Course Outline

EDU347 Teaching Junior Secondary English

Course Coordinator:Joanne Casey (jcasey1@usc.edu.au) School:School of Education and Tertiary Access

2025Semester 1

UniSC Sunshine Coast

UniSC Moreton Bay

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

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

This course builds capacity to design and recognise effective pedagogy within English for students in Years 7 - 10. Using the Australian Curriculum: English, apply your knowledge, understanding and skills to interpret, implement and adapt learning, in order to engage Junior Secondary students.
You examine unit plans to inform lesson sequences with a focus on the teaching of literary texts. You integrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, culture or languages into learning activities and reflect on your developing teaching practice.






How will this course be delivered?

Activity Hours Beginning Week Frequency
Blended learning
Learning materials – You are required to engage with Learning Materials accessed through Canvas. 2hrs Week 1 9 times
Tutorial/Workshop 1 – The tutorials are face-to-face and required materials are provided weekly on Canvas. 2hrs Week 1 10 times

Course Topics

Australian Curriculum: English – Literary Texts in the Junior Secondary Classroom

Theories and the teaching of English - incorporating historical and current debates (e.g., Aliteracy, AI, Neuroscience)

Exploring literary texts for Junior Secondary students - oral narrative traditions and literature of First Nations Australians, classic and contemporary literature from wide-ranging Australian authors, and world literature including texts from and about Asia.

Teaching, including informal, diagnostic, and formative assessment of literary texts.

Using literary texts in the Junior Secondary Classroom to explore ideas and perspectives about human experience and cultural significance, interpersonal relationships, and ethical and global issues within real-world and fictional settings.

Organising and configuring the classroom to engage imaginatively and critically with literature and appreciate its aesthetic qualities.

What level is this course?

300 Level (Graduate)

Demonstrating coherence and breadth or depth of knowledge and skills. Independent application of knowledge and skills in unfamiliar contexts. Meeting professional requirements and AQF descriptors for the degree. May require pre-requisites where discipline specific introductory or developing knowledge or skills is necessary. Normally undertaken in the third or fourth full-time study year of an undergraduate program.

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 Apply your knowledge of the Australian Curriculum English Years 7- 10 to evaluate and justify teaching decisions. Knowledgeable
Ethical
1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.5, 2.6, 3.6, 4.5, 5.1, 5.2, 5.4, 5.5, 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 7.4
2 Demonstrate understanding of concepts, principles and structure of English pedagogy when using literary texts. Knowledgeable
Creative and critical thinker
1.2, 1.5, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.5, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 4.5
3 Interrogate English unit plans to interpret, implement and adapt learning sequences responsive to students in contemporary classrooms. Knowledgeable
Creative and critical thinker
Problem solving
1, 2, 3.4, 3.6, 5, 5.3
4 Communicate using appropriate, coherent, and cohesive English language at whole text, word, and sentence level. Knowledgeable
Organisation
Applying technologies

                                    
5 Set achievable, challenging learning goals to match student abilities and identify authentic assessment and moderation processes Organisation
Information literacy

                                    
6 Provide evidence of ability to use appropriate teaching strategies and resources such as ICT to support safe, responsible, and ethical learning and teaching decisions. Ethical
Applying technologies

                                    

* Competencies by Professional Body

CODE COMPETENCY
Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership
1 PROFESSIONAL KNOWLEDGE: Know students and how they learn
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 PROFESSIONAL KNOWLEDGE: Know the content and how to teach it
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.
3.1 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.
3.6 Evaluate and improve teaching programs: Demonstrate broad knowledge of strategies that can be used to evaluate teaching programs to improve student learning.
4.5 Use ICT safely, responsibly and ethically: Demonstrate an understanding of the relevant issues and the strategies available to support the safe, responsible and ethical use of ICT in learning and teaching.
5 PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE: Assess, provide feedback and report on student learning
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
5.3 Make consistent and comparable judgements: Demonstrate understanding of assessment moderation and its application to support consistent and comparable judgements of student learning.
5.4 Interpret student data: Demonstrate the capacity to interpret student assessment data to evaluate student learning and modify teaching practice.
5.5 Report on student achievement: Demonstrate understanding of a range of strategies for reporting to students and parents/ carers and the purpose of keeping accurate and reliable records of student achievement
6.1 Identify and plan professional learning needs: Demonstrate an understanding of the role of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers in identifying professional learning needs.
6.2 Engage in professional learning and improve practice: Understand the relevant and appropriate sources of professional learning for teachers
6.3 Engage with colleagues and improve practice: Seek and apply constructive feedback from supervisors and teachers to improve teaching practices.
7.4 Engage with professional teaching networks and broader communities: Understand the role of external professionals and community representatives in broadening teachers’ professional knowledge and practice.

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

Enrolled in Program (AE304 and an English Major or English Studies Extended Minor) or (ED315 and an English Minor)

Co-requisites

Not applicable

Anti-requisites

Not applicable

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

Self- reflection, peer feedback and online quiz.

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 Quiz/zes Individual 20%
60 minutes
Week 4 In Class
All 2 Oral and Written Piece Individual 40%
1500 words /4 minutes
Week 7 Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check
All 3 Artefact - Professional, and Written Piece Individual 40%
1500-2000 words
Week 10 Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check
All - Assessment Task 1:Quiz - including scenarios or videos with questions
Goal:
The goal of this task is to demonstrate your knowledge of the Australian Curriculum English Years 7- 10, including current and historical theoretical debates of teaching English.
Product: Quiz/zes
Format:
The purpose of this task is to demonstrate your knowledge of the Australian Curriculum English Years 7- 10, including current and historical theoretical debates.

The assessment comprises multiple choice questions and will include scenarios to evaluate.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1
Apply your knowledge of the Australian Curriculum English Years 7- 10, including current and historical theoretical debates of teaching English.
1
2
Communicate using appropriate, coherent, and cohesive English language at whole text, word, and sentence level for different purposes and audiences.
4
3
Provide evidence of ability to use appropriate teaching strategies and resources such as ICT to support safe, responsible, and ethical learning and teaching decisions.
6
Generic Skills:
All - Assessment Task 2:Multimodal Presentation
Goal:
The goal of this task is to demonstrate your understanding of the concepts, principles and practices for teaching literary texts in a contemporary Junior Secondary classroom. This includes the use of Generative AI.
Product: Oral and Written Piece
Format:
You examine the purpose and intent for teaching literary texts within contemporary Junior Secondary Classrooms. You select, review, and justify a choice of text for the purposes of teaching specific aspects of the Australian Curriculum: English. Your presentation introduces and discusses your choice of literary text. You then describe what your focus of instruction will be, how you would sequence learning (including diagnostic, formative, and summative assessment and moderation practices) and considerations for pedagogy, including the use of generative AI.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1
Apply your knowledge of the Australian Curriculum English Years 7- 10 to evaluate and justify teaching decisions.
1
2
Demonstrate understanding of concepts, principles and structure of English pedagogy when using literary texts.
2
3
Communicate using appropriate, coherent, and cohesive English language at whole text, word, and sentence level for different purposes and audiences.
4
4
Interrogate English unit plans to interpret, implement and adapt learning sequences responsive to students in contemporary classrooms.
3
5
Provide evidence of ability to use appropriate teaching strategies and resources such as ICT to support safe, responsible, and ethical learning and teaching decisions.
6
6
Set achievable, challenging learning goals to match student abilities and identify authentic assessment and moderation processes.
5
Generic Skills:
All - Assessment Task 3:Professional Conversation
Goal:
The goal of this task is to interrogate a English unit of work and discuss how you would adapt teaching for students in contemporary classrooms. This includes the use of generative AI.
Product: Artefact - Professional, and Written Piece
Format:
The purpose of this task is to interrogate a Year 7-10 English Unit plan. There are four parts to this task.
1. Interrogate the alignment among curriculum intent and the learning activities, strategies, resources used and assessment practices. Include the use of generative AI as a tool to achieve this outcome.

 2. Analyse two student work samples to further consider ongoing development for these students.

3. Engage in a professional discussion to moderate the outcomes of your analysis (this takes place during the tutorials in Weeks 8 and 9).

4. Write a critical reflection that outlines and reflects your interrogation, analysis and professional conversation, including your use of generative AI.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1
Apply your knowledge of the Australian Curriculum English Years 7- 10 to evaluate and justify teaching decisions
1
2
Demonstrate understanding of concepts, principles and structure of English pedagogy when using literary texts
2
3
Interrogate English unit plans to interpret, implement and adapt learning sequences responsive to students in contemporary classrooms.
3
4
Communicate using appropriate, coherent, and cohesive English language at whole text, word, and sentence level.
4
5
Set achievable, challenging learning goals to match student abilities and identify authentic assessment and moderation processes.
5
6
Provide evidence of ability to use appropriate teaching strategies and resources such as ICT o support safe, responsible, and ethical learning and teaching practices.
6
Generic Skills:

Assessment to competency mapping

Programme Delivery Mode Assessment Type Title Competency Teaching Methods
2020 Australian Professional Standards for Teachers
All delivery modes Artefact - Professional, and Written Piece Professional Conversation 2.5 Assessed
3.3 Assessed
6.3 Assessed
Oral and Written Piece Multimodal Presentation 1.5 Assessed
2.1 Assessed
2.2 Assessed
2.3 Assessed
2.4 Assessed
2.5 Assessed
Quiz/zes Quiz - including scenarios or videos with questions 1.2 Assessed
2.1 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.

Schedule

Period and Topic Activities
Module 1
Australian Curriculum: English – Rationale, Aims and Structure. 
Three interrelated strands with a focus on Literary Texts in the Junior Secondary Classroom
Theories and the teaching of English - incorporating historical and current debates (AI, Technology, Neuroscience)
Module 2
Teaching, including informal, diagnostic, and formative assessment of literary texts.
Actions to support diverse learners
Moderation, calibration, and feedback mechanisms
Exploring literary texts for Junior Secondary students - oral narrative traditions and literature of First Nations Australians, classic and contemporary literature from wide-ranging Australian authors, and world literature including texts from and about Asia.
Module 3
Using literary texts in the Junior Secondary Classroom to explore ideas and perspectives about human experience and cultural significance, interpersonal relationships, and ethical and global issues within real-world and fictional settings.
Organising and configuring the classroom to engage imaginatively and critically with literature and appreciate its aesthetic qualities.

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

There are no required/recommended resources for this course.

Specific requirements

Not applicable

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.

AccessAbility Services

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

Student Charter

UniSC is committed to excellence in teaching, research and engagement in an environment that is inclusive, inspiring, safe and respectful. The Student Charter sets out what students can expect from the University, and what in turn is expected of students, to achieve these outcomes.

General Enquiries

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