Pre-requisites

None.

Co-requisites

None.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, the student will be able to:

• Demonstrate in depth knowledge and understanding of current theory and practice connected to the acquisition of early literacy skills: reading & viewing, writing, speaking, listening and multimodal literacies.

• Demonstrate an advanced understanding of how to design, implement, monitor and evaluate a balanced literacy program that supports oral language development, reading, writing and visual literacies in the lower primary.

• Demonstrate understanding of the impact of oral language in the development of strong foundations for early literacy learning and the factors which support or that hinder the early literacy development of young children (including cultural, linguistic and social contexts).

• Critically reflect on how a sound pedagogically balanced early reading program can foster young children towards a view of literacy as a way of exploring identity, honouring God, caring for creation and serving others.

• Articulate a sound understanding of the current debates surrounding the teaching of phonics in early reading.

• Integrate research and theoretical understandings of assessment into practices in early literacy to develop effective learning programs that support student learning (such as, EOI: English Online Interview, running record/miscue analysis, phonemic awareness, comprehension, feedback and reporting).

Unit Description

This unit is designed to increase the confidence and skills of Pre-service Teachers in teaching early literacy, with a focus on reading, viewing, writing and oral language across a variety of text forms and purposes. There is a specific focus on the practical aspects of teaching explicit phonics within the context of a balanced literature program which incorporates rich children’s literature to support oral language and literacy development. Through the application of a biblical perspective to the teaching of the language arts, and how we construct ourselves as readers and writers, Pre-service Teachers will develop programs which can foster young children towards a view of literacy as a way of exploring identity formation, honouring God, caring for creation, and serving others. Students will explore the impact of educational policy and socio-political factors which have impacted the language development and identity of First Nations people. Students will explore current research and theory on effective literacy learning practices as well as participate in practical activities designed to increase their proficiency at assessing and identifying student literacy needs, analysis of assessment data, planning for literacy learning and incorporating high impact literacy strategies which support students’ oral language and literacy development within the diverse class context.

Topics

• Models of pedagogy for early language and literacy development: literature-based, Whole Language, systematic and functional language, genre-based, thematic and integration across the curriculum. Critiquing the debates and evidence supporting competing views on literacy instruction and development. 1.1, 1.2, 1.4, 2.5
• Developmental stages of reading, writing and oral language and their inter-relatedness. 1.2, 1.5, 2.2, 3.3
• The Australian curriculum: English, The VIC F-10 Curriculum English, VEYLF, Literacy Learning progressions (ACARA, VCAA) 1.2, 2.1, 2.2
• The construction of literate consumers and creators of communication informed by a biblical worldview perspective of the language arts and critical literacy 3.7, 2.4
• Learning to read: the alphabetic principle, concepts of print, phonics, phonemic awareness, comprehension skills, fluency, sight words and vocabulary. 1.2, 1.3, 2.5
• Explicit phonics instruction tools, resources, and pedagogical approaches 2.1, 2.2, 1.5
• Using literature to develop phonemic awareness, including texts from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, Asia, and the Pacific cultures. 2.4
• Designing, planning and implementing a lower primary literacy session 1.6
• The role of oral language in the acquisition of literacy skills. Reflecting also on the impact of home language in language and literacy acquisition for first nations people groups, and education regulations that impacted language and identity historically and which continues to marginalise the culturally and linguistically diverse. 1.1, 1.4, 1.5, 2.4, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4
• Socio-political factors that support and impede early literacy development, including among first nations people groups. 5.5
• Research and evidenced- based assessment practices in early literacy identification, assessment, and monitoring for learning. 2.5, 3.3
• Diagnostic Assessment and templates for early literacy: (e.g. EOI: English Online Interview, running record/miscue analysis, phonemic awareness, comprehension, feedback and reporting) 2.3, 5.2, 5.4, 5.5
• High Impact Strategies for teaching literacy in the lower primary grades 1.5, 3.1, 3.2. 5.2
• ICTs that enhance early literacy learning 2.6
• Effective intervention strategies 2.3

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Unit offerings

Face to face: (Demand based)

Please note

The Unit Offerings listed above are a guide only and the timetable for any year is the final authority. The College may vary offerings based on demand, regulatory requirements, continual improvement processes or other conditions.

This unit may be available in different modes of delivery i.e. online and face-to-face as listed above. The unit content will not differ between these modes of delivery. There will possibly be a difference in the schedule and/or the prescribed assessment tasks, however both will cover and assess the same content.