EDF5817 · Primary English 1

Overview

The focus of this unit is on teaching English to young students as they learn to communicate in a diverse social, cultural, and technological world. You will examine the teaching of English from a number of current theoretical perspectives and draw on curriculum documents to explore how children learn about language, literature, and literacy. Particular attention will be given to the role of phonological and phonemic awareness, vocabulary, comprehension, and the relationship between oral language and reading and writing in the early years of schooling. You will consider the influence of family and community contexts on students’ language and literacy development and strength-based strategies to support language development for diverse communities. The unit explores effective pedagogies in using oral language as part of the teaching of early reading and writing, and includes the use of digital technologies, to support the design of responsive, differentiated literacy experiences that advance students’ learning.

Offerings

Assessment

The Handbook does not list a final examination among the assessment items. That is not a guarantee there is none.

Assessment details may change. Please refer to the assessment information in Moodle closer to the start of the teaching period.

Requisites

The Handbook lists no prerequisite, corequisite or prohibition for this unit.

Learning outcomes

1. demonstrate knowledge of various theoretical perspectives related to young children’s language, literature, and literacy with a view to becoming an effective Literacy teacher
2. show an awareness of students’ oral language learning and teaching in the early years of schooling and the ways early literacies are both developed and fostered
3. demonstrate an understanding of the various aspects of language that are foundational to students’ early reading learning including phonological and phonemic awareness, vocabulary, and comprehension
4. begin to use effective approaches to plan, teach, and assess young students’ oral language and early reading and writing
5. consider ways to differentiate learning experiences for children from diverse backgrounds with a wide range of experiences and abilities, including children who speak languages other than, or in addition to, English
6. reflect upon your own English and literacy skills as a future classroom practitioner.

Workload

The minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per teaching period comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study. Usually, you can expect to engage with: • 24 hours* of scheduled learning delivered on campus via weekly/regular directed learning activities; and • the remaining hours to be allocated towards self-directed/independent study Scheduled learning activities may include a combination of teacher directed learning, peer directed learning and online engagement. *Subject to variation due to professional experience requirements

Student experience, not official rules. Nothing here changes what the Handbook says.