Unit rationale, description and aim
Schools are required to accommodate an increasingly broad range of exceptional learning students. Their learning profiles display combinations of cognitive, emotional, social, behavioural, and cultural issues.
This unit introduces students to groups within the population whose learning profiles or development is exceptional or atypical. The knowledge constructed in EDAP612 is used to analyse various types of learning exceptionality and to inform an understanding of individual differences and atypical development. It will develop a framework for unpacking and understanding exceptional learning, apply it to understand how various types or categories of exceptional learning influence literacy and numeracy learning and their implications for teaching.
The aim of this unit is to support students in developing advanced knowledge, understanding and expert skills needed for enhancing the development of children atypical and exceptional development.
Campus offering
No unit offerings are currently available for this unit.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.
Describe typical and atypical development and how ...
Learning Outcome 01
Identify characteristics of specific atypical grou...
Learning Outcome 02
Design inclusive practices, adjustment and support...
Learning Outcome 03
Apply interpersonal skills and relevant knowledge ...
Learning Outcome 04
Content
Topics will include:
1.Typical and atypical development using the synthesized framework for describing regular development in EDAP612 as a conceptual tool to explain atypical knowing:
- broadening the framework to consider sensory and motor processing difficulties
- implications for identification
- the DSM approach to identifying categories of atypical knowing
- brain processing as a tool for understanding atypical knowing
2. The causes of exceptional learning and atypical development:
- growth and maturation, learning, and cognitive development that lead to individual differences
- accelerated, delayed, and exceptional development across childhood
- types of causes that lead to atypical development – genetic, biochemical, and physiological, interactions with environment.
3. Academic exceptionalities
- developmental dyslexia, dyscalculia, dyspraxia
- Intellectual disabilities, fragile X, more severe
- giftedness and talent
- sensory and motor issues that impact on academic ability, including dysgraphia, developmental motor disorder, visual and auditory processing difficulties.
4. Emotional and behavioural disorders
- Severe affective issues, including anxiety, withdrawal and other internalizing emotions.
- AD/HD
- Behavioral disorders including conduct disorder, obsessive behavioural disorders, externalizing emotional disorders (including aggression and anger)
5 The impact of an exceptional learning profile on literacy and numeracy learning and intervention
- The impact of the main exceptional learning profiles on literacy and numeracy acquisition
- The implications for literacy and numeracy intervention
- Inclusion through teaching. Mapping differentiated teaching into intervention.
Assessment strategy and rationale
To successfully complete this unit, postgraduate students need to complete and submit two graded assessment tasks. The assessment strategy used allows students to demonstrate their knowledge and skill related to exceptional children and atypical development.
The first task (50%) requires students to examine critically the application of the framework describing the learning characteristics of one category of exceptionality. The second task (50%) requires students to apply an intervention model for teaching one category of exceptionality.
Overview of assessments
Assessment Task 1 A critical examination of the a...
Assessment Task 1
A critical examination of the application of the framework describing the learning characteristics of one category of exceptionality covered in lectures.
50%
Assessment Task 2 Application of the intervention...
Assessment Task 2
Application of the intervention model for teaching one category of exceptionality covered in lectures.
50%
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
Engagement for learning is the key driver in the delivery of this curriculum. The unit will facilitate active participation in pedagogical approaches that demonstrate alignment of teaching, learning and assessment and incorporate:
- Use of a core set of digital resources (including lectures, modules, readings, suggested websites, and other electronic resources) to support learning and assessment
- Use of online tools to build a community of learners (e.g. forum, chat, podcasts, WIKI)
- Engagement in reflective practice supported by the study of scholarly literature
- Critical analysis and applied learning to educational case studies for the purposes of assessment.
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.
The unit uses a combination of multiple methods or approaches working implicitly to assist students to progress purposefully toward the unit’s goals in a constructive way. They work through and reflect on the content in the core set of resources, explore, evaluate, and elaborate it in tutorial settings and apply it. It is supported by a Learning Management System (LMS) site.
Mode of delivery: This unit will be offered in one or more of modes of delivery described below, chosen with the aim of providing flexible delivery of academic content.
- On Campus: Most learning activities or classes are delivered at a scheduled time, on campus, to enable in-person interactions. Activities will appear in a student’s timetable.
- Intensive: In an intensive mode, students require face-to-face attendance on weekends or any block of time determined by the school. Students will have face-to-face interactions with lecturer(s) to further their achievement of the learning outcomes. This unit is structured with required upfront preparation before workshops. The online learning platforms used in this unit provide multiple forms of preparatory and practice opportunities for students to prepare and revise.
- Multi-mode: Learning activities are delivered through a planned mix of online and in-person classes, which may include full-day sessions and/or placements, to enable interaction. Activities that require attendance will appear in a student’s timetable.
- Online unscheduled: Learning activities are accessible anytime, anywhere. These units are normally delivered fully online and will not appear in a student’s timetable.
- Online scheduled: All learning activities are held online, at scheduled times, and will require some attendance to enable online interaction. Activities will appear in a student’s timetable.
AUSTRALIAN PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS FOR TEACHERS - HIGHLY ACCOMPLISHED
On successful completion of this unit, students should have gained evidence towards the following standards:
AUSTRALIAN PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS FOR TEACHERS - LEAD
On successful completion of this unit, students should have gained evidence towards the following standards: