| Effective Term: | 2025/05 |
| Institute / School : | Institute of Education, Arts & Community |
| Unit Title: | Foundations of Language and Literacy |
| Unit ID: | EDECE2022 |
| Credit Points: | 15.00 |
| Prerequisite(s): | Nil |
| Co-requisite(s): | Nil |
| Exclusion(s): | Nil |
| ASCED: | 070103 |
| Other Change: | |
| Brief description of the Unit |
This unit will examine how young children learn to communicate from birth to six years. Emphasis will be placed upon children from a diverse range of cultural and linguistic backgrounds and the ways in which family, community, and educational environments influence language and emergent literacy learning and development. The unit will consider the literacy development of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children. Different theoretical perspectives will be explored so that pre-service teachers develop a deep understanding of the development of oral language. Literature, including poetry and storytelling, drama, music and play, will be studied as pedagogy to foster language and literacy. |
| Grade Scheme: | Graded (HD, D, C, P, MF, F, XF) |
| Work Experience Indicator: |
| No work experience |
| Placement Component: | |
| Supplementary Assessment:Yes |
| Where supplementary assessment is available a student must have failed overall in the Unit but gained a final mark of 45 per cent or above, has completed all major assessment tasks (including all sub-components where a task has multiple parts) as specified in the Unit Description and is not eligible for any other form of supplementary assessment |
| Course Level: |
| Level of Unit in Course | AQF Level(s) of Course | | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | | Introductory | | |  | | | | | Intermediate | | | | | | | | Advanced | | | | | | |
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| Learning Outcomes: |
| Knowledge: |
| K1. | Articulate an understanding of the research related to the development of oral language from birth to 6 years of age |
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| K2. | Explore the theories of language learning |
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| K3. | Identify the implications for practice within an early childhood context. |
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| Skills: |
| S1. | Employ a range of pedagogies including the use of drama, story-telling, poetry, play and literature to enhance children’s language skills |
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| S2. | Identify the diversity of family and cultural experiences regarding language and literacy learning for children. |
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| S3. | Deliberate the ways in which teachers can enhance language and literacy learning for children |
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| Application of knowledge and skills: |
| A1. | Design opportunities for children to foster language and literacy development through play, music, literacy and drama |
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| A2. | Develop experiences for children from diverse backgrounds to listen and respond to language |
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| Unit Content: |
Topics may include:
1. Examine the development and importance of oral language
2. Evidence based research investigating the development of oral language
3. Fostering language and literacy development through play, music, literacy and drama
4. Developing connections between home, early childhood settings and communities
5. Early childhood contexts and the development of children’s speaking and listening
6. Non-verbal language
7. Child’s linguistic and cultural background and the acquisition of home languages and dialects
8. Supporting second language users within early childhood contexts
9. Language and literacy development of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children
10. Designing learning experiences that promote language and literacy learning
11. Resources that encourage children to investigate images and print
12. Creating opportunities for children to listen and respond to language within an early childhood context |
| Graduate Attributes: |
| Federation University recognises that students require key transferable employability skills to prepare them for their future workplace and society. FEDTASKS (Transferable Attributes Skills and Knowledge) provide a targeted focus on five key transferable Attributes, Skills, and Knowledge that are be embedded within curriculum, developed gradually towards successful measures and interlinked with cross-discipline and Co-operative Learning opportunities. One or more FEDTASK, transferable Attributes, Skills or Knowledge must be evident in the specified learning outcomes and assessment for each FedUni Unit, and all must be directly assessed in each Course.
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| FED TASK and descriptor | Development and acquisition of FEDTASKS in the Unit | | Level | FEDTASK 1
Interpersonal | Students will demonstrate the ability to effectively communicate, inter-act and work with others both individually and in groups. Students will be required to display skills in-person and/or online in: • Using effective verbal and non-verbal communication • Listening for meaning and influencing via active listening • Showing empathy for others • Negotiating and demonstrating conflict resolution skills • Working respectfully in cross-cultural and diverse teams. | Level 2 - Student demonstrates some independence within provided guidelines | FEDTASK 2
Leadership | Students will demonstrate the ability to apply professional skills and behaviours in leading others. Students will be required to display skills in: • Creating a collegial environment • Showing self -awareness and the ability to self-reflect • Inspiring and convincing others • Making informed decisions • Displaying initiative | Level 2 - Student demonstrates some independence within provided guidelines | FEDTASK 3
Critical Thinking and Creativity | Students will demonstrate an ability to work in complexity and ambiguity using the imagination to create new ideas. Students will be required to display skills in: • Reflecting critically • Evaluating ideas, concepts and information • Considering alternative perspectives to refine ideas • Challenging conventional thinking to clarify concepts • Forming creative solutions in problem solving. | Level 2 - Student demonstrates some independence within provided guidelines | FEDTASK 4
Digital Literacy | Students will demonstrate the ability to work fluently across a range of tools, platforms and applications to achieve a range of tasks. Students will be required to display skills in: • Finding, evaluating, managing, curating, organising and sharing digital information • Collating, managing, accessing and using digital data securely • Receiving and responding to messages in a range of digital media • Contributing actively to digital teams and working groups • Participating in and benefiting from digital learning opportunities. | Level 2 - Student demonstrates some independence within provided guidelines | FEDTASK 5
Sustainable and Ethical Mindset | Students will demonstrate the ability to consider and assess the consequences and impact of ideas and actions in enacting ethical and sustainable decisions. Students will be required to display skills in: • Making informed judgments that consider the impact of devising solutions in global economic environmental and societal contexts • Committing to social responsibility as a professional and a citizen • Evaluating ethical, socially responsible and/or sustainable challenges and generating and articulating responses • Embracing lifelong, life-wide and life-deep learning to be open to diverse others • Implementing required actions to foster sustainability in their professional and personal life. | N/A - Not Applicable |
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| | Learning Outcomes Assessed | Assessment Tasks | Assessment Type | Weighting | | 1. | K1, K2, K3, S2, S3, A1, A2 | Describe the phases of development of children’s oral language between birth and six years of age. Explain these phases by referring to several theoretical perspectives. Draw upon literature to justify the importance of oral language. | Academic Essay | 40-60% | | 2. | K1, S1, S2, S3, A1, A2 | Create a made up story to tell to young children. Plan and develop three home-made resources that can be used as props to enhance your story telling. Video yourself telling the story utilising at least one of the home-made props. | Story telling video presentation | 40-60% |
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