Literacy Across Disciplines (8336.3)
| Available teaching periods | Delivery mode | Location |
|---|---|---|
| View teaching periods | ||
| EFTSL | Credit points | Faculty |
| 0.125 | 3 | Faculty Of Education, Science, Technology & Maths |
| Discipline | Study level | HECS Bands |
| Academic Program Area - Education | Level 3 - Undergraduate Advanced Unit | Band 1 2021 (Commenced After 1 Jan 2021) Band 1 2021 (Commenced Before 1 Jan 2021) |
The unit content is organised around you gaining the skills you need to teach the literacies upon which your subject is based.
This unit builds on students' knowledge of current literacy theories and understandings of language and literacy education as it pertains to the teaching of all secondary subjects. It emphasizes the effective teaching of reading and writing for secondary students applied across content areas using integrated, explicit and systematic instructional approaches. Inclusive approaches to literacy instruction will be addressed within the context of understanding child and adolescent development and in socio-cultural contexts.
Learning outcomes
On completion of this unit students should be able to:1. Demonstrate an understanding of the literacies (including ICT literacies) relevant to their specific KLA;
2. Know how the relevant national, state and territory curriculum documents describe their role as literacy teachers;
3. Demonstrate an understanding of the specific challenges that texts in their KLA present for many students;
4. Have more developed ideas about how to embed literacy issues into their unit and lesson planning; and
5. Know about, and understand the relevance of, seminal research literature about literacy teaching, especially as relevant to their own KLAs.
Graduate attributes
1. UC graduates are professional - communicate effectively1. UC graduates are professional - use creativity, critical thinking, analysis and research skills to solve theoretical and real-world problems
1. UC graduates are professional - work collaboratively as part of a team, negotiate, and resolve conflict
1. UC graduates are professional - display initiative and drive, and use their organisation skills to plan and manage their workload
2. UC graduates are global citizens - adopt an informed and balanced approach across professional and international boundaries
2. UC graduates are global citizens - understand issues in their profession from the perspective of other cultures
2. UC graduates are global citizens - communicate effectively in diverse cultural and social settings
2. UC graduates are global citizens - make creative use of technology in their learning and professional lives
2. UC graduates are global citizens - behave ethically and sustainably in their professional and personal lives
Skills development
What you willl be doing in the Unit:
You will conduct three cycles of an Action Research Project. This will involve conducting three sessions with a student of your choice (if you opt to work with a student in a school or similar setting, then you will need to have current Working With Vulnerable People registration).
In the first session, you will observe how the student manages a KLA-specific text. You will then reflect on what you observed, and subsequently teach two lessons to that student, drawing on what you are learning in this unit. These three sessions will help you to develop your thinking about the following Central Question:
‘Is spending time teaching literacy just a distraction from my core disciplinary business?'
Your planning, investigation and Moodle reflections and responses will be supported through our workshops and selected readings.
Prerequisites
Must have completed 48 credit points.| Year | Location | Teaching period | Teaching start date | Delivery mode | Unit convener |
|---|
Required texts
Cris Tovani (2004). Do I really have to teach reading? Stenhouse Publishers. (Available from UC Bookshop)
The Literacy Across Disciplines e-reserve will be organised into two sections. The first section includes resources about general literacy learning. The second includes KLA-specific readings.
Submission of assessment items
Extensions & Late submissions
Assessment items 1 and 3 must be uploaded to Moodle. Assessment item 2 is an oral assessment to be delivered in scheduled classes.
Late submission of assignments without an approved extension will result in a deduction of 5% per day. Assignments that are a week late or more will not be accepted. In extenuating circumstances a late submission may be considered upon the production of supporting documentation and at the discretion of the Unit Convener.
Special assessment requirements
Normally an aggregate mark of 50% is required to pass the unit.
Attendance at the workshops is compulsory. If for any reason you are unable to attend one of the workshops, you must discuss the problem with the Unit Convener, and/or provide a certificate from a professional.
Academic integrity
Students have a responsibility to uphold University standards on ethical scholarship. Good scholarship involves building on the work of others and use of others' work must be acknowledged with proper attribution made. Cheating, plagiarism, and falsification of data are dishonest practices that contravene academic values. Refer to the University's Student Charter for more information.
To enhance understanding of academic integrity, all students are expected to complete the Academic Integrity Module (AIM) at least once during their course of study. You can access this module within UCLearn (Canvas) through the 'Academic Integrity and Avoiding Plagiarism' link in the Study Help site.
Use of Text-Matching Software
The University of Canberra uses text-matching software to help students and staff reduce plagiarism and improve understanding of academic integrity. The software matches submitted text in student assignments against material from various sources: the internet, published books and journals, and previously submitted student texts.
Learner engagement
Delivery mode
There will be weekly workshops on campus. There will also be a compulsory online involvement (see Assignment 1 below).
The Unit Convener will be available for individual consultations, by appointment. Email duncan.driver@canberra.edu.au (this is better than trying to get me on my office phone).
Workload
Your workload in this unit will include:
· the time spent on your Literacy Project;
· time spent at the fourteen workshops;
· time spent preparing your online reflections and responding to the reflections of others;
· time spent reading and drawing on other resources;
· your preparation for the various assessments.
Participation requirements
Attendance at all scheduled sessions in this unit is compulsory and absences could result in a fail. All absences need to be supported by appropriate documentation.
Successful engagement with all learning activities in this accredited Initial Teacher Education course is necessary to demonstrate that you have met the Graduate career stage of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (AITSL, 2011).
It is recognised that sometimes absence is unavoidable. If you are absent for more than two sessions, however, your engagement with the unit could be considered unsatisfactory.
Required IT skills
None
Work placement, internships or practicums
The professional nature of this unit requires 100% participation at all learning activities for the successful completion of this unit (also see section 6c). If attendance requirements cannot be satisfied (e.g. timetable clash), it is recommended that you meet with an advisor at Student Central to schedule this unit for a future teaching period.
This unit may involve work conducted in ACT schools; such work requires strict adherence to professional practice and principles and ethics. School, student, and/or research participant confidentiality must always be maintained, including for assessment items such as reports or essays. It is essential that you hold a current ACT Working With Vulnerable People (WWVP) card.
Additional information
Foundation of the unit:
Theoretical foundations: This unit is based on current best practice and theory in literacy. It uses action research and inquiry based approaches to foster an authentic engagement with literacy across a range of disciplines.
Practice-led education: The learning and assessment items develop investigative skills and provide authentic opportunities for students to practise these skills in educational contexts.
Research-led education: This unit involves research-led education. There are active researchers delivering this unit who are able to engage students in deep and active learning and transmit to students their passion for the research they are caryring out.
