Unit rationale, description and aim
To achieve educational goals and contribute to an informed society, all pre-service teachers must develop strong literacy and numeracy skills as a foundation for learning. This unit equips pre-service teachers with strategies for embedding explicit literacy and numeracy instruction into effective teaching and learning sequences across secondary school curriculum areas.
Pre-service teachers will explore the literacy and numeracy demands of various subjects and how these skills must be developed for learners from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds. The unit draws on current research to build understanding of teaching reading, writing, speaking, and listening for curriculum learning. It also introduces a metalanguage for teaching and assessing spoken, written, visual, symbolic, and graphic representations within multimodal texts.
In addition, pre-service teachers will identify numeracy demands within their discipline areas and extend their knowledge of evidence-based approaches to teaching numeracy. The unit culminates in the development of high challenge/high support strategies that differentiate instruction to meet the diverse needs of students, including those from non-English speaking backgrounds.
The aim is to support pre-service teachers in designing inclusive, responsive, and academically rigorous learning experiences that promote literacy and numeracy across all areas of the secondary curriculum.
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.
Demonstrate mastery of literacy and numeracy skill...
Learning Outcome 01
Critically reflect on theory and classroom practic...
Learning Outcome 02
Use relevant questioning, assessment strategies an...
Learning Outcome 03
Use theoretical models, student data and pedagogic...
Learning Outcome 04
Design and integrate literacy and numeracy learnin...
Learning Outcome 05
Content
Topics will include:
- The nature of literacy, language and numeracy and their role in learning in the different areas of the curriculum.
- Issues related to the nature and duration of second language and literacy learning and outcomes of schooling for different cultural/linguistic groups.
- Contemporary understandings of research evidence related to teaching reading, writing, speaking, listening in relevant curriculum contexts and levels.
- Contemporary understandings of research evidence related to the teaching of numeracy in relevant curriculum contexts and levels.
- Language as a social process, meta-language and numeracy in context.
- Constructions of literacy and numeracy in relevant state, territory and national curriculum and support documents from upper primary level through to secondary level.
- Integrating numeracy and literacy within culturally responsive learning frameworks.
- The purpose and structure of different types of spoken, written, visual, graphic and multimodal texts.
- Introduction to systems of grammar and discourse used in current curriculum and assessment documents.
- A range of strategies used for the explicit teaching of literacy and numeracy.
- Task design, construction and critical evaluation of resources used in the teaching of literacy and numeracy.
- Strategies for evaluating, developing, assessing, monitoring and programming for literacy and numeracy development relevant for the different curriculum areas.
Assessment strategy and rationale
The assessment tasks and their weightings are designed to enable pre-service teachers to progressively demonstrate achievement of course learning outcomes and meet academic and professional standards. This unit focuses on building knowledge, practice, and engagement aligned with the Graduate Attributes and the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APST) at Graduate level.
Assessment Task 1 focuses on identifying the literacy demands of a teaching area, student needs, and strategies to support literacy development. Assessment Task 2 targets numeracy, requiring pre-service teachers to identify numeracy demands and propose strategies to support student learning in their subject area. These tasks are designed to support sustained learning and demonstrate achievement across all unit learning outcomes. Pre-service teachers are expected to engage with weekly readings, complete practice tasks, and submit all assessments.
Minimum Achievement Standards
To pass this unit, pre-service teachers must a) submit all assessment tasks, b) demonstrate achievement of each learning outcome, c) achieve a pass (50%) or better in Assessment Task 1 (Critical Task) and d) achieve a pass (50%) or better in Assessment Task 2 (Critical Task).
This unit includes two Critical Tasks:
- Assessment Task 1 – Assessing and Addressing Literacy Learning Needs
- Assessment Task 2 – Assessing and Addressing Numeracy Learning Needs
Overview of assessments
Assessment Task 1: Critical Task - Assessing and...
Assessment Task 1: Critical Task - Assessing and Addressing Literacy Learning Needs (Group task)
Pre-service teachers will identify key literacy skills for linguistic minority students, create learner profiles using diagnostic data and feedback, and design differentiated tasks to help students read and compose challenging texts aligned with curriculum goals. Strategies will support EAL/D and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander learners and incorporate digital resources.
50%
Assessment Task 2: Critical Task - Assessing and ...
Assessment Task 2: Critical Task - Assessing and Addressing Numeracy Learning Needs
Pre-service teachers will identify key numeracy skills and common misconceptions, create student profiles using diagnostic data and feedback, and design a differentiated task with teaching notes to support students in achieving a curriculum goal. Tasks will address diverse learning needs and incorporate digital resources.
50%
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
The learning and teaching strategy for this unit recognises that learning builds on pre-existing understandings and is shaped by a learner’s sociocultural context. In line with the chosen learning and teaching strategy, this unit includes content delivery designed to encourage active learning and engagement, and teaching methods to consolidate the learning of content, apply knowledge to problem-solving tasks and develop analytical and evaluating skills. The learning and teaching strategy is achieved through a range of learning activities such as reading, reflection, discussion, and engagement with webinars, podcasts and video resources.
Australian Professional Standards for Teachers - Graduate Level
In connection to the learning outcomes, on successful completion of this unit, pre-service teachers should have developed the following industry specific knowledge based on the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers - Graduate Level standards:
Relating toDemonstrate knowledge of teaching strategies that are responsive to the learning strengths and needs of students from diverse linguistic, cultural, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO4
Relating toDemonstrate broad knowledge and understanding of the impact of culture, cultural identity and linguistic background on the education of students from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO4
Relating toDemonstrate knowledge and understanding of the concepts, substance and structure of the content and teaching strategies of the teaching area.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO3, LO5
Relating toOrganise content into an effective learning and teaching sequence.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO5
Relating toUse curriculum, assessment and reporting knowledge to design learning sequences and lesson plans.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO3
Relating toKnow and understand literacy and numeracy teaching strategies and their application in teaching areas.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO4, LO5
Relating toImplement teaching strategies for using ICT to expand curriculum learning opportunities for students.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO5
Relating toPlan lesson sequences using knowledge of student learning, content and effective teaching strategies.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO5
Relating toInclude a range of teaching strategies.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO5
Relating toDemonstrate knowledge of a range of resources, including ICT, that engage students in their learning.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO5
Relating toDemonstrate broad knowledge of strategies that can be used to evaluate teaching programs to improve student learning.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2
Relating toIdentify strategies to support inclusive student participation and engagement in classroom activities.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO5
Relating toDemonstrate understanding of assessment strategies, including informal and formal, diagnostic, formative and summative approaches to assess student learning.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO3
Relating toDemonstrate understanding of assessment moderation and its application to support consistent and comparable judgements of student learning.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO3
Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL) Core Content
On successful completion of this unit, pre-service teachers should have developed the following industry specific knowledge based on the AITSL Core Content:
Relating toHow to deliver effective reading instruction that attends to how the brain learns to read through systematic and explicit teaching practices for the following elements: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension and oral language.
Relevant learningLO2, LO3, LO4, LO5
Relating toThe research that shows explicit reading, and writing comprehension instruction tailored to discipline-specific content improves students’ academic understanding and engagement with material, as well as their overall academic performance.
Relevant learningLO1, LO2, LO4, LO5
Relating toHow to explicitly deliver reading and writing instruction through discipline and discipline-specific curriculum and pedagogical studies as outlined in standard 4.2.
Relevant learningLO2, LO3, LO4, LO5
Relating toA conceptual understanding of the six strands of mathematics: number, algebra, geometry, measurement, statistics and probability; and the four proficiencies: understanding, fluency, problem solving and reasoning.
Relevant learningLO1
Relating toThe research that shows numeracy is a fundamental component of learning, discourse, and critique across all areas of the curriculum and improves students’ understanding of and engagement with material within and beyond the mathematics curriculum.
Relevant learningLO1
Relating toHow to deliver explicit numeracy instruction followed by a progressive removal of scaffolding as students become more proficient through a combination of underpinning mathematical concepts and skills (numerical, spatial, graphical, statistical, and algebraic); mathematical thinking and strategies; and general thinking skills as appropriate to discipline and discipline-specific curriculum and pedagogical studies as outlined in standard 4.2.
Relevant learningLO2, LO3, LO4, LO5
Relating toThe importance of independent problem-solving once a student approaches proficiency in underpinning mathematical concepts.
Relevant learningLO2, LO5
Representative texts and references
The Australian Curriculum: https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/.
National Numeracy Learning Progressions: https://v8.australiancurriculum.edu.au/resources/national-literacy-and-numeracy-learning-progressions/national-numeracy-learning-progression/.
Recommended texts
Clark. U. (2019). Developing language and literacy in English across the secondary school curriculum An inclusive approach. Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-93239-2
Herbert, S., Muir, T., & Livy, S. (2020). Characteristics of a secondary school with improved NAPLAN results. Mathematics Education Research Journal, 32(3), 387–410. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13394-019-00304-y
Humphrey, S. (2017). Academic literacies in the middle years: A framework for enhancing teacher knowledge and student achievement. Routledge.
Humphrey, S., & Vale, E. (2020). Investigating model texts for learning. Primary English Teaching Association of Australia.
Humphrey, S. & Vidal Lizama, M. (2020). Developing ‘Bridging’ Semiotic and Pedagogic Knowledge for Pre-Service Subject Area Teachers in the ‘New Mainstream’. In Cardozo-Gaibisso, L. & Vazquez Dominguez, M. (Eds.). Advancing Language Equity Practices with Immigrant Communities: Learning in and Out of Schools. IGI Global
Jones, P., Matruglio, E., & Edwards-Groves, C. (Eds.). (2022). Transition and continuity in school literacy development. Bloomsbury Academic.
Main, K., Pendergast, D., & Bahr, N. (Eds.). (2017). Teaching middle years : rethinking curriculum, pedagogy and assessment (3rd ed.). Allen & Unwin.
Miller, J., & Armour, D. (2021). Supporting successful outcomes in mathematics for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students: a systematic review. Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education, 49(1), 61–77. https://doi.org/10.1080/1359866X.2019.1698711
Morrison, S., & McLafferty, L. (2018). Bridging the Gaps in Mathematics and Numeracy: Supporting Schools in Practitioner Research. Educational and Child Psychology, 93–.
Unsworth, L., Cope, J., & Nicholls, L. (2019). Multimodal literacy and large-scale literacy tests : Curriculum relevance and responsibility. The Australian Journal of Language and Literacy, 42(2), 128–139. https://doi.org/10.3316/aeipt.223598
Westwood, P.S. (2021). Teaching for numeracy across the age range : An introduction. Springer.