Students

ECED823 – Language and Literacy in Early Childhood

2017 – S2 Day

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit Convenor
Emilia Djonov
Contact via emilia.djonov@mq.edu.au
X5B276
Helen Little
Credit points Credit points
4
Prerequisites Prerequisites
ECED600 or ECED817 or (admission to MEChild or MEd or PGDipEdS or MIndigenousEd or MSpecEd or PGCertSpEd)
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
ECEX823
Unit description Unit description
This unit will explore what language is and how it develops in early childhood, with a main focus on the years from birth to five. The relationship between language, learning and culture will be investigated. Students will consider different definitions of literacy and examine how oral language in the early years of life relates to subsequent knowledge of written, visual and aural texts. Issues to be addressed include how to create a language and literacy rich environment and the central role of adults in supporting children's language and literacy development in a range of contexts.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • Use appropriate metalanguage when analysing language structure and function.
  • Demonstrate understanding of the relationship between oral language, adult-child interaction and literacy development.
  • Evaluate EC settings in terms of language and literacy development.
  • Pedagogical strategies for promoting language and literacy development.
  • Use peer reviewed research to justify decision making.
  • Use academic language appropriately to express ideas and arguments.

General Assessment Information

Full assignment instructions

This Unit Guide provides a brief description only of each required assessment piece. Full instructions are provided via the extended unit outline, which will be available on the iLearn site from the Day 1 of Session 2.

Assignment expectations

In order to achieve a passing grade, it is expected that all assignments are completed, and that all assignments demonstrate a serious attempt to address the assignment task.

Please follow these guidelines when you submit each assignment:

  • Allow a left and right-hand margin of at least 2cm in all assignments.
  • Please type all assignments using 12-point font and 1.5 spacing.
  • All assessments must be submitted through Turnitin in .doc or .pdf format for submission.
  • It is the onus of the student to ensure that all assessments are successfully submitted through Turnitin.
  • Faculty assignment cover sheets are NOT required.

Draft Submissions & Turnitin Originality Reports

  • Students may use Turnitin’s Originality Report as a learning tool to improve their academic writing if this option is made available in the unit.
  • Students are strongly encouraged to upload a draft copy of each assessment to Turnitin at least one week prior to the due date to obtain an Originality Report.
  • The Originality Report provides students with a similarity index that may indicate if plagiarism has occurred. Students will be able to make amendments to their drafts prior to their final submission on the due date.
  • Generally, one Originality Report is generated every 24 hours up to the due date.

When preparing your assignments, it is essential that:

  • Students regularly save a copy of all assignments before submission,
  • Unless there are exceptional circumstances, no assessment will be accepted after the date that the assessment has been returned to other students.
  • If an assessment is considered to be below passing standard, another staff member on the unit will provide a second opinion. No failed assessment may be re-submitted.

Final Submissions

  • Students are responsible for checking that their submission has been successful and has been submitted by the due date and time.
  • Late submissions due to last minute technical difficulties may incur a lateness penalty.

Grading

  • No failed assessment may be re-submitted.
  • Assignment return will usually be 3 weeks after the submission due date for all students who have submitted their assignment by that date. Please allow at least 3 weeks before contacting your unit convenor/lecturer/tutor to ask when results will be released. 

Assignment extensions and late penalties

Applications for extensions must be made via AskMQ at https://ask.mq.edu.au as a "Disruption to Studies" request before the submission date. Students who experience a disruption to their studies through ill-health or misadventure are able to apply for this request. Extensions can only be granted by the Unit Convenor (and in some cases by Faculty Student Services) provided it is aligned with the Disruption to Studies Policy. This will ensure consistency in the consideration of such requests is maintained.

In general, there should be no need for extensions except through illness or misadventure that would be categorised as unavoidable disruption according to the University definition of same, and currently available at:

http://students.mq.edu.au/student_admin/exams/disruption_to_studies/

Late submissions without extension will receive a penalty of 5% reduction of the total possible mark for each day late (including weekends and public holidays). You are reminded that submitting even just 1 day late could be the difference between passing and failing a unit. Late penalties are applied by unit convenors or their delegates after tasks are assessed. No assessable work will be accepted after the return/release of marked work on the same topic. If a student is still permitted to submit on the basis of unavoidable disruption, an alternative topic may be set. 

Students should keep an electronic file of all assessments. Claims regarding "lost" assessments cannot be made if the file cannot be produced. It is also advisable to keep an electronic file of all drafts and the final submission on a USB untouched/unopened after submission. This can be used to demonstrate easily that the assessment has not been amended after the submission date.

It is important to note:

  • Do NOT contact your unit convener about extensions. Please submit ALL extension and special consideration requests through https://ask.mq.edu.au.
  • Emails are not appropriate means of extension requests. Your unit convener will not respond to extension requests via emails or iLearn Dialogues.
  • It is essential that you plan ahead and organise your study time effectively. Poor time management is not grounds for an extension.

Academic Honesty Guidelines: 

All assignments should cite and provide full bibliographical details of all material that you have used to inform or support your ideas. At the Department of Educational Studies, students are required to use the American Psychological Association (APA) referencing procedures. Full details about how to cite and reference correctly can be found in Perrin (2015) and in the Academic Honesty Handbook.

The following guide can be purchased from the Co-op Bookshop. This is a required text: *

Perrin, R. (2015). Pocket guide to APA style (5th ed.). Stamford, CT: Cengage Learning.

 

Family and Children’s Records at Department of Educational Studies (Early Childhood)

Some assessment tasks require students to submit records about families and about children and their learning. It is expected that the records submitted are original, authentic, adheres to ethical practices and is the work of the student. Issues with the authenticity of such records will be investigated for possible forgery. Please note that submitted records can only be used once for assessment purposes.

Confidentiality: Students must respect the need for sensitivity and confidentially and ensure that privacy obligations are met. There should be nothing in assessment submissions that identifies a centre or school. Use only the first name for children, families and staff. Do not record details that enable identification of the site, and of the adults or children. 

Eligibility for a Passing Grade in the Unit

In order to receive a passing grade in this unit, you must meet the following criteria:

  • All assessment tasks must be submitted.
  • Receive an adequate total mark for the unit (i.e. your combined marks for the three pieces of assessment). In order to receive a grade of Pass, your total mark must be at least 50/100.
  • You must receive a minimum of 50% in at least two of the three pieces of assessment.

Note: If you have any missing items of assessment, it is your responsibility to make contact with the unit coordinator to determine whether it is possible to complete the unit in 2017. 

 

 

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Shared Reading 35% No 4 Sept 2017
Observation of infants 35% No 3 Oct 2017
Special Interest Topic 30% No 13 Nov 2017

Shared Reading

Due: 4 Sept 2017
Weighting: 35%

Students analyse an interaction between an adult and a child during shared reading of a picture book.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Use appropriate metalanguage when analysing language structure and function.
  • Demonstrate understanding of the relationship between oral language, adult-child interaction and literacy development.
  • Use academic language appropriately to express ideas and arguments.

Observation of infants

Due: 3 Oct 2017
Weighting: 35%

Students observe the nursery in a Long Day Care centre and evaluate the language and literacy potential.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Demonstrate understanding of the relationship between oral language, adult-child interaction and literacy development.
  • Evaluate EC settings in terms of language and literacy development.
  • Use peer reviewed research to justify decision making.
  • Use academic language appropriately to express ideas and arguments.

Special Interest Topic

Due: 13 Nov 2017
Weighting: 30%

Students choose an area of special interest in early childhood language and literacy development from a list of topics.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Use appropriate metalanguage when analysing language structure and function.
  • Pedagogical strategies for promoting language and literacy development.
  • Use peer reviewed research to justify decision making.
  • Use academic language appropriately to express ideas and arguments.

Delivery and Resources

The unit is run in both internal and external modes. Internal students must listen to pre-recorded lectures and attend and participate in 6 x 2hr face-to-face seminars. Lectures begin in week 1, and internal seminars in week 2. External students must attend and participate in a full-day, compulsory on-campus session on 16 September 2017.  

Unit resources include a set textbook, additional readings, weekly recorded lectures and weekly study tasks. These can be accessed through the MQ Library's Multisearch engine. 

Required textbook

Schickedanz, J. A., & Collins, M. F. (2013). So much more than the ABCs: The early phases of reading and writing. Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children. 

 

 

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central. Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Academic Honesty Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/academic_honesty/policy.html

Assessment Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/assessment/policy_2016.html

Grade Appeal Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/gradeappeal/policy.html

Complaint Management Procedure for Students and Members of the Public http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/complaint_management/procedure.html​

Disruption to Studies Policy (in effect until Dec 4th, 2017): http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/disruption_studies/policy.html

Special Consideration Policy (in effect from Dec 4th, 2017): https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policies/special-consideration

In addition, a number of other policies can be found in the Learning and Teaching Category of Policy Central.

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/support/student_conduct/

Results

Results shown in iLearn, or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au.

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

Learning Skills

Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to improve your marks and take control of your study.

Student Services and Support

Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.

Student Enquiries

For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.

Graduate Capabilities

PG - Capable of Professional and Personal Judgment and Initiative

Our postgraduates will demonstrate a high standard of discernment and common sense in their professional and personal judgment. They will have the ability to make informed choices and decisions that reflect both the nature of their professional work and their personal perspectives.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Demonstrate understanding of the relationship between oral language, adult-child interaction and literacy development.
  • Evaluate EC settings in terms of language and literacy development.
  • Pedagogical strategies for promoting language and literacy development.
  • Use peer reviewed research to justify decision making.

Assessment task

  • Observation of infants

PG - Discipline Knowledge and Skills

Our postgraduates will be able to demonstrate a significantly enhanced depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content knowledge in their chosen fields.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Use appropriate metalanguage when analysing language structure and function.
  • Evaluate EC settings in terms of language and literacy development.
  • Pedagogical strategies for promoting language and literacy development.
  • Use academic language appropriately to express ideas and arguments.

Assessment tasks

  • Shared Reading
  • Special Interest Topic

PG - Critical, Analytical and Integrative Thinking

Our postgraduates will be capable of utilising and reflecting on prior knowledge and experience, of applying higher level critical thinking skills, and of integrating and synthesising learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments. A characteristic of this form of thinking is the generation of new, professionally oriented knowledge through personal or group-based critique of practice and theory.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Use appropriate metalanguage when analysing language structure and function.
  • Use peer reviewed research to justify decision making.
  • Use academic language appropriately to express ideas and arguments.

Assessment tasks

  • Shared Reading
  • Special Interest Topic

PG - Research and Problem Solving Capability

Our postgraduates will be capable of systematic enquiry; able to use research skills to create new knowledge that can be applied to real world issues, or contribute to a field of study or practice to enhance society. They will be capable of creative questioning, problem finding and problem solving.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Pedagogical strategies for promoting language and literacy development.
  • Use peer reviewed research to justify decision making.

Assessment task

  • Special Interest Topic

PG - Effective Communication

Our postgraduates will be able to communicate effectively and convey their views to different social, cultural, and professional audiences. They will be able to use a variety of technologically supported media to communicate with empathy using a range of written, spoken or visual formats.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Use appropriate metalanguage when analysing language structure and function.
  • Demonstrate understanding of the relationship between oral language, adult-child interaction and literacy development.
  • Evaluate EC settings in terms of language and literacy development.
  • Use academic language appropriately to express ideas and arguments.

Assessment task

  • Observation of infants

PG - Engaged and Responsible, Active and Ethical Citizens

Our postgraduates will be ethically aware and capable of confident transformative action in relation to their professional responsibilities and the wider community. They will have a sense of connectedness with others and country and have a sense of mutual obligation. They will be able to appreciate the impact of their professional roles for social justice and inclusion related to national and global issues

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcome

  • Demonstrate understanding of the relationship between oral language, adult-child interaction and literacy development.

Assessment task

  • Observation of infants