EDEN290 - English Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment 1 (B-8)

Year

Credit points

Campus offering

Prerequisites

EDEN100 Foundations of Literacy AND EDEN102 Childrens Literature for Early Reading

Incompatible

EDLA241 Literacy Education 1: Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment , EDLA264 Literacy Education 1

Unit rationale, description and aim

Being literate and proficient in reading, writing, viewing, listening and speaking is a fundamental requirement for full participation in society. The crucial role of Primary and Early Childhood teachers is to equip children to be able to apply literacy knowledge to a wide range of situations and texts.

This unit will examine recent theory, research and concepts that are foundational to literacy learning and teaching in the early years (Birth to Year 2). With a focus on the emergent and early literacy development of children in the early years (Birth to Year 2), the teaching of reading and writing and how children learn to read and write will be developed using a balanced literacy approach. A range of evidence based pedagogical approaches which include phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, comprehension and fluency through the use of authentic texts will be applied to both early childhood and primary contexts. This unit includes an explicit focus on the three strands of the Australian Curriculum: English: Language, Literature and Literacy, as well as reference to the Early Years Learning Framework. Literacy teaching and assessment practices will be based on current literacy research with a focus on supporting the literacy learning process for diverse learners and will draw on the discipline knowledge developed in the previous units. Underpinning the learning in the unit is a fundamental concern for justice and equity, and the dignity of all human beings based on literacy as a sociocultural concept and one in which all young Australians can become successful learners.

The aim of this unit is to ensure pre-service teachers take a balanced literacy approach to teaching literacy which includes the ability to motivate, develop and extend children’s responses to imaginative, informative and persuasive texts of oral, written and multimodal media, and ensure teachers can introduce higher-order thinking strategies through critical and analytical tasks appropriate for children in the pre-school and early years of primary school.

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 various theoretical models and approaches to literacy and language learning with particular application to the early years and the interdependence of talking, listening, reading, writing and viewing to inform understanding of current issues and debates (i.e. the teaching of phonics and phonemic awareness) (GA4, GA5, GA7, GA8, GA9; APST 1.1, 1.2, 1.5, 2.1; ACECQA A2, B2, B4, C4, E2)

LO2 - Apply knowledge of the importance of oral language development and how it is used to enhance expressive and receptive language skills (GA4, GA5, GA7, GA8, GA9; APST 1.1, 1.2, 1.5, 2.1; ACECQA A2)

LO3 - Apply and analyse effective pedagogy for children with linguistic and cultural differences, trauma backgrounds and literacy difficulties to differentiate teaching practices and resources to effectively support diverse learners’ literacy attainment (GA4, GA5, GA7, GA8, GA9; APST 1.2, 1.3, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.5, 3.2, 3.3, 3.5, 4.1, 5.1, 5.3; ACECQA A2, A5, A6, B1, B2, C4, C5, C6)

LO4 - Identify and apply a range of multimodal texts for their suitability in the teaching of literacy using a proven literacy teaching model such as the Gradual Release of Responsibility model for students in the early years of schooling (GA4, GA5, GA7, GA8, GA9; APST 1.2, 1.5, 2.1; ACECQA A2, C4)

LO5 - Apply content, pedagogical and assessment knowledge to plan, teach and assess literacy skills to F-2 students incorporating ICT (GA4, GA5, GA7, GA8, GA9; APST 1.2, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.5, 3.2, 3.3, 3.5, 4.1, 4.5, 5.1, 5.3, 7.4; ACECQA B2, B4, C4)

Graduate attributes

GA4 - Think critically and reflectively

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

GA7 - Work both autonomously and collaboratively

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

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

AUSTRALIAN PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS FOR TEACHERS - GRADUATE LEVEL

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

ACECQA CURRICULUM SPECIFICATIONS

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

Content

Topics will include:

Subject content knowledge: Knowledge about the curriculum

• The F-2 English curriculum: Language, Literature and Literacy strands.
• Understanding language: components of language (semantics, syntactics, pragmatics and grapho-phonics), oral language demands in the F-2 English curriculum and the role of early and emergent oral language in literacy learning.
• Understanding and applying Literature: Investigate a range of text types and multimodal texts to understand and apply literacy using a wide range of age appropriate literature.
• Understanding Literacy: The theories and processes of early and emergent reading and writing development, spelling, handwriting, listening, speaking and the implications for practice.
• Understanding and using the National Literacy Learning Progressions and relevant national or state curricula for teaching, assessing and reporting. 

Content and Pedagogical knowledge and skills for teaching and assessment of Reading/Listening/Viewing:

• Understanding reading: The Reading process (before, during, after); Four cueing systems (semantics, syntactics, pragmatics and grapho-phonics); Four roles of the reader (Code-breaker, Meaning Maker, Text participant, Text Analyst); Three levels of comprehension.
• Understanding how children learn to read: children’s reading behaviours and development.
• The Reading/Viewing demands in the F-2 curriculum.

Teaching:

• The Gradual Release of Responsibility model in teaching reading: Modelled, Shared, Guided and Independent Reading.
• Teaching Code-breaking (Phonics and Phonemic Awareness), Reading Fluency and Comprehension: critical literacy strategies and critical activities.
• Planning an activity sequence: Modelled-Guided-Independent activities.

Assessment:

• Formative and summative Reading/Viewing assessment: Miscue analysis and running records, and effective authentic Reading/Viewing assessment activities , International Phonetics Alphabet (IPA).

Content and Pedagogical knowledge and skills for teaching and assessment of Writing/Creating/Speaking:

• Understanding written texts: grammatical differences between speech and writing and genres in the early years.
• Understanding how children learn to write: Children’s writing development.
• The Writing/Creating demands in the F-2 curriculum.

Teaching:

• The mentor text approach to teaching writing: The Teaching and Learning Cycle
• Teaching, modelling and text deconstruction of text types to teach grammar, spelling, punctuation, hand-writing and key-boarding

Assessment and reporting:

• Types of assessment.
• Assessment tools in the Early Years.
• Reporting tools for the Early Years.

Knowledge about curriculum and professional associations:

• Understanding and using the National Literacy Learning Progressions and relevant national or state curricula for teaching, assessing and reporting.
• Professional associations to support the teaching of English such as the Australian Literacy Educator’s Association (ALEA); Primary English Teaching Association Australian (PETAA); Reading Australia; International Literacy Association (ILA).

Learning and teaching strategy and rationale

Teaching and learning in this unit is based on a Social Constructivist approach (Vygotsky, 1978), which emphasises the critical importance of the cultural and social aspects of learning. Learning will be scaffolded through both explicit instruction and opportunities to engage in a range of interpersonal activities in workshops, lectures and tutorials to enable students to learn from and with each other as active co-constructors meaning, skills and understanding. This approach is highly effective for the teaching of literacy in the early years and Primary classroom. Learning will be supported by online activities and a range of current research delivered in the form of reading, reflection, discussion, webinars, podcasts and other multimedia options.

This is a 10-credit point unit and has been designed to ensure that the time needed to complete the required volume of learning to the requisite standard is approximately 150 hours in total across the semester.

Technology Enhanced Learning

Technology will be used to enhance teaching and learning, as well as in assessment, as a means of communication, production and feedback. Students will be required to create digital artefacts and interact with the unit’s LEO site, online resources and technology requirements.

Assessment strategy and rationale

The assessment tasks and their weightings allow pre-service teachers to progressively demonstrate achievement against the course learning outcomes by demonstrating academic and professional standards. The unit focuses on developing understanding of, and skills across the professional knowledge, practice and engagement needed to meet expectations of the Graduate Attributes and the APST: Graduate level.

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 to demonstrate achievement of each learning outcome. In order to pass this unit, students are required to submit all assessment tasks, complete weekly readings and activities. Learning Outcome 3 (apply and analyse effective pedagogy for children with linguistic and cultural differences, trauma backgrounds and literacy difficulties to differentiate teaching practices and resources to effectively support diverse learner’s literacy attainment) are only assessed in Assessment Task 2. Learning Outcome 4 (identify and apply a range of multimodal texts for their suitability in the teaching of literacy using a proven literacy teaching model such as the Gradual Release of Responsibility model for students in the early years of schooling) and Learning Outcome 5 (apply content, pedagogical and assessment knowledge to plan, teach and assess literacy skills to K-2 students incorporating ICT) are only assessed in Assessment Task 3. A pass in these components is an additional requirement for passing the unit overall.

Electronic Submission, Marking and Return

Assessment Tasks will be submitted, marked and returned electronically via LEO as appropriate and in accordance with the ACU assessment policy. This unit uses Turnitin as a text matching tool.

Overview of assessments

Representative texts and references

Required text(s)

The Australian Curriculum: English https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/f-10-curriculum/english/.

National Literacy Learning Progressions: https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/resources/national-literacy-and-numeracy-learning-progressions/national-literacy-learning-progression/.

Recommended references

Derewianka, B. (2020). Exploring how texts work (2nd ed.). Newtown, NSW: Primary English Teaching Association (Australia) (PETAA).

Fellowes, J., & Oakley, G. (2020). Language, literacy and early childhood education (3rd ed.). South Melbourne, Vic: Oxford University Press.

Frey, N., & Fisher. D. (2012) Rigorous reading: 5 access points for comprehending complex texts. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Literacy.

Cox, R., Feez, S., & Beveridge, L. (Eds). (2019). The alphabetic principle and beyond: Surveying the landscape. Newtown, NSW: Primary English Teaching Association (Australia) (PETAA).

Hertzberg, M. (2012). Teaching English language learners in mainstream classrooms. Newtown, NSW: Primary English Teaching Association Australia (PETAA).

Hill, S. (2012). Developing early literacy: Assessment and teaching (2nd ed). Eleanor Curtin Publishing.

Humphrey, S., & Vale, E. (2020). Investigating model texts for learning. Marrickville Metro, NSW: Primary English Teaching Association Australia (PETAA).

Parkin, B. & Harper, H. (2019). Teaching with intent 2: Literature-based literacy teaching and learning. Marrickville Metro, NSW: Primary English Teaching Association Australia (PETAA).

Seely Flint, A., Kitson, L., Lowe.K., Shaw. K., Vicars, M., Feez, S., & Humphrey, S. (2020). Literacy in Australia: Pedagogies for engagement (3rd ed.). Milton, Qld: Wiley.

Thomas, D., & Thomas, A. (Eds.) (2022). Teaching and learning primary English. Melbourne, Vic: Oxford University Press.

Winch, G., Johnston, R., March, P., Ljungdahl, L., & Holliday, M. (2020). Literacy: Reading, writing and children’s literature (6th ed.). Docklands, Vic: Oxford University Press.

Woods, A., & Exley, B. (2020). Literacies in early childhood: Foundations for equity and quality. Docklands, Vic: Oxford University Press.