Part of the ground-breaking series Key Thinkers in English and the Language Arts, this seminal text focuses on the work of Margaret Meek Spencer who left a remarkably prolific range of publications over six decades.With huge influence on literacy teaching both nationally and internationally, this text provides a balanced, wide-ranging and critical evaluation of her contributions to principles and practices within the areas of not only literature and literacy but also her influences upon pedagogy and policy. Colin Meek spotlights the relevance of her work within contemporary landscapes of policy and practice and reflects on the influences she had on many of her students who went on to became leaders within the field of language and literacy education. Chapters also cover the centrality of literature to the growth of children’s intellectual development, which draws upon Meek’s deep understanding of psychology.This text offers readers the chance to be involved in a critical conversation which will reflect and build upon Meek’s range of writing and her ground-breaking stances on pedagogy and policy.
