Outline

Overview

The ability to communicate effectively in a range of different contexts and for different purposes is central to children's life chances. This unit of study enables students to begin to develop understandings, knowledge and skills about the language development of young children. It will provide key ideas about how young children begin to make meaning from the moment they are born as they learn to talk, listen and interact with those around them. Through lectures, readings, and other activities, the theoretical ideas and practical knowledge required to guide young children's learning of language and emergent literacy practices are examined. Students will learn how to listen carefully to young children's language and analyse their development intelligently. Making a difference for those children who experience additional language and literacy needs will also be introduced and the role of the teacher in addressing children's atypical language development will be considered. The unit also emphasises the centrality of providing rich language arts experiences including quality literary texts in early childhood settings. The intersections between play and language development are carefully explored. Pre-service early childhood teachers are encouraged to further develop their own interest in language and literature, and to reflect on how they can partner with parents and caregivers to help children learn through and about language.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit	Education
Credit points	6
Prerequisites ?	42 credit points including EDUF1019 and EDEC1005 and EDEC1006
Corequisites ?	None
Prohibitions ?	EDEC2004
Assumed knowledge ?	None
Available to study abroad and exchange students	Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Amanda Niland, amanda.niland@sydney.edu.au
Tutor(s)	Lauren Bedford-Rolleston, lauren.bedford-rolleston@sydney.edu.au
Tutor(s)	Wilma Murdoch, wilma.murdoch@sydney.edu.au

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length
Presentation	Book sharing n/a	0%	Week 06	5 minutes/ 100 words equiv.
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Analytical essay Full details in Canvas	40%	Week 08	2000 words
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Picture book portfolio n/a	40%	Week 12	1800 words
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Curriculum planning from portfolio and case study Full details in Canvas	20%	Week 13	700 words
Outcomes assessed:
= hurdle task ?

Assessment summary

Book sharing presentation: You will choose, bring to zoom class, and read a picture book aimed at children aged from three to five years (from selected lists) to a group of their peers in a tutorial. After reading, you will lead a short discussion explaining your reasons for selecting the book, focusing on its quality, key points of interest and potential for engaging young children and supporting their meaning-making through shared reading.
Analytical report: The focus of this assignment is the language interaction between a child and a parent/carer in two different social contexts, and the linking of this to theory and research about young children’s language development and the role of the adult in supporting this.
Picture book portfolio: You will select and analyse a varied group of picture books that you consider to be of high quality. Your choices will encompass a range of textual and visual styles and media, and should include books that will engage children of diverse ages, backgounds, contexts and interests.
Curriculum planning from portfolio and case study: This assignment requires you to begin to develop a curriculum plan for a particular child based around a picture book from your portfolio.

Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas.

All assignments must be submitted for students to be eligible to achieve a passing grade in this unit.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a High distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a Distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name	Mark range	Description
High distinction	85 - 100
Distinction	75 - 84
Credit	65 - 74
Pass	50 - 64
Fail	0 - 49	When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

This unit has an exception to the standard University policy or supplementary information has been provided by the unit coordinator. This information is displayed below:

Late submission will result in marks penalties, according to FASS assessment policy.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

You may only use generative AI and automated writing tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator. If you do use these tools, you must acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section. The assessment instructions or unit outline will give guidance of the types of tools that are permitted and how the tools should be used.

Your final submitted work must be your own, original work. You must acknowledge any use of generative AI tools that have been used in the assessment, and any material that forms part of your submission must be appropriately referenced. For guidance on how to acknowledge the use of AI, please refer to the AI in Education Canvas site.

The unapproved use of these tools or unacknowledged use will be considered a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy and penalties may apply.

Studiosity is permitted unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission as detailed on the Learning Hub’s Canvas page.

Outside assessment tasks, generative AI tools may be used to support your learning. The AI in Education Canvas site contains a number of productive ways that students are using AI to improve their learning.

Learning support

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Week 01	Language development - learning how to mean - part 1	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 02	Learning how to mean, part 2	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 03	The role of play in supporting language and communication development	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 04	Talking to Learn - the importance of language skills for children's development and learning	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 05	Picture books for early literacy development: questions of design and meaning making	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 06	Sharing books with young children and the magic of picture books. Significance for language and emergent literacy development	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 07	Learning to read - more than letters. Expanding our understandings of literacy	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 08	Storying	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 09	Diversity, language and literacy	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 10	Author Lesley Gibbes in conversation with Amanda Niland	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 11	Young children's diverse forms of meaning-making and emergent literacy	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 12	Q and A, putting it all together	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

Attendance: The Sydney School of Education and Social Work requires attendance of at least 90 percent of all seminars, workshops or lectures. Where a student is unable to attend at the required rate evidence of illness or misadventure may be required and the student may be required to undertake extra work. Students should discuss the circumstances of their absence(s) with the co-ordinator of the unit of study. Further details are provided in the School canvas site: https://canvas.sydney.edu.au/courses/13426

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

Required text:

Ewing, R., Callow, J. & Rushton, K. (2016). Language and literacy development in early childhood. Melbourne: Cambridge University Press.

All other readings for this unit can be accessed on the Library Reading List link available on Canvas.

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

LO1. articulate the nature of language learning as a social practice in relation to the development, personal strengths and interests of individual children, including the role of parents/caregivers’ language and literacies in children’s language development
LO2. explain the relationship between play and language development
LO3. identify relevant theories about language learning and meaning-making
LO4. explain the centrality of language in all learning and the implications for their role as early childhood teachers
LO5. discuss the relationship between spoken, written and visual language
LO6. articulate the important role quality rhymes, poems, songs and children’s literature play in the lives of young children
LO7. develop criteria for selecting rich authentic rhymes, picture books, fairy tales and poetry to share with young children
LO8. begin to observe, listen to and assess young children’s language development in birth to five settings within a developing knowledge base of typical language development for infants, toddlers and preschoolers

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1	Depth of disciplinary expertise Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.
GQ2	Critical thinking and problem solving Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.
GQ3	Oral and written communication Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.
GQ4	Information and digital literacy Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.
GQ5	Inventiveness Generating novel ideas and solutions.
GQ6	Cultural competence Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.
GQ7	Interdisciplinary effectiveness Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.
GQ8	Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.
GQ9	Influence Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes	Graduate qualities
Learning outcomes

Alignment with Competency standards

Outcomes	Competency standards
	Australian Children's Education & Care Quality Authority - 1.2. Language development 2.5. Children with diverse needs and backgrounds 2.6. Working with children who speak languages other than, or in addition to, English. 3.1. Early Years Learning Framework 3.4. Language and literacy 4.1. Developing family and community partnerships 4.2. Multicultural education 4.3. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives 4.5. Culture, diversity and inclusion
	Australian Children's Education & Care Quality Authority - 2.2. Play based pedagogies 2.5. Children with diverse needs and backgrounds 3.1. Early Years Learning Framework 3.4. Language and literacy 3.9. Curriculum planning, programming and evaluation
	Australian Children's Education & Care Quality Authority - 1.2. Language development 2.2. Play based pedagogies 3.1. Early Years Learning Framework 3.4. Language and literacy 4.5. Culture, diversity and inclusion 5.2. Contemporary theories and practice
	Australian Children's Education & Care Quality Authority - 1.2. Language development 2.2. Play based pedagogies 3.1. Early Years Learning Framework 3.9. Curriculum planning, programming and evaluation 6.3. Professional identity and development
	Australian Children's Education & Care Quality Authority - 3.1. Early Years Learning Framework 3.4. Language and literacy
	Australian Children's Education & Care Quality Authority - 2.2. Play based pedagogies 3.1. Early Years Learning Framework 3.4. Language and literacy 3.9. Curriculum planning, programming and evaluation
	Australian Children's Education & Care Quality Authority - 2.4. Teaching methods and strategies 3.1. Early Years Learning Framework 3.4. Language and literacy 3.9. Curriculum planning, programming and evaluation
	Australian Children's Education & Care Quality Authority - 1.2. Language development 2.2. Play based pedagogies 2.5. Children with diverse needs and backgrounds 3.1. Early Years Learning Framework 3.9. Curriculum planning, programming and evaluation

Australian Children's Education & Care Quality Authority -

Competency code	Taught, Practiced or Assessed	Competency standard
1.1		Learning, development and care
1.2		Language development
1.3		Social and emotional development
1.4		Child health, well-being and safety
1.6		Diversity, difference and inclusivity.
2.2		Play based pedagogies
2.3		Guiding behaviour / engaging young learners
2.4		Teaching methods and strategies
2.5		Children with diverse needs and backgrounds
2.6		Working with children who speak languages other than, or in addition to, English.
3.1		Early Years Learning Framework
3.4		Language and literacy
3.5		English as an additional language
3.7		Creative arts and music
3.9		Curriculum planning, programming and evaluation
4.1		Developing family and community partnerships
4.4		Socially inclusive practice
4.5		Culture, diversity and inclusion
6.3		Professional identity and development

Responding to student feedback

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

No changes

Additional information

In order to get the most benefits out of this unit, please read as many picture books for young children as you can, and take any opportunity to read books with children

Site visit guidelines

If you are undertaking professional experience/field education placement as part of your enrolment in this unit of study, please assess your specific needs and requirements for the safe and successful completion of an external placement within a host organisation. You will be given the opportunity to disclose any health issues that have a work health and safety significance before arranging a placement so that your safety, and the safety of others, can be properly assessed. The Professional Experience Coordinator/Field Education Manager will work to ensure that the workplace assignment to you is appropriate for your needs and requirements. If you are experiencing disability, and require reasonable adjustments to be arranged, please contact Disability Services as early as possible prior to commencing the internship. Please note, in all cases, and for the purpose of organising reasonable adjustments, only the impact and not the nature, of your disability will be disclosed to the host organisation.

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.

Current students

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Alignment with Competency standards

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Additional information

Additional information

Site visit guidelines

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect

Current students

EDEC2006: Language and Communication in EC

Semester 1, 2022 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Alignment with Competency standards

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Additional information

Additional information

Site visit guidelines

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect