Author ORCID Identifier
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3605-365X
Abstract
Service-learning is a valuable pedagogy through which to facilitate and nurture the skills and knowledge pertaining to advocacy. A unique approach to foster this learning is being practised in the Discipline of English at University of Galway through its assessment design for an undergraduate module entitled ‘Service-learning: reading and writing with primary school children’. This paper establishes the significance of advocacy in service-learning and argues for the relevance of advocating for Reading for Pleasure with children. It describes how a mid-term assignment encourages students to share both their practical experiences in a local primary school and their emergent expertise, gained from directed scholarly readings and in-class reflective seminar discussions. The assignment requires students to communicate this information in a feature article for a broadsheet newspaper, which they are then encouraged to send to newspaper editors for publication. Reasons are given as to why this ‘real world’ assessment method is valuable, drawing on a specific example published in the Irish Times. The limitations, barriers, and potential developments of the assignment are considered before the conclusion reflects on how this assessment example augments pedagogical practice and research into the nurturing of advocacy skills through service-learning assessment design.
Creative Commons License
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Recommended Citation
Burns, Dermot
(2025)
"Reading for Pleasure, Writing for Impact: A Reflection on How an Assessment Task Fosters Advocacy in an Undergraduate English Service-Learning Module,"
Irish Journal of Academic Practice:
Vol. 13:
Iss.
1, Article 3.
doi:https://doi.org/10.21427/mc1x-r620
Available at:
https://arrow.tudublin.ie/ijap/vol13/iss1/3
DOI
https://doi.org/10.21427/mc1x-r620
DOAJ Index
1