Year
2024Credit points
10Campus offering
Prerequisites
Nil
Incompatible
EDLA168 Childrens Literature for Literacy
Unit rationale, description and aim
Children’s literature is an essential part of literacy education.
This unit will introduce pre-service teachers to an extensive range of children’s literature which includes contemporary melded genres, multimodal texts, picture books, post-modern texts and poetry to build foundational knowledge for the teaching of literacy. Pre-service teachers will understand the importance of analysing texts using historical, sociocultural and post-structural perspectives. The unit is designed to develop and deepen pre-service teachers’ knowledge of children’s literature and how it is used to develop and enhance oral language development, literacy competency and enjoyment. Contexts and strategies for responding to, thinking about and critiquing children’s literature within a basis of literary, semiotic and language theories will be considered. The unit will also consider Indigenous literature, enabling pre-service teachers to acknowledge Indigenous Australians’ deep spiritual relationship with the land, and value and respect Indigenous cultures.
The aim of this unit is to offer opportunities for pre-service teachers to read and critique a wide range of children’s literature, consider what constitutes constructs quality children’s literature, and to participate in discussions with deep understanding, within a framework that engages the social and ethical dimensions of study and research.
Learning outcomes
To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.
Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.
Explore the graduate capabilities.
| Learning Outcome Number | Learning Outcome Description | Relevant Graduate Capabilities |
|---|---|---|
| LO1 | Examine the constructs of children’s literature, ranging from traditional tales to post-modern picture books across a range of genres including poetry and non-fiction exploring how these texts can be included across the curriculum. | GC1, GC2, GC3, GC5, GC7, GC9 |
| LO2 | Identify and use an extensive range of children’s literature (with a specific focus from birth to grade 6, including Indigenous and multicultural literature) for varying purposes and contexts to assist in the selection of texts for children and adolescents to promote early and continued reading development, and the exploration of discipline literacies | GC1, GC2, GC3, GC5, GC7, GC9, GC11 |
| LO3 | Identify and analyse the contexts and strategies for responding to, thinking about and critiquing children’s literature through the application of literacy, semiotic and language theories with a specific focus on multimodalities and metalanguage. | GC1, GC2, GC3, GC7, GC9, GC10, GC11 |
| LO4 | Justify the application of children’s literature (including Indigenous/multicultural literature), in an educational setting with a focus on family and/or community issues from diverse perspectives and contexts. | GC1, GC2, GC3, GC4, GC5, GC6, GC7, GC8, GC9, GC11, GC12 |
ACECQA Curriculum Specifications
On successful completion of this unit, pre-service teachers should have developed the following industry specific knowledge based on the Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) standards:
| Industry Standard | Relating to | Relevant Learning Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| ACECQA -A2 | Language development | LO1, LO2, LO3 |
| ACECQA -B4 | Language and literacy | LO1, LO2, LO3 |
| ACECQA -D2 | Multicultural education | LO4 |
| ACECQA -D3 | Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives | LO4 |
| ACECQA -D4 | Socially inclusive practice | LO2, LO4 |
| ACECQA -D5 | Culture, diversity and inclusion | LO2, LO4 |
Australian Professional Standards for Teachers - Graduate Level
On successful completion of this unit, pre-service teachers should have developed the following industry specific knowledge based on the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers - Graduate Level standards:
| Industry Standard | Relating to | Relevant Learning Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| APST(GA)2.1 | Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the concepts, substance and structure of the content and teaching strategies of the teaching area. | LO1, LO2, LO3 |
| APST(GA)2.4 | Demonstrate broad knowledge of, understanding of, and respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures and languages. | LO4 |
| APST(GA)3.4 | Demonstrate knowledge of a range of resources, including ICT, that engage students in their learning. | LO2 |
Content
- Multimodality and the metalanguage of visual and verbal texts
- The contexts of children’s literature (e.g. analysis, purpose, enjoyment, uses across the curriculum)
- Children’s literature used to support the development of children
- The importance of reading aloud to children
- The language of literature (e.g., metaphor, alliteration, simile, poetic devices, the lexico-grammar of literature)
- Literary techniques and strategies and their linguistic and multimodal realisations/devices’
- Historical development of children’s literature
- Characteristics of Literary genres and text types in children’s literature (e.g., folk and fairy, realism, fantasy, historical, multicultural and Indigenous; non-fiction, poetry anime, graphic novels hybrid)
- Contemporary melded genres, post-modern picture books and multi-modal digital genres
- Themes and topics in children’s literature (e.g., bravery, coming of age, journey, exploration)
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
The learning and teaching strategy for this unit is based on a Constructivist approach that recognises that learning builds on pre-existing understandings and is shaped by a learner’s sociocultural context. In line with the chosen learning and teaching strategy, this unit includes content delivery designed to encourage active learning and engagement, and teaching methods designed to consolidate the learning of content, apply knowledge to problem-solving tasks and develop analytical and evaluating skills. The learning and teaching strategy is achieved through a range of learning activities such as reading, reflection, discussion, and engagement with webinars, podcasts and video resources.
This is a 10-credit point unit and has been designed to ensure that the time needed to complete the required volume of learning to the requisite standard is approximately 150 hours. To achieve a passing standard in this unit, pre-service teachers will find it helpful to engage in the full range of learning activities and assessments utilised in this unit, as described in the learning and teaching strategy and the assessment strategy.
The unit is hosted on a Learning Management System (LMS) site with resources and online links, announcements, and a discussion board to post questions and reflections that promote connection between content and educational experiences.
Mode of delivery: This unit may be offered in different modes to cater to the learning needs and preferences of a range of participants.
On Campus
Most learning activities or classes are delivered at a scheduled time, on campus, to enable in-person interactions. Activities will appear in a student’s timetable.
Multi-mode
Learning activities are delivered through a planned mix of online and in-person classes, which may include full-day sessions and/or placements, to enable interaction. Activities that require attendance will appear in a student’s timetable.
Online unscheduled
Learning activities are accessible anytime, anywhere. These units are normally delivered fully online and will not appear in a student’s timetable.
Online scheduled
All learning activities are held online, at scheduled times, and will require some attendance to enable online interaction. Activities will appear in a student’s timetable.
ACU Online
In ACU Online mode, this unit is delivered asynchronously, fully online using an active, guided learning approach. Pre-service teachers are encouraged to contribute to asynchronous weekly discussions and receive regular and timely feedback on their learning.
Assessment strategy and rationale
A range of assessment procedures is used to meet the unit learning outcomes and develop graduate attributes and professional standards and criteria consistent with University assessment requirements.
The assessment tasks and their weightings allow pre-service teachers to progressively demonstrate achievement against the course learning outcomes by demonstrating academic and professional standards. This unit will focus on developing an understanding of, and skills across the professional knowledge, practice and engagement needed to meet expectations of the Graduate Attributes and the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers - Graduate level.
Assessment task 1 focuses on pre-service teachers’ ability to analyse the interrelationship between words and pictures in response to literature. Assessment task 2 is a small group presentation and brochure creation on a chosen genre to demonstrate the role of children’s literature in developing strategies for the enjoyment of reading connected to a specific theme or topic. Assessment task 3 assesses pre-service teachers’ application of knowledge and evaluation of children’s literature in relation to reading aloud with reference to children’s early literacy development.
The three assessment tasks are sequenced to allow feedback and progressive development of content knowledge and skills to prepare pre-service teachers for pedagogical knowledge units in the sequence of language and literacy units.
Minimum Achievement Standards
The assessment tasks for this unit are designed to demonstrate the achievement of each learning outcome. In order to pass this unit, students are required to complete ALL assessment tasks and achieve an overall Pass grade overall. Learning Outcome 4 (Justify the application of children’s literature (including multicultural/Indigenous literature), in an educational setting with a focus on family and/or community issues from diverse perspectives and contexts.) is only assessed in Assessment Task 3. A pass in this component of Task 3 is an additional requirement for passing the unit overall.
Overview of assessments
| Brief Description of Kind and Purpose of Assessment Tasks | Weighting | Learning Outcomes | Graduate Capabilities | Standards |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Assessment Task 1: Short Analytical Essay Response to literature: Analyse and demonstrate an understanding of the interrelationship of words and pictures in an assigned text with a specific focus on multimodality and metalanguage. | 20% | LO1, LO3 | GC1, GC2, GC3, GC5, GC7, GC9, GC10, GC11 | Children, APST(GA)2.1, APST(GA)3.4 |
Assessment Task 2 Understanding the role of children’s literature A small group (pairs) presentation and brochure on a chosen genre to demonstrate an understanding of the role of children’s literature in developing strategies for and enjoyment of reading and enhancing knowledge of themes/topics using picture books and novels. | 40% | LO1, LO2, LO3 | GC1, GC2, GC3, GC5, GC7, GC9, GC11 | Children, APST(GA)2.1, APST(GA)3.4 |
Assessment Task 3: Extended Analytical Essay Select, read, and analyse three texts from the genres covered in this unit, evaluating each text with connections to perspectives and contexts considering the potential for supporting early literacy development. Choose one title to read aloud to a group of young children in an educational setting and critically reflect and evaluate the read aloud experience. | 40% | LO2, LO3, LO4 | GC1, GC2, GC3, GC4, GC5, GC6, GC7, GC8, GC9, GC10, GC11, GC12 | Children, ACECQA -A2, ACECQA -B4, ACECQA -D4, ACECQA -D5 |
Representative texts and references
Required text(s)
Zbaracki, M. (2023) Children’s Literature in the Classroom Sage.
Recommended references
Callow, J. (2013). The shape of text to come: How image and text work. Primary English Teaching Association Australia (PETAA).
Mallan, K. (Ed.). (2014). Picture books and beyond. Primary English Teaching Association Australia (PETAA), pp. 75-91.
Emmitt, M., Zbaracki, M., Komesaroff, L., & Pollock. J. (2015). Language and learning: An introduction for teaching (6th ed.). Oxford University Press.
Fellowes, J., & Oakley G. (2020). Language, literacy and early childhood education (3rd ed.). Oxford University Press
Flanagan, V. (2013). Similarity or difference: The problem of race in Australian picture books, Bookbird: A Journal of International Children’s Literature, Vol.51(2), pp.13-22.
Keifer, B., & Tyson, C. (2019). Charlotte Huck’s children’s literature: A brief guide. (3rd ed. International student ed.). McGraw-Hill
Serafini, F. (2014). Reading the visual: An introduction to teaching multimodal literacy. Teachers College Press.