EDLA542 - English and Literacy 1: Reading, Listening and Viewing (Birth - 12 Years)

Year

Credit points

Campus offering

Prerequisites

Unit rationale, description and aim

This unit develops knowledge, skills and practices for supporting language and literacy development through authentic learning and assessment in early childhood and primary settings. This unit focusses on teaching, learning and assessment in the receptive modes of reading, listening and viewing. It explores the nature of language, how oral language creates a foundation for the development of written language, and the impact of family, sociocultural and language contexts on learning Standard English. The unit introduces understandings about language acquisition, literature and multimodal texts for children, the structure of English language and the relationship of these to teaching, learning and assessment, and relevant State and National curriculum documents. Pre-service teachers' build knowledge and skills to support language and literacy development. They apply their knowledge to the selection, analysis and use of a range of literary and multimodal resources with early childhood and primary learners' to develop skills in reading, listening and viewing, including support for learners of English as a second or additional language. Pre-service teachers apply understandings to age and context appropriate assessment strategies and processes to collect and analyse learner data in reading, listening and viewing that evaluate student learning, and strategies to design effectively sequenced teaching and learning.

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.

On successful completion of this unit, students should be able to:

LO1 - describe and explain the concepts, substance and structure of curriculum in English and literacy for early childhood and primary school learners, with reference to relevant State and National curriculum documents, giving particular attention to literacy development of young children (GA5; APST 2.1, 2.3, 2.4; ACECQA B1, B2, B4)

LO2 - critically analyse the elements of children’s print and multimodal literature to design safe and ethical teaching activities that support learning in reading, listening and viewing for students across a diverse range of abilities and backgrounds (GA4, GA9, GA10; APST 2.1, 3.3, 3.4, 4.5; ACECQA A2, B4)

LO3 - use theories of children’s language and literacy development to describe, implement and evaluate teaching resources and strategies, including ICTs, in reading, listening and viewing that support learning for students across a diverse range of abilities and backgrounds (GA5, GA8; APST 1.1, 1.3, 2.2, 2.4, 2.5, 2.6, 3.3, 4.5; ACECQA A2, B4, B5, C6)

LO4 - demonstrate an understanding of a range of assessment strategies, processes to collect and analyse learner data to assess and evaluate children’s reading, listening and viewing using age appropriate assessment strategies, and practices which will enable them to plan for future learning experiences, and where necessary modify teaching strategies (GA8, GA10; APST 5.1, 5.2, 5.4; ACECQA A2, B1, B2, B4, C6).

Graduate attributes

GA4 - think critically and reflectively 

GA5 - demonstrate values, knowledge, skills and attitudes appropriate to the discipline and/or profession 

GA8 - locate, organise, analyse, synthesise and evaluate information 

GA9 - demonstrate effective communication in oral and written English language and visual media 

GA10 - utilise information and communication and other relevant technologies effectively.

AUSTRALIAN PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS FOR TEACHERS - GRADUATE LEVEL

On successful completion of this unit, pre-service teachers should be able to:

ACECQA CRITERIA

On successful completion of this unit, pre-service teachers should have developed the following specific knowledge:

Content

The topics will include: 

• National and state curriculum and policy documents; including Early Years Learning Framework and Australian Curriculum: English  
• Language, literature and literacy for 21st century early childhood and primary learners 
• The structures of text and language; traditional and functional approaches to phonological, syntactic and semantic analysis 
• Theories of children’s language and literacy development from birth to 12; covering reading, listening and viewing  
• Sociocultural contexts and variations in language and literacy development; emphasising speakers of other languages including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander learners 
• Children’s literature in print and multimodal formats and its application to teaching and learning in reading, listening and viewing    
• Teaching and learning strategies for developing listening, reading and viewing of early childhood and primary learners; from phonological awareness to making meaning  
• Theoretical and pedagogical models with ICTs; teaching and learning strategies for engagement in and development of language and literacy 
• Evidence-based monitoring and assessment of listening, reading and viewing with early childhood and primary learning; including standardised, formative and summative assessments and strategies. 

Learning and teaching strategy and rationale

Engagement for learning is the key driver in the delivery of this curriculum which is offered in online mode. A range of teaching and learning strategies are employed to reflect technology-enhanced learning in developing pre-service teachers’ knowledge and understanding of contemporary English and literacy learning pedagogies with a focus on the receptive modes of reading, listening and viewing as can be applied in early childhood and primary contexts. These include synchronous and/or asynchronous digital engagement in: interactive learning activities and experiences; student-led discussion forums and group work; directed reading activities; and ICT as a pedagogical tool for mediating across language and literacy.  

Pre-service teachers will follow guidelines to identify and engage in reading, listening and viewing activities that facilitate their knowledge of content and pedagogical content knowledge for engaging children with literature in print and multimodal forms as suitable for early childhood and primary contexts. Online learning activities and resources will facilitate pre-service teachers’ critical analysis and reflection of these experiences for developing pedagogies and practices for developing skills and positive dispositions towards reading, listening and viewing practices with learners in early learning and primary contexts. There will be an opportunity for the content to be applied in Professional Experience Studies where pre-service educators will draw on theoretical, practical and ICT considerations from this unit for planning and implementing learning experiences with print and multimodal literature and resources during professional experience placement.  

Technology Enhanced Learning  

The online teaching and learning in this unit will be offered via a LEO unit site. Lectures, lecture summaries and/or tutorial activities may be recorded to support student learning. Pre-service teachers will be notified when an activity is being recorded prior to the commencement of the activity 

Assessment strategy and rationale

The assessment tasks allow pre-service teachers to progressively demonstrate the course learning outcomes by demonstrating academic and professional standards through achievement against the unit learning outcomes. The Curriculum Studies units in this course focus on developing understanding of and skills in curriculum, pedagogy and assessment for a selected discipline with reference to the Early Years Learning Framework and the primary learning areas of the Australian Curriculum. Emphasis is given to demonstrating professional knowledge of the content and how to teach it (APST 2), and professional practice in planning and implementing learning (APST 3) and assessing learning (APST 5) in the selected area. In EDLA542 the assessment focuses on applying pedagogical content knowledge to learning in English and literacy for children from birth to 12 years with a focus reading, listening and viewing. The two assessment tasks are sequenced to allow feedback and progressive development in demonstrating pedagogical practice in: demonstrating knowledge and skills in selecting and analysing children’s literature in print and multimodal forms to engage with children in early childhood and primary contexts  (Task 1); and applying knowledge of English and literacy to develop skills in assessment practices for collecting, analysing and evaluating data and evidence of learning and learners (Task 2). The tasks are equally weighted to reflect the significant contribution of the knowledge and skills developed in each task to pre-service teachers’ developing curriculum, pedagogical and assessment knowledge and practices in English and literacy. In addition, pre-service teachers complete a hurdle task designed as a diagnostic and formative assessment of personal literacy skills in preparation for completing the Literacy and Numeracy Test for initial teacher education (LANTITE).   

A range of assessment procedures are used to meet the unit learning outcomes and develop graduate attributes and professional standards and criteria consistent with University assessment requirements. (http://www.acu.edu.au/policy/student_policies/assessment_policy_and_assessment_procedures). 

Minimum Achievement Standards 

The assessment tasks for this unit are designed for pre-service teachers to demonstrate achievement of each learning outcome. In order to pass this unit, students are required to successfully complete all assessment tasks.  

Overview of assessments

Representative texts and references

Required Text 

Early Years Learning Framework: www.education.gov.au/early-years-learning-framework  

Australian Curriculum: English: www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/english/rationale  

Recommended References 

Carrington, V., & Robinson, M. (2009). Digital literacies: Social learning and classroom practices. Los Angeles, CA: Sage Publications. 

Clay, M. (2013). An observation survey of early literacy achievement. (3rd ed.). Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. 

Emmitt, M., Zbaracki, M., Komesaroff, L., & Pollock, J. (2015). Language and learning: An introduction for teaching (6th ed.). South Melbourne, Vic: Oxford University Press. 

Fellowes, J., & Oakley, G. (2014). Language, literacy and early childhood education (2nd ed.). Melbourne, Vic: Oxford University Press. 

Hill, S. (2012). Developing early literacy. Assessment and teaching (2nd ed.). South Yarra, Vic: Eleanor Curtain Publishing. 

Honan, E. (2013). Thinking through new literacies for primary and early years. Moorabbin, Vic: Hawker Brownlow Education. 

Kalantzis, M., & Cope, B. (2016). Literacies (2nd ed.). Port Melbourne Vic: Cambridge University Press.  

MacLachlan, C., Nichloson, T., Fielding-Barnsley, R., Mercer, L., & Ohi, S.(2013). Literacy in early childhood and primary education. Port Melbourne, Vic: Cambridge University Press. 

Seely Flint, A., Kitson, L., Lowe, K., & Shaw, K. (2017). Literacy in Australia: Pedagogies for engagement (2nd ed.). Milton, Qld: John Wiley & Sons Australia Ltd. 

Winch, G., Johnston, R., March, P., Ljungdahl, L., & Holliday, M. (2014). Literacy: Reading, writing and children’s literature (5th ed.). South Melbourne, Vic: Oxford University Press.