Outline

Overview

This is the third in a series of units of study that expands students' understanding as future teachers of English and nurtures their professional identity. By examining how theories, practices and pedagogies of teaching reading, writing, viewing, talking, and listening interact in 21st century learning contexts, the unit will encourage students to design innovative pedagogic approaches to teach English and literacy that appropriately address the individual needs of primary school children. The unit will support students' development as teachers who read widely at the same time as they evaluate existing policy, curriculum, moderation, assessment and reporting practices.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit	Education
Credit points	6
Prerequisites ?	36 credit points of 3000-level EDUP-coded units
Corequisites ?	None
Prohibitions ?	EDUP4076
Assumed knowledge ?	None
Available to study abroad and exchange students	No

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Alyson Simpson, alyson.simpson@sydney.edu.au

Assessment

The census date for this unit availability is 31 March 2026

Details
Criteria

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length	Use of AI
In-class quiz	Professional agency - 3 parts 3 in class tasks weeks 1, 4 and 10	30%	Multiple weeks	1400 words equivalance	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
Conversation	Literature Circle discussion Dialogic provocation for learning	0%	Week 06	15 minutes	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
Written work	Reflection on Literature Circle Critical reflection on learning experience as reader and teacher	40%	Week 07 Due date: 17 Apr 2026 at 23:59	1600 words	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
Written work	Pedagogical reasoning practice informed research	30%	Week 12 Due date: 21 May 2026 at 23:59 Closing date: 04 Jun 2026	1500 words	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
= hurdle task ? = group assignment ?

Assessment summary

Assessment 1: Professional agency. This is a three part assessment comprised of short inclass tasks that are worth 10% each.

Part one in class week 1: building evidence to establish rationale is a short discussion paper requiring you to use your past experience, your English portfolio and the readings for week 1 to address a prompt question on challenges to supporting volitional reading.
Part two in class week 4: curriculum planning and critique is a short quiz which requires you to read and comment on elements from a DoE unit designed for teaching reading
Part three in class week 10: moderation and assessment is a short quiz where you will match student writing samples to appropriate grammar analysis and reporting comments

Assessment 2: Literature circles discussion and reflection. This assignment requires you to prepare for engaging your peers in a literature circle role activity in week 6 and then respond in writing through reflective critique about this experience. You will include your own and your peers' feedback in this response which will be submitted in week 7.

Assessment 3 due week 12: Pedagogic reasoning. Students will work in small groups of 3 or 4 to research a topic on a shared professional concern around the teaching of English that aligns with one of the weekly topics. The group will write a short, practice based position paper that is suitable for a teacher audience. Publications such as The Conversation, PETAA papers or Practical Primary are good models. The paper must include artefacts such as student worksamples and refer to policy /NSW English Syllabus documents stimulus and evidence for the approach to the topic chosen. References from the weekly topic reading list and other research literature must be included.

You are permitted to use generative AI to help you with your written assignments. It may be helpful to use AI tools to brainstorm initial ideas and approaches for completing your assignment.

However, you must develop or edit those ideas to a substantial degree to ensure your submission is your own, original work and this use must be acknowledged.

Do not enter confidential, personal, copyrighted or otherwise sensitive information into these tools. If you use these tools, you must be aware of their limitations, biases, and propensity for fabrication. Your use of AI tools must adhere to the Student Charter 2020, including upholding honesty, ethics, professionalism, and academic integrity.
Do not rely on the accuracy of outputs. You remain responsible for your work. This means you must independently verify and edit AI-generated content to ensure the integrity, accuracy, and suitability of the output.
If you use these tools, you must include a statement at the end of your assignment explaining what you used the tool for, and the prompts that you used.

Assessment criteria

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	The learning outcomes of the unit of study have not been met to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see guide to grades.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI)

You can use generative AI tools for open assessments. Restrictions on AI use apply to secure, supervised assessments used to confirm if students have met specific learning outcomes.

Refer to the assessment table above to see if AI is allowed, for assessments in this unit and check Canvas for full instructions on assessment tasks and AI use.

If you use AI, you must always acknowledge it. Misusing AI may lead to a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy.

Visit the Current Students website for more information on AI in assessments, including details on how to acknowledge its use.

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.

Academic integrity

The University expects students to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

Our website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. This includes advice on how to avoid common breaches of academic integrity. Ensure that you have completed the Academic Honesty Education Module (AHEM) which is mandatory for all commencing coursework students

Penalties for serious breaches can significantly impact your studies and your career after graduation. It is important that you speak with your unit coordinator if you need help with completing assessments.

Visit the Current Students website for more information on AI in assessments, including details on how to acknowledge its use.

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.

Support for students

The Support for Students Policy reflects the University’s commitment to supporting students in their academic journey and making the University safe for students. It is important that you read and understand this policy so that you are familiar with the range of support services available to you and understand how to engage with them.

The University uses email as its primary source of communication with students who need support under the Support for Students Policy. Make sure you check your University email regularly and respond to any communications received from the University.

Learning resources and detailed information about weekly assessment and learning activities can be accessed via Canvas. It is essential that you visit your unit of study Canvas site to ensure you are up to date with all of your tasks.

If you are having difficulties completing your studies, or are feeling unsure about your progress, we are here to help. You can access the support services offered by the University at any time:

Support and Services (including health and wellbeing services, financial support and learning support)
Course planning and administration
Meet with an Academic Adviser

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Week 01	English teaching: current and future horizons	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 01	Establishing a professional identity in times of change  Rationalising sources of influence  Developing professional knowledge and ethics What is your impact in the education community?	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 02	Prompting students imaginative, creative and critical engagement with texts	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 02	Exploring Children’s Rights to Read  Becoming Teachers as Readers  Expanding knowledge about narrative texts Inspiring engagement through dialogic reading	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 03	English Policy, curriculum, syllabus	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 03	Examining the Australian Curriculum English  Critiquing the English K-10 syllabus  Debating teacher autonomy in the context of continuum of learning NESA collaborative curriculum	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 04	Part 1: Theory, practice and pedagogies of teaching reading: stage 3	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 04	Establishing pedagogic practices and content knowledge  Developing a holistic approach to explicit and systematic teaching about reading  Expanding beyond the basic five skills	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 05	Part 2: Theory, practice and pedagogies of teaching reading: stage 3	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 05	Building comprehension and fluency Reading engagement and motivation Exploring the Strathclyde 3 domain model	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 06	Theory, practice and pedagogies of oral language development (talking and listening): stage 3	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 06	Establishing pedagogic practices and content knowledge  Demonstrating principles of dialogic teaching	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 07	Theory, practice and pedagogies of teaching writing: stage 3	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 07	Establishing pedagogic practices and content knowledge  Explicit and systematic teaching of writing through writing  Writing for real and writing in role	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 08	Universal design for learning and teaching diverse learners including ATSI in English	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 08	Strategic planning for differentiation and inclusiveness  Taking action for social justice   Questioning the “doors and windows” approach	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 09	Curriculum mapping, assessment, reporting, planning in English	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 09	Establishing pedagogic practices and content knowledge  Embedding literacy through meaningful connections   Co-constructing knowledge across the curriculum. Assess and moderate authentic student writing work samples identifying where a student is in their learning according to syllabus outcomes. Design appropriate teaching activities	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 10	Theory and practice English and literacy cross KLA: stage 3	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 10	Knowing about NAPLAN to inform moderation processes   Assessment of and for learning   Designing appropriate teaching aligned with assessment data Explore the benefits and limits of formative assessment activities to prompt student reflection on learning using NAPLAN criteria.	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 11	Theory, practice and pedagogies of Visual/multimodal/digital literacies	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 11	Establishing pedagogic practices and content knowledge  Design and analyse multimodal communication to match KLA  Rationalising transformational technology use  Use of ICT to improve access and participation AI awareness	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 12	Research and Practice across Professional Cultures	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 12	Peer review of draft papers Pedagogical reasoning as professional practice	Tutorial (2 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

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

For EDUP4091 [edup4076] the attendance requirement is 90% of both lectures and tutorials as appropriate to the 6 or 4 credit point loading.

In 2025 all lectures and tutorials will be held on campus. Lectures will be presented live on campus and recorded for later viewing.

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

To improve your awareness of Australian children's literature most novels in our unit are written by Australian authors. You are expected to use novels written by current Australian authors in both your assignments in this unit.

Core Picture Book: (first used in week 2 and on other occasions.)

My Strange Shrinking Parents by Zeno Sworder [CBCA award winner]

Core novel for literature circle: (choose one of the following titles which have been matched to the text selection requirement areas from the English K-10 syllabus to use in assessment task 1.)

The Kindness Project by Deb Abela [school story – verse novel – friendship and bullying]

Scar Town by Tristan Banks [Adventure – mixed gender – mystery - award winning CBCA 2024 winner and KOALA popular vote]

Tigg and the Bandicoot Bushranger by Jackie French (HarperCollins AU) [CBCA shortlist 2025 / historical / racial tension]

Huda was Here by H. Hayek [humorous take on family stresses – brave children – corrupt officials – 2024 CBCA short list]

Laughter is the Best Ending by Maryam Master [award winning novel for Shadow Judges and the CBCA Book of the Year, 2025 - cross generational friendship and peer pressure]

Bindi by Kirli Saunders [award winner verse novel – Australian literature, including texts written from the perspective of and about Aboriginal experiences in Australia – mentioned in reading written by peer]

NB: All other readings for this unit can be accessed through the Canvas link to the Library’s reading list system

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.

Outcomes
Graduate qualities

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

LO1. Facilitate language development and literacy learning for children in Stages 2 and 3 by exploring universal designs for learning
LO2. Rationalise, trial and critique a balanced range of approaches to the teaching of talking, listening, reading and writing in the primary school context in collaborative group situations
LO3. Expand knowledge base of children’s literature and factual texts and critically justify selection and role in innovative, creative and culturally appropriate teaching of reading and writing
LO4. Justify lesson sequence encompassing talking, listening, reading and writing activities based on student assessment data to address needs of a diverse range of learners in a safe, ethically informed learning environment providing opportunities for oral and written feedback
LO5. Demonstrate theoretical understanding of and ability to use metalanguage to analyse schematic structure and grammatical features found in literary and factual texts supporting reading and writing development in Stages 2 and 3
LO6. Based on assessment of student work samples propose and evaluate explicit and systematic teaching principles and practices for literacy in the primary years addressing multimodality, spelling strategies and vocabulary development integrated across KLA
LO7. Synthesise effective, collaborative teaching and learning principles and practices in English/literacy to promote creative, critical and imaginative responses to texts incorporating digital platforms
LO8. Formulate and rationalise evaluative stance on impact of national curriculum, policy and accountability practices on the teaching of English

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

Responding to student feedback

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

Last year in its first iteration, students enjoyed and found great benefit from the practical nature of learning experiences such as: literature circles, the writing journals, letter buddy work and other scaffolded tutorial activities that provide inspiration for teaching. They also recognised the value of collaborative work, creative strategies and engaging assessment tasks that required skills that will be used in the classroom. Students who had school teachers as their tutors appreciated them highly despite the need to attend 4pm classes. We note the +ve and -ve feedback about the online tasks and will resolve the glitches that occurred when we first used them. The instructions for assessment tasks will be reviewed for clarity. As always the unit will be taught by people who are passionate about inspiring learning through real-world perspectives and up-to-date teaching practices.

Disclaimer

Important: the University of Sydney regularly reviews units of study and reserves the right to change the units of study available annually. To stay up to date on available study options, including unit of study details and availability, refer to the relevant handbook.

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

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI)

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Support for students

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

EDUP4091: Expanding English Horizons

Semester 1, 2026 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI)

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Support for students

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links