ES9660 Literacy and Early Reading Instruction
Unit Description
Pre-requisites
None.Co-requisites
None.Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, the student will be able to:
Critically review current theory and practice connected to the acquisition of early literacy skills: reading and viewing, writing, listening and speaking.
Demonstrate an advanced understanding of how to design, implement, monitor, and evaluate a literacy program that supports oral language development, reading, and writing in early literacy.
Demonstrate an ability to evaluate the factors which support or that hinder the early literacy development of young children.
Develop and critically evaluate a range of highly effective teaching strategies to teach early literacy.
Demonstrate a deep understanding and the ability to apply assessment of early literacy proficiencies and approaches across broader curriculum (cross curricular provisions), apply judgement to interpret and use early phonics and literacy data to provide suitable feedback to students/parents and engage parents in learning.
Critically evaluate strategies to target ATSI and other cultural perspectives contexts to early English learning and pedagogy.
Unit Description
This unit is designed to increase the confidence and skills of Pre-service teachers in teaching early literacy. Preservice teachers will explore past theories of literacy learning application, and dive deep into the current research on effective literacy learning practices. While a focus on the Science of learning will be maintained throughout the course, an exploration into various approaches within this methodology will be explored. Throughout the course, students will view the learning and teaching of literacy from and through a Biblical perspective and explore effective ways to embed Biblical frameworks in planning and application of literacy learning. Preservice teachers will explore the variety offactors that influence children’s effective learning of literacy in Australia, including educational policies. Developing understanding and effective approaches to work with students across all backgrounds and skills, will also be explored, with a focus on ATSI, EAL/D and diverse learning needs. Preservice teachers will 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
- Literacy development theories 0 – 7 yrs old.
- The Australian curriculum: English, The VIC F-10 Curriculum English, VEYLF, Literacy Learning progressions (ACARA, VCAA)
- Pedagogical approaches for early language and literacy development: eg, spaced, repeated exposures/retrieval of phonics/spelling, 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.
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and other cultural perspectives/contexts to Early English learning and pedagogies.
- Learning to read: the alphabetic principle, concepts of print, phonics, phonemic awareness, comprehension skills, fluency, sight words and vocabulary.
Key reading: Moats L C (2020). Teaching Reading Is Rocket Science: What Expert Teachers of Reading Should Know and Be Able to Do. American Federation of Teachers. https:// www.aft.org/ae/summer2020/moats - Phonics: Research, learning theories and programs, sequencing lessons.
- Writing: Research, learning theories and programs
- 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.
- Feedback to students/ parents and engaging parents in the development of early Literacy
- Designing, planning and implementing a lower primary literacy session across the broader curriculum.
Learning Experiences
Topic 5 Moats reading cc 2.4.2
In response to Moat’s article write a discussion post in canvas to this reflection question:
Complexity of Expertise: Moats argues that teaching reading is as demanding as “rocket science” due to the need for deep knowledge in areas like phoneme awareness, morphology, and comprehension strategies. Reflect on a specific component of reading instruction (e.g., phonics or vocabulary building) from your own teaching experiences or observations: How has your understanding of its underlying linguistic structures influenced your ability to provide explicit, systematic instruction, and what gaps in your knowledge might you address to better support diverse learners?
Embedded throughout the unit:
- Biblical frameworks.
- Catering for diverse needs i.e.. differentiation.
- Assessment approaches.
Assessment and Indicative Load
Assessment types include Minor Essay, Portfolio, and Curriculum Preparation. Indicative study load is 160 hours.
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.