| Effective Term: | 2025/05 |
| Institute / School : | Institute of Education, Arts & Community |
| Unit Title: | Specific Learning Difficulties |
| Unit ID: | EDMST6016 |
| Credit Points: | 15.00 |
| Prerequisite(s): | Nil |
| Co-requisite(s): | Nil |
| Exclusion(s): | Nil |
| ASCED: | 070113 |
| Other Change: | |
| Brief description of the Unit |
Approximately one in five children in every classroom is thought to experience learning difficulties. Children can experience difficulty with learning for many reasons which can be ameliorated with addtional school-based learning support. This unit explores the learning needs of students including those with specific learning difficulties in areas such as reading, writing, numeracy and language. Students will build their professional knowledge of the nature and causes of learning difficulties and will also examine specific learning disabilities, such as dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, and identify and apply teaching strategies that support learning for neuro-diverse students. |
| Grade Scheme: | Graded (HD, D, C, P, MF, F, XF) |
| Work Experience Indicator: |
| No work experience |
| Placement Component: No |
| 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. | Distinguish between the terms learning disability and learning difficulty, and the known causes and interrelatedness of individual, social or environmental factors related to each term |
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| K2. | Explore and analyse the learning needs of students, including those with specific learning difficulties in areas such as reading, writing, numeracy and language |
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| K3. | Examine specific learning disabilities, such as dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia |
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| K4. | Apply relevant legislative requirements requirements such as the Disability Standards for Education 2005 |
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| Skills: |
| S1. | Identify school-based learning supports and recognise, apply and assess teaching strategies that support learning for children |
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| S2. | Recognise common signs in students who are experiencing difficulty with learning and identify educational needs and supports |
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| S3. | Share knowledge as a professional educator in an articulate and authoritative manner |
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| Application of knowledge and skills: |
| A1. | Investigate a specific learning difficulty, detailing identification, known causes, and identify targeted strategies and assessments to support learning |
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| A2. | Identify, assess and implement interventions to support students with learning difficulties |
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| Unit Content: |
• Causes of learning difficulties, eg student-related causes, social and environmental causes
• Neuro-diversity in the classroom
• The difference between a learning difficulty and a learning disability
• Common signs of learning difficulties
• Specific learning disabilities, eg dyslexia, dysgraphia, discalculia
• Assessment for learning difficulties
• Personalised lessons and activities for students
• Coaching for parents and carers
• Student agency in designing their own learning
• Individual learning plans
• The Disability Standards for Education 2005 and the Commonwealth Disability Discrimination Act 1992. |
| 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 at this level will demonstrate an advanced ability in a range of contexts to effectively communicate, interact and work with others both individually and in groups. Students will be required to display high level skills in-person and/or online in: • Using and demonstrating a high level of verbal and non-verbal communication • Demonstrating a mastery of listening for meaning and influencing via active listening • Demonstrating and showing empathy for others • High order skills in negotiating and conflict resolution skills\\ • Demonstrating mastery of working respectfully in cross-cultural and diverse teams. | 1 - Yes | FEDTASK 2
Leadership | Students at this level will demonstrate a mastery in professional skills and behaviours in leading others. • Creating and sustaining a collegial environment • Demonstrating a high level of self -awareness and the ability to self-reflect and justify decisions • Inspiring and initiating opportunities to lead others • Making informed professional decisions • Demonstrating initiative in new professional situations. | 1 - Yes | FEDTASK 3
Critical Thinking and Creativity | Students at this level will demonstrate high level skills in working in complexity and ambiguity using the imagination to create new ideas. Students will be required to display skills in: • Reflecting critically to generate and consider complex ideas and concepts at an abstract level • Analysing complex and abstract ideas, concepts and information • Communicate alternative perspectives to justify complex ideas • Demonstrate a mastery of challenging conventional thinking to clarify complex concepts • Forming creative solutions in problem solving to new situations for further learning. | 1 - Yes | FEDTASK 4
Digital Literacy | Students at this level will demonstrate the ability to work competently across a wide range of tools, platforms and applications to achieve a range of tasks. Students will be required to display skills in: • Mastering, exploring, evaluating, managing, curating, organising and sharing digital information professionally • Collating, managing complex data, accessing and using digital data securely • Receiving and responding professionally to messages in a range of professional digital media • Contributing competently and professionally to digital teams and working groups • Participating at a high level in digital learning opportunities. | 1 - Yes | FEDTASK 5
sustainable and Ethical Mindset | Students at this level will demonstrate a mastery of considering and assessing the consequences and impact of ideas and actions in enacting professional ethical and sustainable decisions. Students will be required to display skills in: • Demonstrate informed judgment making that considers the impact of devising complex solutions in ambiguous global economic environmental and societal contexts • Professionally committing to the promulgation of social responsibility • Demonstrate the ability to evaluate ethical, socially responsible and/or sustainable challenges and generating and articulating responses • Communicating lifelong, life-wide and life-deep learning to be open to the diverse professional others • Generating, leading and implementing required actions to foster sustainability in their professional and personal life | 1 - Yes |
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| | Learning Outcomes Assessed | Assessment Tasks | Assessment Type | Weighting | | 1. | K1, K2, K3, K4, S1, S2, S3, A1 | Present on a selected learning difficulty, detailing identification, known causes, and identify targeted strategies to support learning for a student | Presentation | 40-60% | | 2. | K1, K2, K3, K4, S1, S2, A2 | Respond to a case study, providing in depth interventions to support learning | Case Study Analysis | 40-60% |
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