Learning Area English 1

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2010:

English Learning Area 1 is offered to teacher candidates wishing to specialise in English teaching from Years 7 to 12.

This subject will focus on three key themes: setting up and maintaining a professional resource bank appropriate for an English teacher in the 21 st century; working with and responding to the texts of the current English curriculum, (including young adult fiction, poetry, drama, film, media and multimodal texts); and expanding understanding of literacy and multi-literacies.

These three themes will be explored with three simultaneous imperatives in mind: key English curriculum policy statements (including the Victorian Essential Learning Standards – VELS - and VCE Study Designs); the need to teach to diversity; and the importance of teaching with and about current technologies.

Students will learn to plan and evaluate learning and teaching experiences in light of these themes and imperatives; to develop a wide range of constructive monitoring, assessment and evaluation strategies; and to link their classroom practice with key theory and research into English teaching, through wider reading.

On completion of this subject, teacher candidates should be able to demonstrate:

• Familiarity with key curriculum policy statements for English in secondary schools
• The ability to plan and evaluate learning and teaching experiences around these curriculum policies
• Understanding of the broader definitions of key concepts such as ‘text’ and ‘literacy’
• Consideration of educational theory and research when planning and evaluating teaching and learning practices
• Acknowledgement of and response to student diversity and different learning styles in the English classroom
• The application of a range of constructive monitoring, assessment and reflection procedures
• Professional collegiality
• Ongoing development of a personal philosophy of English teaching.

There are 2 assessment tasks:

• A presentation comprising a ‘micro-lesson’ and an online discussion linking the classroom strategy and underpinning theory (2000 words equivalent) as scheduled during the semester (50%)
• A close analysis of a sample of student writing, offering diagnostic and programmatic advice (2000 words) due end of semester (50%)

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

• Be skilled communicators who can effectively articulate and justify their practices as knowledgeable agents of changes.
• Be flexible and able to adapt to change through knowing how to learn;
• Understand the significance of developing their practice on the basis of research evidence;
• Work in teams with skills in cooperation, communication and negotiation;
• Be independent of mind, responsible, resilient, self-regulating;
• Have a conscious personal and social values base.