| Semester 1, 2021 Online | |
| Short Description: | Literacy Learn Early Years |
| Units : | 1 |
| Faculty or Section : | Faculty of Business, Education, Law and Arts |
| School or Department : | School of Education |
| Student contribution band : | Band 1 |
| ASCED code : | 070103 - Teacher Education: Primary |
| Grading basis : | Graded |
Staffing
Examiner:
Requisites
Pre-requisite: Students must be enrolled in one of the following Programs: MELT or MPLT
Rationale
Literacy forms the basis for learning in all curriculum areas across early childhood and primary contexts, as well as the ability to function as an active citizen in an increasingly global community. Teachers of literacy should be familiar with historical and current theories of literacy, along with research based strategies for planning a balanced approach to literacy teaching and learning for children birth to eight (8) years. Literacy approaches must acknowledge the needs of diverse groups of learners by using a wide range of texts including children’s literature and culturally diverse, digital and context appropriate materials. Knowledge of how to carefully scaffold learning and assessment tasks and to investigate the how, why and what of literacy learning are essential components of a preservice teachers learning journey.
Synopsis
This is the first English curriculum course. The teaching of reading and writing in the early years is central to this course. The importance of oral language experiences and development of the knowledge and understanding of skills and resources required for effective literacy teaching and learning will be explored. In addition, the teaching and learning of reading and writing through a variety of approaches, such as play-based pedagogies and phonemic awareness, in the early years (birth - 8) is a focus. Preservice teachers will investigate curriculum and pedagogy for literacies learning, and a variety of balanced approaches for the English curriculum and the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF). The course will also introduce preservice teachers to literacy strategies for teaching Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. Children's literature will be explored in order to develop a flexible repertoire of practices and resources that assist planning. Specific focus is given to children's literature and the use of literacy resources for promoting reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. The use of resources from diverse disciplines, including ICT, will ensure that the learning of literacies is embedded into learning across the curriculum. Preservice teachers will learn to design and plan integrated and inclusive learning opportunities, authentic assessment tasks and use of data to challenge and support a diverse range of literacy learners. Within this course preservice teachers are to engage in an authentic literacy investigation with a learner.
Objectives
On successful completion of this course preservice teachers should be able to:
- interpret and demonstrate knowledge and understanding of education reforms and practices, contemporary research of children’s language acquisition, oral language development and language learning and the implications for teaching, including understanding of the impact of culture, cultural identity and linguistic background on the education of students from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds and play-based learning (Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APST) 1.2, 1.4);
- implement integrated understandings of the content substance, structure and concepts of literacy learning in the early years in relation to relevant curriculum documents and implications for teaching, inclusive of the literacy and numeracy teaching strategies and their application to literacy learning (APST 2.1, 2.5);
- devise, rationalise and implement goal setting and experiences incorporating a range of teaching strategies and resources for students of varying abilities and characteristics including evidence of broad knowledge of, understanding of and respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures and languages (APST 2.4, 3.1, 3.3);
- evaluate, select and use ICT and other engaging teaching resources that support the development of multi-literacies, with a focus on phonics and reading and expand curriculum opportunities for young learners and engage them in their learning (APST 2.6, 3.4);
- critically monitor and assess literacy progress of children through a range of informal and formal, diagnostic, formative and summative assessment strategies to support making judgements of student learning through moderation; and demonstrate understanding of purpose of providing timely and appropriate feedback to students; and strategies for reporting to students, parents/carers and key stakeholders; and the importance of maintaining effective records of student learning in this process (APST 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.5);
- demonstrate an understanding of and critically reflect on the rationale for continued professional learning and appraise the application of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers and the National Quality Standard for identifying and guiding continued professional learning for literacy progress of children in early childhood contexts and implications for improved student learning (APST 6.1, 6.4);
- exhibit expert cognitive, literacy and communication skills.
Topics
| Description | Weighting(%) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | An introduction to language research, relevant curriculum documents, effective pedagogies (including play based) and the content substance, structure and concepts of literacy learning and teaching | 10.00 |
| 2. | Oral language development and early literacy learning and the impacts of culture, cultural identity and linguistic background on the education of students including those from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds | 15.00 |
| 3. | Literacy and numeracy teaching strategies, including play and the use of ICT, that support the development of multi-literacies and expand curriculum opportunities for students of varying abilities and characteristics | 15.00 |
| 4. | Engaging young learners with reading and viewing: concepts of print, letters, sounds, phonics, phonological and phonemic awareness, sight words, fluency, comprehension, vocabulary | 15.00 |
| 5. | Developing young writers and creators: concepts of print, letters, sounds, phonics, phonological and phonemic awareness, sight words, fluency, comprehension, and vocabulary | 10.00 |
| 6. | Identifying continued professional learning needs through engagement with appropriate sources including the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers to inform expanding literacy opportunities for diverse learners through inclusive, evidence-informed practices and developing a broad knowledge of, understanding of and respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island histories, cultures and language | 10.00 |
| 7. | Contemporary children's literature: Resources and Reconciliation | 10.00 |
| 8. | Monitoring, assessing, moderating, recording and reporting literacy progress | 15.00 |
Text and materials required to be purchased or accessed
ALL textbooks and materials available to be purchased can be sourced from (unless otherwise stated). (https://omnia.usq.edu.au/textbooks/?year=2021&sem=01&subject1=EDM5010)
Please for alternative purchase options from USQ Bookshop. (https://omnia.usq.edu.au/info/contact/)
Reference materials
Student workload expectations
| Activity | Hours |
|---|---|
| Directed Study | 80.00 |
| Independent Study | 85.00 |
Assessment details
| Description | Marks out of | Wtg (%) | Due Date | Objectives Assessed | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ASSIGNMENT 1 | 40 | 40 | 30 Mar 2021 | 1,2,6,7 | (see note 1) |
| ASSIGNMENT 2 | 60 | 60 | 01 Jun 2021 | 2,3,4,5,7 | (see note 2) |
Notes
- Reflections and digital response to a professional development resource
- Co-creating multimodal texts
Important assessment information
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Attendance requirements:
There are no attendance requirements for this course. However, it is the students’ responsibility to study all material provided to them or required to be accessed by them to maximise their chance of meeting the objectives of the course and to be informed of course-related activities and administration. -
Requirements for students to complete each assessment item satisfactorily:
To satisfactorily complete an individual assessment item a student must achieve at least 50% of the marks for that item. (Depending upon the requirements in Statement 4 below, students may not have to satisfactorily complete each assessment item to receive a passing grade in this course.) -
Penalties for late submission of required work:
Students should refer to the Assessment Procedure (point 4.2.4) -
Requirements for student to be awarded a passing grade in the course:
To be assured of receiving a passing grade a student must achieve at least 50% of the total weighted marks available for the course. -
Method used to combine assessment results to attain final grade:
The final grades for students will be assigned on the basis of the aggregate of the weighted marks obtained for each of the summative items for the course. -
Examination information:
There is no examination in this course. -
Examination period when Deferred/Supplementary examinations will be held:
There is no examination in this course, there will be no deferred or supplementary examinations. -
University Student Policies:
Students should read the USQ policies: Definitions, Assessment and Student Academic Misconduct to avoid actions which might contravene University policies and practices. These policies can be found at .
Assessment notes
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Referencing in assignments must comply with the APA referencing system. This system should be used by students to format details of the information sources they have cited in their work. The APA style to be used is defined by the USQ library's referencing guide. This guide can be found at .
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Students are required to demonstrate competence in and appropriate use of academic language and literacy, including spelling, grammar, punctuation, and referencing in all assessment responses. Marks allocated to the aforementioned criteria will be specified in the criteria for assessment of all assessment items.
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Students are required to submit ALL assignments to evidence meeting or exceeding the mandatory requirements of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APSTs).
Evaluation and benchmarking
In meeting the University’s aims to establish quality learning and teaching for all programs, this course monitors and ensures quality assurance and improvements in at least two ways. This course:
1. conforms to the USQ Policy on Evaluation of Teaching, Courses and Programs to ensure ongoing monitoring and systematic improvement.
2. forms part of the Master of Learning and Teaching and is benchmarked against the:
• internal USQ accreditation/reaccreditation processes which include (i) stringent standards in the independent accreditation of its academic programs, (ii) close integration between business and academic planning, and (iii) regular and rigorous review.
• professional accreditation standards of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APST), Queensland College of Teachers (QCT) and Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF)
Other requirements
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Students are required to have access to a personal computer, e-mail capabilities and Internet access to UConnect. Current details of computer requirements can be found at