Course Outline

EDU796 English Language and Literacy

Course Coordinator:Michael Carey (mcarey@usc.edu.au) School:School of Education and Tertiary Access

2024Semester 2

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 develops your personal proficiency in, and knowledge of, the structure and usage of the English language and concepts of literacy acquisition. You will acquire knowledge of the different functions of language, textual features, traditional and functional grammar terms, and aspects of language and literacy acquisition. You will develop awareness of the essential role that English language and literacy plays from early childhood through to the secondary school years.

How will this course be delivered?

Activity Hours Beginning Week Frequency
Blended learning
Learning materials – Learning materials will be provided online to be completed each week. 2hrs Week 1 9 times
Tutorial/Workshop 1 – Face-to-face on-campus tutorial. 2hrs Week 1 10 times

Course Topics

  • What is language and literacy?
  • What are the parts of speech?
  • What is grammar?
  • What is genre?
  • Providing feedback on writing
  • Phonological awareness
  • Vocabulary acquisition
  • Spoken and written language
  • Language and literacy games and activities

What level is this course?

700 Level (Specialised)

Demonstrating a specialised body of knowledge and set of skills for professional practice or further learning. Advanced application of knowledge and skills in unfamiliar contexts.

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 advanced knowledge of English language structures and literacy Knowledgeable
Creative and critical thinker
1, 1.2, 2, 2.1, 2.2, 2.5, 5, 5.2
2 Reflect and critically analyse personal experience of language and literacy learning and the literature on the evolution of language and literacy teaching. Creative and critical thinker
Empowered
1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.5, 3.6, 6, 6.1, 6.2
3 Evaluate and adapt your personal English language and literacy competencies and needs for development. Knowledgeable
Engaged
2, 2.1, 2.2, 2.5, 6, 6.1, 6.2
4 Communicate proficiently using appropriate, coherent and cohesive English language at whole text, word and sentence level. Knowledgeable
Empowered
2.5, 3.5, 7, 7.1

* Competencies by Professional Body

CODE COMPETENCY
Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership
1 PROFESSIONAL KNOWLEDGE: Know students and how they learn
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.
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.
2.5 Literacy and numeracy strategies: Know and understand literacy and numeracy teaching strategies and their application in teaching areas.
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.
5 PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE: Assess, provide feedback and report on 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
6 PROFESSIONAL ENGAGEMENT: Engage in professional learning
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
7 PROFESSIONAL ENGAGEMENT: Engage professionally with colleagues, parents/carers and the community
7.1 Meet professional ethics and responsibilities: Understand and apply the key principles described in codes of ethics and conduct for the teaching profession.

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

Not applicable

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

A low-weighted (20%) written task (task 1) will provide early feedback on your knowledge of the course content, academic literacy and your communicative competency. Weekly blended learning activities will provide ongoing feedback to develop your language awareness from week 2 to week 8. Short, weekly quizzes on each weekly topic (Task 2a) will provide you with ongoing feedback on conceptual understanding of the learning materials.

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 Individual 20%
1000 words
Week 4 Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check
All 2a Quiz/zes Individual 15%
Fifteen-to twenty minute quizzes due weekly on Friday by 5 p.m.
Throughout teaching period (refer to Format) Online Test (Quiz)
All 2b Quiz/zes Individual 25%
Over 8 weeks you will complete 10 activities and that take approximately one hour each to complete.
Week 8 Online Test (Quiz)
All 3 Report Individual 40%
1500 words
Week 10 Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check
All - Assessment Task 1:Personal reflection
Goal:
To personally reflect upon your English language learning experience in relation to articles which describe the current and past history of English language teaching in Australia.
Product: Written Piece
Format:
Context: Your English language learning experience. Student’s role: Reflect personally. Audience: Your tutor. Mode: written. Medium: Reflective essay. Text type: Personal response in the first person but in an academic register.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1
Knowledge of explicit teaching of sentence level grammar.
1
2
Engagement with the topic of your personal language and literacy awareness through personal reflection.
2
3
Effectiveness of written communication.
4
Generic Skills:
Communication, Organisation, Information literacy
All - Assessment Task 2a:Learning material quizzes
Goal:
To consolidate your learning of the concepts presented in learning materials as nested assessment.
Product: Quiz/zes
Format:
Context: Your understanding of concepts delivered in the Learning Materials. Student’s role: Complete 9 quizzes; one in each week during weeks 1-9. Each quiz is due by Friday 5 pm each week from weeks 1-9. Mode: Canvas quizzes.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1
Apply knowledge of English language structures and academic literacy through weekly 15-minute quizzes to reflect upon and consolidate the knowledge presented to you in the Learning Materials.
2
Generic Skills:
Problem solving
All - Assessment Task 2b:MyLab Writing
Goal:
To apply your knowledge of four components of written English language: metalanguage and parts of speech; sentence level grammar; English punctuation, and English usage and style.
Product: Quiz/zes
Format:
Your English language knowledge. Student’s role: complete formative (graded) grammar activities. Mode: online. Medium: multiple choice and short response quizzes.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1
Application of knowledge about the form and function of formal academic written English.
1 3
Generic Skills:
Communication, Problem solving
All - Assessment Task 3:Phonological development report
Goal:
To critically analyse phonological development theory and synthesize this theory into the evaluation of, and formative feedback on an early learner's writing sample.
Product: Report
Format:
Context: Critical analysis of phonological development theory and its application to practice. Student’s role: Critically analyse phonological development theory and apply theory to the assessment and feedback of an early learner's writing sample. Mode: 1500 word written report.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1
Analysis of phonological theory as it applies to the development of writing ability.
1 3 4
2
Synthesis of phonological development theory into the evaluation of, and formative feedback on an early learner's writing sample.
1 4
3
Effectiveness of written communication.
4
Generic Skills:
Communication, Problem solving, Organisation

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 Lester Faigley,Gabriella Munoz,Michael Carey 2017 The Little Pearson Handbook 4th Australasian edition n/a

Specific requirements

Students require access to the internet and a laptop or PC to do assessment tasks on this course. For assessment task 2b, students will need to buy a MyLab Writing  licence. Details of how to purchase the resource will be provided closer to the commencement of classes.

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

Supplementary Assessment 
5.1 A student’s eligibility for supplementary assessment in a course is dependent on the following conditions applying:

(a) the final mark is in the percentage range 47 per cent to 49.4 per cent; and

(b) the course is graded using the Standard Grading scale.

5.2 Supplementary assessment is not a possible outcome of a Review of Final Grade. Where the review process requires the student to complete additional assessment to reach a determination on an appropriate final mark and grade, an interim notation of Alternative Exam (AE) or Alternative Assessment – other (AO) is applied.

5.3 Students whose final mark is less than 47 per cent at the time of the official release of grades will not become eligible for supplementary assessment should an application for a review of final grade result in an adjusted final mark in the range of 47 to 49.4 per cent.

Assessment: Submission penalties

7.8.2 Late submission of assessment tasks will be penalised at the following maximum rate (the rates are cumulative):

(a) five percent (of the assessment task’s identified value) per day for the first two days from the date identified as the due date for the assessment task;

(b) 10 percent (of the assessment task’s identified value) for the third day;

(c) 20 percent (of the assessment task’s identified value) for the fourth day and subsequent days up to and including seven days from the date identified as the due date for the assessment task; and

(d) a result of zero is awarded for an assessment task submitted seven days from the date identified as the due date for the assessment task.

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

  • In person:
    • UniSC Sunshine Coast - Student Central, Ground Floor, Building C, 90 Sippy Downs Drive, Sippy Downs
    • UniSC Moreton Bay - Service Centre, Ground Floor, Foundation Building, Gympie Road, Petrie
    • UniSC SouthBank - Student Central, Building A4 (SW1), 52 Merivale Street, South Brisbane
    • UniSC Gympie - Student Central, 71 Cartwright Road, Gympie
    • UniSC Fraser Coast - Student Central, Student Central, Building A, 161 Old Maryborough Rd, Hervey Bay
    • UniSC Caboolture - Student Central, Level 1 Building J, Cnr Manley and Tallon Street, Caboolture
  • Tel:+61 7 5430 2890
  • Email:studentcentral@usc.edu.au