Developing Literacy Skills in Chinese

This subject is not offered in 2014.

54 hours

The following subject must have been successfully completed:

None

N/A

N/A

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Objectives, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and the Disability Liaison Unit: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

This subject provides an introduction to issues in literacy development, theories of reading and metalinguistic awareness development, research into Chinese first and second language learning, and presents recommendations for metalinguistic awareness and literacy development in the Chinese classroom. It provides opportunity to explore concepts related to the ways character forms (components) relate to meanings, and how these are used to make characters, and words and the consequent implications for learners and for sound teaching practice.

On completion of this subject students will be able to:

• Understand the nature of reading development and consider the implications for the Chinese second language classroom
• Identify the critical features of the Chinese writing system, and consider ways to represent these to school based learners
• Apply interactive approaches to character teaching and learning in the classroom
• Reflect on the value of particular concepts and processes for effective literacy development in the Chinese second language classroom.

Weekly participation in Discussion Forum activities, totalling approximately 1000 words, or equivalent 40%

Assignments comprising weekly tasks involving choice of texts, text analysis, research information on authors and content, and creative practice design, totalling approximately 1500 words, or equivalent, 60%

Online readings

Students in this subject will be enabled to develop

• an in-depth knowledge of their specialist discipline
• the habit of critical reflection
• awareness of ethnocentricity and the means to develop towards ethnorelativity
• the ability to lead in innovative practice

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.