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Language and Literacy: Birth to 8 Years (EDUC91063)
Graduate courseworkPoints: 12.5Dual-Delivery (Parkville)
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About this subject
- Overview
- Eligibility and requirements
- Assessment
- Dates and times
- Further information
- Timetable(opens in new window)
Contact information
Semester 1
Overview
Availability | Semester 1 - Dual-Delivery |
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Fees | Look up fees |
This subject recognises the period from birth to eight years, as a time of significant language development. It investigates how children learn language and literacy, as well as the critical importance of language to children’s emergent literacy and successful learning. The content focuses on typical developmental progression and the evidence-based strategies to build rich language and literacy play-based programs in early childhood and primary school settings. This subject references the Australian/Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Frameworks (VEYLDF) and Curricula.
Teacher Candidates will be introduced to the VEYLDF Outcome 3: Children are Effective Communicators and to the Victorian English Curriculum: Language Modes of Reading, Writing, and Speaking and Listening; and the Strands of Language, Literature, and Literacy. Additional topics covered in this subject include adult interactions supporting communication and language development, family literacy and the home learning environment, oral language, reading and writing development, as well as evidence-based pedagogies for language and literacy learning. Digital technologies as a tool to support language and literacy learning will also be implemented. Teacher Candidates will also be introduced to the assessment of language and literacy in the context of children’s learning the use of the Clinical Teaching Model to support literacy learning and teaching.
Intended learning outcomes
On completion of this subject, Teacher Candidates should be able to:
- Analyse models and theories of emergent language and literacy development to demonstrate an understanding of the concepts, substance and structure of language and literacy learning from birth to 8 years of age, including play-based learning.
- Synthesize understandings of early language and literacy development, appropriate pedagogical practices and curriculum planning, to set goals that challenge all learners.
- Critique, select, use and evaluate resources, including ICT, appropriate for the teaching of early reading and writing for diverse learners.
- Plan, structure, sequence, assess, evaluate and modify learning programs based on recent research into early language and literacy development and on diverse learning needs.
- Plan learning experiences that use a range of verbal and non-verbal communication strategies to manage and support student participation and promote engagement in learning.
Generic skills
This subject will develop the following set of key transferable skills:
- Clinical reasoning and evidence-based practice.
- Critical and creative thinking.
- Creativity and innovation.
- Learning to learn and metacognition.
- Responsiveness to a changing knowledge base.
- Reflection for continuous improvement.
- Linking theory and practice.
- Inquiry and research.
- Ethical and intercultural understanding.
Last updated: 10 February 2024
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
None
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
EDUC90705 Language & Literacy Learning in Children
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.
Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home
Last updated: 10 February 2024
Assessment
Description | Timing | Percentage |
---|---|---|
Literature Review: An analysis and synthesis of the literature on early language and literacy development
| Mid semester | 40% |
Unit of Work Development: Unit of work using a rich text to support language and literacy learning
| During the examination period | 60% |
Attendance Hurdle requirement: A minimum of 80% attendance at, or engagement with, all sessions identified as contact hours (may include lectures, tutorials, seminars and workshops, both synchronous and asynchronous). | Throughout the teaching period | N/A |
Last updated: 10 February 2024
Dates & times
- Semester 1
Principal coordinator Mode of delivery Dual-Delivery (Parkville) Contact hours 24 hours (16 hours of on campus classes and 8 hours of asynchronous online lectures). Total time commitment 170 hours Teaching period 28 February 2022 to 29 May 2022 Last self-enrol date 11 March 2022 Census date 31 March 2022 Last date to withdraw without fail 6 May 2022 Assessment period ends 24 June 2022 Semester 1 contact information
Last updated: 10 February 2024
Further information
- Texts
Prescribed texts
Fellowes and Oakley (2019), Language, Literacy and Early Childhood Education (3rd Ed.), Oxford University Press.
Recommended texts and other resources
Knoop-van Campen, C., Segers, E. & Verhoeven, L. (2018). How phonological awareness mediates the relation between working memory and word reading efficiency in children with dyslexia. Dyslexia, 24, 156 – 169.
Niklas, F., Cohrssen, C. & Tayler, C. (2016). Home Learning Environment and Concept Formation: A Family Intervention Study with Kindergarten Children. Early Childhood Education Journal, 44(5), 419.
Mackenzie, N. & Veresov, N. (2013). How drawing can support writing acquisition: Text construction in early writing from a Vygotskian perspective. Australian Journal of Early Childhood, 38(4), 22 – 29.
Nilsson, M., Ferholt, B. & Lecusay, R. (2018). ‘The play-exploring child’ Reconceptualising the relationship between play and learning in early childhood education. Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood, 19, 241 – 245.
Saracho, O. N. (2017). Literacy and language: new developments in research, theory and practice. Early Child Development and Care, 187(3-4), 55 – 88.
Sperry, D., Sperry, L. & Miller, P. (2019). Reexamining the verbal environments of children from different social backgrounds. Child Development, 1303 – 1308.
State Government of Victoria. (2018). Literacy Teaching Toolkit:
Weisleder, A. & Fernald, A. (2013). Talking to children matters. Early language experience strengthens processing and builds vocabulary, Psychological Science, 24(11), 2143 – 2152.
- Related Handbook entries
This subject contributes to the following:
Type Name Course Master of Teaching (Early Childhood and Primary) - Links to additional information
Melbourne Graduate School of Education: https://education.unimelb.edu.au/
Last updated: 10 February 2024