Course Title: Communications for Children with Additional Needs

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Communications for Children with Additional Needs

Credit Points: 12.00

Terms

Course Code

Campus

Career

School

Learning Mode

Teaching Period(s)

TCHE2475

Bundoora Campus

Undergraduate

360H Education

Face-to-Face

Sem 2 2015,
Sem 2 2016,
Sem 2 2017,
Sem 2 2018,
Sem 2 2019,
Sem 2 2020,
Sem 2 2023

TCHE2475

Bundoora Campus

Undergraduate

360H Education

Internet

Sem 2 2022

Course Coordinator: Samantha Vlcek

Course Coordinator Phone: By appointment

Course Coordinator Email: samantha.vlcek@rmit.edu.au

Course Coordinator Location: Bundoora Campus

Course Coordinator Availability: By email


Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

None


Course Description

In this course you will address the complex and crucial aspects and skills of both communicating with and supporting the communication of children with disability. Successful learning is developed through effective shared and sometimes supported communication – listening, speaking, and behaviour. You will learn how to interpret the capacity and needs of each child. In order to develop successful communication strategies, including the use of appropriate etiquette and person-first language, you will develop your skills for implementing verbal vs non-verbal skills, assessing communication, and enriching communication.


Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

In this course you will develop the following program learning outcomes:

For those of you in BP046PDS Bachelor of Education (Primary Education and Disability Studies) this course will help you develop the program level outcomes:  

  • Critically analyse, synthesize and reflect on educational policy and practice in both local and international contexts. 
  • Develop and apply theoretical and practical knowledge and skills to your professional practice and development in curriculum, pedagogy and assessment.  
  • Demonstrate creativity, critical thinking and innovation when identifying and solving problems in diverse educational contexts. 
  • Demonstrate the specific knowledge and skills required in working successfully with learners with additional needs. 

For those of you in BP320PDI Bachelor of Education (Primary Education and Disability Inclusion) this course will help you develop the program level outcomes:  

  • Demonstrate broad and coherent theoretical and technical knowledge in education  
  • Critically analyse and apply theoretical and practical knowledge and skills to your professional practice in curriculum, pedagogy and assessment across a range of disciplines, reflecting a graduate level of proficiency in teaching 
  • Consolidate and synthesise expert content and pedagogical content knowledge and develop highly effective classroom teaching skills in an area of specialisation 
  • Develop deep and broad knowledge of education theory and the transformative potential of education in society in both local and global contexts  
  • Apply initiative, judgement, creativity, critical thinking and problem solving skills and the capacity to work responsibly, ethically and inclusively in individual and collaborative professional contexts to enhance your practice 
  • Demonstrate an understanding of and capacity to promote education for a sustainable future and to support diversity in all its forms 
  • Communicate effectively with different stakeholders in the education field through a broad range of communication modes and digital technologies in diverse educational contexts.


Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs)

Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to:

CLO1: Discuss the complexities of communicating with children with disability with reference to relevant research literature.

CLO2: Collaborate to develop successful communication strategies for children with disabilities to support access to curriculum.

CLO3: Collaborate to make and evaluate appropriate decisions for meeting individual children’s communication needs.

CLO4: Critically reflect on your own communication skills and on your teaching practice.

CLO5: Use effective communication strategies and devices that provide an alternative to speech and examine the relevant research underpinning their use.


Overview of Learning Activities

You will engage in learning that involves a range of activities both face to face and online such as lectures, tutorials, group and class discussion, group activities and individual research.


Overview of Learning Resources

RMIT will provide you with resources and tools for learning in this course through our online systems. Learning resources will include articles, book chapters, Internet references and videos. You will also have access to commonly used communication aids and devices.

There are services available to support your learning through the University Library. The Library provides guides on academic referencing and subject specialist help as well as a range of study support services. For further information, please visit the Library page on the RMIT University website and the myRMIT student portal. 


Overview of Assessment

You will be assessed on how well you meet the CLOs and on your development against the program capabilities.
Assessment alignment for this course includes:

Assessment 1: Assignment 50% (CLO1 CLO2 and CLO3)
Assessment 2: Student Communication Profile 50% (CLO2, CLO3, CLO4 and CLO5)

Feedback will be provided on all assessment tasks.


If you have a long-term medical condition and/or disability it may be possible to negotiate to vary aspects of the learning or assessment methods. You can contact the program coordinator or Equitable Learning Services if you would like to find out more.