Units

---

Sample subject outline - Semester 2 2013

Note: Subject outlines often change before the semester begins. Below is a sample outline.

Rationale

English education is central to primary schooling in Australia and in an increasing number of international contexts. In this unit you will continue to learn about the structures and functions of the English language and begin to learn how to teach print reading and writing. For ED91 students the unit occurs towards the middle of your course. It builds on the language foundations studies of CLB004 and complements the multiliteracies studies of CLB007. For students in other courses the unit provides a stand-alone foundation in print literacy education.

Aims

The aim of this unit is to provide you with opportunities to build knowledge and skills for teaching diverse groups of children to read and write print literacies. As your personal and professional literacy skills are crucial for teaching, a further aim of the unit is for you to develop your own English literacy capabilities.

Objectives

On completion of this unit, you should be able to:

1. Understand and engage with theories of language, including its forms and features, in everyday and school situations. [QCT Standard 2]
2. Draw on curriculum, pedagogy and assessment frameworks to plan programs of explicit reading and writing instruction for linguistically, culturally and socially diverse groups of students, including learners of English as a Second or Foreign Language. [QCT Standard 2]
3. Demonstrate effective communication for teaching reading and writing practices to diverse student groups and provide evidence of attaining acceptable standards of academic, professional and personal spoken and written English language literacies relating to this unit. [QCT Standard 2]

Content

This unit includes the following topics:

• Knowledge of English language structures and functions - phonology and sound-symbol relationships, syntax, morphology and lexicology


• Teaching and assessing reading and writing - phonemic awareness, phonics, reading fluency, vocabulary, handwriting, spelling, sentence-level grammar, comprehension

Approaches to Teaching and Learning

Tutorials will provide opportunities for demonstrations and discussions of literacy teaching approaches and explicit instruction in language structure and functions. They are complemented by guided readings from the unit textbook and online learning activities and lectures.

Assessment

All students will complete three assessment tasks: i) an online quiz on phonological knowledge and awareness of English; ii) a professional plan for teaching one aspect of print literacy in English; and iii) a written examination testing literacy instructional principles and approaches, in addition to morphology, lexicology and sentence-level knowledge of English.

NB. As the assessment pieces target different elements of the unit content, you must pass all three assessment pieces in order to pass the unit.Formative assessment will be provided during demonstration and discussion activities in class and online activities. Summative assessment will be provided through the online quiz, the assignment and the examination.

Assessment name: Quiz/Online
Description: This assessment piece is a non-invigilated multiple choice quiz conducted through Blackboard. It tests your knowledge and awareness of the phonological structures of English.
Relates to objectives: 1
Weight: 20%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: End-Week 4

Assessment name: Professional Plans
Description: You will develop a plan for teaching an aspect of print literacy. You may select one of the following: phonemic awareness, phonics, reading fluency, vocabulary or spelling.
Relates to objectives: 2 & 3.
Weight: 30%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: Late Semester

Assessment name: Examination (written)
Description: This assessment piece is an invigilated examination. It will test your knowledge of morphology, lexicology and sentence-level structures of English. It will require you to apply your knowledge of literacy instructional principles and approaches to practical teaching activities.
Relates to objectives: 1, 2 & 3.
Weight: 50%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: End Semester

Academic Honesty

QUT is committed to maintaining high academic standards to protect the value of its qualifications. To assist you in assuring the academic integrity of your assessment you are encouraged to make use of the support materials and services available to help you consider and check your assessment items. Important information about the university's approach to academic integrity of assessment is on your unit Blackboard site.

A breach of academic integrity is regarded as Student Misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties.

Resource materials

You will make extensive use of the following textbook in class and in preparation for all your assement pieces. (Please note that the text is also used in CLB007).

Tompkins, G.E. (2009). Literacy for the 21st Century: A balanced approach (5th ed.). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson.

Other materials will be provided on Blackboard site as relevant.

If you have studied CLB004 or ED47 units at QUT, you are encouraged to make further use of resource materials from those units (e.g., resources pertaining to English grammar and language instruction).

Risk assessment statement

There are no out-of-the-ordinary risks associated with the general conduct of this unit. Workplace health and safety protocols in relation to computer use will apply.

Disclaimer - Offer of some units is subject to viability, and information in these Unit Outlines is subject to change prior to commencement of semester.

Last modified: 10-Jan-2013