Unit rationale, description and aim
A high level of literacy is essential to young people’s success in education, training, and the workplace. To teach literacy effectively, pre-service teachers must master literacy concepts and understand children’s language development. An informed appreciation of children’s literature is also central to literacy education.
This unit supports pre-service teachers in developing a deep understanding of children’s language development and the meanings conveyed through spoken, written, and multimodal texts. It explores theoretical frameworks of language with an emphasis on sociocultural, semiotic, and functional approaches. The unit builds knowledge of how language and literature support oral language development, lifelong literacy, and reading enjoyment.
Pre-service teachers will also engage with Indigenous literature to recognise Indigenous Australians’ deep spiritual connection to land and to value and respect their cultures. The unit promotes inclusive and culturally responsive teaching practices. The aim is to provide pre-service teachers with foundational content knowledge and pedagogical skills for teaching English and literacy across learning areas and in assessment. This includes selecting and using children’s literature and diverse resources that reflect the cultural richness of society. Strategies for fostering student engagement and literacy competency will be explored through theory, practical activities, and critical reflection.
Learning outcomes
To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.
Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.
Explore the graduate capabilities.
Analyse texts to explain how meaning is made by re...
Learning Outcome 01
Analyse and assess children’s language development...
Learning Outcome 02
Justify a varied selection of texts/children’s lit...
Learning Outcome 03
Justify the appropriateness/value of varied litera...
Learning Outcome 04
Demonstrate an understanding of the varying approa...
Learning Outcome 05
Content
Topics will include:
Knowledge:
- Language development and learning
- The relationship between cultural and situational contexts and language use.
- Imaginative, informative and persuasive texts.
- Functions of language and expressions of meaning: grammar, vocabulary, phonology and visual design in a range of texts
- Individual and sociocultural perspectives (e.g., gender, ethnicity, home language, ideology and context) and the influence on language and literacy development)
- Critical approaches to reading children’s literature and the influence of purpose, audience, and mode in oral, written and multimodal texts
Skills
- Linguistic analysis of grammatical, lexical, phonological and visual features in a range of spoken, written and multimodal texts
- Analysis of the language of literature (e.g., metaphor, alliteration, simile, poetic devices, the lexico-grammar of literature)
- Characteristics of literary genres in children’s literature (e.g., folk and fairy, realism, fantasy, historical, multicultural and Indigenous; non-fiction, post-modern poetry and multi-modal digital genres)
Assessment strategy and rationale
Assessment tasks in this unit are designed to progressively build knowledge and skills across the professional domains of knowledge, practice, and engagement, aligned with Graduate Attributes and the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (Graduate level). Each task supports the development of literacy pedagogy and prepares pre-service teachers for future units in the literacy sequence.
Minimum Achievement Standards
In order to pass this unit, pre-service teachers must a) submit all assessment tasks, b) achieve a pass (50%) or better in Assessment Task 1, c) achieve a pass (50%) or better in either Assessment Task 2 or 3 and d) achieve a pass (50%) or better in the unit overall.
Overview of assessments
Assessment Task 1: Analysis of language developme...
Assessment Task 1: Analysis of language development
Select and analyse a learner’s oral language sample to identify language used and evaluate their language development with reference to key language acquisition and development theories as well as grammar usage in spoken and written text.
30%
Assessment Task 2: Analysis of Texts Analyse and...
Assessment Task 2: Analysis of Texts
Analyse and evaluate four high quality printed, written and multimodal factual and imaginative texts (include Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander text) to explain purpose, context and how authors use language and visual design to make meaning to demonstrate an understanding of the interrelationship of words and pictures that supports language development, differences, and grammar features.
40%
Assessment Task 3: Applied Knowledge of Children’...
Assessment Task 3: Applied Knowledge of Children’s Literature
Select two of the four books used in Assessment task two. With these two books, assess the suitability of the texts for use in a classroom setting, specifically focusing on how they could be used to develop language and literacy skills.
30%
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
This 10-credit point unit is designed to require approximately 150 hours of study across the semester. It adopts a Constructivist approach within a sociocultural context, using diverse strategies to foster active and collaborative learning. Key components include: (1) lectures, which may be delivered as online workshops to promote engagement; (2) tutorials that consolidate content and develop analytical skills through problem-solving; and (3) independent online learning tasks supporting both autonomous and group work.
Students are encouraged to participate in all learning and assessment activities, including reading, reflection, discussion, webinars, podcasts, and videos. Whether studying on campus or online, all students must regularly access the Learning Management System to view lectures, receive announcements, engage in communication, submit assessments, and access feedback.
Students in both modes have equal access to academic support. Online learning requires reliable broadband and a headset with microphone for multimedia engagement and synchronous participation.
ACU Online supports active learning through choice, variety, and asynchronous weekly discussions. Students apply learning to real-world contexts, bring their own examples to tasks, and engage constructively with peers. Regular, timely feedback helps guide their progress and deepen their understanding of essential disciplinary knowledge.
Representative texts and references
Recommended references
Callow, J. (2013). The shape of text to come: How image and text work. Marrickville, NSW: Primary English Teaching Association Australia (PETAA).
Derewianka, B., & Jones, P. (2016). Teaching language in context (2nd ed.). South Melbourne, Vic: Oxford University Press.
Emmitt, M., Zbaracki, M., Komesaroff, L., & Pollock. J. (2015). Language and learning: An introduction for teaching (6th ed.). South Melbourne, Vic: Oxford University Press.
Fellowes, J., & Oakley G. (2020). Language, literacy and early childhood education (3rd ed). Melbourne, Vic: Oxford University Press
Flanagan, V. (2013). Similarity or difference: The problem of race in Australian picture books, Bookbird: A Journal of International Children’s Literature, Vol.51(2), pp.13-22.
Keifer, B., & Tyson, C. (2019). Charlotte Huck’s children’s literature: A brief guide (3rd ed. International student ed). New York NY: McGraw-Hill
McDonald, L. (2018). A literature companion for teachers (2nd ed.). Marrickville, NSW: Primary English Teaching Association Australia (PETAA).
McLeod, S., & McCormack, J. (2015). An introduction to speech, language and literacy. South Melbourne, Vic: Oxford University Press.
Owens, R.E. (2020). Language development: An introduction (10th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Pearson Education.
Serafini, F. (2014). Reading the visual: An introduction to teaching multimodal literacy. New York, NY: Teachers College Press.
Winch, G., Johnston, R., March, P., Ljungdahl, L., & Holliday, M. (2020). Literacy: Reading, writing and children’s literature (6th ed.). South Melbourne, Vic: Oxford University Press.
Zbaracki, M. (2023) Children’s Literature in the Classroom Sage.