Module 1.1 Introduction to the Professional Learning Guide
Module 1.1 is an introductory learning module in the Language Support Program Professional Learning Guide. It introduces and describes the importance of oral language to language and literacy learning and briefly raises issues relating to school implementation of a Language Support Program (LSP).
- Communication and language difficulties
- The importance of oral language
- What is a Language Support Program?
- How schools will use the program
- Structure of the Professional Learning Guide
Resources
- Fact Sheet 1.2 Who has a Communication Disability? at the Speech Pathology Australia website.
(http://www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au/publications/fact-sheets) - Resource 1.1 Student observation activity (Word - 36Kb)
- Appendix 2 Language Support Program Implementation Survey (Word - 60Kb)
Other reference material
- Eight Areas of L:iteracy Knowledge (PDF - 94Kb)
- Literacy Professional Learning Resource
- Literacy Learning Disabilities (Teaching) at the Melbourne University website. A collection of readings about teaching literacy from Dr John Munro on whose research the Language Support Program is based.
(http://www.edfac.unimelb.edu.au/eldi/selage/publications/index.html#lldt) - Literacy Learning Disabilities (Research) at the Melbourne University website. A collection of research papers about literacy from Dr John Munro on whose research the Language Support Program is based.
(http://www.edfac.unimelb.edu.au/eldi/selage/publications/index.html#lldr) - K-W-L-H organiser (Word - 30Kb)
- SWOT analysis (Word - 29Kb)
Glossary
- language difficulties – Difficulties in acquiring or using language. May be expressive or receptive. These difficulties may involve one, some or all of the phonologic, morphologic, semantic, syntactic or pragmatic components of the linguistic system
- language disorder – Extreme language difficulties not accounted for by other factors such as ESL, hearing loss, intellectual disability or social/emotional factors. Diagnosis is made by a multidisciplinary team including a speech pathologist and a psychologist. Is also referred to as language disability, language impairment or specific language impairment
- oral language – Verbal communication through spoken symbols; sounds, words, sentences and discourse that represent objects, actions and ideas
- phonological knowledge – What we know about individual sounds (phonemes) in our language
Timing
- 60 minutes
Going further
There are valuable online Australian education resources relating to literacy, particularly as it relates to language difficulties and disorders in children and young people. These include state and territory policy and guidelines as well as academic research.
Professional learning activities
- Locate resources on the internet
Explore the content of a literacy learning resource bank such as:
- Department of Education and Early Childhood Development 2008c, ‘Literacy Professional Learning Resource’, DEECD.
- Munro, J. 2008, ‘Literacy Learning Disabilities’ (Research and Teaching), in ‘Publications’, Melbourne Graduate School of Education website, University of Melbourne.
(http://www.edfac.unimelb.edu.au/eldi/selage/publications)