Program Overview

EDEN100 - Foundations of Literacy

Unit Rationale, Description, and Aim

The EDEN100 unit focuses on the foundational understanding of language and literacy concepts, as well as developmental and learning processes necessary for teaching literacy skills. Preservice teachers examine typical language development, language variations, and aspects of language development in bidialectal and multilingual contexts. They also explore the features of oral and written language and the reciprocal relationship between oral language, vocabulary knowledge, and literacy development.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completing this unit, students will be able to:

• Evaluate students' language development with reference to theories and milestones.
• Analyse instructional techniques and resources using knowledge of how children learn to read and write.
• Analyse oral and written language using knowledge of phonology, morphology, phonemic awareness, phonics, syntax, and vocabulary.
• Apply literacy and language knowledge to develop personal literacy skills and adjust their use for different audiences and purposes.

Unit Content

Topics covered include:

• Introduction to language
• Foundations of grammar
• Phonology
• Vocabulary and morphology
• Orthography
• Language development
• Differences between written and oral language
• Acquiring foundational skills in word reading
• Typical and atypical reading development
• Spelling development
• Linguistic diversity in Australia

Assessment Strategy and Rationale

The assessment tasks are designed to progressively demonstrate consolidation of knowledge and achievement against the unit learning outcomes. Assessments include:

• A formative online literacy quiz
• A written assessment focusing on the ability to identify linguistic features of language samples
• An examination assessing understanding of language and literacy development

Learning and Teaching Strategy and Rationale

The learning and teaching strategy is based on explicit teaching approaches supported by research evidence. The unit includes frequent reviews of previous learning, explicit delivery of new content, worked examples, guided and independent practice, and frequent feedback.

Representative Texts and References

Recommended texts and references include:

• Australian Curriculum
• Relevant state and territory curriculum documents
• Specific academic articles and books on language development, literacy, and education

Locations

The unit is offered at the following locations:

• Ballarat
• Brisbane
• Blacktown
• Canberra
• Melbourne
• North Sydney
• Online
• Strathfield

Credit Points

This unit is worth 10 credit points.

Year

The information provided is relevant for the year 2026.