Unit rationale, description and aim
Identification of learning difficulties and providing intervention early reduces the impact of learning problems and can improve academic outcomes for individuals. Learning difficulties are increasingly prevalent in children and young people, as well as in those with disabilities, and Educational and Developmental Psychologists are in the position to assess the underlying nature of the learning difficulty, and provide recommendations and interventions that are empirically proven to be effective.
This unit will provide knowledge of the range of learning difficulties and exceptionalities, and the process of assessing these through standardised testing. There is a focus on developing assessment and communication skills to provide parents, teachers and individuals with clearly defined learning capabilities and appropriate recommendations for remediation. This will also include strategies and understandings to support the cultural safety, particularly in relation to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, of the assessment and intervention processes. The unit will cover developmental trends in the acquisition of literacy and numeracy skills, and the theories which attempt to explain difficulties in these areas of learning. Approaches to assessment and intervention will be covered in depth, with an emphasis on empirically validated procedures, cultural considerations and the role of interprofessional perspectives. The unit will also examine common comorbid conditions and how these affect assessment and intervention. The aim will be to learn how to apply learning theories to the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of specific learning disorders.
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.
Describe contemporary theories of learning and dev...
Learning Outcome 01
Explain the relevance of theories of learning and ...
Learning Outcome 02
Demonstrate knowledge of empirically validated ass...
Learning Outcome 03
Demonstrate an understanding of Aboriginal and Tor...
Learning Outcome 04
Content
Topic will include:
- Contemporary theories of learning
- Learning disabilities; structural, functional and information processing approaches
- Advanced assessment of educational achievement including recommendations for remediation
- Assessment of learning disabilities
- Reading decoding
- Reading comprehension
- Spelling and writing difficulties
- Evidence based interventions for reading difficulties
- Evidence-based interventions for maths difficulties
- Social emotional issues in children with learning difficulties
- Predictors of learning difficulties and comorbid conditions
Assessment strategy and rationale
The assessment strategy for this unit allows students to demonstrate their acquisition of knowledge, as well as the application of this knowledge. In order to best enable students to demonstrate unit learning outcomes and develop graduate competencies, standards based assessment is utilized, consistent with University assessment requirements. All assessment tasks in this unit are graded hurdle tasks because students must meet psychological practice standards set by the Psychology Board of Australia and the Australian Psychological Accreditation Council. The first assessment task will provide the students with the opportunity to demonstrate skills in critical evaluation of existing literature on the development of literacy/numeracy skills. The second assessment task will allow students to demonstrate skills in systematic searching and critically reviewing literature with regard to a particular learning exceptionality. The first two assessments will also develop and assess students’ skills in written communication. The final oral presentation will allow students to demonstrate clinical skills, sharing their knowledge with peers, as well as providing professional learning for others in the profession. This will provide an opportunity to develop and assess communication and intervention skills.
To pass this unit, students must demonstrate achievement of every unit learning outcome and pass all assessment tasks. The passing mark for each of the assessment tasks is 50%. If students fail their original submission (i.e., first attempt) they are provided with one additional opportunity to pass the assessment task (i.e., second attempt). If the student passes the second attempt, the highest mark that they can achieve on that assessment task is 50%.
Overview of assessments
Assessment Task 1 - Written Assignment &nbs...
Assessment Task 1 - Written Assignment
This assessment requires students to demonstrate their awareness and knowledge of contemporary theories/descriptions of one area of learning disability. This assignment requires students to critically evaluate the literature, including evidence for interventions related to their chosen area of focus, and the role of other professionals in assessment and treatment. The assignment will also address cultural considerations in relation to their chosen area.
Graded Hurdle (50%)
Assessment Task 2 - Written Assignment (Prac...
Assessment Task 2 - Written Assignment (Practice Guide)
This assignment requires students to work together to develop a detailed practice guide that demonstrates their in- depth knowledge of one major learning disability. This provides the opportunity to review and critically evaluate the relevant literature regarding the nominated learning disability, as well as provide a document at a standard to inform professional learning for colleagues and other psychologists.
Graded Hurdle (35%)
Assessment Task 3 - Oral Presentation ...
Assessment Task 3 - Oral Presentation
The presentation requires students to conceptualise a case related to a particular learning problem and to consider appropriate assessment and intervention, including the role of other professionals. Students will present in a professional forum to further develop their presentation skills.
Graded Hurdle (15%)
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
Students enrolled in postgraduate psychology units are provisionally registered psychologists who are required to deliver psychological services to clients as part of their training. This unit prepares students for working exceptional learners and involves skill development in assessment of learning exceptionalities and evidence based intervention. The unit is delivered in face-to-face mode with lecture and workshop components. Essential background information will be presented as lecture material. Workshop components are designed to enhance application, analysis, synthesis and evaluation of that information. Learning and teaching strategies include active learning, case-based learning, individual and group activities. This range of strategies will provide students with appropriate access to required knowledge and understanding of unit content and to allow them to meet the aim, learning outcomes and graduate attributes of the unit. Learning and teaching strategies will reflect respect for the student as an independent learner. Students will be expected to take responsibility for their learning and to participate actively within group activities.
Representative texts and references
American Psychological Association. (2019). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.
American Psychiatric Association. (2022). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed., text rev.).
Alloway, T. (2011). Improving working memory: Supporting students’ learning. London, UK: Sage.
Chinn, S. J. (2011). The trouble with maths: A practical guide to helping learners with numerous difficulties (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Routledge.
Emerson, J. & Baptie, P. (2nd Ed.). (2013). The dyscalculia assessment. London: Bloomsbury Education
Farrell, M. (2012). The effective teacher's guide to dyslexia and other learning difficulties (learning disabilities): Practical strategies (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Routledge.
Flanagan, D. P., Ortiz, S. O., & Alfonso, V. C. (2013). Essentials of cross-battery assessment (3rd ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley.
Kilpatrick, D. A. (2016). Equipped for reading success: A comprehensive, step-by-step program for developing phonemic awareness and fluent word recognition. UK: Silvereye
O’Donnell, A. M. (2012). Educational psychology: Reflection for action (3rd ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley.
Sherrington, T. (2019). Rosenshine’s Principles in Action. Suffolk: John Catt Educational Hollingsworth, J. & Ybarra, S. (2nd Ed.). (2017). Explicit Direct Instruction: The power of the well-crafted, well-taught lesson. US: Sage Publications
Sumeracki, M., Weistein, Y., & Caviglioli, O. (2018). Understanding how we learn: A visual guide. UK: Taylor & Francis
Westwood, P. (2011). Commonsense methods for children with special needs (6th ed.). London, UK: Routledge.
Victorian Aboriginal Education Association Inc. (2015). Protocols for Koorie Education in Primary and Secondary Schools. Melbourne: Author
Wyatt-Smith, C., Elkins, J., & Gunn, S. (2011). Multiple perspectives on difficulties in learning and literacy and numeracy. London, UK: Springer.