Issues in Literacy Development and Teaching (9880.3)
| Available teaching periods | Delivery mode | Location |
|---|---|---|
| View teaching periods | On-campus |
Bruce, Canberra |
| EFTSL | Credit points | Faculty |
| 0.125 | 3 | Faculty Of Education |
| Discipline | Study level | HECS Bands |
| School Of Teacher Education | Level 4 - Undergraduate Advanced Unit | Band 1 2021 (Commenced After 1 Jan 2021) Band 1 2021 (Commenced Before 1 Jan 2021) |
Learning outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:1. Grasp the ways to deal with specific language and literacy needs of all learners, including those from Indigenous backgrounds or who have EAL/D (English as an additional language or dialect);
2. Demonstrate the ability to examine, evaluate and develop different types of unit plans for student groups from prior-to-school and school-based settings;
3. Identify assessment strategies including formal and informal diagnostic, formative and summative approaches to assess and support student's literacy learning including EAL/D students;
4. Use appropriate strategies to differentiate teaching and create Tier 2 interventions to meet specific needs of students in literacy learning including EAL/D students; and
5. Demonstrate communication, interpersonal and organisation skills.
Graduate attributes
1. UC graduates are professional - employ up-to-date and relevant knowledge and skills1. UC graduates are professional - take pride in their professional and personal integrity
1. UC graduates are professional - work collaboratively as part of a team, negotiate, and resolve conflict
2. UC graduates are global citizens - communicate effectively in diverse cultural and social settings
2. UC graduates are global citizens - think globally about issues in their profession
Prerequisites
11763 Foundations of Early Literacy Instruction AND 9886 The Practice (PCK) of Teaching EnglishCorequisites
None.Incompatible units
None.Equivalent units
None.Assumed knowledge
None.| Year | Location | Teaching period | Teaching start date | Delivery mode | Unit convener |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Bruce, Canberra | Semester 1 | 16 February 2026 | On-campus | Mrs Julia Davies-Duff |
| 2027 | Bruce, Canberra | Semester 1 | 15 February 2027 | On-campus | Mrs Julia Davies-Duff |
Required texts
Core Readings and unit resources:
Castles, A., Rastle, K., & Nation, K. (2018). Ending the reading wars: Reading acquisition from novice to expert. Psychological science in the public interest, 19(1), 5-51.
Hempenstall, K., & Buckingham, J. (2016). Read about it: Scientific evidence for effective teaching of reading. St Leonards, NSW: Centre for Independent Studies Limited.
Hochman, J. C., & Wexler, N. (2024). The Writing Revolution: A Guide to Advancing Thinking Through Writing in All Subjects and Grades. John Wiley & Sons.
Wheldall, K., Wheldall, R., & Buckingham, J. (Eds.). (2023). Effective instruction in reading and spelling. MRU Press.
Additional readings and resources will be made available on the unit Canvas site.
Submission of assessment items
Extensions & Late submissions
All assignment tasks must be submitted through UCLearn (Canvas).
Approval of extenuating circumstances will be dependent upon the production of supporting documentation and at the discretion of the unit convener.
All assessment items required to be submitted online must be submitted via the appropriate Canvas drop box. It is the student's responsibility to upload the correct and corresponding draft or assessment item to the right submission section. Assignments must be submitted in a format accessible to the assessor(s), as stated on the relevant canvas site. If the unit convener and/or tutor are unable to access a submission, or if no submission has been made by the due date and time, a standard late penalty of 10% of the total marks possible for the task may be applied per day, for three days, after which the submission will receive a score of ‘0' in keeping with UC's Assessment Policy.
Artificial Intelligence
Students may use generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) as indicated in the assessment instructions for this unit.
GenAI may only be used in authorised ways when completing assessments at UC. This means that GenAI can only be used for an assessment when:
1. The Unit Convener has authorised its use for that assessment;
2. The student uses it in the way that the assessment instructions allow for;
3. The student fully acknowledges its use, with appropriate citations and references. Each referencing guide provided by the Library provides advice on how to appropriately reference the use of GenAI in-text.
Where the assessment instructions do not specifically state that GenAI may be used and how, then its use is not allowed for that assessment. If students are unsure, they should seek advice from the Unit Convener.
Students should be aware that the University of Canberra utilises GenAI detection software. Suspected instances of unauthorised GenAI use may lead to a Learning Validation Conversation' designed to provide assurance that a student is able to demonstrate relevant knowledge and skills to meet required learning outcomes. Students who are suspected of having misused GenAI in assessment may be required to attend a summary inquiry for suspected misconduct.
It is strongly recommended that students keep records of the development process for all works submitted for assessment, or drafts of work submitted for a work-in-progress review, in a learning portfolio or equivalent. Failure to provide evidence of the development process for assessment may influence a suspicion of GenAI misuse or other forms of academic misconduct.
The GenAI for Students Library Guide provides further information, including how to reference GenAI.
Special assessment requirements
All assessment items must be completed. An aggregate of 50% must be achieved to pass the unit.
Provision of valid documentation
Please note that the University takes student conduct very seriously. All documentation provided to University staff must be valid and the provision of fraudulent documentation carries with it potentially serious consequences, including suspension and/or exclusion from the University. Note that all allegations of student misconduct will be referred to the Associate Dean for Education (ADE) as a prescribed authority for investigation.
Students must apply academic integrity in their learning and research activities at UC. This includes submitting authentic and original work for assessments and properly acknowledging any sources used.
Academic integrity involves the ethical, honest and responsible use, creation and sharing of information. It is critical to the quality of higher education. Our academic integrity values are honesty, trust, fairness, respect, responsibility and courage.
UC students have to complete the Academic Integrity Module annually to learn about academic integrity and to understand the consequences of academic integrity breaches (or academic misconduct).
UC uses various strategies and systems, including detection software, to identify potential breaches of academic integrity. Suspected breaches may be investigated, and action can be taken when misconduct is found to have occurred.
Information is provided in the Academic Integrity Policy, Academic Integrity Procedure, and University of Canberra (Student Conduct) Rules 2023. For further advice, visit Study Skills.
Learner engagement
A breakdown of the workload for this unit is as follows:
10 lectures and tutorials: 30 hours
Weekly readings, online activities and revision: 60 hours
Assignment preparation, extended reading & research, writing: 60 hours
Inclusion and engagement
If you have a RAP or need specific reasonable adjustments, you are expected to make direct contact with your convenor/tutor at the beginning of the semester to clarify they understand your needs and discuss how adjustments may be personalised to support you for the specific requirements and expectations of this unit.
Participation requirements
Active engagement in all modules enhances your learning and is strongly advised. Unless specifically stated in the unit outline, there is no mandatory attendance requirement. However, you are strongly encouraged to attend timetabled activities, as they allow you to ask 'real time' questions to develop your understanding for the relevant assessment tasks.
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).
Your participation in both class and study activities will enhance your understanding of the unit content and therefore the quality of your assessment responses. Lack of participation may result in your inability to satisfactorily pass assessment items.
Required IT skills
Students will be expected to be competent with word processing and presentation programs, and with Canvas.
Artificial intelligence services must not to be used for assessment or assessment preparation by students unless explicitly allowed in the assessment instructions for an assessment task published with the assessment task and/or in the unit outline. That is, an artificial intelligence services may only be used if:
- its use is authorised by the unit convener as part of a specified
assessment task, and
- it is used in the way allowed in the assessment instructions and/or unit outline, and
- its use is appropriately referenced, meaning that students must reference the use of AI in their assessment in the same way as they reference other source material.
In-unit costs
None
Work placement, internships or practicums
None
Additional information
Theoretical foundations: This unit draws on the most recent curricular and pedagogical research in Australian literacy development and learning, with a focus on robust evidence-informed practice to teach and support literacy development and address difficulties.
Provision of information to the group
Notifications through the Canvas Announcements Forum or the Canvas Discussion Forums are deemed to be made to the whole class. It is the responsibility of the student to ensure that they check for announcements on the Unit's Canvas website. Students should ensure they check their student email regularly. The Canvas discussion forums will be checked by staff regularly.
Use of student email account
The University Email policy states that "students wishing to contact the University via email regarding administrative or academic matters need to send the email from the University account for identity verification purposes". Therefore all unit enquiries should be emailed using a student university email account. Students should contact servicedesk@canberra.edu.au if they have any issues accessing their university email account.
