Fairy Tale Genre

Have started teaching the first section of our 11Ext1 'Fairy Tale' Appropriation unit which students seem to be really enjoying. As a topic, it effectively covers some of the course content and approach while developing a strong language skills focus. Looking at what students already tacitly understand about the fairytale genre, generated excellent class discussion.  Recurring plotlines, characterisation and moral underpinnings in the evil versus goodness message became the trigger for a real focus on genre conventions and how and why they are used.
As is often the case however, the verbal ability to express ideas and show understanding was not readily echoed in their written responses. This is the area that really needs to be addressed in any Preliminary course.
Setting up a class website with affiliated student websites is proving to be an effective classroom tool. It allows additional resources for homework study or research to be posted and accessed from home. Posting blog  writing challenges also tests student understanding and engagement with the course. Blogs are obviously a great way to post detailed teacher feedback for each post challenge. I would be interested is comparing ideas with other Preliminary Ext English teachers.
Back to trying to cope with the paperwork frenzy of first weeks of Term 1-whatever happened to the notion of a paperless office? Teachers at our school are being deluged with documentation. Barbara