Unit rationale, description and aim
Junior secondary English plays a critical role in building adolescents’ disciplinary literacy, language awareness, and capacity to engage with increasingly complex texts across modes. Preservice teachers therefore require deep knowledge of the Years 7–10 English curriculum, including its underpinning theories of language and literacy, and evidence informed approaches to reading, writing, speaking, listening and viewing. This unit responds to national requirements for knowledge-rich, explicit instruction, developmental progression, culturally responsive practice, and effective assessment, ensuring preservice teachers can support diverse learners.
Learning experiences engage preservice teachers with the Australian Curriculum: English and jurisdictional documentation, alongside historical and contemporary models of English pedagogy. Through collaborative workshops, analysis of texts, and guided inquiry, preservice teachers examine disciplinary approaches to reading and writing instruction, multimodal literacy, dialogic classroom talk, and differentiated learning. Activities include designing lesson and unit plans, evaluating assessment strategies, and curating resources for diverse learning needs. Online modules and structured tasks support the development of curriculum knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge, and assessment literacy.
The aim of this unit is to develop preservice teachers’ capability to teach English effectively in Years 7–10 by integrating curriculum knowledge, evidence-informed pedagogy, and purposeful assessment practices.
Campus offering
No unit offerings are currently available for this unit.Learning outcomes
To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.
Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from 糖心原创 with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.
Explore the graduate capabilities.
Describe the structure, intent and key features of...
Learning Outcome 01
Examine evidence-informed approaches to teaching a...
Learning Outcome 02
Critically analyse texts, pedagogical models and c...
Learning Outcome 03
Design coherent lesson and unit sequences in Engli...
Learning Outcome 04
Appraise assessment strategies and feedback practi...
Learning Outcome 05
Content
Topics will include:
- Reflecting on prior experiences of teaching and learning in Years 7-10 English
- Australian Curriculum for English, including Cross-Curriculum Priorities and General Capabilities and local curriculum documentation
- Theories of learning relevant to teaching English
- Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) for English, including pedagogical frameworks, English-specific, inclusive and culturally responsive pedagogies, collaborative learning, and explicit instruction
- Designing units of work and related summative assessments for English in Years 7-10
- Teaching the language and practices of English; reading and writing, listening and speaking, viewing and creating
- Teaching strategies and approaches for Years 7–10 English, including learning through explicit instruction of skills and techniques, analysis and critique, and reflection
- Strategies for monitoring and differentiating student learning in English, including observations, process documentation, feedback and conferencing
- Classroom verbal and non-verbal communication for English, including the Initiation-Response-Feedback (IRF) model, descriptive questioning, scaffolding, visual thinking strategies, think-aloud modelling, metacognitive reflection and guided critique
- Ethical and professional resource selection and development for English, including the use of written, multimodal, oral, and digital texts, including emergent technologies such as generative AI
- Digital technologies in the English classroom including emergent technologies such as generative AI and considerations for ethical, critical and creative engagement
- Roles and responsibilities of a contemporary English teacher including curriculum interpretation, assessment integrity, student safety and wellbeing in online digital environments and appropriate use of generative AI.
Assessment strategy and rationale
Assessment in this unit is designed to support preservice teachers’ development of curriculum knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge and assessment capability for teaching English in Years 7–10. The two tasks reflect authentic school?based responsibilities that preservice teachers will undertake during professional experience and early career teaching. Both tasks include explicit instruction on the ethical and appropriate use of generative AI for brainstorming, drafting and editing, with clear requirements regarding attribution, transparency and originality.
Task 1 requires preservice teachers to design a coherent unit of work aligned to the Years 7–10 English curriculum. This task assesses their ability to interpret curriculum documents, apply evidence?informed pedagogical strategies, incorporate explicit instruction and differentiation, and justify decisions using scholarly and policy evidence. Task 2 is a resource folio that develops preservice teachers’ capability to purposefully select, analyse and justify a set of texts and learning resources for junior secondary English. It assesses their ability to evaluate multimodal and literary texts, annotate language and visual features, and plan a lesson that scaffolds comprehension and critical response.
To pass this unit, preservice teachers need to complete all assessment tasks and receive a passing grade of 50% overall.
Overview of assessments
Assessment Task 1: Planning a Unit of Work Desig...
Assessment Task 1: Planning a Unit of Work
Design a coherent Year 7–10 English unit of work that aligns with curriculum requirements and leads to a selected summative assessment task. evidence informed approaches to (1) develop reading, writing, speaking, listening and viewing; (2) incorporate explicit instruction, differentiation and inclusive practices; and (3) justify curriculum, pedagogical and assessment decisions using relevant scholarly and policy evidence.
50%
Assessment Task 2: Resource Folio Design, purpos...
Assessment Task 2: Resource Folio
Design, purposefully select, and curate eight resources to support teaching, learning, and assessment in Years 7 to10 English. The Resource Folio should enable the acquisition of disciplinary knowledge and skills, including for diverse learner needs. The eight resources should include: at least one video produced by you and to be used as a teacher or student resource; resources and strategies to enable diagnostic, formative and summative assessment; and analysis of and feedback on an authentic student work sample.
50%
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
The teaching approach in this unit is grounded in social constructivist and adult learning principles that promote active engagement, collaboration and reflective practice. Preservice teachers learn through a combination of modelling, critical reading, discussion and hands-on activities that make pedagogical concepts visible. Tutorials introduce evidence-informed strategies relevant to English, including explicit instruction, worked examples, gradual release, dialogic teaching and structured approaches to reading and writing. Throughout the unit, preservice teachers gather and evaluate evidence of their developing pedagogical capabilities and reflect on their progress against the Graduate Teacher Standards and Core Content.
Tutorials and microteaching activities provide opportunities to trial strategies, analyse student needs, and practise professional communication in supportive environments. Online modules and self-regulated learning extend access to theoretical content and allow preservice teachers to consolidate understanding at their own pace. Given the complexity of curriculum documents and pedagogical models, scaffolding is used to support learners who may need explicit navigation of concepts, while optional supports, accessible materials and multiple means of engagement ensure equitable participation for preservice teachers with disability or diverse learning needs.
Australian Professional Standards for Teachers - Graduate Level
In connection to the learning outcomes, on successful completion of this unit, pre-service teachers should have developed the following industry specific knowledge based on the :
Relating toDemonstrate knowledge and understanding of physical, social and intellectual development and characteristics of students and how these may affect learning.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2
Relating toDemonstrate knowledge and understanding of research into how students learn and the implications for teaching.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2
Relating toDemonstrate knowledge of teaching strategies that are responsive to the learning strengths and needs of students from diverse linguistic, cultural, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2
Relating toDemonstrate broad knowledge and understanding of the impact of culture, cultural identity and linguistic background on the education of students from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO4
Relating toDemonstrate knowledge and understanding of strategies for differentiating teaching to meet the specific learning needs of students across the full range of abilities.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO4
Relating toDemonstrate knowledge and understanding of the concepts, substance and structure of the content and teaching strategies of the teaching area.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO2, LO3, LO4, LO5
Relating toOrganise content into an effective learning and teaching sequence.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO4
Relating toUse curriculum, assessment and reporting knowledge to design learning sequences and lesson plans.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO3, LO4, LO5
Relating toDemonstrate broad knowledge of, understanding of, and respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures and languages.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO4
Relating toKnow and understand literacy and numeracy teaching strategies and their application in teaching areas.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO4
Relating toImplement teaching strategies for using ICT to expand curriculum learning opportunities for students.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO4
Relating toSet learning goals that provide achievable challenges for students of varying abilities and characteristics.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO4
Relating toPlan lesson sequences using knowledge of student learning, content and effective teaching strategies.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO4
Relating toInclude a range of teaching strategies.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO4
Relating toDemonstrate knowledge of a range of resources, including ICT, that engage students in their learning.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO4
Relating toIdentify strategies to support inclusive student participation and engagement in classroom activities.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO4
Relating toDemonstrate an understanding of the relevant issues and the strategies available to support the safe, responsible and ethical use of ICT in learning and teaching.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO4
Relating toDemonstrate understanding of assessment strategies, including informal and formal, diagnostic, formative and summative approaches to assess student learning.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO5
Relating toDemonstrate an understanding of the purpose of providing timely and appropriate feedback to students about their learning.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO5
Relating toDemonstrate understanding of assessment moderation and its application to support consistent and comparable judgements of student learning.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO5
Relating toDemonstrate the capacity to interpret student assessment data to evaluate student learning and modify teaching practice.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO5
Relating toDemonstrate an understanding of the role of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers in identifying professional learning needs.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO3
Relating toUnderstand the relevant and appropriate sources of professional learning for teachers.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO3
Relating toDemonstrate an understanding of the rationale for continued professional learning and the implications for improved student learning.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO3
Relating toUnderstand the role of external professionals and community representatives in broadening teachers’ professional knowledge and practice.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO3
Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL) Core Content
On successful completion of this unit, pre-service teachers should have developed the following industry specific knowledge based on the AITSL Core Content:
Relating toThe difference in the process of knowledge acquisition in the brain of a novice vs the brain of an expert. This should be taught with reference to the development of mental models and schemas.?
Relevant learningLO1, LO2
Relating toWhy teaching practices must adapt as a student’s familiarity with the knowledge of a subject increases, including when to move from scaffolded practice to independent practice, and why this is important.?
Relevant learningLO1, LO2
Relating toHow to develop and use worked examples for students who are unfamiliar with a subject, followed by more challenging problem-solving activities as students become more familiar with the knowledge of a subject.?
Relevant learningLO3, LO4
Relating toThe key features of coherent and deliberate planning and sequencing of tasks and lessons including curriculum-aligned learning objectives, clear descriptions of how students will show evidence of mastery, the common progression of learning in a subject area and the critical curriculum knowledge needed for students to progress.?
Relevant learningLO1, LO3, LO4
Relating toHow to plan a sequence of lessons that incorporate spacing and retrieval practice, build upon each other, meet students where they are in their learning and help students retrieve past learning and consolidate it in long-term memory.?
Relevant learningLO1, LO2, LO4
Relating toHow to sequence tasks within a lesson that build upon each other, meet students where they are in their learning and help them understand the progression of skills needed to attain mastery.?
Relevant learningLO1, LO2, LO4
Relating toHow to explicitly model new skills and content through ‘worked examples’ that clearly demonstrate how to complete the task, followed by a progressive removal of scaffolding as students become more proficient.
Relevant learningLO2, LO5
Relating toHow to pitch an introductory lesson at an appropriate level, before starting a new unit of work, by identifying where a student is in their learning through assessing what they know, or think they know.?
Relevant learningLO1, LO2
Relating toHow to design summative assessment to assess students against a standard or benchmark to gain an understanding of the level of mastery attained.?
Relevant learningLO5
Relating toHow to produce and use developmental rubrics with criteria tailored to the specific task and/or work samples so that students understand what is expected.?
Relevant learningLO5
Relating toThe research that shows explicit reading, and writing comprehension instruction tailored to discipline-specific content improves students’ academic understanding and engagement with material, as well as their overall academic performance.??
Relevant learningLO1, LO2
Relating toHow to explicitly deliver reading and writing instruction through discipline and discipline-specific curriculum and pedagogical studies as outlined in standard 4.2.
Relevant learningLO1, LO2
Relating toThe research that shows numeracy is a fundamental component of learning, discourse, and critique across all areas of the curriculum and improves students’ understanding of and engagement with material within and beyond the mathematics curriculum.??
Relevant learningLO1, LO2
Relating toThe research evidence that shows the relationship between effective pedagogical practices and increased positive behaviour including why specific practices are particularly effective in preventing undesired behaviour.?
Relevant learningLO2, LO5
Relating toThe content covered in the Australian Curriculum Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures cross-curriculum priority across stages and subjects.??
Relevant learningLO1, LO3, LO4
Relating toAbout the cultural diversity within classrooms and communities in Australia, and in the local context, to understand and value the perspectives of diverse groups including EAL/D and First Nations students.?
Relevant learningLO4, LO5
Representative texts and references
Recommended texts and documents
Australian Curriculum
Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA)
Relevant jurisdictional curriculum documents
ACT Education Directorate: .
New South Wales Education Standards Authority (NESA): .
Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (CAA): .
Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA): .
Recommended references
Bannister-Tyrrell, M. & Clary, D. (2017). Metacognition in the English classroom : Reflections of middle years teachers navigating the Australian curriculum : English. English in Australia, 52(3), 63–72.
Cope, W., (2020). “Multiliteracies”: New Literacies, New Learning. Pedagogies: An International Journal, 4(3). https://doi.org/10.1080/15544800903076044
Dutton, J., & Rushton, K. (2018). Confirming Identity Using Drama Pedagogy: English Teachers’ Creative Response to High-Stakes Literacy Testing.(Drama Pedagogy)(Essay). English in Australia, 53(1), 5–14.
Gibbons, S. (2019). “Death by PEEL?” The teaching of writing in the secondary English classroom in England. English in Education, 53(1), 36–45. https://doi.org/10.1080/04250494.2019.1568832
Kelman, D., & Rafe, J. (2014). ‘Come you spirits’: Shakespeare, mythology and process drama. English in Australia, 49(3), 57–65.
Kerin, R. (2017). Knowing and planning : A framework for planning in English. Literacy Learning, 25(2), i–xiv.
Kress, G. R. (2001). Multimodal discourse : the modes and media of contemporary communication (T. van Leeuwen, Ed.). Arnold.
Locke, T. (2015). The English teacher as interdisciplinary resource. English Teaching : Practice and Critique, 14(3), 285–302. https://doi.org/10.1108/ETPC-06-2015-0043
Lowien, N., & Thomas, D. (2023). Generative AI writing tools and the Australian Curriculum : English. Practical Literacy, 28(3), 26–28.
Macken-Horarik, M. (2014). Making Productive Use of Four Models of School English: A Case Study Revisited. English In Australia, 49(3), 7–19.
McLean Davies, L.. (2012). Auditing subject English : a review of text selection practices inspired by the National Year of Reading. English in Australia, 47(2), 11–17.
McLean Davies, L., & Sawyer, W. (2018). (K)now you see it, (k)now you don’t: Literary knowledge in the Australian Curriculum: English. Journal of Curriculum Studies, 50(6), 836–849. https://doi.org/10.1080/00220272.2018.1499807
Manuel, J., & Carter, D. (2016). Sustaining hope and possibility : Early-career English teachers’ perspectives on their first years of teaching. English in Australia, 51(1), 91–103.
Merga, M. (2018). Silent Reading and Discussion of Self Selected Books in the Contemporary Classroom.(Silent Reading). English in Australia, 53(1), 70–82.
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Scarcella, J., & Burgess, C. (2019). Aboriginal Perspectives in English Classroom Texts.(Aboriginal Perspectives). English in Australia, 54(1), 20–29.
Smith, H. (2019). Strategising creativity : Writing, experimentation, multimedia. Metaphor (English Teachers’ Association of New South Wales), 1, 9–19. https://acu.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/61糖心原创_INST/p3lnct/cdi_rmit_collectionsjats_search_informit_org_doi_10_3316_aeipt_223429
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