013096 Teaching Grammar and Vocabulary

Warning: The information on this page is indicative. The subject outline for a particular session, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source of all information about the subject for that offering. Required texts, recommended texts and references in particular are likely to change. Students will be provided with a subject outline once they enrol in the subject.

Subject handbook information prior to 2025 is available in the Archives.

UTS: Education: Initial Teacher Education
Credit points: 6 cp

Subject level:

Postgraduate

Result type: Grade, no marks

Requisite(s): 013102 Introducing Knowledge about Language AND 013105 The Multilingual Learner AND 010070 TESOL Practicum AND 028253 TESOL: Methodology
These requisites may not apply to students in certain courses.
There are course requisites for this subject. See access conditions.
Anti-requisite(s): 015127 Grammar and the Construction of Meaning

Description

This subject provides language and literacy teachers with knowledge about English grammar and vocabulary, and how to teach it. The presentation of this knowledge aligns with contemporary curriculum and syllabus documents.

Knowledge about English grammar and vocabulary is expressed in a metalanguage teachers can share with their students. This knowledge enables students to:

• reflect on how English works
• recognise the main features of the English language
• understand, appreciate and compose spoken and written texts in ways that align with their language learning needs and goals, and curriculum outcomes

Knowledge about how to teach English grammar and vocabulary enables teachers to design sequences of teaching and learning that support language and literacy development across the stages of school and post-school education

Subject learning objectives (SLOs)

a.	Analyse texts to understand how grammar and vocabulary choices have been used to make different kinds of meaning and to achieve specific social purposes.
b.	Examine texts to identify and select patterns of grammar and vocabulary use of most relevance to the English language learning needs of one or more specified student profiles.
c.	Evaluate critically approaches to the teaching and learning of English grammar and vocabulary for students learning English as an additional language or dialect.
d.	Design effective sequences of grammar and vocabulary teaching and learning that incorporate modelled, guided, collaborative and independent practice, as well as assessment for and of learning.

Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)

This subject engages with the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILOs), which are tailored to the Graduate Attributes set for all graduates of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences.

• Graduates have advanced skills and knowledge of linguistics, literacy and numeracy, pedagogy and curricula to teach in their specialised contexts. (1.1)
• Graduates are able to review, analyse, consolidate and synthesise ideas relevant to TESOL, literacy and/or numeracy teaching and apply these skills to problem solve in their professional practice. (2.1)
• Graduates have an appreciation of linguistic features of Indigenous Australian languages and varieties of Aboriginal English, and are able to address implications for Indigenous learners (4.1)
• Graduates are able to engage with key issues in public debates about language, literacy and/or numeracy education. (5.1)
• Graduates have well-developed communication skills for relevant academic and professional contexts. (6.1)

Contribution to the development of graduate attributes

This subject contributes to the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes:

1. Professional readiness

1.1 Graduates have skills and a body of knowledge, including understanding of recent developments in applied linguistics, and related disciplines and industries that they can apply in teaching and other professional contexts.

2. Creative and critical inquiry

2.1 Graduates are able to engage, critique and apply a broad range of complex ideas relevant to TESOL, literacy and/or numeracy practice.

4. Indigenous competencies

4.1 Graduates are able to critically appraise research literature about Indigenous Australian languages, learners and education

5. Active citizenship

5.1 Graduates are able to contribute their knowledge to debates in the public sphere.

6. Effective communication

6.1 Graduates have strong communication skills for relevant academic and professional contexts.

Teaching and learning strategies

Each week students will have four stages of engagement with the subject:

1. Listening to a recorded lecture, supported by slides.
2. Completing set readings and follow up reflection and practice tasks, relevant to the week’s topic.
3. Participating in a 90-minute tutorial, with structured activities to clarify, consolidate and extend understanding of content covered in the lecture and readings
4. Completing extension tasks, such as further reading, critical evaluation of teaching approaches and materials, and small-scale text analysis and lesson- planning tasks.

Content (topics)

Module 1: Introduction to locating grammar and vocabulary on a map of language and within the English curriculum

Navigating the language map: text (three layers and three types of meaning) and context (social purposes and language varieties)

Learning English grammar and vocabulary when Standard Australian English (SAE) is an additional language or dialect

Grammar and vocabulary in English curriculum documents

Module 2: Grammar and vocabulary for expressing and connecting ideas

Expressing ideas in clauses and their parts (noun group, verb group, prepositional phrase)

Connecting ideas by combining clauses (types of sentences; conjunctions)

Expressing ideas in words and their parts (morphemes, word sums, spelling)

Connecting ideas across text (text connectives; word association)

Tiers of vocabulary (everyday, literary and technical words)

Sounds and letters in words (pronunciation; encoding; handwriting/keyboarding; decoding)

Module 3: Grammar and vocabulary for interacting with others

Exchanging meanings with others (statements, questions, commands)

Tempering meanings (modal words)

Words that express attitudes

Module 4: Grammar and vocabulary for creating well-organised and cohesive texts

A hierarchy of openers (sentence, paragraph and text)

Changing the focus of a clause (passive forms)

Turning words into nouns (nominalisation; concrete v abstract meanings, packaging meaning)

Cohesion (pronouns, word association, text connectives)

Module 5: Teaching and learning about grammar and vocabulary when learners use English as an additional language or dialect

Approaches to teaching grammar and vocabulary: overview

Designing grammar and vocabulary teaching sequences (modelled, guided, collaborative and independent practice activities; integrating assessment for and of learning)

Evaluating the learning and teaching of grammar and vocabulary

Assessment

Assessment task 1: Analysis task

Objective(s):	a and b
Weight:	40%
Length:	2000 words or equivalent (not including reference list)
Criteria linkages:	Criteria Weight (%) SLOs CILOs Effective analysis of elements of context 30 a 1.1 Effective analysis of grammar features for structure and function 30 a 1.1 Effective description of vocabulary in terms of meaning and contribution to social purpose 20 a 1.1 Explanation of each text in terms of relevance to student profile 20 b 2.1, 4.1 SLOs: subject learning objectives CILOs: course intended learning outcomes

Assessment task 2: A teaching sequence

Objective(s):	a, b, c and d
Weight:	60%
Length:	2000 words or equivalent (not including reference list)
Criteria linkages:	Criteria Weight (%) SLOs CILOs Clarity of introduction of teaching approach, learning situation, student needs and learning outcomes 20 b, c 2.1, 4.1 Logical plan of sequence of five lessons to achieve learning outcomes, identifying resources and integrating assessment 50 d 1.1, 2.1 Effective evaluation of the lesson sequence 20 b, c 2.1, 5.1 Effective uses of conventions of academic and professional writing, 10 a 1.1, 6.1 SLOs: subject learning objectives CILOs: course intended learning outcomes

Required texts

There is no set text for this subject.

Recommended texts

Derewianka, B., & Jones, P. (2022). Teaching language in context (3rd edition). OUP.

de Silva Joyce, H., & Feez, S. (2012). Text-based language and literacy education: Programming and methodology. Sydney: Phoenix Education.

Harper, H., & Feez, S. (Eds.) An EAL/D Handbook: Teaching and learning across the curriculum when English is an additional language or dialect. NSW: Primary English Teaching Association Australia (PETAA).

Humphrey, Sally., Droga, Louise., & Feez, Susan. (2012). Grammar and meaning (New ed.). PETAA.

References

See Reading List on the Canvas site.