Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 2, 2024 (22/07/2024 - 18/11/2024)
- Study level
- Undergraduate
- Location
- St Lucia
- Attendance mode
- In Person
- Units
- 2
- Administrative campus
- St Lucia
- Coordinating unit
- Education School
This course is part of a suite of Literacy and English courses in the Bachelor of Education (Primary) degree. It aims to develop preservice teachers' knowledge and understanding of the essential elements of reading that should be taught in early, middle, and upper primary school contexts, including phonological awareness, phonics, comprehension, vocabulary, and fluency. Preservice teachers will apply this knowledge through the analysis and synthesis of contemporary theories of reading, culminating in the creation of a reading instruction resource portfolio. The course also aims to develop students' understanding of and skills in planning for, teaching, and assessing reading lessons. Application of knowledge and skills will be demonstrated through the design of early and upper primary reading lesson and assessment plans. The course also teaches important connections between reading, oral language, and spelling, and emphasises how to support the reading development of all students.
This course provides preservice teachers with a comprehensive introduction to early reading theory, development, and pedagogy. The course is one of four within the Bachelor of Education (Primary) program that focuses on the teaching and learning of English in the primary years. In this course, preservice teachers will develop specialised knowledge of contemporary early reading theories related to the essential elements of reading, including oral language, phonological awareness, phonics, comprehension, vocabulary, and fluency; develop a repertoire of pedagogical strategies to teach and assess all essential elements of reading; analyse and evaluate key concepts related to common reading difficulties experienced by beginning readers, particularly dyslexia, specific comprehension difficulties, and mixed reading difficulties; develop advanced and integrated understanding of connections between reading and other complex literate practices, particularly oral language (speaking and listening) and spelling. Key reading theories that underpin the course include the simple view of reading, Scarborough's reading rope, the dual route model, Rosenshine's principles of explicit instruction, and response to intervention. Preservice teachers will investigate and make judgements about aspects of the Australian Curriculum: English to design high-quality, challenging, research-based teaching and learning activities focused on early and upper primary reading. Preservice teachers will also explore current and contemporary approaches and research related to the assessment of students’ reading capabilities. Strategies and resources utilised throughout EDUC2720 are designed to enable you to demonstrate attainment of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APST) at the graduate level. Specifically, the course's teaching and learning activities and assessment tasks target the following standards: 1.2, 2.1, 2.3, 2.5, 3.1, 3.3, 3.4, 4.2, 5.1, 5.4
Course requirements
Prerequisites
You'll need to complete the following courses before enrolling in this one:
EDUC1730
Restrictions
Entry to the BEducation(Primary) program
Jointly taught details
This course is jointly-taught with:
There are two versions of Teaching Early Reading: EDUC2720, which is completed by BEd Primary preservice teachers; and EDUC7620, which is completed by MTeach Primary preservice teachers. The lectures for these courses are jointly taught, while the tutorials are held separately.
Course staff
Course coordinator
Lecturer
Tutor
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Additional timetable information
EDUC2720 is taught as a two-hour lecture and a one-hour tutorial.
Aims and outcomes
EDUC2720 aims to build your knowledge and skills in planning for, teaching, and assessing reading in early and upper primary school English contexts.
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Analyse and evaluate contemporary early reading theories and apply these skills through the creation of a reading instruction resource portfolio and the writing of theoretical rationales. (1.2, 2.1, 2.5, 3.3, 3.4, 5.4)
LO2.
Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of early reading development and assessment through the design of reading lesson and assessment plans that include achievable yet challenging learning goals for students of varying abilities and characteristics. (1.2, 2.1, 2.3, 2.5, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 4.2, 5.1)
LO3.
Demonstrate clear, logical, and coherent communication skills consistent with personal, professional, and academic conventions.
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portfolio | Reading instruction resource portfolio | 50% |
AT1 Part 1 16/08/2024 2:00 pm AT1 Part 2 13/09/2024 2:00 pm |
| Product/ Design, Reflection | Planning early and upper primary reading lessons | 50% |
25/10/2024 2:00 pm |
Assessment details
Reading instruction resource portfolio
- Mode
- Activity/ Performance, Product/ Artefact/ Multimedia, Written
- Category
- Portfolio
- Weight
- 50%
- Due date
AT1 Part 1 16/08/2024 2:00 pm
AT1 Part 2 13/09/2024 2:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L03
Task description
This task requires you to create a multifaceted reading instruction resource portfolio that draws on your developing understanding of the essential elements of reading instruction. You will complete the assignment in two parts. Part 1 will include resources related to phonological awareness, while Part 2 will include resources related to vocabulary and fluency.
Your portfolio will demonstrate your ability to analyse and evaluate aspects of contemporary early reading theories. You will also use a repertoire of pedagogical strategies to teach, assess, and evaluate reading experiences, including:
- Identifying syllables, onset and rime, and phonemes and associated graphemes in words and sentences
- Creating resources to support phonological awareness and vocabulary instruction
- Assessing and supporting children’s reading fluency
This assignment is considered the equivalent of a 2,500-word essay.
Submission guidelines
You must submit the assessment electronically via the assignment link on the course website. By submitting your assignment, you are certifying that it is your original work and that it has not been previously submitted for assessment in any other course at university (unless resubmission is part of the requirements for the course assessment). You need to ensure you have completed UQ’s academic integrity module before you submit your assignment. The module can be found at: https://www.uq.edu.au/integrity. Always keep a copy of your submitted assignment.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
Late submission
A penalty of 1 grade for each 24 hour period from time submission is due will apply for up to 7 days. After 7 days you will receive a mark of 0.
Students will be penalised one grade per 24 hours for late submission.
Planning early and upper primary reading lessons
- Mode
- Product/ Artefact/ Multimedia, Written
- Category
- Product/ Design, Reflection
- Weight
- 50%
- Due date
25/10/2024 2:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L02, L03
Task description
This assessment task will develop your knowledge of how to teach and assess reading, with a focus on early and upper primary reading. It is split into two parts.
Part 1: Lesson and assessment plans
You are required to plan two standalone reading lessons, with a phonics lesson designed for an early primary context (i.e., Prep, Year 1, or Year 2) and a comprehension lesson designed for an upper primary context (i.e., Year 5 or 6). Each lesson will be supported by your use of an appropriate mentor text.
Select ONE reading-related Content Description per lesson from a set of options that could be taught using your selected mentor texts. Each Content Description will be linked to a given year level in the Australian Curriculum: English. The Content Description you select will determine the year levels for your planning. Each lesson must include:
- Achievable yet challenging learning goals for students, communicated in student-friendly language through learning intention(s) and success criteria.
- A description of how you would teach the essential element of reading in the genre of a procedural text that could be picked up and used by other teachers.
- Examples of teacher talk, think-alouds, and modelling with one or several mentor texts.
- An indication of how student learning would be assessed (please detail how you would meaningfully integrate assessment opportunities into your learning experiences).
Part 2: Theoretical rationale
Write a theoretical rationale to justify the choices made in your lesson and assessment plans. Your theoretical rationale should explain:
- How you drew on relevant curriculum documents and scholarly literature when planning each part of your lessons.
- How and why you incorporated differentiated teaching strategies to cater for students with varying abilities and characteristics.
- Your use of appropriate resources to teach and assess reading (e.g., mentor texts, effective use of Information and Communication Technology).
This assignment is considered the equivalent of a 2500-word essay.
Submission guidelines
You must submit the assessment electronically via the assignment link on the course website. By submitting your assignment, you are certifying that it is your original work and that it has not been previously submitted for assessment in any other course at university (unless resubmission is part of the requirements for the course assessment). You need to ensure you have completed UQ’s academic integrity module before you submit your assignment. The module can be found at: https://www.uq.edu.au/integrity. Always keep a copy of your submitted assignment.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
Late submission
A penalty of 1 grade for each 24 hour period from time submission is due will apply for up to 7 days. After 7 days you will receive a mark of 0.
Students will be penalised one grade per 24 hours for late submission.
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Description |
|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Fails to provide evidence of understanding of the disciplinary knowledge associated with reading instruction in the primary years of schooling; fails to practically apply this knowledge to educational contexts; lacks the ability to use information and communication technologies for presentation and communicative purposes. |
| 2 (Fail) |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Fails to provide evidence of understanding of the disciplinary knowledge associated with reading instruction in the primary years of schooling; fails to practically apply this knowledge to educational contexts; lacks the ability to use information and communication technologies for presentation and communicative purposes. |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes Course grade description: Demonstrates superficial evidence of understanding of the disciplinary knowledge associated with reading instruction in the primary years of schooling; limited ability to practically apply this knowledge to educational contexts; limited ability to use information and communication technologies for presentation and communicative purposes. |
| 4 (Pass) |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Demonstrates adequate evidence of understanding of the disciplinary knowledge associated with reading instruction in the primary years of schooling; limited ability to practically apply this knowledge to educational contexts; developing ability to use information and communication technologies for presentation and communicative purposes. |
| 5 (Credit) |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Demonstrates substantial evidence of understanding of the disciplinary knowledge associated with reading instruction in the primary years of schooling; substantial ability to practically apply this knowledge to educational contexts; confident and skilled use of information and communication technologies for presentation and communicative purposes. |
| 6 (Distinction) |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Demonstrates substantial and frequent evidence of understanding of the disciplinary knowledge associated with reading instruction in the primary years of schooling; strong ability to practically apply this knowledge to educational contexts; effective ability to use information and communication technologies for presentation and communicative purposes. |
| 7 (High Distinction) |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Demonstrates comprehensive evidence of understanding of the disciplinary knowledge associated with reading instruction in the primary years of schooling; significant ability to practically apply this knowledge to educational contexts; effective ability to use information and communication technologies for presentation and communicative purposes. |
Additional course grading information
Determining final grades: Final grades are determined by consideration of the weighting of individual assessment items, through the use of a weighting formula and the profile of individual grades across accumulated assessment tasks.
The two assessment tasks in the course will be provided a grade out of 7. The final grade will be calculated using the weighting and the individual assignment grades as follows.
Example: A student receives the following two grades:
Assignment 1 (AT1): grade of 4 at 50% weighting
Assignment 2 (AT2): grade of 6 at 50% weighting
The final grade for this student taking into account the weighting of each assignment would be:
(AT1) + (AT2)
(0.5ﾠx 4) + (0.5ﾠx 6)ﾠ= 2ﾠ+ 3ﾠ= 5
The final grade would be rounded to the nearest whole number; in this case, the grade would be 5.
In the case where the final grade is x.5 or above, the grade will be rounded up to the nearest whole number (e.g. 5.5 would become 6). In the case where the final grade is 0.49 or below, the grade will be rounded down to the nearest whole number (e.g. 6.49 would become 6).
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
Additional assessment information
The following applies to all assessments in this course:
Marking criteria and/or marking rubrics are available in the 'Assessment' folder in Blackboard for this course.
Release of assessment item marks and feedback
In addition to the grade awarded, feedback will be provided in a timely manner to enable students to apply the feedback to further tasks within the course or program and/or plan for supplementary assessment, requests for re-mark, or re-enrolment. However, as per UQ Policy and Procedures Library under the Assessment Policy, results for the final assessment item are to be released only after the final grade for the course has been released. Time frames for applications for assessment re-mark are indicated under the Assessment Procedure.
Re-mark policy
After each assessable item, students will be given the opportunity to view their assessment and so satisfy themselves that a marking or administrative error has not occurred. The formal process of querying a course result (requesting a remark on academic grounds) is set out in the UQ Policy and Procedures Library under the Assessment Procedure.
Use of generative AI to support or inform assessment
Artificial Intelligence (AI) provides emerging tools that may support students in completing this assessment task. Students may appropriately use AI in completing this assessment task. Students must clearly reference any use of AI in each instance.
A failure to reference generative AI use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Each of the assessment tasks provides expansive opportunities for students to demonstrate development across the different Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APST) - Graduate Level. These are identified on each task and may be viewed at
http://www.aitsl.edu.au/australian-professional-standards-for-teachers/standards/list (http://www.aitsl.edu.au/australian-professional-standards-for- teachers/standards/list).
Learning resources
You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.
Library resources
Find the required and recommended resources for this course on the UQ Library website.
Additional learning resources information
The prescribed textbook has been selected because it:
- Provides a comprehensive overview of material required for this course
- Links to the Australian Curriculum: English
- Focuses on key theories, teaching strategies, and assessment practices for essential elements of reading
- Includes a range of teaching resources, including lesson plan overviews and suggested children's literature for supporing the teaching of all elements of reading
Learning activities
The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.
Filter activity type by
Please select
| Learning period | Activity type | Topic |
|---|---|---|
Week 1 (22 Jul - 28 Jul) |
Lecture |
Week 1 Overview and history of reading instruction; Contemporary theories of early reading Learning outcomes: L01, L03 |
Week 2 (29 Jul - 04 Aug) |
Lecture |
Week 2 Phonological awareness; Concepts of print; Alphabet knowledge Learning outcomes: L01, L03 |
Week 3 (05 Aug - 11 Aug) |
Lecture |
Week 3 Phonics Learning outcomes: L01, L03 |
Week 4 (12 Aug - 18 Aug) |
Lecture |
Week 4 Language comprehension and reading comprehension; Comprehension strategies Learning outcomes: L01, L03 |
Week 5 (19 Aug - 25 Aug) |
Lecture |
Week 5 Comprehending language structures Learning outcomes: L01, L03 |
Week 6 (26 Aug - 01 Sep) |
Lecture |
Week 6 Vocabulary Learning outcomes: L01, L03 |
Week 7 (02 Sep - 08 Sep) |
Lecture |
Week 7 Fluency Learning outcomes: L01, L03 |
Week 8 (09 Sep - 15 Sep) |
Lecture |
Week 8 Oral language and reading Learning outcomes: L02, L03 |
Week 9 (16 Sep - 22 Sep) |
Lecture |
Week 9 Explicit reading instruction; Supporting all readers Learning outcomes: L02, L03 |
Multiple weeks From Week 10 To Week 11 |
Practical |
Weeks 10 and 11 In Weeks 10 and 11, EDUC7620 preservice teachers will be on their school professional experience placements. Since EDUC2720 is jointly taught with EDUC7620, this means no lectures or tutorials will be held in Weeks 10 or 11 for either cohort. |
Week 12 (14 Oct - 20 Oct) |
Lecture |
Week 12 Links between reading and spelling Learning outcomes: L02, L03 |
Week 13 (21 Oct - 27 Oct) |
Lecture |
Week 13 Bringing together the essential elements of reading; Course reflection Learning outcomes: L02, L03 |
Policies and procedures
University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:
- Student Code of Conduct Policy
- Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Examinations Procedure
- Reasonable Adjustments - Students Policy and Procedure
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.