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ECE4012 Cross Cultural Communication in Early Childhood

Subject Cat-nbr Class Term Mode Description Units Campus
ECE 4012 78858 2, 2008 EXT Cross Cultural Communication in Early Childhood 1.00 Toowoomba
Academic group: FOEDU
Academic org: FOE004
Student contribution band: National Priority Teaching
ASCED code: 070101

Contents


STAFFING

Examiner: Shirley O'Neill
Moderator: Robyn Henderson


OTHER REQUISITES

State law in Queensland (Australia) requires that all adults working/undertaking professional experience/researching with children under the age of 18, in the state of Queensland are required to possess a current suitability card (Blue Card). (See "Other Requirements" for further information.) Also see: http://www.childcomm.qld.gov.au/employment/bluecard/informationSheets.html.


RATIONALE

Successful communication is central to effective learning and teaching in the classroom and participation in the school community. Typically, the curriculum is delivered in the English language but in mainstream classrooms today many children, including those from Indigenous backgrounds, have home or first languages different from the language of instruction. Depending on these children's levels of proficiency in the English language, their English language development may be managed in a range of ways: through team teaching, integrated teaching, pull-out or pull-in teaching or mainstream teacher differentiated instruction in collaboration with specialist teachers. The fact that successful communication depends on understanding both the target language and the culture has implications for both mainstream teachers and children. While ESL learners need to learn the language of instruction, they need to learn about the culture of the target language too. Similarly, for effective cross-cultural communications teachers need to understand the relationship between language and culture, the different language and cultural backgrounds of the children they teach, the nature of language as a system operating within different socio-cultural contexts and the principles and issues involved in cross-cultural communication, second language teaching and learning/intercultural literacy and curriculum development.



SYNOPSIS

This course will examine the relationship of language and culture to communication in the classroom and wider school community context. It will provide an introduction to second language teaching pedagogy, including the communicative approach, intercultural literacy and reflective practice, study of second language learning and development, and the impact of the linguistic, socio-cultural, psychological and psycholinguistic factors that impact on second language learners. Strategies to support effective cross-cultural communications in the classroom and in the school community, and approaches to managing ESL children's English language development will be explored. Cross-cultural communication as it applies to Indigenous and Pacific Asian cultures will be a special focus. Curriculum knowledge and criteria for evaluation, selection and production of curriculum materials designed to develop children's communicative skills, including the use of ICTs in second language programs, will be developed.



OBJECTIVES

The course objectives define the student learning outcomes for a course. The assessment item(s) that may be used to assess student achievement of an objective are shown in parenthesis. On completion of this course students will be able to:

1.
critically discuss the impact of language and culture on communication (Assessments 1 and 2)
2.
design and implement strategies to support effective cross-cultural communication (Assessments 1 and 2)
3.
demonstrate knowledge of children's second language learning and development (Assessments 1 and 2)
4.
demonstrate knowledge of the linguistic, socio-cultural, psychological and psycholinguistic factors that impact on children as second language learners (Assessments 1 and 2)
5.
develop a second language pedagogy that takes account of the principles of communicative language teaching, the need for intercultural literacy and reflective practice (Assessments 1 and 2)
6.
create, modify and select curriculum materials to develop ESL children's communicative skills, including use of ICTs (Assessment 2)
7.
demonstrate competence in and appropriate use of language and literacy, including spelling, grammar, punctuation and bibliographic referencing (Assessments 1 and 2).


TOPICS


Description Weighting (%)
1. Integrating the teaching of culture and the socio-cultural aspects of teaching
 15.00
2. Issues in second language learning and teaching, the intercultural literacy, the communicative approach, language proficiency and competence
 20.00
3. Children's second language learning and development, language learning/communicative styles and strategies
 15.00
4. Creating effective language learning environments for young Indigenous and South-East Asian second language learners
 25.00
5. Reflective practice and managing the effective second language learning environment
 10.00
6. Curriculum materials design and evaluation, and use of ICTs in language learning
 15.00

TEXT and MATERIALS required to be PURCHASED or accessed

ALL textbooks and materials are available for purchase from USQ BOOKSHOP (unless otherwise stated). Orders may be placed via secure internet, free fax 1800642453, phone 07 46312742 (within Australia), or mail. Overseas students should fax +61 7 46311743, or phone +61 7 46312742. For costs, further details, and internet ordering, use the 'Textbook Search' facility at http://bookshop.usq.edu.au click 'Semester', then enter your 'Course Code' (no spaces).

O'Neill, S. & Gish, A 2008, Teaching English as a second language, Oxford University Press, Melbourne.



REFERENCE MATERIALS

Reference materials are materials that, if accessed by students, may improve their knowledge and understanding of the material in the course and enrich their learning experience.

Whether you are on, or off campus, the USQ Library is an excellent source of information http://www.usq.edu.au/library/ . The gateway to education resources is here... http://www.usq.edu.au/library/faculties/education/default.htm

Anderson, M 2001, Cross-cultural communication in the global classroom: issues and implications, Monash University Faculty of Business & Economics, Caulfied East, Vic.

Brown, H Douglas 2005, Principles of language learning and teaching, 5th edn, Longman, White Plains, New York.

Fleer, M & Williams-Kennedy, D 2002, Building bridges: literacy development in young Indigenous children, Australian Early Childhood Association, Canberra.

Genesee, F (Ed) 1994, Educating second language children: the whole child, the whole curriculum, the whole community, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.

Piper, T 2001, And then there were two: children and second-language learning, 2nd edn, Pippin Publishing, Markham, ONT.
(Electronic Resource)

Tabors, O 1997, One child, two languages: a guide for preschool educators of children learning English as a second language, Paul H Brookes, Baltimore.

Tough, J 1995, Talk two, children using English as a second language in primary schools, Drake Educational Assoc & Cardiff Academic Press, Cardiff.



STUDENT WORKLOAD REQUIREMENTS

ACTIVITY HOURS
Assessments 40.00
Directed Study 80.00
Private Study 45.00


ASSESSMENT DETAILS

Description Marks out of Wtg(%) Due date
PROJECT 1 45.00 45.00 29 Aug 2008
PROJECT 2 55.00 55.00 17 Oct 2008

IMPORTANT ASSESSMENT INFORMATION

  1. Attendance requirements:
    There are no attendance requirements for this course. However, it is the students' responsibility to study all material provided to them or required to be accessed by them to maximise their chance of meeting the objectives of the course and to be informed of course-related activities and administration.
  2. Requirements for students to complete each assessment item satisfactorily:
    To satisfactorily complete an individual assessment item a student must achieve at least 50% of the marks. (Depending upon the requirements in Statement 4 below, students may not have to satisfactorily complete each assessment item to receive a passing grade in this course.)
  3. Penalties for late submission of required work:
    If students submit assignments after the due date without (prior) approval of the examiner then a penalty of 5% of the total marks gained by the student for the assignment may apply for each working day late up to ten working days at which time a mark of zero may be recorded. No assignments will be accepted after model answers have been posted.
  4. Requirements for student to be awarded a passing grade in the course:
    To be assured of receiving a passing grade a student must achieve at least 50% of the total weighted marks available for the course.
  5. Method used to combine assessment results to attain final grade:
    The final grades for students will be assigned on the basis of the aggregate of the weighted marks obtained for each of the summative assessment items in the course.
  6. Examination information:
    There is no examination in this course.
  7. Examination period when Deferred/Supplementary examinations will be held:
    As there is no examination in this course, there will be no Deferred or Supplementary examinations in this course.
  8. University Regulations:
    Students should read USQ Regulations 5.1 Definitions, 5.6. Assessment, and 5.10 Academic Misconduct for further information and to avoid actions which might contravene University Regulations. These regulations can be found at the URL http://www.usq.edu.au/corporateservices/calendar/part5.htm.

ASSESSMENT NOTES

1. The due date for an assignment is the date by which a student must despatch the assignment to the USQ. The onus is on the student to provide proof of the despatch date, if requested by the examiner.
2. Students may be required to provide a copy of assignments submitted for assessment purposes. Such copies should be dispatched to the USQ within 24 hours of receipt of a request to do so.
3. In accordance with the University policy, the examiner may grant an extension of the due date of an assignment in extenuating circumstances.
4. The Faculty will normally only accept assessments that have been written, typed or printed on paper-based media.
5. The Faculty will NOT accept submission of assignments by facsimile.
6. Students who do not have regular access to postal services or who are otherwise disadvantaged by these regulations may be given special consideration. They should contact the examiner of the course to negotiate such special arrangements.
7. In the event that a due date for an assignment falls on a local public holiday in their area, the due date for the assignment will be the next working day. Students are to note on the assignment cover the date of the public holiday for the examiner's convenience.
8. Students who have undertaken all of the required assessments in a course but who have failed to meet some of the specified objectives of a course within the normally prescribed time may be awarded the temporary grade: IM (Incomplete - Make up). An IM grade will only be awarded when, in the opinion of the examiner, a student will be able to achieve the remaining objectives of the course after a period of non-directed personal study.
9. Students who, for medical, family/personal, or employment-related reasons, are unable to complete an assignment or to sit for an examination at the scheduled time may apply to defer an assessment in a course. Such a request must be accompanied by appropriate supporting documentation. One of the following temporary grades may be awarded IDS (Incomplete - Deferred Examination; IDM (Incomplete Deferred Make-up); IDB (Incomplete - Both Deferred Examination and Deferred Make-up).
10. When there is more than one marker for a single item of assessment, the distributed patterns and means for the different markers will be compared and marks adjusted if necessary.
11. Marking criteria are provided in course material as mark sheets/guides or as part of assignment specifications.
12. Summative assessment items will receive a numerical score. Any ungraded assessment requirement will receive a Pass, Fail or Incomplete.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS

  1. Students will require access to e-mail and Internet access to USQConnect for this course.
  2. Students are to use a recognised referencing system as specified by the examiner.
  3. Participation in online discussions is encouraged for effective learning in this course.
  4. IMPORTANT NOTE: Working with Children: State law in Queensland requires that all adults (including university students, pre-service educators, trainers, vocational teachers, industry educators) working with children under the age of 18, in the State of Queensland*, obtain approval before commencing such work. Many education courses include a practical component (professional experience, project work, research, assessment etc.) that may require engagement with children under the age of 18. It is your responsibility to ensure that you possess a current suitability card (Blue Card) before commencing any practical components of this course. DO NOT PARTICIPATE IN ANY PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE WITH CHILDREN UNDER 18 UNLESS YOU POSSESS A CURRENT 'BLUE CARD'. For further information: http://www.childcomm.qld.gov.au/employment/bluecard/informationSheets.html *If you are undertaking practical experience outside the State of Queensland, Australia you should check local requirements.

This version produced 28 Aug 2009.
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