| Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Convenor
Hua-Chen Wang
Contact via Message via iLearn Dialogue
25WWB
By appointment
|
|---|---|
| Credit points |
Credit points
10
|
| Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
|
| Corequisites |
Corequisites
EDST8200
|
| Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
|
| Unit description |
Unit description
This unit provides advanced knowledge on current cognitive theories of reading and writing development and focuses on evidence-based pedagogies for effective teaching in reading and writing for early primary students. Topics of study include key and foundational components of reading and writing, such as phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, oral language, reading fluency, reading comprehension, handwriting, and spelling. Students will critically analyse diverse instructional strategies, apply evidence-based practices, and design explicit, systematic literacy instruction. Upon completion, students will have a deep research- informed understanding of foundational reading and writing components. This unit equips students to support early primary students in the development of their reading and writing skills. |
Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
General Submission Information
Please format assessments using 12-point font and 1.5 spacing.
All assessments must be submitted electronically. Turnitin plagiarism detection software is used to check all written assessments. It is the responsibility of all students to ensure that their submitted work is in a format compatible with Turnitin software for plagiarism checking. Submissions must meet the required file type and formatting specifications outlined in the assessment guidelines. Failure to submit work in an acceptable format may result in delays in processing your submission and potential penalties for non-compliance with assessment requirements. If you are unsure about the file format or have technical difficulties, it is your responsibility to seek assistance before the submission deadline. Students should be careful to check that they submit the correct file for an assessment as no re-submissions will be accepted after the due date and time, including instances where students upload an incorrect file. It is not the responsibility of unit staff to contact students who have failed to submit assessments. If you have any missing items of assessment, it is your responsibility to contact the unit convenor.
Students can use Turnitin’s Originality Report as a learning tool to improve their academic writing if this option is made available in the unit.
Word limits are strictly applied. Work above the word limit will not be marked.
Students should be aware of and apply the University policy on academic integrity (see: https://policies.mq.edu.au/document/view.php?id=3).
Special Consideration / Late Penalties
Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, a 5% penalty (of the total possible mark) will be applied each day to late submissions, up until the 7th calendar day (including weekends). After the 7th day, a mark of ‘0’ (zero) will be awarded even if the assessment is submitted. Submission time for all written assessments is set at 11.55pm. A 1-hour grace period is provided to students who experience a technical issue.
Important to note:
Applications must be made via Service Connect.
Marking
All assessments are marked using a rubric.
Marking of all assessments is moderated by the Unit Convenor.
University Policy on Grading
Assignments will be awarded grades ranging from HD to F according to guidelines set out in the University's Grading System and University Assessment Policy.
To attain a pass or higher grade in Professional Experience a student must obtain a satisfactory in both the Professional Experience component and a pass or higher grade in the academic component. For Professional Experience units the Professional Experience Evaluation Report is marked as Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory. The Macquarie Teaching Performance Assessment (MQTPA - in final WIL/PEx units) is marked as Not met, Met or Exceeds.
Results
Results shown in iLearn, or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed because 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 Service Connect.
Withdrawing from this unit
If you are considering withdrawing from this unit, please seek academic advice via Service Connect before doing so as this unit may be a co-requisite or prerequisite for units in the following sessions and may impact your course progression.
| Name | Weighting | Hurdle | Due | Groupwork/Individual | Short Extension | AI assisted? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teaching Phonics | 50% | No | Part A: 23:55 30/03/2026; Part B: 23:55 29/05/2026 | Individual | No | Open AI |
| Examination | 50% | No | During Examination Period | Individual | No | Observed |
Assessment Type 1: Practice-based task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 50 hours
Due: Part A: 23:55 30/03/2026; Part B: 23:55 29/05/2026
Weighting: 50%
Groupwork/Individual: Individual
Short extension 3: No
AI assisted?: Open AI
Part A - Phonics lesson plan (Due in Week 5)
In this assessment, students are to work in pairs and apply their knowledge on phonics teaching into designing a research-informed lesson plan
Part B - Phonics lesson plan presentation (Due in Week 10)
In this assignment, students will incorporate the feedback they received from Assessment 1 and demonstrate a phonics lesson via a video presentation based on the unit content
Assessment Type 1: Examination
Indicative Time on Task 2: 40 hours
Due: During Examination Period
Weighting: 50%
Groupwork/Individual: Individual
Short extension 3: No
AI assisted?: Observed
The exam will assess the foundational and advanced knowledge covered in this unit.
1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:
2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation.
3 An automatic short extension is available for some assessments. Apply through the Service Connect Portal.
Resources
Required and recommended book chapters are available on Leganto.
Information about the unit iLearn site
This unit has a full web presence through iLearn for all lectures and learning material. Information for students about access to the online component of this unit is available at https://ilearn.mq.edu.au/login/index.php. You will need to enter your student username and password.
Please do NOT contact the Unit Convenor regarding iLearn technical help. Assistance is available from IT Helpdesk: via email onehelp@mq.edu.au or Ph: 9850 4357 or 1800 67 4357. On Campus: Ground floor at 18 Wally’s Walk.
Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:
Students seeking more policy resources can visit Student Policies (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/policies). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.
To find other policies relating to Teaching and Learning, visit Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au) and use the search tool.
Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/admin/other-resources/student-conduct
Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) 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 connect.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au
At Macquarie, we believe academic integrity – honesty, respect, trust, responsibility, fairness and courage – is at the core of learning, teaching and research. We recognise that meeting the expectations required to complete your assessments can be challenging. So, we offer you a range of resources and services to help you reach your potential, including free online writing and maths support, academic skills development and wellbeing consultations.
Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/
Academic Success provides resources to develop your English language proficiency, academic writing, and communication skills.
The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources.
Macquarie University offers a range of Student Support Services including:
Got a question? Ask us via the Service Connect Portal, or contact Service Connect.
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.
School of Education Procedures
In addition, the following policies and procedures for the Macquarie School of Education apply to this unit.
Academic Progression Policy
This unit is a part of a professional course listed on Schedules 2 and 3 of the Academic Progression Policy. This course has additional requirements that are applicable for the full duration of the course, including course-specific Inherent Requirements, Fitness to Practice requirements and other compulsory course requirements. It also has rigorous academic progression standards. Inability to meet these requirements may result in a withdrawal of offer of admission and/or permanent exclusion from the course in accordance with the General Coursework Rules.
Communication
It is the student’s responsibility to check all electronic communication on a weekly basis. Communication may occur via:
Attendance and Participation
See the University timetable for information about when classes begin in this unit. Creating your timetable - Enrolling | Macquarie University, Sydney (mq.edu.au)
Attendance at all synchronous activities, completion of non-synchronous formative/diagnostic class tasks and involvement in professional forums is expected as the Primary/Early Childhood degree is a professional qualification. Activities completed during weekly tutorials (DAY or ONLINE DAY mode) or on campus days (INFQ mode) are essential for building the core knowledge and/or skills required to demonstrate the learning outcomes of this unit and to meet the AITSL Graduate Teacher Standards and/or ACECQA requirements. Attendance at all tutorials and/or on campus days is expected. Make up tasks may be given if attendance is missed to ensure all content is covered to meet accreditation requirements.
Students are required to attend the tutorial in which they are enrolled. Any changes to tutorial enrolments must be completed officially through e-Student. Please do not contact the unit convenor to request a change.
Infrequent Attendance Students
Information about the dates of the on-campus sessions can be found in the university timetable. Creating your timetable - Enrolling | Macquarie University, Sydney (mq.edu.au)
In addition, the following policies and procedures for the Macquarie School of Education apply to this unit.
Academic Progression Policy
This unit is a part of a professional course listed on Schedules 2 and 3 of the Academic Progression Policy. This course has additional requirements that are applicable for the full duration of the course, including course-specific Inherent Requirements, Fitness to Practice requirements and other compulsory course requirements. It also has rigorous academic progression standards. Inability to meet these requirements may result in a withdrawal of offer of admission and/or permanent exclusion from the course in accordance with the General Coursework Rules.
Communication
It is the student’s responsibility to check all electronic communication on a weekly basis. Communication may occur via:
Attendance and Participation
See the University timetable for information about when classes begin in this unit. Creating your timetable - Enrolling | Macquarie University, Sydney (mq.edu.au)
Attendance at all synchronous activities, completion of non-synchronous formative/diagnostic class tasks and involvement in professional forums is expected as Bachelor of Education (Early Childhod and Primary/ Primary) is a professional qualification. Activities completed during weekly tutorials (DAY or ONLINE DAY mode) or on campus days (INFQ mode) are essential for building the core knowledge and/or skills required to demonstrate the learning outcomes of this unit and to meet the AITSL Graduate Teacher Standards and/or ACECQA requirements. Attendance at all tutorials and/or on campus days is expected. Make up tasks may be given if attendance is missed to ensure all content is covered to meet accreditation requirements.
Students are required to attend the tutorial in which they are enrolled. Any changes to tutorial enrolments must be completed officially through e-Student. Please do not contact the unit convenor to request a change.
Infrequent Attendance Students
Information about the dates of the on-campus sessions can be found in the university timetable. Creating your timetable - Enrolling | Macquarie University, Sydney (mq.edu.au)
Unit information based on version 2026.02 of the Handbook