Course Title: Support students' literacy learning

Part B: Course Detail

Teaching Period: Term2 2013

Course Code: TCHE5806C

Course Title: Support students' literacy learning

School: 360T Education

Campus: Brunswick Campus

Program: C4326 - Certificate IV in Education Support

Course Contact : Robyn Blaikie

Course Contact Phone: +61 3 9925 4838

Course Contact Email:robyn.blaikie@rmit.edu.au


Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff

Anna Remfry  anna.remfry@rmit.edu.au  9925 9494

Soosan Kian soosan.kian@rmit.edu.au  9925 9183

Nominal Hours: 40

Regardless of the mode of delivery, represent a guide to the relative teaching time and student effort required to successfully achieve a particular competency/module. This may include not only scheduled classes or workplace visits but also the amount of effort required to undertake, evaluate and complete all assessment requirements, including any non-classroom activities.

Pre-requisites and Co-requisites

No specific pre-requisite and co-requisite.

Course Description

This course describes the skills and knowledge required by education support workers to work with teachers to support students developing their literacy skills, including oral language, reading and writing skills.
 


National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria

National Element Code & Title:

CHCEDS409A Support students' literacy learning

Element:

1. Encourage and model spoken language

Performance Criteria:

1.1 Identify and use a variety of styles of verbal communication
1.2 Demonstrate the different functions of language in interactions
1.3 Monitor students' understanding and use of language through observation, listening and conversation, and provide information to teachers to inform planning
1.4 Identify factors affecting language acquisition and discuss with the teacher/s
1.5 Use language appropriate to students' culture, age, abilities, interests and needs
1.6 Use spoken language to effectively interact with students
1.7 Use explicit talk about language to scaffold learning
1.8 Model language appropriate to the situation, the purpose and the audience for students
 

Element:

2. Support students to read and interpret texts

Performance Criteria:

2.1 Determine strategies for supporting students in the interpretation of texts in consultation with the teacher/s
2.2 Implement planned strategies to enhance the abilities of students and address their individual needs
2.3 Encourage students to problem-solve in order to make meaning from texts
2.4 Use explicit talk to focus students on specific literacy skills
 

Element:

3. Enhance students' literacy skills through writing activities

Performance Criteria:

3.1 Use accurate terminology, as planned with teacher/s, to support students' learning
3.2 Implement strategies devised with teacher/s to develop students' skills in the use of written language
3.3 Use planned strategies to reinforce literacy skills across all key learning areas
3.4 Encourage students to improve spelling skills using strategies appropriate to students' developmental levels
3.5 Support students to plan their writing tasks
3.6 Encourage students to critically reflect on the effectiveness of their writing
3.7 Support students to effectively edit their writing
 

Element:

4. Design resources to support literacy development

Performance Criteria:

4.1 Plan learning environments and activities in advance with the teacher/s
4.2 Design resources, in consultation with teacher/s, to reinforce literacy skills, while fulfilling curriculum requirements
4.3 Design resources to suit the developmental level of the students, as determined by the teacher/s
 

Learning Outcomes


The course provides skills and knowledge to enable education support workers to work with the teacher to develop resources to reinforce literacy skills across the curriculum and to support students during various phases in the acquisition of literacy competence.  This course applies to education support work in a variety of contexts and work is to be undertaken with appropriate guidance, support and supervision by a nominated teacher or other education professional.  On successful completion of this course, you will have developed and applied the skills and knowledge required to demonstrate your competency in the above elements.


Details of Learning Activities

This unit is part of Certificate IV in Education Support program. You will study this unit with several other units on the same day. Your program consists of face to face teaching and Directed Study. You are not required to attend to complete Directed Study, however you are expected to complete all work given and will at times be required to show evidence that the work has been completed in this unit. Directed Study is a very important part of your program. An outline of your Directed Study will be given by your teacher and is published in the Weekly Program Delivery Plan.
The student learning experience will be facilitated through participation in a range of activities: 

Group discussion 

Research assignments

Guest speakers

Oral and/or written questions on "What if?" scenarios

Realistic simulations and role play
Practical demonstrations and direct observation of actual work and simulated work practice
Oral Presentations
Individual and group projects - Completing the projects will include negotiated independent study time and practical work relevant to the unit of competency. 

Work placement
 


Teaching Schedule

Program Dates: Mon 15th July – Friday 13th December 2013
Term Breaks: Mon 23rd Sept – Fri 4th Oct 2013
Public holidays: Tues 5th November 2013 (Melbourne Cup)
Please note: While your teacher will cover all the material in this schedule, the weekly order is subject to change depending on class needs and availability of speakers and resources.
Library Orientation & an RMIT Online Systems Information Session will be scheduled during the first two weeks of your program. Information about student services, rights and responsibilities is contained in your student diary.
 

Week 1-4

Picture story books
Oral language skills
Reflective Writing
Comparing different text types
Guided Reading
Questions to aid in developing children’s comprehension skills

Discussion, Q&A
Assignment – Research

Week 5-8

Reciprocal teaching – a form of guided reading
Asking non-invasive questions
Compare reciprocal teaching to guided reading
Reader’s Theatre
Questioning and Reporting
Find questions to assist students understand one station
Writing genres and engaging children in writing

 
Discussion, Q&A, Oral presentation
Open book assessment

Week 9-12

Planning for writing
Learning Intentions, Success Criteria and Feedback
WALT and WILF
Literacy - draft
 

Assignment Reading task
Mid semester Progress interviews
Reciprocal Teaching Assessment

Week 13-16

Rubrics
Editing and Publishing
Positive Reinforcement
CAFÉ reading
Shallow and deep questioning
Completing teaching methods observed
Pinterest, blogs and twitter in literacy and education
 

Assessment – Oral Presentation of exposition, narrative or recount
Self and Peer assessment
Work placement Observation on e-learning

Week 17-20

iPads in the classroom - Apps and Websites in literacy education
Research educational apps and websites
Thinking tools
Nouns, Verbs, Adverbs, Adjectives and Prepositions

Review folio of final assessments
Evidence of practical experience e.g. Observation/Demonstration, Third party
Folio – Presentation (oral/written)
 


Learning Resources

Prescribed Texts


References


Other Resources

TEXTS AND EQUIPMENT

There are no set texts in this course. RMIT will provide you with resources and tools for learning in this course through handouts, our online systems and access to facilities and relevant software. You will also have access to the library resources. It is recommended that you bring:

• Display folder with plastic sleeves
• Highlighter pens
• Notebook or loose leaf paper
• Headphones (use your own or they can be purchased from the Brunswick Library very cheaply)
• USB (Memory stick)
 


Overview of Assessment

You must demonstrate an understanding of all elements of the competencies in order to be deemed competent.
Assessment methods have been designed to measure achievement of each competency in a flexible manner over a range of assessment tasks. You may be assessed by:
• Direct observation of actual and simulated work practice
• Oral or written questioning
• Assignments and projects
• Presentation of a portfolio of evidence which may comprise documents, and/or photographs and/or video and audio files
• Work-based activities
• Third-party feedback from a work supervisor/employer
Feedback will be provided throughout the semester in class and/or online discussions, through individual and group feedback on practical exercises and by individual consultation.
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 the Disability Liaison Unit if you would like to find out more.
An assessment charter (http://mams.rmit.edu.au/kh6a3ly2wi2h1.pdf) summarises your responsibilities as an RMIT student as well as those of your teachers.
Your courses assessment conforms to RMIT assessment principles, regulations, policies and procedures which are described and referenced in a single document: http://www.rmit.edu.au/browse;ID=ln1kd66y87rc
 


Assessment Tasks

TEXTS AND EQUIPMENT

There are no set texts in this course. RMIT will provide you with resources and tools for learning in this course through handouts, our online systems and access to facilities and relevant software. You will also have access to the library resources. It is recommended that you bring:

• Display folder with plastic sleeves
• Highlighter pens
• Notebook or loose leaf paper
• Headphones (use your own or they can be purchased from the Brunswick Library very cheaply)
• USB (Memory stick)
 


Assessment Matrix

The assessment matrix demonstrates alignment of assessment tasks with the relevant Unit of Competency.
These are available from the course contact person (stated above).
 

Course Overview: Access Course Overview