CR131

INTRODUCTION TO

LANGUAGE, LITERATURE AND LITERACY

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Unit Name Introduction to Language, Literature and Literacy

Unit Code CR131

Awards Bachelor of Education (Primary) Bachelor of Education (Middle Years) Bachelor of Education (Secondary) - English teaching area Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Education (Secondary) - English major

Core/Elective Core - Bachelor of Education (Primary) Bachelor of Education (Middle Years)

Elective - Bachelor of Education (Secondary) - English teaching area Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Education (Secondary) - English major

Prerequisite CR111 Introduction to Cross-Curricular Literacies (pass Literacy component)

Mode Internal

Weighting 10 credit points

Delivery/Contact hrs Class contact 42 hours Engagement with unit materials readings 35 hours Assignment preparation 63 hours Total 140 hours

Teaching Staff Colette Alexander

Unit Rationale The theory and practice of the teaching of English has undergone a number of radical changes in the latter half of the twentieth century. There have been a number of positions that have competed for attention in relation to the teaching of English and the debate has regularly spilled over into the media. This interest in and attention on the issues of literacy and literacy teaching has continued into the twenty-first century. While debate still rages about the legitimacy of various teaching models, methods and frameworks, much of the discussion has resulted in the polarising of positions that has not necessarily been helpful in providing for the literacy needs of school students. Furthermore, the ever-changing context and environment of the twenty-first century calls for a contemporary approach to the teaching of English that appropriately balances the needs of school students across a wide-range of multi-modal textual-types while maintaining competency in conventional literacy skills.

Consequently, this unit provides preservice teachers with a broad foundational framework for teaching English, taking a historical view of the various polarised positions in conceptualising, researching and teaching English both in Australia and internationally. Particularly, attention will be given to the work of theorists who have had significant impact upon current educational theory and syllabus documentation, including sociocultural, critical literacy and multiliteracies perspectives. The multi-layered nature of the structure of written and spoken English will be investigated through cultural, operational and critical aspects of language. These will then be related to their implications for teaching across speaking and listening, reading and viewing, and writing and designing. Attention will be given to those features of language useful to teachers of English, as they change over the various phases of learning. A Christian perspective of language will also be integrated in the analysis and critique of approaches to the teaching of English.

SAMPLE

Learning Outcomes:

On completion of this unit, preservice teachers will have provided evidence that they have:

1. Understood the sub-systems of linguistics, and their implications for teaching English. 2. Explored the form and design of conventional, multimodal and culturally diverse texts, including

children‟s literature, used to engage meaningfully in contemporary culture. 3. Articulated Christian perspectives of language and the teaching of English. 4. Critically analysed and evaluated different approaches to teaching English in relation to contemporary

research, policy and theory. 5. Identified the literate, numerate and digital demands expected of school students engaging in learning

in the English learning area. 6. Engaged with pedagogical strategies, tools and resources mediated through ICT technologies, relevant

to the English learning area. 7. Identified quality praxis in relationship to the strands and sub-strands of English curriculum

documentation. 8. Written at an appropriate tertiary standard: (with special attention to correct grammar, punctuation,

spelling, vocabulary, usage, sentence structure, logical relations, style, referencing and presentation).

Content:

Week Topic

1

Introduction to the study of language

- Curriculum documentation: key concepts and processes - The relationship between language and literacy - The role of texts and resources in language classrooms; engaging children‟s literature

2

Introduction to linguistic structure

- Semantic, syntactic, morphemic and phonemic structures of English and other languages - Connections with the teaching of reading and writing - Identifying linguistic structures in children‟s literature

3

Introduction to traditional approaches to grammar

- Text-type, sentence, clause and word-based analyses of language usage - The direct teaching of Latin-based grammar - Matching children‟s literature to grammatical concepts

4

Introduction to functional approaches to grammar

- Systemic functional linguistics; genre, multimodal and design-oriented analyses of language - A whole language approach to teaching English - Comparing contrived texts with authentic literature

5-8

Theoretical understandings of the teaching of ‘Reading and Viewing’

- Investigation of evidence-based practices for teaching reading - Comparison of bottom-up and top-down approaches to teaching reading - Development of decoding strategies - Development of encoding strategies - Contemporary literary theory; critical literacy in the classroom - Integration of children‟s literature as a tool for teaching reading

9-12

Theoretical understandings of the teaching of ‘Writing and Designing’

- Investigation of evidence-based practices for teaching writing - Comparison of process-based with genre approaches to teaching writing - Analysis of the social and functional processes of different genres - Unpacking and scaffolding text-types, purpose, audience, subject matter and text structure - Development of functional and traditional grammars for different text-types

SAMPLE

13

Theoretical understandings of the teaching of ‘Speaking and Listening’

- Investigation of evidence-based practices for speaking and listening - Formal and informal speaking - Structured and unstructured listening - Reading and telling culturally-diverse children‟s stories; including indigenous stories

14 Considering language, literature and literacy in school contexts

- Meta-cognitive reflections on the syllabus and the teaching of English and literacy

Set Text Requirements:

Anstey, M & Bull, G 2004, The Literacy Labyrinth, 2nd

edn, Prentice Hall, Sydney.

All state and national syllabus documentation, including:

- Early Years Curriculum Guide: Language learning and communication - Year 1 Learning Statements: Language learning and communication - Essential Learnings: English - Essential Learnings: LOTE - Essential Learnings: Literacy Indicators - Australian Curriculum: English

Recommended Readings:

Anstey, M 2002, Literate Futures: Reading. Education Queensland and Access Ed, Brisbane.

Celce-Murcia, M & Olshtain, E 2000, Discourse and Context in Language Teaching: A Guide for Language Teachers, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK.

Coiro, J, Knobel, M, Lankshear, C & Leu DJ (eds.) 2008, Handbook of Research on New Literacies, Lawrence Erlbaum, New York.

Cope, B & Kalantzis, M (eds.) 2000, Multiliteracies: Literacy Learning and the Design of Social Futures, Macmillan, South Melbourne.

Emmitt, M, Komesaroff, L & Pollock, J 2006, Language and Learning, 4th edn, Oxford University Press,

Melbourne.

Halliday, MAK 2009, The Essential Halliday, Continuum, London.

Halliday, MAK 2007, Language and Society, Continuum, London.

Healy, A 2000, Teaching Reading and Writing in a Multiliteracies Context: Classroom Practice, Post Pressed, Flaxton, QLD.

Kalantzis, M, Cope, B & Fehring, H 2002, Multiliteracies: Teaching and Learning in the New Communications Environment, PETA, vol. 133, March, pp. 1-8.

Lankshear, C & Knobel, M 2003, New Literacies: Changing Knowledge and Classroom Learning, Open University Press, Buckingham, UK.

Lo Bianco, J, & Freebody, P 2001, Australian Literacies, 2nd

rev. edn, Language Australia, Melbourne.

Pitt, J 1995, Critical Literacy: A Personal View, Department for Educational and Children‟s Services, Millswood, SA.

Assessment:

Assessment Item Topic/s Learning Outcomes

assessed Week Due Weighting

Literature Folio (2000 words)

Part A: Read and review a minimum of 20 texts designed for use with children; including picture, novel, non-fiction and multimodal texts.

Part B:Identify and explain links between the texts and various components of the strands and organisers in the English syllabus; with particular emphasis on reading and viewing

1-8 Part A: Week 5

Part B: Week 9

Part A: 20%

Part B: 20%

SAMPLE

Research Paper (1500 words)

Develop a concept map and research paper that explores the breadth and depth of relevant theoretical and practical concepts, ideas and issues for the teaching and learning of writing and designing within the English syllabus.

1-8 Week 13 40%

STEP Activity and Report (1000 words)

Conduct and report on two STEP activities relating to the English key learning area. The activities must incorporate engagement with a child. The report should describe the experience and reflect upon its relevance to the development of literacy and English.

1, 2, 5-8 Week 14 20%

Unit Overview:

This unit introduces different approaches to teaching English. Preservice teachers will engage with language structure, language learning, and pedagogy. There is an emphasis on the critical evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of literacy teaching strategies in relation to scholarly research. Attention is also given to the importance of teaching emerging forms of technological, multi-modal, and culturally-diverse textual practices in the context of globalisation.

SAMPLE