Big Feelings in the English Classroom: Alice Elwell on ETAQ Podcast
I was recently invited by the English Teachers Association of Queensland (ETAQ) to appear on their podcast Hoops of Steel to discuss the work I lead in the English faculty at QACI. The podcast showcases inspiring stories from English classrooms and the educators behind them, and my episode highlighted QACI’s innovative, student-centred approach to curriculum design and teaching.
Informed by my PhD research on critical literacy in the secondary English classroom, I sat down with host Melanie Ralph for an episode titled Big Feelings in the English Classroom.
When you think back to your own experiences of English at school, can you remember moments where you were given space to talk about the big feelings that make us human? Emotions like love, grief, anger, and hope are central to our lives, yet English classrooms don’t always make space for students to sit with and explore them. At QACI, our co-design model is built around changing that.
In our model, students are invited to actively contribute to the direction of their learning. Rather than beginning with a fixed set of texts, we start by asking students what ideas and themes they want to explore. Their responses are often thoughtful and wide-ranging, including identity, coming of age, grief, relationships, power, and mental health.
From these conversations, classes work together to select texts that meet curriculum requirements while also reflecting student interest. This has included a mix of classic and contemporary literature, alongside student-suggested texts such as Every Brilliant Thing, a powerful play that explores mental health and hope through storytelling. This process consistently builds a strong sense of ownership for students and contributes to an engaged and purposeful classroom culture. And, as the podcast title suggests, it gives students a space to explore big feelings.
With big feelings comes big responsibilities for teachers, so a key theme of the podcast was emotional safety in the English classroom, particularly when working with texts that deal with complex or sensitive topics. I spoke about the importance of clear, supportive communication with students, including preparing them for sensitive content and ensuring they feel safe to participate in ways that are appropriate for them.
I also reflected on the role of English teachers in facilitating thoughtful, structured discussion while maintaining clear boundaries. At its best, the English classroom is a space where students can explore ideas carefully and respectfully, while also making meaning of their own experiences and the world around them.
The feedback has been really positive, with a few students even mentioning they tuned in to listen, which has been a lovely bonus. If you’d like to listen to the episode, you can find it here https://www.buzzsprout.com/2445533/episodes/18587264
- Alice Elwell
Head of English and TOK