Understanding Language and Literacy
Overview
This unit will help pre-service teachers to understand the development of language and literacy skills for children in the early years (from birth to eight years of age), and the implications that it will have on planning, teaching and learning. The unit introduces pre-service teachers to theoretical perspectives that underpin the development of language and literacy. Pre-service teachers will explore learning environments, experiences, activities and strategies for developing children’s oral language and early writing in different settings with links made to relevant guiding curriculum documents. In addition, pre-service teachers will examine culture and home language, develop strategies for teaching children learning English as a second language, and explore the concept of parent-educator partnerships.
Requisites
09-February-2025
01-June-2025
08-June-2025
05-October-2025
02-November-2025
08-February-2026
Learning outcomes
Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:
- Draw upon a range of research and theoretical perspectives to inform the planning and teaching of oral language development in the early years
- Examine and present an approach for teaching oral language and early writing skills in the early years.
- Reflect on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander approaches to learning and teaching literacy and languages
- Design culturally and linguistically sensitive approaches that support connection with families and strengthens family literacy practices.
Teaching methods
Hawthorn
| Type | Hours per week | Number of weeks | Total (number of hours) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Live Online Lecture | 1.00 | 12 weeks | 12 |
| On-campus Class | 2.00 | 12 weeks | 24 |
| Specified Activities Various | 6.00 | 8 weeks | 48 |
| Unspecified Activities Independent Learning | 5.50 | 12 weeks | 66 |
| TOTAL | 150 |
Swinburne Online
| Type | Hours per week | Number of weeks | Total (number of hours) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Online Directed Online Learning and Independent Learning | 12.50 | 12 weeks | 150 |
| TOTAL | 150 |
Assessment
| Type | Task | Weighting | ULO's |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essay | Individual | 40% | 1,2 |
| Portfolio | Individual | 60% | 2,3,4 |
Content
- Definitions of language and literacy
- Theories of language and literacy development
- Components of language e.g. phonology, semantics, grammar, morphology, pragmatics
- Oral language development in the early years
- Early writing development in the early years
- Culture, language and oral traditions
- Strategies to support children whose home/first language is a language other than English
- Contemporary research into literacy development
- Digital technologies in language and literacy development
- Government policies and guiding curriculum documents related to English and literacy – links to EYLF (Early Years Learning Framework) and or the VEYLDF (Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework) and relevant National and/or State or Territory curriculum
- Personal literacy skills
- Graduate Attribute - Communication Skills: Communicating using different media
- Graduate Attribute - Digital Literacies: Information literacy
Study resources
Reading materials
A list of reading materials and/or required textbooks will be available in the Unit Outline on Canvas.