Details for Language and Literacy

This subject enables the pre-service teacher to develop their communication skills for academic and professional life, especially in regard to the teacher’s relationship with parents/carers and the community while understanding the principles and theories behind language and literacy development.

Awards offering Language and Literacy

This unit is offered as a part of the following awards:

• Bachelor of Arts (Education Studies)
• Bachelor of Education (Primary)
• Diploma of Education Studies

Unit Content

Curriculum Objective

This subject enables the pre-service teacher to develop their communication skills for academic and professional life, especially in regard to the teacher’s relationship with parents/carers and the community while understanding the principles and theories behind language and literacy development. The effective teaching of language, literature and literacy depends on the pre-service teacher’s theoretical understanding in preparation for the practical application in CRS203 English: Part A and CRS303 English: Part B.

Outcomes

1. Critically examine and review curriculum documents and approaches based on current research into early language and literacy;
2. Identify and validate contemporary theories and practices about language and literacy education in the light of Christian and alternate worldviews;
3. Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of physical, social and intellectual development and characteristics of students, including students with diverse needs e.g. linguistic, cultural, socioeconomic;
4. Understanding the role of external professionals and community representatives and sensitivity and confidentiality when working with parents/carers;
5. Demonstrate understanding of assessment strategies including informal and formal diagnostic formative and summative approaches to assess student learning
6. Identify and articulate the individual learning and assessment needs of EALD students and provide a practical application.

Subject Content

1. Child Language and literacy development from child to adolescent (brain development, adult role in language acquisition; Vygotsky, Bruner, Piaget, Clay, Cambourne); language benchmarks for age levels, (e.g. First Steps Continuums, OECD, National Benchmarks, NSW English continua and syllabus outcomes and indicators from Early Stage 1, and Stages 1, 2, 3, and link between 3 and 4); children’s contexts either Christian worldview or alternative worldviews. 
2. Literacy encompasses the knowledge and skills students need to access, understand, analyse and evaluate information, make meaning, express thoughts and emotions, present ideas and opinions, interact with others and participate in activities at school and in their lives beyond school: behaviours and dispositions assist students to become effective learners; students managing their own learning to be self-sufficient; working harmoniously with others; being open to ideas, opinions and texts from and about diverse cultures; returning to tasks to improve and enhance their work; and being prepared to question the meanings and assumptions in texts; supporting parents/carers in cultivating literacy at home;
3. Taxonomies e.g. Gagne, Bloom (cognitive), Krathwohl (affective); cross-cultural issues in literacy development - oral cultures, second language learners: role of the home language in second language and sociocultural intellectual development; multiliteracies and school literacy, a metalanguage for literacies, critical thinking skills and embedded numeracy skills.
4. Meaning-making through - talking and listening, writing, reading and viewing; interrelationships in language and literacy acquisition and development. Oral Language: relationship between context and text, language structures and features (text structure, grammar and conventions); contributing skills and strategies (interaction skills, presentation skills, listening skills, contextual and semantic, grammatical, graphological, phonological).
5. Strategies to engage students in multicultural and multilingual classrooms to read and compose texts more effectively and value English literacy acquisition. Different theoretical frameworks for teaching English as a second language (including contemporary critical theory in TESOL), and 1st phase learners; culturally inclusive curriculum; use of interpreters, collaborating with bilingual families and agencies. 

This course may be offered in the following formats

• Face-to-Face
• Distance/ Global Online

Please consult your course prospectus or enquire about how and when this course will be offered next at Alphacrucis University College.

Assessment Methods

1. Forum Posts (25%)
2. Interview Analysis (25%)
3. Major Project (50%)

Prescribed Text

References will include the most current curriculum requirements for schools.

The NESA English K-10 Syllabus and Australian Curriculum: English.

Check with the instructor each semester before purchasing any prescribed texts or representative references