James Cook University Subject Handbook - 2024

ED4306 - Students with Reading Difficulties

Available to B Ed (ECE) as a core subject and to B Ed (Primary) as a second year elective for students enrolled in the English/Literacy specialisation. JCU Online campus mode is available only to Online B Ed ECE and primary students enrolled in the carousel offering.

Subject Description

This subject focuses on teaching students who have difficulties with reading. Students struggle with reading for a variety of reasons, although a significant proportion of students have key issues in common. This subject introduces the pre-service teacher to a variety of repertoires of practice to intervene in favour of the student becoming a reader and writer of English. In order to do this, the future educator requires fundamental understandings and knowledge about how students acquire language. This includes an awareness of the complexities of reading as a learning endeavour, and knowledge of a range of assessment and core instruction techniques to inform and assist the students who are experiencing difficulties with reading. The aim of this subject is to enhance pre-service teachers' knowledge of the reading process, difficulties that students may experience with reading, strategies for teaching reading, and assessment of reading related skills

Learning Outcomes

• 2. locate and use the concepts and structures underpinning the F-6 Australian Curriculum: English, particularly those aspects that relate to mapping learning progressions for the purpose of differentiation
• 3. apply curriculum and assessment knowledge to design learning sequences that support diverse students' oral language and reading acquisition
• 4. select, use and reflect on a repertoire of teaching strategies to meet the specific learning needs of students across the full range of abilities
• 1. identify and apply appropriate research into reading difficulties encountered by students of diverse abilities and characteristics

Subject Assessment

• Written > Test/Quiz 1 - (20%) - Individual
• Written > Essay (including multi-draft) 1 - (30%) - Individual
• Performance/Practice/Product > Portfolio - (50%) - Individual

Note that minor variations might occur due to the continuous subject quality improvement process, and in case of minor variation(s) in assessment details, the Subject Outline represents the latest official information.

Assumed Knowledge:  It is assumed that participants have completed ED1421 Foundations of Language and Literacy in Education.

Availabilities