Language and Teaching

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2015:

85 hours

Admission to the Master of Teaching (Secondary)

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, Learning Outcomes and Assessment Requirements of this entry.

The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the disability support scheme can be found at the Disability Liaison website: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

This subject introduces all teacher candidates to the literate demands of the range of subject areas taught in the secondary school. Topics will include: the relationship between language and learning; the scaffolding role of the teacher in students’ learning through language; teachers’ and students’ use of oral language to enhance learning; the structures and language features of key text types used in secondary schooling; the processes involved in reading the complex multimodal texts used in modern secondary schooling; supporting students’ reading and writing; and planning for literacy in the subject areas. Teacher candidates will relate their understandings of these issues to their ongoing teaching practice.

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

• Recognize the role of spoken and written language in learning across the secondary subject areas;
• Plan lessons and units of work which account for and address literacy demands;
• Reflect on their own ongoing role in supporting learning through spoken and written language;
• Know how to work cooperatively with other teachers in supporting student learning through language;
• Have strong oral and written communication skills;
• Have sufficient metalinguistic awareness to reflect productively on their use of language in the classroom.

The subject covers a range of the National Professional Standards for Teachers (for Graduate Teachers). In particular, the subject will contribute to students attaining the following standards:

1.2 Understand how students learn

1.3 Students with diverse linguistic, cultural, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds

2.5 Literacy and numeracy strategies

3.3 Use teaching strategies

3.4 Select and use resources

4.1 Support student participation

4.5 Use ICT safely, responsibly and ethically

5.2 Provide feedback to students on their learning

6.2 Engage in professional learning and improve practice

6.4 Apply professional learning and improve student learning

There are 2 assessment tasks:

• One 1,200 word essay, due midway through the subject, 60%
• One 3,800 word report or equivalent. The report (Clinical Praxis Exam) is comprised of 1,500 words or equivalent from EDUC90405 Learners, Teachers and Pedagogy (Secondary), 1,500 words or equivalent from EDUC90406 Social and Professional Contexts, and 800 words or equivalent from EDUC90407 Language and Teaching. The Clinical Praxis Exam task, or equivalent, must be passed in order to pass this subject.CPE report due in examination week, 40%.

Attendance at all classes (tutorial/seminars/practical classes/lectures/labs) is obligatory. Failure to attend 80% of classes will normally result in failure in the subject.

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

On completion of this subject, teacher candidates will have the knowledge, skills and understanding to enable them to:

• 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;
• Demonstrate an understanding of the role of language as fundamental to education.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the way in which theory and research informs practice.