| Semester 1, 2021 Online | |
| Short Description: | English Lit & Special Ed Needs |
| 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 : | 070199 - Teacher Education not elsewher |
| Grading basis : | Graded |
Staffing
Examiner:
Requisites
Enrolment is not permitted in EDM8014 if EDM8002 has been previously completed.
Other requisites
Nil
Rationale
Considering the increasing diversity of learners in schools and early learning centres today, preservice teachers need to be equipped with the knowledge, skills and understanding to employ literacy and reading support strategies, and ICT/Apps teaching strategies, to meet the specific learning needs of all learners across the full range of abilities. Awareness of learner differences (i.e., cognitive, physical and psychosocial) and the interplay with contextual influences (e.g., socio-economic background) will enhance teacher capacity to identify and address the various learning needs of individual learners in their classrooms and apply this knowledge and skills to improve learner outcomes.
To critically reflect on personal pedagogical practice, preservice teachers must develop an understanding of the diverse learning needs of their learners, informed by professional reflection and feedback. It is imperative that teachers stay abreast of their professional and legal responsibilities associated with meeting the specific learning needs of students across the full range of abilities.
Synopsis
This course will provide preservice teachers, with an introduction to the guiding legislation, policies and practices of inclusive education and ways to apply this learning with the curriculum context of English Literacy and ICT's. Preservice teachers will also develop knowledge of the characteristics and educational approaches employed to meet the specific learning needs of learners across the full range of abilities with explicit focus on high incidence and low incidence disabilities. In addition, this course will examine the characteristics and educational needs of gifted and talented learners. Preservice teachers will explore literacy teaching strategies to engage all learners in an inclusive and supportive context addressing the various needs of learners using ICT's to enhance engagement.
Cognisant of the range of student diversity, this course will focus on effective, evidenced-based approaches to supporting the learning and development of learners with special needs and issues related to creating inclusive educational environments. This course enhance preservice teachers knowledge and skills in effective management strategies for those learners who exhibit challenging behaviours. The course will require preservice teachers to develop research synthesis skills, engaging in a case study to analyse and evaluate approaches for teaching English literacy learners with a disability and or special needs in an inclusive educational environment as well as reflecting upon their own professional learning to improve their practice.
Objectives
On successful completion of this course preservice teachers should be able to:
- apply an understanding of the ACARA general capabilities, legislation requirements, administrative and organisational policies and ethical principles, as described in the Code of Conduct for the teaching profession, with a specific focus on inclusive education, and learners with disabilities and special educational learning needs, and impacts on learning such as, domestic and family violence (Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APST) 7.1, 7.2);
- Describe strategies that support students’ well-being and safety working within school and/or system, curriculum and legislative requirements (APST 4.4);
- analyse and apply knowledge and understanding of teaching strategies that support participation and learning of learners with disability and special educational learning needs, inclusive of the learning strengths and needs of students from diverse linguistic, cultural, religious, traumatic, and socioeconomic backgrounds, including understanding issues and strategies that support use of ICTs/Apps – safely, responsibly and ethically to expand curriculum learning opportunities and inform differentiated teaching practice (APST 1.3, 1.5, 1.6, 2.6, 4.5);
- analyse and apply knowledge and understanding of English literacy teaching strategies, especially reading to support inclusive student participation and engagement in classroom activities, inclusive student participation and engagement in classroom activities and provide clear directions, differentiation of teaching, and practical approaches to managing challenging behaviours to meet the specific learning needs of students across the full range of abilities (APST 1.5, 2.5, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3);
- demonstrate understanding of assessment moderation and its application to support consistent and comparable judgements of student learning and the capacity to analyse and interpret student assessment data to evaluate student learning and modify teaching practice (APST 5.3, 5.4);
- demonstrate a broad range of strategies for involving parents/carers in the educative process and an understanding of strategies for working effectively, sensitively and confidentially with parents/carers, engaging with experts and seeking and applying constructive feedback from colleagues, supervisors and teachers to improve teaching practices and understanding of the role of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers in identifying professional learning needs (APST 3.7, 6.1, 6.3, 7.3);
- demonstrate advanced cognitive, literacy and communication skills, including spelling, grammar, punctuation and referencing.
Topics
| Description | Weighting(%) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. |
English Literacy in inclusive education underpinned by legislative, policy and ethical requirements: i) exploring English Literacy Early Years Learning Framework and Curriculum documents with consideration to how it is taught inclusively; ii) exploring initiatives and reforms (e.g. Teacher Education Ministerial Advisory Group (TEMAG) report, School Teacher Workforce Data Reports, Initiatives of Australian Institute for Teaching and Learning (AITSL), National reports on schooling in Australia, and Australian Early Development Census reports); iii) exploring UNESCO policies, Mparntwe Education Declaration, ACARA general capabilities, legislation, policy and ethical principles as described in The Code of Conduct for the Teaching Profession and Early Childhood Australia Code of Ethics; iv) examining the impacts on learning such as, wellbeing, safety, domestic and family violence and applying knowledge of diversity and inclusive education to support learners with disabilities and special educational learning needs within legislative requirements; v) sharing knowledge of the range of personnel and services available to support children, young people and adults affected by domestic and family violence; and vi) exploring the importance of protecting their own physical and mental health when responding appropriately in situations where domestic and/or family violence is suspected. |
10.00 |
| 2. |
Teaching in today’s classrooms: Creating an inclusive classroom environment with a focus on English literacy and reading, and inclusive and evidenced based practices that meet the specific learning needs of learners across the full range of abilities. This is: How do we support different learners to process through the same curriculum in differing ways? • Focus on research synthesis skills and the introduction of the genre of literature review report writing required for the assessment task. • Engender students’ trust and the confidence to seek help. |
20.00 |
| 3. | Learners with high incidence disabilities: Meeting the specific learning needs of English literacy learners with high incidence disabilities using teaching strategies that are responsive to the learner’s strengths and needs; exploring reading support; teaching strategies; and using differentiation of teaching; ICTs/Apps; and practical approaches to managing challenging behaviours. | 15.00 |
| 4. | Learners with low incidence disabilities: Meeting the specific learning needs of English literacy learners with low incidence disabilities using teaching strategies that are responsive to the learner’s strengths and needs; have a focus on English literacies and reading support teaching strategies; and use differentiation of teaching, ICTs/Apps, and practical approaches to managing challenging behaviours. | 15.00 |
| 5. |
Teaching English Literacy to learners with special education learning needs: Exploring curriculum content, sequencing literacy development and acknowledging diverse perspectives of people’s literacies. • Introduction of the genre of case study report writing required for the assessment task. |
15.00 |
| 6. | Using moderation and interpreting student English data: Supporting consistent and comparable judgements of student learning through moderation and interpretation of student assessment data including English literacies and reading data to evaluate student learning and modify teaching practice. | 15.00 |
| 7. | Working and engaging with others in the educative process: Using effective, sensitive and confidential strategies to engage with parents/carers and experts in the educative process including seeking and applying constructive feedback from colleagues, supervisors and teachers to improve teaching practices. | 10.00 |
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=EDM8014)
Please for alternative purchase options from USQ Bookshop. (https://omnia.usq.edu.au/info/contact/)
Reference materials
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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 | 23 Mar 2021 | 1,2,5,6 | (see note 1) |
| ASSIGNMENT 2 | 60 | 60 | 03 Jun 2021 | 1,3,4,5,6,7 | (see note 2) |
Notes
- Literature Review
- A Learner Case Study Report
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. -
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 .