In whose name? Mapping voice and vision in a critical examination of literature on literacy in the lower primary school years

This paper presents the outcomes of a critical analysis of journal art icles, government reports and agendas on l iteracy in lower Primary classrooms. While different voices and perspectives clearly emerge, our concern is not engaging with or promoting par ticular viewpoints and agendas per se. Rather, this paper moves beyond debate to focus on mapping these voices onto the kinds of literacy/ies they characterise, the instructional practices they port ray, the research frameworks they ut ilise, the issues they art iculate, the groups they represent, the venues in which they are heard, the audiences to which they speak, and the visions they encapsulate. In so doing, we seek to find points of connection and coherence to inform future direct ions for enhancing the nexus between l iteracy research, policy and practice, with the ultimate aim of seeking to equip chi ldren to function effect ively in increasingly diverse and challenging li teracy environments.