Monash University Handbook 2011 Postgraduate - Unit

Refer to the specific census and withdrawal dates for the semester(s) in which this unit is offered.

Synopsis

Only offered to Cohorts.
This unit presents the theoretical and empirical bases of effective literacy instruction, the learning process and the principles, strategies, skills and knowledge for effective literacy teaching. It incorporates important ideas from relevant curriculum documents and teaching frameworks (VELS, PoLT E5 etc). It advocates explicit teaching, integrating literacy learning across the curriculum and the use of data to inform teaching and learning.

Objectives

1. Develop an understanding of the principles of learning and teaching (PoLT) and how this relates to effective literacy pedagogy and student outcomes
2. Develop a knowledge of evidence based strategies that support the development of reading, writing, viewing and oral language in both the early and middle years of school
3. Explore explicit teaching practices in relation to aspects of literacy such as reading, grammar, phonics, writing etc
4. Develop a critical understanding of various literacy assessment strategies including running records, observation surveys, moderation, NAPLAN, TORCH, on line survey etc
5. Apply the E5 instructional model in relation to literacy pedagogy in roles both as a literacy leader and educator.
6. Develop a knowledge of the various debates surrounding literacy teaching and learning and the new theoretical frameworks that inform both a socio-cultural and a pedagogy of multi-literacies
7. Develop a knowledge of the research related to underperforming groups in literacy eg boys, low socio economic, Indigenous, ESL
8. Examine the various approaches and strategies related to underperforming groups in literacy.

Assessment

1. Workshop: Individually or in pairs design and implement a workshop for colleagues using the E5 instructional framework related to some aspect of effective literacy learning (4000 words, Objectives 1,2,3,4,5 & 6): 50%; and
2. Research paper: Write a research paper related to an underperforming group of students (eg. Boys, Indigenous, ESL etc) (4000 words, Objectives 7 & 8):50%

Chief examiner(s)

Dr. Jennifer Rennie

Contact hours

Workload requirement of 24 hours per week