Learning outcomes

To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.

Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.

Explore the graduate capabilities.

Content

Topics will include:

The profession of teaching:

• Australian Professional Standards for Teachers;
• organisational policies and processes;
• principles and codes of ethics and conduct;
• legal and professional responsibilities including Duty of Care, Child Protection and Mandatory reporting
• This unit includes a mandatory module on working with children and young people that focuses on responding to concerns and strategies to keep ourselves and others safe and support children, young people and vulnerable adults.

Introduction to planning:

• Overview of the Australian Curriculum
• 4 levels of planning – Year/semester, unit, lesson, activity.
• Setting clear and appropriate learning goals
• Planning and implementing learning activities linked to curriculum content and learning outcomes

Introduction to teaching strategies:

• Explicit strategies such as
• demonstrating and explaining
• didactic teaching/direct instruction
• group work
• discussion
• problem-solving
• role play
• questioning techniques
• use of ICTs as an aid to teaching and learning

Professional communication in educational contexts:

• Characteristics of effective teachers
• Communication and interpersonal skills in the classroom, school, and other education contexts
• Teacher behaviours to promote positive engagement: setting achievable and challenging learning goals, giving clear directions, strategies for attracting and maintaining student attention
• Building positive, safe and supportive learning environments: getting to know your learners; appropriate teacher-learner communication

Introduction to classroom management

• Theories and practices of classroom management, with particular emphasis on preventative measures and maintaining positive classroom environments for teaching and learning.
• Establishing clear expectations in relation to behaviour.
• With-it-ness (whole class awareness),

The Professional Experience:

• Teacher self-care: physical and mental wellbeing and building resilience
• Practice introductory planning, teaching and classroom management skills
• Observation, reflection and applying constructive feedback as strategies that guide professional learning and growth

Learning and teaching strategy and rationale

This is a 10-credit point unit designed to ensure that approximately 150 hours of learning are completed to meet the requisite standard across the teaching period. The unit employs a social constructivist approach to develop pre-service teachers' understanding of the complexities of the teaching profession through a variety of learning activities, including readings, reflections, discussions, webinars, podcasts, and video resources. Curriculum knowledge, teaching strategies, and planning skills are introduced and developed through designing learning experiences and lesson plans relevant to educational contexts. The professional placement enables pre-service teachers to observe and engage with experienced practitioners, linking theory with practical application in the school environment.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE: TEACHING REQUIREMENTS

Within this Effective Teaching unit, pre-service teachers will undertake, in pairs where possible, a professional experience placement comprising 25 days in a secondary school setting (with at least 25 days of continuous engagement ie., ‘a block’).

Pre-service teachers will develop the habit of critically reflective practice through guided reflection upon their observations of their class and the educational setting. In collaboration with their supervising teachers and other professional colleagues, they will develop basic teaching skills through assisting in the delivery of high-quality teaching episodes and teaching small groups and whole classes. They will critically reflect upon their teaching and self-audit their progression and attainment of key teaching skills and standards. 

Required Teaching Experience

The following engagements are recommended across the 225-day placement for pre-service teachers undertaking professional experience placement in a primary or secondary school.

School settings: DAYS 1 – 5. Days 1 - 3 Proposed Teaching Expectations

• Assisted immersion in school and class contexts to begin to experience aspects of the secondary school teacher’s role and responsibilities
• Structured observation and small group/team teaching
• Assisting the supervising teacher in the teaching and learning process
• Self-auditing and evaluation

 Days 3 - 5 Proposed Teaching Expectations

• Structured observation and small group/team teaching
• One – two lessons/learning experiences per day, leading to whole class teaching
• Self-auditing and evaluation

 School settings: DAYS 6 – 25 - Block Practicum

Days 6 - 10 Proposed Teaching Expectations

• Planning for teaching; Observation and small group/team teaching;
• Assisting the class teacher in the teaching and learning process;
• One – two lessons/learning experiences per day plus management of class routines; Self-auditing and evaluation

 Days 11 - 25 Proposed Teaching Expectations

• Planning for teaching;
• Two - three whole class lessons/learning experiences per day;
• Management of class routines;
• Extra-curricular activities;
• Self-auditing and evaluation

Australian Professional Standards for Teachers - Graduate Level

In connection to the learning outcomes, on successful completion of this unit, pre-service teachers should have developed the following industry specific knowledge based on the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers - Graduate Level standards:

• APST(GA)1.1

  Relating toDemonstrate knowledge and understanding of physical, social and intellectual development and characteristics of students and how these may affect learning.

  Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO4

• APST(GA)1.3

  Relating toDemonstrate knowledge of teaching strategies that are responsive to the learning strengths and needs of students from diverse linguistic, cultural, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds

  Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2

• APST(GA)2.1

  Relating toDemonstrate knowledge and understanding of the concepts, substance and structure of the content and teaching strategies of the teaching area.

  Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO4

• APST(GA)2.2

  Relating toOrganise content into an effective learning and teaching sequence.

  Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO4

• APST(GA)2.3

  Relating toUse curriculum, assessment and reporting knowledge to design learning sequences and lesson plans.

  Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO4

• APST(GA)3.1

  Relating toSet learning goals that provide achievable challenges for students of varying abilities and characteristics.

  Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO4

• APST(GA)3.2

  Relating toPlan lesson sequences using knowledge of student learning, content and effective teaching strategies.

  Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO4

• APST(GA)3.3

  Relating toInclude a range of teaching strategies.

  Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO4

• APST(GA)3.4

  Relating toDemonstrate knowledge of a range of resources, including ICT, that engage students in their learning.

  Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO4

• APST(GA)3.5

  Relating toDemonstrate a range of verbal and non-verbal communication strategies to support student engagement.

  Relevant Learning OutcomeLO4

• APST(GA)3.6

  Relating toDemonstrate broad knowledge of strategies that can be used to evaluate teaching programs to improve student learning.

  Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2

• APST(GA)4.1

  Relating toIdentify strategies to support inclusive student participation and engagement in classroom activities.

  Relevant Learning OutcomeLO3, LO4

• APST(GA)4.2

  Relating toDemonstrate the capacity to organise classroom activities and provide clear directions.

  Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO4

• APST(GA)4.3

  Relating toDemonstrate knowledge of practical approaches to manage challenging behaviour.

  Relevant Learning OutcomeLO3, LO4

• APST(GA)4.4

  Relating toDescribe strategies that support students’ wellbeing and safety working within school and/or system, curriculum and legislative requirements.

  Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO3, LO4

• APST(GA)4.5

  Relating toDemonstrate an understanding of the relevant issues and the strategies available to support the safe, responsible and ethical use of ICT in learning and teaching.

  Relevant Learning OutcomeLO4

• APST(GA)5.2

  Relating toDemonstrate an understanding of the purpose of providing timely and appropriate feedback to students about their learning.

  Relevant Learning OutcomeLO4

• APST(GA)6.3

  Relating toSeek and apply constructive feedback from supervisors and teachers to improve teaching practices.

  Relevant Learning OutcomeLO4

• APST(GA)7.1

  Relating toUnderstand and apply the key principles described in codes of ethics and conduct for the teaching profession.

  Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO4

• APST(GA)7.2

  Relating toUnderstand the relevant legislative, administrative and organisational policies and processes required for teachers according to school stage.

  Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO4