University of Technology Sydney

028252 English Education 3

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
Result type: Grade, no marks

Requisite(s): (028250 English Education 1 OR 012208 English Education 1) AND (028251 English Education 2 OR 012209 English Education 2) AND (72 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10350 Bachelor of Arts Bachelor of Education OR 72 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10349 Bachelor of Education (Primary) Bachelor of Arts International Studies OR 72 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10209 Bachelor of Arts Educational Studies OR 72 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C09082 Bachelor of Arts Bachelor of Education (Honours))

Description

This subject, the final of the foundation subjects for teaching English in primary classrooms, expands ideas that have been introduced in English 1 and English 2. The expanded practices look particularly at English language learners, the types of texts used in classrooms and how to organise a literacy-rich classroom.

English language learners – those who are learning English as an Additional Language or Dialect (EAL/D, formerly ESL) – have specific linguistic and cultural needs. The subject will look at strategies and policies that support all students in a multilingual/multicultural classroom setting. This includes being familiar with the ESL Scales (NSW DET) and EAL/D Resource (ACARA) as well as programs designed to support English learning in the primary school.

The focus on texts will consider multimodal texts, the features of picture books, video, online reading sources and spoken texts that teachers draw upon for curriculum content. The subject will consider how to support students to access such texts and the opportunities these texts provide for building knowledge of language and content.

As the final subject before students complete their degree, this subject will consider models and strategies for creating a workable literacy classroom.

Subject learning objectives (SLOs)

a. Identify and apply the syllabus and other support documents to suggest teaching and learning strategies to support particular learners in the classroom, with a focus on the needs of EAL/D learners (GTS 2.1, 1.3, 1.5)
b. Analyse the needs of EAL/D students in the classroom, taking into account community, national and international influences on language learning (GTS 1.1)
c. Apply research into how students learn and the implications for teaching. (GTS1.2)
d. Design learning sequences that are based on the curriculum and include a range of strategies to assess and report on student progress. (GTS 2.1, 2.2, 3.3)
e. Describe the features of a range of resources, including ICT, and how to embed these into programs that engage students in their learning (GTS 3.4)
f. Apply personal skills in academic writing, constructing appropriate scholarly written and oral responses with accurate referencing and citations.

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.

  • Design and conduct effective learning activities, assess and evaluate learning outcomes and create and maintain supportive and safe learning environments (GTS 1, 2, 3, 4, 5) (1.2)
  • Make judgements about their own learning and identify and organise their continuing professional development (GTS 3, 6) (1.3)
  • Employ contemporary technologies effectively for diverse purposes (GTS 2, 4) (1.5)
  • Analyse and synthesise research and engage in inquiry (GTS 3) (2.1)
  • Make well-informed contributions to contemporary debates pertinent to education (GTS 3) (2.2)
  • Exhibit high-level numeracy and literacies (GTS 2) (6.2)

Contribution to the development of graduate attributes

1. Professional Readiness

1.2 Design and conduct effective learning activities, assess and evaluate learning outcomes and create and maintain supportive and safe learning environments (GTS 1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
1.5 Employ contemporary technologies effectively for diverse purposes (GTS 2, 4)

2. Critical and Creative Inquiry

2.2 Make well-informed contributions to contemporary debates pertinent to education (GTS 3)

3. International and intercultural engagement
3.2 Respect diverse sointernational and intercultural engagementcieties and cultures and demonstrate inclusive practices (GTS 1, 3, 4)

6. Effective Communication

6.2 Exhibit high level numeracy and literacies (GTS 2)

Teaching and learning strategies

Teaching and learning will take place with an asynchronous workshop each week where you will actively engage with learning to support a weekly synchronous workshop. Each synchronous workshop will be followed up with an asynchronous task to complete. A tutor will be available for a 30-minutedrop in each week to support you with questions about the asynchronous post workshop components.

The teaching and learning model involves a:

  • Weekly 1-hour asynchronous learning component to be completed each week before a 1.5-hour synchronous workshop.
  • 30-minute asynchronous learning to consolidate concepts introduced in the accompanying synchronous workshop.

Teaching strategies in this subject involve:

  • Podcasts, videos, illustrations of practice and presentations to introduce, contextualize and illustrate new theoretical concepts and information.
  • Modelling and implementation of teaching strategies that can be applied in assessment tasks and in future teaching practice.
  • Scaffolding of academic readings across the synchronous and asynchronous activities.
  • Facilitation of student discussions and learning activities in workshops.
  • Formative feedback on students’ understanding of concepts and tasks in the weekly asynchronous and synchronous components of the subject.

Learning strategies in this subject involve:

  • Group based investigative activities.
  • Group based discussions of readings.
  • Independent reading of specified academic texts.
  • Independent activities and research.

Students are expected to undertake preliminary reading of the weekly texts before each workshop. These readings are linked across the synchronous and asynchronous learning and assessment tasks.

The subject is practice-based and includes tasks that simulate authentic school practices. For example, students work with sample programs, texts and materials that would be used in the classroom. Students engage in contemporary issues about schooling and teachers’ work by reading and critically appraising a range of current Australian and international literature on topical issues in English education.

Students should explore children’s books, particularly from the collection at the UTS library.

Content (topics)

Over the course of this subject, students will read, view, observe, discuss and write about the following topics:

  • How English is learnt as an additional language
  • How teachers support all language learners in the classroom, to learn English and other subjects through English
  • The nature of texts that are used in the classroom
  • Multimodal features of texts and how they work to create meaning
  • Ways of reading and responding to literature texts
  • Identifying language features of texts
  • Organisational issues of a literacy classroom

Assessment

Assessment task 1: Weekly theory informed practice tasks

Objective(s):

a, b, c, d, e and f

Weight: 40%
Length:

1400 words
Criteria linkages:
Criteria Weight (%) SLOs CILOs
Critical engagement with, and understanding of, the literature in the weekly quizzes 40 a, b, c, d, e, f 1.3
Application of theory in analysing post-workshop problems 40 a, b, c, d, e, f 2.1
Clearly and precisely express ideas in written mode; Use correct APA 7th Edition and draw on required weekly readings 20 a, b, c, d, e, f 6.2
SLOs: subject learning objectives
CILOs: course intended learning outcomes

Assessment task 2: Scaffolding to support EAL/D learners

Objective(s):

a, b, d and e

Weight: 60%
Length:

1500 words

Criteria linkages:
Criteria Weight (%) SLOs CILOs
Effective selection and application of the EAL/D Progressions and new English syllabus outcomes and focus areas across the three consecutive 40-minute literacy lessons 20 a 1.2
Effective strategy selection in scaffolding the oral language and vocabulary focus areas to support EAL/D learners across the three consecutive 40-minute literacy lessons 20 d 1.2
Effective application of explicit strategies in three consecutive 40-minute literacy lessons that provide opportunities to deepen EAL/D students’ oral language and vocabulary related to the lesson content 20 b 2.2
Effective contribution to student learning and originality of a created resource related to the lesson content that scaffolds dialogic talk using tier two vocabulary in one of the 40-minute literacy lessons 20 e 1.5
Accuracy of the written presentation (spelling, grammar) and referencing of recommended reading from the course (in text and reference list). Accuracy and acknowledgement of all sources used, including AI technology 20 e 6.2
SLOs: subject learning objectives
CILOs: course intended learning outcomes

Minimum requirements

Attendance at lectures and tutorials is essential because the subject takes a collaborative approach, which involves the interchange of ideas with other students and the lecturer.

Required texts

Derewianka, B. (2020). Exploring how texts work. 2nd Ed. Primary English Teaching Association Australia.

The textbook is available as a hard copy or e-pub at PETAA by accessing this link.

Student membership to this professional organisation will provide you with a further discount, three free books and three PETAA papers each year plus additional resources and discounts on Professional Learning.

References

Refer to the subject outline.