Handbook home
Language and Literacy: F to Year 2 (EDUC91079)
Graduate courseworkPoints: 12.5Dual-Delivery (Parkville)
From 2023 most subjects will be taught on campus only with flexible options limited to a select number of postgraduate programs and individual subjects.
To learn more, visit COVID-19 course and subject delivery.
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 |
---|---|
Fees | Look up fees |
This subject introduces Teacher Candidates to theory, research and practice which informs teaching language and literacy in the early years of schooling. Emphasis is on theoretical perspectives of literacy acquisition which highlight the reciprocal relationship between oral language, reading and writing, and an understanding of literacy as a social practice. Essential aspects of early reading and writing are prioritised, especially phonological development including phonemic awareness, reading comprehension, phonics, oral language, vocabulary, reading fluency, language and grammar.
Teacher Candidates will develop specialised subject content knowledge for teaching and monitoring the language and literacy development of diverse early years learners, and of how this is organised in the Australian/Victorian English Curricula. Teacher Candidates will develop knowledge of effective teaching strategies and assessment tools and use the Clinical Teaching Model to identify students’ interests, abilities and needs to inform what to teach next.
Intended learning outcomes
On completion of this subject, Teacher Candidates should be able to:
- Critique theories of early reading and writing development to understand what students learn and how they learn.
- Examine pedagogical practices for teaching early literacy learners which includes managing classroom activities for all students that reflect the interrelatedness of oral language, early reading and writing when planning teaching.
- Assess student learning and analyse and interpret a range of assessment and diagnostic data to make sound and informed judgements about students' diverse learning needs and plan for differentiated teaching including strategies for using ICT.
- Synthesise knowledge of early literacy and language subject content, effective teaching strategies, and student assessment data, to support effective classroom communication and to meet specific and diverse learning needs when planning for improved outcomes for students across the full range of abilities and from diverse linguistic, cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds.
- Plan, structure and sequence early literacy learning programs for all students, including selection and evaluation of texts for the affordances they bring for the teaching of early reading, writing and oral language.
- Evaluate and improve programs for teaching early literacy including students from diverse backgrounds, for example, English as an additional language, low socio-economic backgrounds, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.
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.
- Teamwork and professional collaboration.
- 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
Corequisites
Non-allowed subjects
EDUC90367 Foundational English Literacy (no longer offered)
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 |
---|---|---|
Essay: A synthesis of theories and practices supporting teaching reading in the early years of primary school (Years F-2)
| Early semester | 50% |
Discussion paper: An analysis and discussion of theories and pedagogical practices for teaching writing in the early years of primary school (Years F-2)
| During the examination period | 50% |
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 Hyejeong Ahn Mode of delivery Dual-Delivery (Parkville) Contact hours 24 hours (8 x 2 hour on-campus workshops, and 8 x 1 hour on-campus 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
Hill, S. (2021). Developing Early Literacy Assessment and Teaching. (3rd ed)., South Yarra, Australia: Eleanor Curtain Publishing.
Recommended texts and other resources
A list of recommended readings will be provided via the LMS.
State Government of Victoria. (2018). Literacy Teaching Toolkit. https://www.education.vic.gov.au/school/teachers/teachingresources/discipline/english/literacy/Pages/default.aspx
- Related Handbook entries
This subject contributes to the following:
Type Name Course Master of Teaching (Primary) - Links to additional information
Melbourne Graduate School of Education: https://education.unimelb.edu.au/
Last updated: 10 February 2024