Lauren Shevlin Liverpool Hope University. Religious Literacy: Multiplicity of meanings?

Transcription

1 Lauren Shevlin Liverpool Hope University Religious Literacy: Multiplicity of meanings?

2 Religious Literacy: Multiplicity of meanings? Research questions: q What is the purpose of Religious Education? q What is Religious Literacy? q Is Religious Literacy a common purpose of RE? q Are the researchers understandings of the Religious literacy similar to the understandings of teacher practitioners?

3 Ra#onale RE is statutory but not na#onal curriculum; compulsory, but you can withdraw; local, but not that local; different if you are an academy; populated by 151 syllabuses, all broadly similar in content, but in form and structure so different and complex that it takes an army of advisers and consultants to interpret an army we no longer have. The SACRE system created in 1944 is falling apart under the pressure of factors beyond RE s control. Chater (2015) The educaconal sedlement between church and state which was formalised in the 1944 EducaCon Act, and reflected a different era, no longer serves its purpose. Clarke and Wood head (2015) The high expectacons laid at the door of RE by leading professionals, schools senior managers and teachers are placing too high a pressure on a subject which is frequently marginalised and arguably too oken enjoys a less than coherent epistemological, ethical and pedagogical idencty. Conroy et al (2013) A vicious cycle has consequently emerged from these complicacons: poor standards leading to low status resulcng in weak provision leading to poor status. Brine further advocates that we have made RE too complicated. Alan Brine (2015)

4 Methodology Approach A) Qualitative B) Interpretivist Research design Exploratory Methods 1) Questionnaires 2) Literature analysis 3) Policy analysis

5 Literature APPG R EC

6 Findings (purpose of RE) A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T Community Cohesion Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 13 Developing Skills Y Y Y 3 History and tradi#on Y 1 Learning about religion/cultures Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 12 Morality/Ethics Y Y Y Y Y 5 Personal Development Y Y Y Y Y 5 Spiritual Development Y Y Y 3 Philosophical/cri#cal thinking Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 8 Impact of religion on society Y Y Y 3 Form own beliefs/iden#ty Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 8 Learn from religion Y 1 Non- religious views Y Y 2 Didn't men#on religion Y Y Y Y Y 5

7 Quotes about the purpose of RE "To prepare young people to be well rounded, tolerant individuals." "They should know that Sikhism has the 5Ks and this is different to the 5 pillars of Islam and not mix them up!" I have been teaching for 10 years and in that Cme the ethical and philosophical issues taught help students to develop into moral adults. In no other subject can you fully address the religious and ethical issues brought up in soaps and the news. In no other subject will the vote yes to bomb Syria be address and discussed in the detail needed, or the current threat of terrorism etc.

8 Religious Literacy Imagine an Ofsted survey report on RE in 2020: it reports that 7 out of 10 teachers are clear that the core purpose of RE is to promote religious literacy. Mark Chater (2015)

9 Adam Dinham (2015) It is obvious that nobody can know everything about every religion and belief. But engagement in the detail and the reality of at least some religion and belief, and an ability to ask appropriate ques#ons with confidence about others, is an essencal part of the journey.

10 What is it? Knowledge and understanding religious ideas and language and their social and cultural impact. Conroy et al (2013) This precedes knowledge about specific religions and beliefs themselves, which can only effeccvely follow on from intelligent, thougheul, informed understanding of ideas about religion and the secular. Dinham and Francis (2015) Religious literacy need not (and we would argue should not) exclude non- religious iden##es which are equally complex. Dinham and Francis (2015) The ability to speak well about this subject. Davie (2015) Clarity about the category of religion and belief is the beginning of religious literacy it requires a willingness to recognise it as relevant. Dinham and Francis (2015) Religious literacy is about a beder quality of conversa#on about the religion and belief that is present in our world. Dinham and Francis (2015)

11 Findings (Religious Literacy)

12 Quotes about Religious Literacy knowing how to construct quality evaluacon answers with key religious terms spelt correctly with religious references adhered to. "This is something that I have very lidle knowledge about". "The term is new to me - I had to google it. "I am not sure if I am correct, I am just guessing from the wording. "I haven't really heard of the term before so I took an educated guess.

13 Other interes#ng finds: Not one respondent referred to any key thinkers/ researchers in RE. 4 of them had never heard of the term religious literacy. Posted on SaveRE: 20 people of the respondents taught in non- faith schools. - 6 of them were non- specialists

14 Limitations Sample Small All RE teachers who are actively involved in the RE Community. Method Questionnaires- reliability of responses Questionnaires- ability for quality answers Questionnaires- inability to develop answers. *McNeill and Chapman (2005) *Sullivan (2001) * Lawton, Gross and Rolls (2011)

15 References q q REC (Religious Council of England and Wales) (2013) A Review of Religious Education in England [online]. Available from: < [accessed 15 May 2015]. QCA (Qualifications and Curriculum Authority) (2004) Religious Education: The Non-Statutory National framework [online]. Available from: < qca.org.uk/libraryassets/media/9817_re_national_framework_04.pdf> [accessed 16 May 2015]. q Ofsted (2010) Transforming Religious Education [online]. Available from: < [accessed 16 May 2015]. q Ofsted (2013) Religious Education: realising the potential [online]. Available from: < [accessed 16 May 2015] q Ofsted (2013) Report Summary: Religious Education: realising the potential [online]. Available from: < Religious_education_-_realising_the_potential_-_Report_summary.pdf> [accessed 16 May 2015]. q DCSF (Department for Children, Schools and Families) (2010) Religious education in English Schools: Non-statutory guidance [online]. Available from: < / [accessed 15 th May 2015]. q APPG (All Parliamentary Party Group) (2013). RE: The Truth Unmasked [online]. Available from: < [accessed 15 th May 2015]. q q Sullivan, T. (2001) Methods of Social Research. Orlando: Harcourt College Publishers. Lawton, J-M. Gross, R. and Rolls, G. (2011) Psychology AS for AQA (A). Italy; Hodder Education.