Just another trendy theory?

he increasingly visual nature of changing communication practices has wide-ranging ramifications for how and what is taught in schools. In response to such change, the objective of making students visually literate is a theme that is appearing in a range of policy documents in Australia, including the new Queensland arts syllabus (Years 1-10) (Queensland School Curriculum Council, 2001). Broadly speaking, the concept of visual literacy refers to the range of skills needed to understand and create visual texts. Current policies suggest that Australian schools are embracing such definitions of literacy and that the visual mode is taking on increasing significance because of the emergence of new, digitally driven environments. The aim of this paper is to explore the concept of visual literacy in terms of the meanings with which it is associated and the attitudes of practicing teachers towards teaching it. While the new arts syllabus in Queensland is addressing the changing nature of literacy needs, what significance do such concerns have for elementary teachers, particularly in light of the pressures they face in connection to a perceived crisis in traditional literacy? In order to make this analysis, Goodson's (1997) concept of "trendy theory" is used in combination with Kress's (2000, 2003) concept of "changing modalities" to highlight the constructed nature of curriculum priorities and literacy practices. The discourses used by these teachers indicate that they did have an appreciation of the changing needs of a visually-oriented generation but struggled to give this aspect of learning space in the curriculum because of other, overarching agendas.