Units

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Sample subject outline - Semester 1 2013

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

Rationale

As the senior years of schooling in Queensland do not culminate in external examinations, the Senior English Syllabus is central to your understanding of content and pedagogy essential for implementing learning and teaching. It is also the case that English teachers collaborate to plan and implement the curriculum and therefore such collaboration is central to your activity in this unit. You will accordingly develop the knowledge and skills for specialist teaching in Senior English. The Queensland Syllabus centralises literary and cultural studies, film and media studies and sociolinguistics. These elements of language and literacies education are a content focus in this unit. Furthermore, you will deepen your understanding of a range of contemporary issues surrounding linguistics and cultural studies that you have undertaken earlier in your course of study, which is why it appears in your final year of study.

Aims

The aims of this unit are for you to develop a theorized understanding of the Queensland Senior English Syllabus, Senior English Communication (SAS), and the Senior English Extension (Literature) Syllabus, and to understand how contributing disciplinary frameworks are drawn on in devising curriculum units for senior secondary students. You will implement this understanding by analysing and developing senior English programs, teaching and assessment strategies which are appropriate for the needs and interests of diverse learners in particular sociocultural contexts. Through exploring current theoretical and practical issues you will deepen your understanding of the complexity of English teachers' work in curriculum development and pedagogy.

Objectives

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

1. Demonstrate your understanding of contemporary evidence-informed language and literary theories, organising principles and specifications of the Queensland English Syllabus for Years 11 and 12, Senior English Communication (SAS), and the Senior English Extension (Literature) Syllabus. [QCT Standard 2]

2. Implement the language, literary and media and cultural studies disciplinary approaches which frame secondary English curriculum and pedagogy, including sound knowledge of language forms and features and textual structures of spoken, written, visual and multimodal texts. [QCT Standards 2 & 3]

3. Evaluate and develop senior English work programs, resources, teaching and assessment strategies which are congruent with the senior English Syllabus and appropriate for the needs and interests of diverse learners in particular sociocultural contexts. [QCT Standards 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5]

4. Research, collaborate, creatively design and present your understanding of central concepts modes of inquiry and contemporary issues in language and literary education in English. [QCT Standard 3]

Content

This unit will cover the following topics and contribute to your developing Professional Learning Profile:

• The focus of this unit is on English the language and literacy needs of learners in the post-compulsory years and beyond.



• The language learning frameworks of the Queensland Senior English Syllabus and Senior English Communication (SAS) are explored and implemented in developing appropriate learning experiences for senior students.



• You will apply the Syllabus concepts to the organisation of learning into work programs, units and learning experiences. Specific areas of language and literature studies will be explored, as frames for program and curriculum unit planning.



• Senior English assessment and reporting principles and practices will be covered.



• You will research and present your understanding of an issue relevant to English teachers today.

Approaches to Teaching and Learning

Internal mode

You will participate in a range of teaching strategies, including lectures, tutorials and workshops, collaborative group work and seminar presentations, web-forum discussions and self-directed learning. These are supported by appropriate library and web-based resources, set texts and readings and resources. Program and unit planning will be demonstrated through sample materials provided for critical analysis in tutorials, and online video resources, followed by inquiry based problem solving, modelling and joint construction to illuminate development processes. You will also have opportunities in workshops to plan worthwhile collaborative and individual learning and assessment activities for given materials, situations or students. And you will co-present the results of your investigations into an issue of concern to teachers of post-compulsory English students.

Internet mode

In this mode you will access online materials consisting of unit information, and a study guide, You will be directed in your study of selected readings, the set texts and English classroom materials. Collaborative learning opportunities are provided through online resources including video streams. Discussion forums connected to these video segments allow you to inquire collaboratively into the pedagogical problems posed by the series of videos. A series of exercises in the online study guide will enable you to develop and evaluate your learning. You will have the opportunity to participate in a web-based forum which invites you to become part of a community of learners with internal students.

Assessment

Assessment in the unit is both formative and summative. Formative assessment is provided for on-campus students through feedback from tutors and peers in workshops, and for external students through guided self-assessment on study guide activities. Formative assessment is also provided through written comments on the first assignment task. Summative assessment tasks are authentic, contribute to your learning, and are linked closely to the underlying principles of the unit. Each of the tasks will provide you with opportunities to demonstrate the unit outcomes:

Assessment name: Presentation (Oral or Group)
Description: Seminar on a topic of current significance for English teaching
In this assessment item, you will orally and in multimodal format, collaboratively present to your peers key points from a paper which briefly outlines an issue of current significance to English teachers, identifies relevant theoretical and curriculum implications, and suggests teaching and learning strategies for addressing aspects of the issue.
Length: 1000 words
Progressively presented by pairs / small groups throughout the semester in the week in which the relevant topic is covered in lectures. Externals will submit in multimodal format only.
Relates to objectives: 1, 2 & 4
Weight: 40%
Internal or external: Both
Group or individual: Group with Individual Component
Due date: Progressive

Assessment name: Professional Plans
Description: Senior English Work Program and Curriculum Unit
In this assessment item, you will develop for a specific senior secondary cohort a senior English work program which conforms to the requirements of the Queensland English Syllabus for Senior Years and draws on the disciplinary approaches which contribute to English studies. From this you will develop a curriculum unit with assessment task, criteria and standards for that task.
Length: 3000 words
Due: Week prior to Field Studies
Relates to objectives: 1, 2 & 3
Weight: 60%
Internal or external: Both
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: TBA

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

Texts
Miller, M., & Colwill, R. (2003). Queensland Senior English: Theory-practice connections. Melbourne: Macmillan.

Queensland Board of Senior Secondary School Studies. (2002). Senior syllabus in English. Brisbane: Queensland Board of Senior Secondary School Studies.

Recommended texts
Rigby, G. & Veerman, M. (Eds). (2000). Senior English for Queensland. Melbourne: Heinemann.

Sawyer, W. & Gold, E. (2004). Reviewing English. Melbourne: Phoenix.

Williams, L. (2007) Secondary English Teaching: a survival manual, Volumes 1 and 2 . Rochedale South, Qld.: Wordsmart Consulting

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: 29-Oct-2012