Monash University Handbook 2010 Undergraduate, Postgraduate - Unit

Synopsis

This unit provides pre-service languages teachers with an overview of and general rationale for the teaching of a LOTE in primary schools. Students will consider a range of factors that impact on the establishment of a P-6 LOTE program and the integration of such a program within the larger school curriculum. The focus is mostly practical, emphasising the importance of planning and sequencing lessons. It builds skills in the development of integrated units of work and emphasises the importance of cross curricular planning involving classroom teachers. The course covers strategies for teaching in a range of primary school settings and primary language programs.

Objectives

Upon successful completion of this unit students should be able to:

1. Familiarize themselves with current language curriculum developments and their primary school pedagogical implications;
2. Develop awareness of the needs and interests of different student groupings in the primary school setting;
3. Develop lesson plans with clearly expressed objectives and appropriate sequencing of exercises and activities;
4. Design a variety of ways of developing the 4 macro-skills for communication individually and in combination;
5. Explore various strategies for monitoring and reporting on students' progress in language learning;
6. Develop a unit of work which encompasses strategies for a multi-level class and incorporates intercultural knowledge; and
7. Use their understandings about second language acquisition to reflect critically on their fieldwork experience.

Assessment

This unit is graded Pass Grade Only (PGO); Assessment task 1: Develop an integrated unit of work (2,000 words, 50%); Assessment task 2: An oral and written annotated bibliography of language classroom materials and resources, and of alternative approaches to teaching and learning in primary school language programs (2,000 words or equivalent; 50%).

Chief examiner(s)

Dr Margaret Gearon

Contact hours

3 hrs per week

Prerequisites

EDF4117 or EDF 5486 or EDF5488, A post-year 12 major in a language or its equivalent.

Co-requisites

EDF4411. Students must be enrolled simultaneously in a professional experience unit(s).

Prohibitions

EDF5489 Languages other than English (LOTE) education 2B