Cradle Coast, Launceston, Online
Introduction
This is the first of three English units you will undertake in the B.Ed. degree. The foundations of English are explored in two key modules, with the first focusing on the nature of language, culture, and how young people learn to develop language from birth including oracy, reading and writing, and the second provoking curiosity about language functions and forms. It also introduces the beginnings of critical thinking about texts and their role in culture and society. This unit has a major focus on the Language and Literacy Strands of the Australian Curriculum: English, and aims to develop understandings of the nature of language and how it works in contemporary society and schools. You will engage in close studies of language development and written texts and consider the implications for learning contexts. This unit provides a foundation to the discipline of English and will be the basis for two English units that follow.
Summary
| Unit name | Foundations of English |
| Unit code | EPR110 |
| Credit points | 12.5 |
| College/School | Arts and Society Faculty of Education |
| Discipline | Education |
| Coordinator | Doctor Vinh To |
| Available as an elective? | Yes |
| Delivered By | University of Tasmania |
| Level | Introductory |
Sustainable Development Goals
The Unit Coordinator has identified that this unit aligns with the following UN Sustainable Development Goals. We welcome your thoughts and feedback on the alignment of the unit with these goals.
Availability
Specific information on 2027 unit availability will be available in August
Key Dates
| Study Period | Start date | Census date | WW date | End date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Semester 1 | 21/2/2027 | 15/3/2027 | 18/4/2027 | 12/6/2027 |
| Summer | 3/1/2027 | 11/1/2027 | 24/1/2027 | 13/2/2027 |
* The Final WW Date is the final date from which you can withdraw from the unit without academic penalty, however you will still incur a financial liability (refer to How do I withdraw from a unit? for more information).
Unit census dates currently displaying for 2027 are indicative and subject to change. Finalised census dates for 2027 will be available from the 1st October 2026. Note census date cutoff is 11.59pm AEST (AEDT during October to March).
Learning Outcomes
- Apply knowledge of culture, language and literacy concepts including the Big 6.
- Analyse and interpret children's language use, and reading and writing.
- Demonstrate academic and information literacy skills.
Fee Information
2027 fee information will be available in August.
Teaching
| Teaching Pattern | External Students: This unit is fully online – you will engage with the unit through weekly lectures, readings, tutorial tasks and discussions on MyLO, and through the completion of assignment work. It is expected that you will timetable 10 hours of study time per week, realising that this includes time spent reading or viewing resources provided to you, searching for additional information/resources necessary for the completion of assessment task and other activities, and participating in weekly tasks and online discussions. On Campus Students: This unit is a blended unit. Lectures for this unit are delivered online and you can access them within MyLO. Listening to online lectures is required prior to your on-campus work for the week. Along with accessing lectures online, you may be required to engage in other online activities to complete the unit. You are required to attend a two-hour tutorial on-campus per week for this unit. Combined with online lectures, readings, and assessment work, your time commitment for this unit should be approximately 10 hours per week.
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|---|---|
| Assessment | Participation and Engagement (15%)|Understanding Language (40%)|Analysing and Interpreting Language (45%) |
| Timetable | View the lecture timetable | View the full unit timetable |
Textbooks
| Required |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| Recommended | Bearne, E., & Reedy, D. (2018). Teaching primary English: Subject knowledge and classroom practice. Routledge. Emmitt, M., Zbaracki, M., Komesaroff, L., & Pollock, J. (2014). Language and learning: An introduction for teaching (6th ed.). Oxford University Press. Fellowes, J., & Oakley, G. (2020). Language, literacy and early childhood education (3nd ed.). Oxford University Press. Hill, S. (2012). Developing early literacy: Assessment and teaching (2nd ed.). Eleanor Curtain. Derewianka, B. (2022). A new grammar companion for primary teachers (3rd ed.). Primary English Teaching Association Australia. Derewianka, B. (2015). The contribution of genre theory to literacy education in Australia. In J. Turbill, G. Barton & C. Brock (Eds.), Teaching writing in today's classrooms: Looking back to look forward (pp.69-86). Derewianka, B. & Jones, P. (2010). From traditional grammar to functional grammar: bridging the divide. NALDIC Quarterly, 8 (1), 6-17. https://ro.uow.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2000&context=sspapers |
The University reserves the right to amend or remove courses and unit availabilities, as appropriate.