Unit rationale, description and aim

Includes: 25 days of professional experience placement in a secondary school setting

Well-managed learning settings that are engaging, inclusive and safe promote the achievement of learning outcomes. Teachers must be able to apply effective practices to create and maintain positive learning environments that meet learners’ needs and foster participation.

This unit is the first of three that form an Effective Teaching sequence.

This unit develops the communication, management and organisational skills that are needed to create and maintain positive and effective learning environments and to guide learner behaviour. Pre-service teachers will examine contemporary research, policies, theories and practices related to effective communication and interpersonal skills, lesson planning, teaching strategies and classroom management, including the establishment of clear expectations in relation to learning and behaviour. Pre-service teachers will have opportunities to observe and practise introductory planning, teaching and classroom management skills through undertaking a 25-day professional experience placement, developing ACU graduate capabilities Insight as the pre-service teacher embraces change and growth.

The aim of this unit is to enable pre-service teachers to acquire and develop the knowledge, understanding and skills to effectively plan and implement classroom learning activities that promote positive behaviours and ensure meaningful engagement in learning. 

2025 10

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Prerequisites

Nil

Incompatible

EDET590 Effective Teaching 1: Professional Practices , EDLL501 Effective Teaching and Learning

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.

Comply with legal and ethical requirements of teac...

Learning Outcome 01

Comply with legal and ethical requirements of teachers, and describe and apply policies and strategies for providing safe and supportive learning environments
Relevant Graduate Capabilities: GC1, GC2, GC8, GC9

Apply knowledge of curriculum, planning, communica...

Learning Outcome 02

Apply knowledge of curriculum, planning, communication and teaching strategies to organise content and design and implement learning activities to engage learners of all abilities and diverse backgrounds
Relevant Graduate Capabilities: GC1, GC2, GC4, GC7, GC8

Evaluate and utilise a range of practical strategi...

Learning Outcome 03

Evaluate and utilise a range of practical strategies for managing common classroom behaviours
Relevant Graduate Capabilities: GC1, GC2, GC7, GC8

Complete a successful professional experience in a...

Learning Outcome 04

Complete a successful professional experience in a classroom setting engaging in critical reflection and responding to feedback from colleagues and supervisors to improve teaching practice
Relevant Graduate Capabilities: GC1, GC2, GC3, GC4, GC7, GC8, GC10, GC11, GC12

Content

Topics will include:

The profession of teaching:

  • Australian Professional Standards for Teachers;
  • organisational policies and processes;
  • principles and codes of ethics and conduct;
  • legal and professional responsibilities including Duty of Care, Child Protection and Mandatory reporting
  • This unit includes a mandatory module on working with children and young people that focuses on responding to concerns and strategies to keep ourselves and others safe and support children, young people and vulnerable adults.

Introduction to planning:

  • Overview of the Australian Curriculum
  • 4 levels of planning – Year/semester, unit, lesson, activity.
  • Setting clear and appropriate learning goals
  • Planning and implementing learning activities linked to curriculum content and learning outcomes

Introduction to teaching strategies:

  • Explicit strategies such as
  • demonstrating and explaining
  • didactic teaching/direct instruction
  • group work
  • discussion
  • problem-solving
  • role play
  • questioning techniques
  • use of ICTs as an aid to teaching and learning

Professional communication in educational contexts:

  • Characteristics of effective teachers
  • Communication and interpersonal skills in the classroom, school, and other education contexts
  • Teacher behaviours to promote positive engagement: setting achievable and challenging learning goals, giving clear directions, strategies for attracting and maintaining student attention
  • Building positive, safe and supportive learning environments: getting to know your learners; appropriate teacher-learner communication

Introduction to classroom management

  • Theories and practices of classroom management, with particular emphasis on preventative measures and maintaining positive classroom environments for teaching and learning.
  • Establishing clear expectations in relation to behaviour.
  • With-it-ness (whole class awareness),

The Professional Experience:

  • Teacher self-care: physical and mental wellbeing and building resilience
  • Practice introductory planning, teaching and classroom management skills
  • Observation, reflection and applying constructive feedback as strategies that guide professional learning and growth

Assessment strategy and rationale

 The assessment strategy for EDET590 is designed to align with the unit's Learning Outcomes (LOs) and provide a comprehensive evaluation of pre-service teachers' skills and knowledge. The Lesson Planning task (50%) assesses students' ability to create engaging, inclusive lesson sequences, addressing LO1 and LO2 by focusing on curriculum application and diverse student needs. The Classroom Management task (50%) requires exploring strategies for common classroom behaviours and assessing LO1 and LO3 by applying policies for safe, supportive environments. The assessment sequence begins with Lesson Planning, establishing a foundational understanding of curriculum and teaching strategies. This is followed by Classroom Management, which builds on this foundation by addressing behaviour strategies and classroom dynamics. Hurdle requirements ensure readiness for professional experience and successful completion of a 15-day placement, directly assessing LO4. The preparatory modules ensure an understanding of professional standards, while the placement provides practical application, critical reflection, and feedback integration. This strategy ensures a balanced, progressive assessment approach, fostering the development of professional knowledge, practice, and engagement, essential for effective teaching.

Minimum Achievement Standards

The assessment tasks and their weighting for this unit are designed to demonstrate the achievement of each learning outcome. In order to pass this unit, students are required to submit all assessment tasks, meet the learning outcomes of the unit and achieve a minimum overall passing grade of 50%.   

In addition, Pre-service teachers must attain a Pass in the two hurdle tasks. The first hurdle comprises a collection of preparatory tasks that must be completed to a high standard prior to the commencement of the placement. The second hurdle task is the Professional Experience Placement – which is assessed on a pass/fail basis.

Overview of assessments

Assessment Task 1: Lesson Planning To demonstrat...

Assessment Task 1: Lesson Planning

To demonstrate a positive and engaging learning environment that caters for the diverse learning needs of all students, develop a sequence of learning activities in the pre-service teacher’s subject area. The sequence will include:

  • reference to curriculum/state-based syllabus
  • learning goals and success criteria
  • strategies to support inclusive student participation
  • a range of teaching strategies to meet the needs of students of all abilities and from diverse backgrounds (including linguistic, cultural, religious and socio-economic)
  • a variety of resources to engage students
  • instructions on the implementation of the learning activities in a classroom and provide examples of clear directions for students
Weighting

50%

Learning Outcomes LO1, LO2
Graduate Capabilities GC1, GC2, GC4, GC7, GC8, GC9
Standards APST(GA)1.1, APST(GA)1.3, APST(GA)2.1, APST(GA)2.2, APST(GA)2.3, APST(GA)3.1, APST(GA)3.2, APST(GA)3.3, APST(GA)3.4, APST(GA)3.6, APST(GA)4.2, APST(GA)4.4, APST(GA)7.1, APST(GA)7.2

Assessment Task 2: Classroom Management Pre-serv...

Assessment Task 2: Classroom Management

Pre-service teachers will be provided with a scenario (or series of scenarios) that will describe a commonly encountered form of ‘off-task’ or low-level classroom misbehaviour. Pre-service teachers will need to explore a variety of approaches to handling the situation and present their findings. 

Weighting

50%

Learning Outcomes LO1, LO3
Graduate Capabilities GC1, GC2, GC7, GC8, GC9
Standards APST(GA)4.1, APST(GA)4.3, APST(GA)4.4, APST(GA)7.1, APST(GA)7.2

Hurdle Requirement 1: Preparation for the Profess...

Hurdle Requirement 1: Preparation for the Professional Experience Placement

Prior to commencing the Professional Experience placement, pre-service teachers must complete a series of compulsory online preparation modules, attaining a score of 95% or above in each module. The modules cover:

  • Professional Standards
  • Professional expectations and codes of conduct
  • Workplace Health & Safety
  • Legal requirements, including Duty of Care, Child Protection and Mandatory Reporting
  • Professional relationships.


Pre-service teachers must also complete and provide evidence of the following:

  • Working with Children Check or a Police Check where this is appropriate or mandated
  • Mandatory requirements as specified by the pre-service teacher’s state/territory.


Notes:

  • Completion of these modules does not exempt pre-service teachers from seeking a Working with Children Check or a Police Check where this is appropriate or mandated.
  • Anticipated completion time: 7 hours
  • Multiple attempts at this hurdle task are permitted.
Weighting

Pass/Fail

Learning Outcomes LO1
Graduate Capabilities GC1, GC2, GC8, GC9
Standards APST(GA)4.4, APST(GA)7.1, APST(GA)7.2

Hurdle Requirement 2: Professional Experience Ass...

Hurdle Requirement 2: Professional Experience Assessment

Pre-service teachers must demonstrate attainment of the relevant Australian Professional Standards for Teachers: Graduate within a secondary school setting.

 

A pass grade for this task will be awarded following:

  • the successful completion of 25 professional experience days and,
  • submission of a satisfactory Professional Experience Assessment Report

 

Notes:

  • Multiple attempts at this hurdle task are not permitted.
  • Professional Experience is a mandated part of Initial Teacher Education courses. Failing this task will result in a fail grade for the unit overall and pre-service teachers will be required to enrol in a future offering of the unit. 
Weighting

Pass/Fail

Learning Outcomes LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4
Graduate Capabilities GC1, GC2, GC3, GC4, GC7, GC8, GC9, GC10, GC11, GC12
Standards APST(GA)1.1, APST(GA)1.3, APST(GA)2.1, APST(GA)2.2, APST(GA)2.3, APST(GA)3.1, APST(GA)3.2, APST(GA)3.3, APST(GA)3.4, APST(GA)3.5, APST(GA)3.6, APST(GA)4.1, APST(GA)4.2, APST(GA)4.3, APST(GA)4.4, APST(GA)4.5, APST(GA)5.2, APST(GA)6.3, APST(GA)7.1, APST(GA)7.2

Learning and teaching strategy and rationale

This is a 10-credit point unit designed to ensure that approximately 150 hours of learning are completed to meet the requisite standard across the teaching period. The unit employs a social constructivist approach to develop pre-service teachers' understanding of the complexities of the teaching profession through a variety of learning activities, including readings, reflections, discussions, webinars, podcasts, and video resources. Curriculum knowledge, teaching strategies, and planning skills are introduced and developed through designing learning experiences and lesson plans relevant to educational contexts. The professional placement enables pre-service teachers to observe and engage with experienced practitioners, linking theory with practical application in the school environment.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE: TEACHING REQUIREMENTS

Within this Effective Teaching unit, pre-service teachers will undertake, in pairs where possible, a professional experience placement comprising 25 days in a secondary school setting (with at least 25 days of continuous engagement ie., ‘a block’).

Pre-service teachers will develop the habit of critically reflective practice through guided reflection upon their observations of their class and the educational setting. In collaboration with their supervising teachers and other professional colleagues, they will develop basic teaching skills through assisting in the delivery of high-quality teaching episodes and teaching small groups and whole classes. They will critically reflect upon their teaching and self-audit their progression and attainment of key teaching skills and standards. 

Required Teaching Experience

The following engagements are recommended across the 225-day placement for pre-service teachers undertaking professional experience placement in a primary or secondary school.

School settings: DAYS 1 – 5. Days 1 - 3 Proposed Teaching Expectations

  • Assisted immersion in school and class contexts to begin to experience aspects of the secondary school teacher’s role and responsibilities
  • Structured observation and small group/team teaching
  • Assisting the supervising teacher in the teaching and learning process
  • Self-auditing and evaluation

 Days 3 - 5 Proposed Teaching Expectations

  • Structured observation and small group/team teaching
  • One – two lessons/learning experiences per day, leading to whole class teaching
  • Self-auditing and evaluation

 School settings: DAYS 6 – 25 - Block Practicum

Days 6 - 10 Proposed Teaching Expectations

  • Planning for teaching; Observation and small group/team teaching;
  • Assisting the class teacher in the teaching and learning process;
  • One – two lessons/learning experiences per day plus management of class routines; Self-auditing and evaluation

 Days 11 - 25 Proposed Teaching Expectations

  • Planning for teaching;
  • Two - three whole class lessons/learning experiences per day;
  • Management of class routines;
  • Extra-curricular activities;
  • Self-auditing and evaluation

Australian Professional Standards for Teachers - Graduate Level

In connection to the learning outcomes, 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:

  • Relating toDemonstrate knowledge and understanding of physical, social and intellectual development and characteristics of students and how these may affect learning.

    Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO4

  • Relating toDemonstrate knowledge of teaching strategies that are responsive to the learning strengths and needs of students from diverse linguistic, cultural, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds

    Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2

  • Relating toDemonstrate knowledge and understanding of the concepts, substance and structure of the content and teaching strategies of the teaching area.

    Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO4

  • Relating toOrganise content into an effective learning and teaching sequence.

    Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO4

  • Relating toUse curriculum, assessment and reporting knowledge to design learning sequences and lesson plans.

    Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO4

  • Relating toSet learning goals that provide achievable challenges for students of varying abilities and characteristics.

    Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO4

  • Relating toPlan lesson sequences using knowledge of student learning, content and effective teaching strategies.

    Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO4

  • Relating toInclude a range of teaching strategies.

    Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO4

  • Relating toDemonstrate knowledge of a range of resources, including ICT, that engage students in their learning.

    Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO4

  • Relating toDemonstrate a range of verbal and non-verbal communication strategies to support student engagement.

    Relevant Learning OutcomeLO4

  • Relating toDemonstrate broad knowledge of strategies that can be used to evaluate teaching programs to improve student learning.

    Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2

  • Relating toIdentify strategies to support inclusive student participation and engagement in classroom activities.

    Relevant Learning OutcomeLO3, LO4

  • Relating toDemonstrate the capacity to organise classroom activities and provide clear directions.

    Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO4

  • Relating toDemonstrate knowledge of practical approaches to manage challenging behaviour.

    Relevant Learning OutcomeLO3, LO4

  • Relating toDescribe strategies that support students’ wellbeing and safety working within school and/or system, curriculum and legislative requirements.

    Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO3, LO4

  • Relating toDemonstrate an understanding of the relevant issues and the strategies available to support the safe, responsible and ethical use of ICT in learning and teaching.

    Relevant Learning OutcomeLO4

  • Relating toDemonstrate an understanding of the purpose of providing timely and appropriate feedback to students about their learning.

    Relevant Learning OutcomeLO4

  • Relating toSeek and apply constructive feedback from supervisors and teachers to improve teaching practices.

    Relevant Learning OutcomeLO4

  • Relating toUnderstand and apply the key principles described in codes of ethics and conduct for the teaching profession.

    Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO4

  • Relating toUnderstand the relevant legislative, administrative and organisational policies and processes required for teachers according to school stage.

    Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO4

Representative texts and references

Required text(s)

Australian Curriculum https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/

Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) https://www.acara.edu.au

Relevant State and Territory curriculum documents. 

Recommended references

 Allison, S. & Tharby, A. (2015). Making every lesson count: Six principles to support great teaching and learning. Crown House Publishing. https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/acu/detail.action?docID=2066098

Call, K. (2018). Professional teaching standards: A comparative analysis of their history, implementation and efficacy. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 43 (3), 93-108. https://acu.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/61ACU_INST/p3lnct/cdi_rmit_apaft_search_informit_org_doi_10_3316_aeipt_220826

Churchill, R., Keddie, A., Apps, T., Batt, J., Beckman, K., Grainger, P., Letts, W., Mackay, J., McGill, M., Moss, J., Nagel, M.C., Shaw, K., & Rogers, J. (2022). Teaching: Making a difference (5th ed.). John Wiley & Sons. https://acu.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/61ACU_INST/13lm7d8/alma991013168586902352Dawson, V., & Shand, J. (2019). Impact of support for pre-service teachers placed in disadvantaged schools. Issues in Educational Research, 29 (1) 19-37. https://acu.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/61ACU_INST/p3lnct/cdi_rmit_aeipt_search_informit_org_doi_10_3316_aeipt_223905

Ewing, R., Glass, C., Kervin, L., Gobby, B., & Le Cornu, R. (2023). Teaching: Dilemmas, challenges and opportunities. Cengage Learning // Australia. https://acu.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/61ACU_INST/qpf7hm/alma991012963399402352

Gutierrez, A., Fox, J., & Alexander, C. (2019). Professionalism and teacher education: Voices from policy and practice. Springer Singapore. https://acu.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/61ACU_INST/qpf7hm/alma991012875499802352

Kauchak D., & Eggen, P. (2019). Introduction to teaching: Becoming a professional (6th ed.). Pearson. https://acu.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/61ACU_INST/13lm7d8/alma991013395349702352

Kennedy, K., Marsh, C. J., & Henderson, D. (2022). Becoming a teacher. (7th ed.). Pearson. https://acu.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/61ACU_INST/13lm7d8/alma991013106895502352

Killen, R. (2022). Effective teaching strategies: Lessons from research and practice (7th ed.). Cengage Learning Australia. https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/acu/detail.action?docID=7176625

Pritchard, A. (2018). Ways of learning: Learning theories and learning styles in the classroom (4th ed.). Routledge. https://acu.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/61ACU_INST/13lm7d8/alma991013188499802352

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