Course Title: Teaching Early Literacy

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Teaching Early Literacy

Credit Points: 12.00

Terms

Course Code	Campus	Career	School	Learning Mode	Teaching Period(s)
TCHE2697	City Campus	Postgraduate	360H Education	Face-to-Face	Sem 1 2024

Course Coordinator: Robyn Cox

Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 9925 8315

Course Coordinator Email: Robyn.cox2@rmit.edu.au

Course Coordinator Location: City

Course Coordinator Availability: By appointment

Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

None

Course Description

This course will explore aspects of language and society by introducing how language works and most importantly how language and literacy learning is built on a foundation of oral language use. Using Vygotskian theories of language and thought and the movement to inner speech, you will be introduced to the language learner’s development from oral language to written language using the rich basis of storytelling and other oral traditions and picture books. These oral traditions will be foregrounded using theory from the field of English as an Additional Language or Dialect (EAL/D).  

A close focus on the National reading panel report (NRP 2000) and the resultant Big Five (NRP, 2000) or Big Six (Konza, 2016) will be the focus of the unit. Building on this knowledge, you will develop an understanding of evidence-based teaching approaches that develop phonemic awareness and introduce phonic knowledge. This course will cover vocabulary knowledge, fluency and reading comprehension. The importance of using pedagogical strategies with a sound evidence base will also be strongly foregrounded throughout this course. 

A range of pedagogical strategies together with an overview of resource selection will form a central part of this unit. You will have the opportunity to build your own linguistic knowledge to support your teaching in this unit.

Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

This course contributes to the following program learning outcomes

PLO1 Apply educational professional practice in diverse contexts while actively contributing to a more sustainable world and engaging with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and globally inclusive perspectives. 

PLO2 Create learning environments that articulate a broad and holistic understanding of the needs of learners and society based on evidence-informed practices and theoretical perspectives. 

PLO4 Apply professional knowledge, self-awareness, judgment and research skills to develop agile education solutions and make evidence-based decisions for application in specific teaching environments. 

Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to:  

		Graduate APST
1.	Explain the links between language and thought	2.1
2.	Justify the importance of evidence-based pedagogy in teaching early reading based on the meta-analysis of the National Reading Panel (NRP)	2.2
3.	Justify the importance of technical knowledge about language in teaching early reading.	2.1, 2.5  5.5
4.	Critique a range of resources and materials for teaching early reading.	2.2
5.	Describe and critique methods for assessing phonemic awareness, phonic knowledge and reading comprehension in the early years.	2.1

 

 

 

Overview of Learning Activities

You will be actively engaged in a range of learning activities such as workshops, tutorials, seminars, project work, class discussion, individual and group activities. Teaching and learning may be face to face, online, or a combination of both.

Overview of Learning Resources

RMIT will provide you with resources and tools for learning in this course through our online systems. 

There are services available to support your learning through the University Library. The Library provides guides on academic referencing and subject specialist help as well as a range of study support services. For further information, please visit the Library page on the RMIT University website and the myRMIT student portal. 

Overview of Assessment

You will be assessed on how well you meet the course’s learning outcomes (CLO) and on your development against the program learning outcomes. The assessment is also mapped against the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APST).  

Assessment Tasks 

	Title	Weighting	CLOs	APSTs
AT 1	Quiz	20%	1, 2, 3	2.1, 2.2, 2.5
AT 2	Essay	35%	2, 3, 5	2.1, 2.2, 2.5
AT 3	A series of four lessons in a learning sequence	45%	4	2.2

 

Feedback will be given on all assessment tasks. 

If you have a long-term medical condition and/or disability it may be possible to negotiate to vary aspects of the learning or assessment methods. You can contact the program coordinator or Equitable Learning Services if you would like to find out more. 

Your course assessment conforms to RMIT assessment principles, regulations, policies, procedures and instructions.