Unit rationale, description and aim
At a time of rapid ongoing societal change as a result of globalisation and internationalisation, effective English language skills are of increasing importance. Educational institutions, therefore, require teachers and allied professionals with specialist knowledge and skills in English language teaching.
This second unit in the specialisation, Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), focuses on the meaning-making (semiotic) resources needed to participate effectively in 21st century literacies. Students will develop their knowledge of metalanguage, examine the structure of language at the word, sentence and text level and demonstrate how discourse and grammatical resources function differently across contexts. Students will also consider the structures and functions of multimodal texts and explore practical resources that enhance meaning making in written, spoken and multi-modal texts. Students will apply these concepts to P-12 years of schooling in relation to the Australian Curriculum: English as well as to other teaching and learning contexts.
The aim of this unit is to support students in developing the required specialist knowledge, understanding and skills to use metalanguage effectively in English language learning and teaching.
Campus offering
No unit offerings are currently available for this unitLearning 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 an understanding of the nature and dev...
Learning Outcome 01
Show an understanding of the interdependent relati...
Learning Outcome 02
Develop a meta-language for talking about key semi...
Learning Outcome 03
Investigate, analyse and systhesise research relat...
Learning Outcome 04
Reflect critically on policy and curriculum relate...
Learning Outcome 05
Incorporate a knowledge of language into curriculu...
Learning Outcome 06
Content
This unit will comprise one compulsory module and one elective module. In the elective module, students will use the knowledge of semiotic resources (including multimodal resources) from the core module to research, interpret, analyse and synthesise policy and practices specific to a selected context.
1.Core module
- Understanding theories of language and developing a metalanguage for use with the Australian Curriculum, English
- Genre and register: broad and specific contexts for learning language
- Language as a toolkit of semiotic resources for making meaning
- The functional organisation of the semiotic toolkit: 4x meta-functions
- The organisation of the semiotic toolkit as 4x levels (whole text, phase, sentence, word/expression)
- Building a metalanguage for expressing ideas across levels of text
- Building a metalanguage for connecting ideas across levels of text
- Building a metalanguage for interacting with others across levels of text
- Building a metalanguage for creating cohesive texts across levels of text
2.Elective modules (select one)
- The metalanguage in early childhood contexts
- The metalanguage in primary school contexts
- The metalanguage in secondary curriculum contexts
- The metalanguage in workplace contexts
- The metalanguage in TESOL contexts
- Assessing language learning and planning for progress
- Leading the development of a whole-school metalanguage and applications across the curriculum.
Assessment strategy and rationale
In order to successfully complete this unit, postgraduate students need to complete and submit two graded assessment tasks. The assessment strategy used allows students to demonstrate their knowledge and skill related to a metalanguage for 21st-century literacies.
The first task (20%), related to the core module, requires students to demonstrate their competence in metalanguage; the second task (30%) is a written assignment analysing texts from a student and developing a support plan. The third task (50%) is related to the chosen elective module where students apply a 4X4 perspective to interpreting texts.
Assessment Tasks
The assessment will relate directly to the achievement of the outcomes above. Some flexibility may be exercised in the assessment tasks to align with the needs of the student cohort, for example, students may be working in a classroom, in an administrative role or currently on leave from teaching.
Overview of assessments
Assessment Task 1 Portfolio (Core Module) Week...
Assessment Task 1
Portfolio (Core Module)
Weekly exercises in building metalanguage, including reflection on the value of a socio-cultural approach to language in literacy education
20%
Assessment Task 2 Written Assignment (Core Modu...
Assessment Task 2
Written Assignment (Core Module)
Using the metalanguage, along with curriculum or NAPLAN documents, analyse two texts from one student and develop a plan for supporting future progress
30%
Assessment Task 3 Written Assignment (Elective ...
Assessment Task 3
Written Assignment (Elective Module)
Apply a 4 x 4 perspective to interpreting texts in specific contexts and plan for curriculum change
50%
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
This unit is offered in multi-mode and will be supported by a Canvas site. Engagement for learning is the key driver in the delivery of this curriculum. The unit will facilitate active participation in pedagogical approaches that demonstrate alignment of teaching, learning and assessment.
This is a 10-credit point unit and has been designed to ensure that the time needed to complete the required volume of learning to the requisite standard is approximately 150 hours in total across the semester. To achieve a passing standard in this unit, students will find it helpful to engage in the full range of learning activities and assessments utilised in this unit, as described in the learning and teaching strategy and the assessment strategy. The learning and teaching and assessment strategies include a range of approaches to support your learning such as reading, reflection, discussion, webinars, podcasts, video, workshops, and assignments etc.
Australian Professional Standards For Teachers - Highly Accomplished/Lead
On successful completion of this unit, students should have gained evidence towards the following standards: