YA Book Stack
YA Book Stack is an in-conversation podcast with Australian authors who discuss the application of their text in the middle years English classroom and the ways their text is reflective of the experiences of young adult readers and the world they engage with. Through a focus on the text in the classroom, YA Book Stack aims to encourage educators to embrace the flexibility of the middle years and explore a broader range of texts in their curriculum.
YA Book Stack
Linda and Marly Wells on Desert Tracks
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Victorian Association for the Teaching of English
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Season 4
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Episode 10
This episode includes a discussion of Desert Tracks, a time travelling novel about young people in central Australia, the historical legacy of racist policies and the relationship between history and the present.
Also discussed are:
- Using time travel as a genre to connect past and present, allowing for a powerful entry point for exploring history;
- Working as a writing team, blending different backgrounds and voices to create authentic characters and perspectives;
- Depicting colonial violence in ways that remain age-appropriate while still respecting readers’ intelligence and lived realities;
- Why including Aboriginal English terms in literature can offer opportunities for students to appreciate linguistic diversity, explore local language revitalisation projects, and understand cultural exchange;
- Storytelling as a vehicle for truth-telling and reconciliation;
- Offering advice for teachers on using Desert Tracks as a springboard for meaningful conversations around racism, history, and First Nations stories, while drawing on endorsed teaching resources to create safe and respectful learning environments.