk to students about choosing genres they feel comfortable with
Plan the Transformation Task towards the end of the semester after you have explored a range of texts through other units, especially critical reading.
Establish a folder with models/examples of these text types on hand
Provide a scaffold sheet (my book has a set of worksheets which list the stylistic and language features specific to a variety of genres - example on the next slide)
Peer teaching - in small groups/pairs students research two or three and create a user guide and present orally to the class with handouts for their folders
The students don’t have to change the genre if there’s another aspect of the text that is significant to the meaning created for the audience such as perspective/voice
Also talk about ‘Don’t Call me Lad and ‘Don’t Look so Glum’. Genre and structure of the poem remain the same but the voice has been changed from teenage boy to teenage girl.

12. The Stylistic Features - Sample Blank Sheet

13. The Stylistic Features - Sample Student Work

14. The Writer’s Statement
The purpose of a Writer’s Statement is to highlight to the reader the choices the student has made in their transformed text. In essence, it is an analysis of their own work which identifies the form, structure, tone and techniques used to convey the themes/ideas to the audience and purpose of the created text.
The Writer’s Statement is an important part of the task because it explains the process the student went through to create their new text and how they have used the original text as the ‘springboard’. I encourage students to use TER when discussing the techniques they have employed in their Transformed Text.
T = Technique employed
E = Example from their text
R = Reflection on how this technique conveys their ideas
to their intended audience

15. The Writer’s Statement cont...
The three main elements that should be evident in a Writer’s Statement are:
The text type/genre and the audience of the original and transformed text. This includes demonstrating an understanding of the purpose of the text type.
The main themes/ideas/aspects of the original text the student intends to maintain in the transformed text. Ensure that the text type chosen will effectively maintain these elements.
The stylistic features used to convey the themes/ideas for the audience. These techniques include the form and literary devices that are specific to the text type chosen.
*A hard copy of the Writer’s Statement Handout for students is available for you today.
My book also includes a generic task sheet that outlines the purpose of the Writer’s Statement and includes an example writer’s statement in conjunction with Geoff’s own transformed text ‘Don’t Look so Glum’.

16. The People’s Poet Transformed
By Geoff Goodfellow & Rebecca Bond
(available early 2017)
User friendly for teachers and students. Includes:
An introduction to the Transformation Task
A selection of Geoff’s original poems (10) and short stories (2)
A context statement introducing each text by Geoff
A selection of Transformation Tasks for each text by Rebecca Bond
A chapter dedicated to the Writer’s Statement with example
Support materials that are classroom ready including tasks sheets for Transformation Task, Writer’s Statement and Worksheets with the stylistic and language features of a variety of text genres

17. The People’s Poet Transformed
By Geoff Goodfellow & Rebecca Bond
(available mid 2017)
If you think you or your school would be interested in my Teacher/Student Textbook please come and see me after the session or
Or add your name and to the contact list out the front. I can also be available to run PD sessions with your staff on the Transformation Task.
Geoff Goodfellow is available to perform for large groups (whole or multiple year levels) and in individual classes as a well as in class support. He can be contacted at: