Language and Literacy: Birth to 8 Years (EDUC91063)

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