Course Outline

EDU213 Teaching English: Curriculum and Pedagogy

Course Coordinator:Kairen Call (kcall@usc.edu.au) School:School of Education and Tertiary Access

2025Semester 2

UniSC Sunshine Coast

UniSC Moreton Bay

UniSC Fraser Coast

Blended learning Most of your course is on campus but you may be able to do some components of this course online.

Online

Online You can do this course without coming onto campus.

Please go to usc.edu.au for up to date information on the
teaching sessions and campuses where this course is usually offered.

What is this course about?

Description

In this course you develop foundational knowledge and understanding of the developmental nature of English learning for early childhood and primary students. You will investigate the Australian Curriculum: English and are introduced to learning progressions. You will use this knowledge to select and evaluate a range of children's literature (early, middle and upper primary) and teach and assess progressions in oracy, language and literacy (at letter, word and text levels). You will use national and state curriculum frameworks, draw upon science of reading research, and apply these to students' developmental learning needs.

How will this course be delivered?

Activity Hours Beginning Week Frequency
Blended learning
Learning materials – You are required to engage and interact with asynchronous materials and activities accessed through Canvas modules, course readings, and required texts. 2hrs Week 1 9 times
Tutorial/Workshop 1 – Tutorials are face-to-face and materials and activities can be accessed through Canvas. 2hrs Week 1 10 times
Online
Learning materials – You are required to engage and interact with asynchronous materials and activities accessed through Canvas modules, course readings, and required texts. 2hrs Week 1 9 times
Tutorial/Workshop 1 – Tutorials are online via Zoom and materials and activities can be accessed through Canvas. 2hrs Week 1 10 times

Course Topics

Australian Curriculum: English and the Early Years Learning Framework

Queensland Kindergarten Learning Guidelines

Reading and writing research, including neuroscience research

Language Acquisition Theories

Oracy and language use - rhyme, rhythm, tone, pitch

Phonics, phonemic awareness, phonological awareness, morphology, spelling, punctuation, comprehension, fluency in reading and writing

Teaching strategies - explicit teaching of reading and writing

Lesson planning

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Perspectives

 

What level is this course?

200 Level (Developing)

Building on and expanding the scope of introductory knowledge and skills, developing breadth or depth and applying knowledge and skills in a new context. May require pre-requisites where discipline specific introductory knowledge or skills is necessary. Normally, undertaken in the second or third full-time year of an undergraduate programs.

What is the unit value of this course?

12 units

How does this course contribute to my learning?

Course Learning Outcomes On successful completion of this course, you should be able to... Graduate Qualities Mapping Completing these tasks successfully will contribute to you becoming... Professional Standard Mapping * Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership
1 Demonstrate foundational knowledge of the Australian Curriculum: English, and or the Early Years Learning Framework and the Queensland Kindergarten Guidelines. Knowledgeable
Information literacy
1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.5, 3.3, 3.4, 3.6
2 Select and analyse language features found in children's literature (including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander literary texts) across a range of genres and year levels using appropriate teaching strategies Knowledgeable
Engaged
Communication
1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 2.1, 2.2, 2.4, 2.5, 3.3, 3.4
3 Design and justify an English literacy teaching plan including content descriptors, learning sequences, informal assessment, and teaching strategies. Creative and critical thinker
Empowered
Communication
2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.5, 2.6, 3, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.6, 4.2, 5.1, 5.2
4 Communicate in written and oral forms using appropriate, coherent, and cohesive English language at text, word, and letter levels. Knowledgeable
Communication
Information literacy
3.5, 7

* Competencies by Professional Body

CODE COMPETENCY
Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership
1.1 Physical, social and intellectual development and characteristics of students: Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of physical, social and intellectual development and characteristics of students and how these may affect learning.
1.2 Understand how students learn: Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of research into how students learn and the implications for teaching.
1.3 Students with diverse linguistic, cultural, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds: Demonstrate knowledge of teaching strategies that are responsive to the learning strengths and needs of students from diverse linguistic, cultural, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds.
1.4 Strategies for teaching Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students: Demonstrate broad knowledge and understanding of the impact of culture, cultural identity and linguistic background on the education of students from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds.
1.5 Differentiate teaching to meet the specific learning needs of students across the full range of abilities: Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of strategies for differentiating teaching to meet the specific learning needs of students across the full range of abilities.
2.1 Content and teaching strategies of the teaching area: Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the concepts, substance and structure of the content and teaching strategies of the teaching area
2.2 Content selection and organisation: Organise content into an effective learning and teaching sequence.
2.3 Curriculum, assessment and reporting: Use curriculum, assessment and reporting knowledge to design learning sequences and lesson plans.
2.4 Understand and respect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to promote reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians: Demonstrate broad knowledge of, understanding of and respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures and languages.
2.5 Literacy and numeracy strategies: Know and understand literacy and numeracy teaching strategies and their application in teaching areas.
2.6 Information and Communication Technology (ICT): Implement teaching strategies for using ICT to expand curriculum learning opportunities for students.
3 PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE: Plan for and implement effective teaching and learning
3.1 Establish challenging learning goals: Set learning goals that provide achievable challenges for students of varying abilities and characteristics.
3.2 Plan, structure and sequence learning programs: Plan lesson sequences using knowledge of student learning, content and effective teaching strategies.
3.3 Use teaching strategies: Include a range of teaching strategies.
3.4 Select and use resources: Demonstrate knowledge of a range of resources, including ICT, that engage students in their learning.
3.5 Use effective classroom communication: Demonstrate a range of verbal and non-verbal communication strategies to support student engagement
3.6 Evaluate and improve teaching programs: Demonstrate broad knowledge of strategies that can be used to evaluate teaching programs to improve student learning.
4.2 Manage classroom activities: Demonstrate the capacity to organise classroom activities and provide clear directions
5.1 Assess student learning: Demonstrate understanding of assessment strategies, including informal and formal, diagnostic, formative and summative approaches to assess student learning.
5.2 Provide feedback to students on their learning: Demonstrate an understanding of the purpose of providing timely and appropriate feedback to students about their learning
7 PROFESSIONAL ENGAGEMENT: Engage professionally with colleagues, parents/carers and the community

Am I eligible to enrol in this course?

Refer to the UniSC Glossary of terms for definitions of “pre-requisites, co-requisites and anti-requisites”.

Pre-requisites

(EDU118 and EDU119 and enrolled in Program UB009) or enrolled in Program ED010 or ED011 or ED102 or ED303 or ED304 or ED306

Co-requisites

Not applicable

Anti-requisites

EDU113

Specific assumed prior knowledge and skills (where applicable)

Not applicable

How am I going to be assessed?

Grading Scale

Standard Grading (GRD)

High Distinction (HD), Distinction (DN), Credit (CR), Pass (PS), Fail (FL).

Details of early feedback on progress

During weeks 1 & 2 students' personal language skills will be assessed and feedback will be provided by tutors.

Assessment tasks

Delivery mode Task No. Assessment Product Individual or Group Weighting % What is the duration / length? When should I submit? Where should I submit it?
All 1 Written Piece Group 25%
1500 words
Week 4 In Class
All 2 Oral and Written Piece Individual 35%
6-8 minutes
Week 8 Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check
All 3 Written Piece Individual 40%
1800-2000 words
Week 10 Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check
All - Assessment Task 1:Children's Literature Resource
Goal:
The goal of this task is to apply knowledge of the relevant curricula (Australian Curriculum: English,  the EYLF and the QKLG) to produce a resource of appropriate literary texts for learning and teaching English.
Product: Written Piece
Format:
This assessment will take place in the Week Four Tutorial. You will need access to a laptop to complete this task.
In program-specific groups of 3 or 4, select four (4) literary texts for analysis drawing from different styles of text:

•	UB009 and ED303 students: Your text choice will include two texts appropriate for Kindergarten, one for Foundation Year, and one for either Year One, Year Two or Year Three.
•	ED304 students: Your text choice will include one text appropriate for Foundation Year, and one will be appropriate for either Year One, Two or Three. You will also choose two upper primary texts appropriate for two different year levels from Years Four, Five or Six.

UB009/ED303/ED304 students:
•	One text should be imaginative (narrative), one persuasive, and one informative.
•	One of the texts must represent Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stories and meaning.

UB009/ED303/ED304 students:
Using the template provided, identify how the four texts can contribute to the development of specific features of early reading; oracy, morphology, phonemic awareness, phonics, phonological awareness, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension (as appropriate).

UB009/ED303/ED304
Align each text and its identified area of early reading development with the relevant curricula content e.g., EYLF/QKLG for early childhood setting texts, and Language, Literature and/or Literacy Strands for lower and upper primary year levels in the Australian Curriculum: English.

Justify your alignment decisions in the template provided, explaining how specific examples from the text align with relevant curriculum documents. 

NB. This is a differentiated task. Four-year degree students (ED304 Primary and ED303 Early Childhood) and three-year degree students (UB009) may use different curricula and contexts as detailed above.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1
Selection of texts for style, genre, phase of schooling, and connection to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stories and meaning.
2
2
Identification of appropriate curriculum connections, including Language, Literature and Literacy Strands in the Australian Curriculum, and alignment to EYLF/QKLG where appropriate.
1 2
3
Justification of text choice to develop identified features of early reading.
1 2
4
English writing skills and accurate use of language conventions at text, word, and letter level.​
4
Generic Skills:
Communication, Problem solving, Organisation, Information literacy
All - Assessment Task 2:Teaching Strategies Presentation
Goal:
The goal of this task is to demonstrate knowledge and application of English teaching strategies appropriate to the chosen year levels.
Product: Oral and Written Piece
Format:
To complete this task, you will individually select one text from Task One for either Foundation Year, Year One or Year Two.

You will independently create a digital presentation to explain/demonstrate/justify the application of specific teaching strategies to teach three features of early reading. You will select one feature aligned with each of the English Strands.
•	Language Strand: Identify an early reading language feature and one aligned teaching strategy. 
•	Literacy Strand: Identify a phonic and word knowledge feature of early reading and one aligned teaching strategy. 
•	Literature Strand: Identify a literature strand feature of early reading and one aligned teaching strategy. 

You will relate your chosen teaching strategies to the practices of the Four Resources Model, showing your ability to align theory and practice.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1
Identification of language features, literature focus, and phonics/word knowledge curriculum descriptors aligned with the chosen texts.
1 2
2
Justification of selected teaching strategies to achieve the curriculum descriptor expectations, aligned with theory.
1 3
3
Explanation of the teaching strategy in practice.
3
4
Oral and written communication, and technical accuracy at the text, word, and letter level.
4
Generic Skills:
Communication, Organisation, Applying technologies, Information literacy
All - Assessment Task 3:Shared and guided reading and writing within a lesson
Goal:
The goal of this task is to develop a plan to teach reading and writing.
Product: Written Piece
Format:
This task requires you to plan to teach reading and writing using the Lesson Plan Template provided. 
This template provides the format and details for the lesson components. 
•	You will design a lesson plan aligned with the Australian Curriculum English content descriptors and your choice of children's text. 
• You will align appropriate teaching strategies with the content descriptors, text choice, and age of students. 
• In your lesson plan you will include plans for formative assessment, and consider transitions and routines. 
• In the justification section of the Lesson Plan Template, you will justify your chosen teaching strategies by making explicit connections between your decisions and theory.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1
Demonstrated knowledge of planning for teaching reading and writing using the Australian Curriculum.
1 2 3
2
Alignment of lesson planning goals, learning activities, teaching strategies and formative assessment.
1 3
3
Application of appropriate routines and transitions.
1 3
4
Justification for the lesson plan content and design aligned with the research literature.
3
5
Academic English writing skills are evident at text, word, and letter level​​
4
Generic Skills:
Communication, Problem solving, Organisation, Information literacy

Assessment to competency mapping

Programme Delivery Mode Assessment Type Title Competency Teaching Methods
2020 Australian Professional Standards for Teachers
All delivery modes Oral and Written Piece Teaching Strategies Presentation 1.2 Assessed
2.1 Assessed
2.2 Assessed
2.4 Practiced
2.5 Assessed
3.4 Assessed
Written Piece Children's Literature Resource 1.4 Practiced
2.1 Assessed
2.2 Assessed
2.4 Practiced
2.5 Assessed
3.3 Assessed
3.4 Assessed
Shared and guided reading and writing within a lesson 1.2 Practiced
2.1 Assessed
2.2 Assessed
2.3 Assessed
2.5 Assessed
3.1 Assessed
3.2 Assessed
3.3 Assessed
3.4 Assessed
3.5 Practiced
4.1 Practiced
4.2 Practiced
4.3 Practiced
5.1 Practiced
5.2 Assessed

Directed study hours

A 12-unit course will have total of 150 learning hours which will include directed study hours (including online if required), self-directed learning and completion of assessable tasks. Student workload is calculated at 12.5 learning hours per one unit.

What resources do I need to undertake this course?

Please note: Course information, including specific information of recommended readings, learning activities, resources, weekly readings, etc. are available on the course Canvas site– Please log in as soon as possible.

Prescribed text(s) or course reader

Please note that you need to have regular access to the resource(s) listed below. Resources may be required or recommended.

Required? Author Year Title Edition Publisher
Recommended Thompkins, Campbell, Green and Smith 2018 Literacy for the 21st Century 3 Pearson
Recommended Clay, Marie 2005 An Observation Survey 2 Heinemann

Specific requirements

A range of literary texts to use for lesson preparation
Lap top

How are risks managed in this course?

Health and safety risks for this course have been assessed as low. It is your responsibility to review course material, search online, discuss with lecturers and peers and understand the health and safety risks associated with your specific course of study and to familiarise yourself with the University’s general health and safety principles by reviewing the online induction training for students, and following the instructions of the University staff.

What administrative information is relevant to this course?

Assessment: Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is the ethical standard of university participation.  It ensures that students graduate as a result of proving they are competent in their discipline.  This is integral in maintaining the value of academic qualifications. Each industry has expectations and standards of the skills and knowledge within that discipline and these are reflected in assessment.

Academic integrity means that you do not engage in any activity that is considered to be academic fraud; including plagiarism, collusion or outsourcing any part of any assessment item to any other person.  You are expected to be honest and ethical by completing all work yourself and indicating in your work which ideas and information were developed by you and which were taken from others. You cannot provide your assessment work to others. You are also expected to provide evidence of wide and critical reading, usually by using appropriate academic references.

In order to minimise incidents of academic fraud, this course may require that some of its assessment tasks, when submitted to Canvas, are electronically checked through Turnitin.  This software allows for text comparisons to be made between your submitted assessment item and all other work to which Turnitin has access.

Assessment: Additional Requirements

Eligibility for Supplementary Assessment

Your eligibility for supplementary assessment in a course is dependent of the following conditions applying:
(a) The final mark is in the percentage range 47% to 49.4%; and
(b) The course is graded using the Standard Grading scale

Assessment: Submission penalties

Late submissions may be penalised up to and including the following maximum percentage of the assessment task’s identified value, with weekdays and weekends included in the calculation of days late:
(a) One day: deduct 5%;
(b) Two days: deduct 10%;
(c) Three days: deduct 20%;
(d) Four days: deduct 40%;
(e) Five days: deduct 60%;
(f) Six days: deduct 80%;
(g) Seven days: A result of zero is awarded for the assessment task.

The following penalties will apply for a late submission for an online examination:
Less than 15 minutes: No penalty
From 15 minutes to 30 minutes: 20% penalty
More than 30 minutes: 100% penalty

SafeUniSC

UniSC is committed to a culture of respect and providing a safe and supportive environment for all members of our community. For immediate assistance on campus contact SafeUniSC by phone: 07 5430 1168 or using the SafeZone app. For general enquires contact the SafeUniSC team by phone 07 5456 3864 or email safe@usc.edu.au.

The SafeUniSC Specialist Service is a Student Wellbeing service that provides free and confidential support to students who may have experienced or observed behaviour that could cause fear, offence or trauma. To contact the service call 07 5430 1226 or email studentwellbeing@usc.edu.au.

Study help

For help with course-specific advice, for example what information to include in your assessment, you should first contact your tutor, then your course coordinator, if needed.

If you require additional assistance, the Learning Advisers are trained professionals who are ready to help you develop a wide range of academic skills. Visit the Learning Advisers web page for more information, or contact Student Central for further assistance: +61 7 5430 2890 or studentcentral@usc.edu.au.

Wellbeing Services

Student Wellbeing provide free and confidential counselling on a wide range of personal, academic, social and psychological matters, to foster positive mental health and wellbeing for your academic success.

To book a confidential appointment go to Student Hub, email studentwellbeing@usc.edu.au or call 07 5430 1226.

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Ability Advisers ensure equal access to all aspects of university life. If your studies are affected by a disability, learning disorder mental health issue, injury or illness, or you are a primary carer for someone with a disability or who is considered frail and aged, AccessAbility Services can provide access to appropriate reasonable adjustments and practical advice about the support and facilities available to you throughout the University.

To book a confidential appointment go to Student Hub, email AccessAbility@usc.edu.au or call 07 5430 2890.

Links to relevant University policy and procedures

For more information on Academic Learning & Teaching categories including:

  • Assessment: Courses and Coursework Programs
  • Review of Assessment and Final Grades
  • Supplementary Assessment
  • Central Examinations
  • Deferred Examinations
  • Student Conduct
  • Students with a Disability

For more information, visit https://www.usc.edu.au/explore/policies-and-procedures#academic-learning-and-teaching

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