Master of Teaching (Primary)

This subject enables the Master of Teaching cohort examine historical, cultural, sociological and philosophical constructions of childhood, youth, families and the educative process. By exploring these themes, students have the opportunity to develop a sense of how the role of the family, constructions of childhood and youth, and questions of curriculum and pedagogy are determined by global historical and colonial movements that influence contemporary educational systems.

This subject places educational sociology in an Australian context by recognising the central contribution that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, culture, perspectives and pedagogies make to our national educational identity. By locating Indigenous issues in this way, the importance of relationships with parents, carers and the broader community are emphasised, and the educative process is seen to be intimately connected to the impact of culture, cultural identity and linguistic background on the education of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. Candidates will cover a broad range of strategies for working effectively and sensitively and confidentially with parents/carers and wider community in the education process, and understand how to work effectively, sensitively and confidentially with them.

The subject is built around four central themes:

1. Curriculum: history and sociology of knowledge – focusing on school knowledge, the Australian Curriculum, the nature of power and knowledge
2. Sociological constructions of childhood and youth - gender, generational change, sociological and historical purpose of schooling
3. Purposes of education and care – education systems, mass schooling, academic and vocational education, markets, neoliberalism and equity
4. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island education (including the impact of culture, cultural identity, linguistic background, pedagogy, curriculum and school-community partnerships).

This subject will provide foundational conceptual frameworks for understanding learning and teaching necessary to Teacher Candidates’ development as Clinical Practitioners. It will examine how learning can be understood and enhanced from a range of evidence-based, theoretical perspectives. Candidates will gain knowledge and understanding of physical, social and intellectual development and characteristics of students and how these may affect learning. Specifically pedagogical practices focusing on understanding how learning occurs and the processes that facilitate classroom learning will be identified. This subject will also support Teacher Candidates’ explorations of classroom management practices and strategies that support students’ wellbeing and safety to provide high-quality learning environments that meet school and/or system, curriculum and legislative requirements. It will equip Teacher Candidates with the fundamental skills necessary to begin to observe, design and implement whole classroom approaches to inclusion. This subject will introduce the Clinical Teaching Cycle as a primary approach to teacher practice that positions assessment as a key underpinning to teachers’ instructional planning using the collection and interpretation of valid evidence. Examples of various conceptualisations and purposes of assessment will be used to develop deep understandings of methods of evidence collection and interpretation. The theme of this core subject is ‘planning and evidence’.

This subject provides opportunities for Teacher Candidates to begin to demonstrate the nexus between theory and the practice of teaching, drawing on a range of theoretical perspectives and contemporary research to support their teaching practice. During clinical teaching practice, experienced Mentor Teachers will continue to support Teacher Candidates in collaboration with university-based Clinical Specialists who are also engaged in the on-campus teaching program.

This subject requires Teacher Candidates to demonstrate their developing professional knowledge, clinical practice, and professional engagement in the primary school context. The school placement focuses on developing an understanding of student characteristics, principles of learning and teaching, classroom management and school organisation in typical primary school settings. Candidates begin to analyse teaching and learning to identify lesson formats that make productive classrooms and pedagogies, and are effective for individual students. Teacher Candidates will integrate the content of academic subjects taught during the semester with their teaching practice in an intentional manner in order to demonstrate developing understanding of students’ progression along learning and development trajectories. Teacher Candidates take graduated responsibility for the planning, implementation and assessment of lessons based on national and state curricula. Teacher Candidates will differentiate their teaching to include students with diverse needs and backgrounds and consider Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives on learning and development.

The Clinical Teaching Practice seminars are framed by the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers at the Graduate Level. At seminars, Teacher Candidates will engage in collaborative learning and critical reflection.

Note: Teacher Candidates who are not familiar with contemporary Australian school contexts are advised to undertake a program of workshops available as an alternate pathway for this subject and known as ‘Contemporary Australian Schooling’. These workshops will parallel Candidates’ introduction to the Australian classroom environment and the Victorian Curriculum. Teacher Candidates will develop knowledge of typical school structures, policies and procedures as well as skills for personal professional interaction between students, mentors and peers. Teacher Candidates undertaking this program will be expected to attend their school placement on all scheduled days and attend all professional practice seminars. There is a reduced requirement for independent, whole class teaching for the duration of the workshop program.

This subject provides an orientation to teaching mathematics in Victorian primary schools. Teacher Candidates will develop pedagogical content knowledge for the effective teaching and learning of the following mathematics strands from Prep to Year 6:

• Content Strand: Number and Algebra
• Proficiencies: Understanding, Fluency, Problem Solving, Reasoning.

Within this content strand, Teacher Candidates will analyse the development of key concepts in primary mathematics and identify critical progression points for children’s learning. They will consider typical conceptions and misconceptions held by children, their likely causes, diagnostic tools to diagnose them and teaching strategies for changing them.

Teacher Candidates will be introduced to assessment schemes for children’s understanding (e.g., Mathematics Online Interview) to improve school students’ learning in the content strand Number and Algebra. The four proficiencies will be introduced and Teacher Candidates will identify the advantages and limitations of particular assessment items for monitoring children’s understanding.

Teacher Candidates will consider Victorian and Australian curriculum documents and resources, lesson planning, classroom assessment and effective use of resources.

Teacher Candidates will consider important pedagogical issues such as: questioning, selection of good examples, representations and models of mathematical ideas. By widening their appreciation of exemplary mathematics teaching, Teacher Candidates are expected to develop reflective mathematics teaching practices.

This subject will introduce Teacher Candidates to research and practice that informs the development of literacy in the early years of schooling, the scope and sequence of language and literacy learning in the early years and the diverse nature of children’s language and literacy experiences in the prior-to school and school years.

Emphasis will be on theoretical perspectives of literacy acquisition and approaches that support the interrelationship between oral language, reading and writing. The focus here will be on
the development of school students’ language with particular attention given to aspects of the English language such as phonology, vocabulary and grammar related to early reading and writing; theories of reading acquisition that inform the teaching of reading; the development of writing; curriculum frameworks and assessment tools. Verbal and non-verbal communication strategies that promote student engagement will be incorporated along with the exploration of strategies to support whole, small group and individualised instruction in relation to print-based and multi-media texts to support literacy learning.

Teacher Candidates will develop knowledge, appreciation and respect for the literature of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders including storytelling traditions (oral narrative) and contemporary literature and broad understanding of the social, historical and cultural contexts associated with different uses of language and textual features.

EDUC90884 Integrating Clinical Practice (Prim) builds on the learning developed in EDUC90885 Introduction to Clinical Practice (Prim)to further explore and consolidate Teacher Candidates’ knowledge and application of assessment, pedagogy and instructional approaches related to clinical practice. It aims to further equip Teacher Candidates with the knowledge and skills necessary to assess student learning at the class and individual levels, and then to justify the selection of strategies appropriate to students’ learning needs.

Students will become familiar with planning frameworks that promote inclusive classroom and consider pedagogical approaches and strategies designed to meet students’ learning needs. Teacher Candidates will connect and engage with students, developing their knowledge of verbal and non-verbal communication to support student understanding. Teacher Candidates will gain enhanced understandings of assessment techniques that underpin the articulation of learning progressions and methods that provide grounds for making reliable judgements about student learning will support the planning and implementation of inclusive classroom practices. Teacher Candidates will develop methods for collecting and maintaining accurate and reliable data on student achievement and strategies for reporting to students and parents/carers.

Teacher Candidates will articulate learning progressions using student behaviours; develop methods for making reliable judgements about student learning; analyse student evidence to determine the next steps in learning and to evaluate progress; identify interventions and their associated research; select interventions to match the student and their context; and reflect on the implementation of interventions. The theme of the content presented in this core subject is ‘making judgements and adjustments’.

In this subject Teacher Candidates will explore research, theories, and strategies that are useful for examining diversity and inclusion in Australian school classrooms. Teacher Candidates will investigate ways in which schools reinforce and/or challenge the social norms. Furthermore, Candidates will gain knowledge and understanding of physical, social and intellectual development and characteristics of students and how they affect learning.

The subject will also explore the school and the classroom itself with their own dominant systems of values, ideologies and differing relationships of power and authority. Teacher Candidates will examine curriculum and legislative requirements that inform school policy and the development of systems and strategies that support student safety and wellbeing. Inter-personal relationships in schools, classrooms and school communities will also be examined. Teacher Candidates will identify the types of interactions that occur as well as what opportunities for learning and development arise. As part of this subject teacher candidates will understand strategies for working effectively, sensitively and confidentially with parents/carers.

This subject provides further opportunities for Teacher Candidates to consolidate their understanding of the nexus between theory and practice of teaching, drawing on a range of theoretical perspectives and contemporary research. Teacher Candidates will consolidate and deepen their understandings of professional knowledge, clinical teaching practice and professional engagement in the primary school context.

This subject has a particular focus on assessment of individual students. Teacher Candidates will learn how to track student learning closely, to record and analyse assessment data and make clinical judgements for future teaching. Teacher Candidates will consolidate their subject and pedagogical expertise in the area of their chosen disciplinary specialisation. Teacher Candidates will extend their responsibility for the planning, implementation and assessment of lessons based on national and state curricula during extended periods of supervised teaching. Teacher Candidates will continue differentiate their teaching to include students with diverse needs and backgrounds and will take into account Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives on learning and development.

Experienced Mentor Teachers will continue to support Teacher Candidates in collaboration with Clinical Specialists who are also engaged in the on-campus teaching program. The Clinical Teaching Practice seminars are framed by the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers at the Graduate Level. At seminars, Teacher Candidates will engage in collaborative learning and critical reflection.

This subject introduces Teacher Candidates to the field of arts education, with a focus on drama, music and the visual arts in primary education, and the role of digital and design technologies within the arts. Teacher Candidates will engage in theoretical and practical studies to become familiar with a range of knowledge, skills, processes and pedagogies for developing drama, music and visuals arts programs in the primary school. Teacher Candidates will explore digital and design technologies through the lens of design thinking and the arts, involving strategies for planning, analysing and generating designed solutions. They will examine the place of arts education and digital and design technologies in current policies including national and state curriculum developments, as well as national and international platforms such as UNESCO. Through reflection on their studio experiences, Teacher Candidates will understand the ways in which learning in the Arts and digital and design technologies supports cultural understanding, creativity and innovation, imaginative uses of technology, and communication through contemporary, traditional and emerging arts forms.

This subject will lead teacher candidates to increase their understanding of the advanced forms of language and literacy that are developed in the middle years of schooling.

Candidates will engage with key research that indicates a significant transition in English literacy in the final years of primary school, the challenges facing teachers and school students in this phase of learning and the classroom practice that best supports middle years students’ learning.

Topics include: the multiple forms of literacy required for the comprehension, composition and production of complex texts central to English and other areas of the curriculum; the strategies that assist all school students to engage in comprehension; higher order thinking; critical analysis and inquiry around various written, visual, multimodal and technological texts; the development of academic language proficiency in reading, writing, listening and speaking.

This subject aims to build Teacher Candidates’ capacities for teaching Primary Humanities and the Social Sciences. Teacher Candidates will develop knowledge of the Primary Humanities curricula domains of Geography, History, Economics and Business, Civics and Citizenship. Teacher Candidates will be introduced to the Humanities as a broad, complex and dynamic field concerned with people as social beings who interact with one another and with natural and social environments through time and place. General capabilities will be addressed such as critical and creative thinking, intercultural understanding, ethical understanding and personal and social responsibility. Teacher Candidates will explore social and environmental issues in the Australian and global contexts. This includes learning about diversity, worldview and democratic principles to enable students to participate in our world as informed citizens. Teacher Candidates explore links to technological contexts, embedding digital technologies and creating design solutions. They will appreciate the important role technologies play in transforming, restoring and sustaining societies and supporting students to be regional and global citizens.

Through review of social and environmental issues and the experience of an excursion to a site linked to primary students’ Humanities learning, Teacher Candidates will further consider how the Humanities can be linked with other curriculum areas and in contexts beyond the school classroom.

This subject supports Teacher Candidates to develop pedagogical content knowledge for the effective teaching and learning of the following mathematics strands from Foundation to Level 7:

• Content Strand: Measurement and Geometry
• Proficiencies: Understanding, Fluency, Problem Solving, Reasoning.

Within this content strand, Teacher Candidates will critically analyse the development of key concepts in primary mathematics and identify critical progression points for children’s learning. They will consider typical conceptions and misconceptions held by children, their likely causes, diagnostic tools to diagnose them and teaching strategies for addressing them. Teacher Candidates will review and critique resources for teaching Measurement and Geometry in primary mathematics and examine tasks designed to achieve specific learning outcomes in this strand.

Teacher Candidates will consider research evidence related to select key issues for teaching Measurement and Geometry. They will examine cognitive and affective characteristics of mathematics classrooms that encourage deep learning in these content areas and in the proficiencies.

The links between mathematics and language will be examined, including a focus on strategies and resources for teaching those for whom English is a second language. Teacher Candidates will examine indigenous artwork for evidence of symmetry. They will examine the current Scope and Sequence (Victorian Curriculum: Mathematics) and relate this to various developmental pathways in the primary years.

This subject supports Teacher Candidates to develop pedagogical content knowledge for the effective teaching and learning of the following mathematics strands from Foundation to Level 7:

• Content Strand: Measurement and Geometry
• Proficiencies: Understanding, Fluency, Problem Solving, Reasoning.

Within this content strand, Teacher Candidates will critically analyse the development of key concepts in primary mathematics and identify critical progression points for children’s learning. They will consider typical conceptions and misconceptions held by children, their likely causes, diagnostic tools to diagnose them and teaching strategies for addressing them. Teacher Candidates will review and critique resources for teaching Measurement and Geometry in primary mathematics and examine tasks designed to achieve specific learning outcomes in this strand.

Teacher Candidates will consider research evidence related to select key issues for teaching Measurement and Geometry. They will examine cognitive and affective characteristics of mathematics classrooms that encourage deep learning in these content areas and in the proficiencies.

The links between mathematics and language will be examined, including a focus on strategies and resources for teaching those for whom English is a second language. Teacher Candidates will examine indigenous artwork for evidence of symmetry. They will examine the current Scope and Sequence (Victorian Curriculum: Mathematics) and compare this to the Australian Curriculum: Mathematics and relate to appropriate developmental pathways in the primary years.

This subject builds upon the knowledge and skills developed in EDUC90885 Introduction to Clinical Practice and EDUC90880 Integrating Clinical Practice to support Teacher Candidates to become clinical practitioners. In so doing, Teacher Candidates will demonstrate their use of the Clinical Teaching Cycle as a guide to interventionist assessment and pedagogical and instructional decision-making. Specifically, Teacher Candidates will demonstrate growing proficiency in orchestrating inclusive classrooms, differentiating instruction and adjusting teaching to meet the needs of learners. In becoming clinical practitioners, Teacher Candidates will also develop capabilities which will prepare them to identify the scope of learning needs within a student group; the suitability of evidence collection for informing clinical judgement; and evidence-based learning progressions. The theme of the content presented in this core subject is ‘student data and interventionist practice’.

This subject synthesises Teacher Candidates’ understanding of the characteristics of professional knowledge, clinical practice and engagement for professional accountability in the primary school context. Teacher Candidates will reflect critically on the ways in which educational theory and research inform practice.

The school placement is focused on clinical teaching across all curriculum areas in a generalist primary classroom. Teacher Candidates will demonstrate capacity to make sound clinical judgements and to independently deliver high impact clinical instruction for sustained periods using sequenced lessons and units of work. Teacher candidates will demonstrate a high level of 21st century skills and their ability to develop these skills in students. Experienced Mentor Teachers will continue to support Teacher Candidates in collaboration with Clinical Specialists who are also engaged in the on-campus teaching program.

The Clinical Teaching Practice seminars are framed by the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers at the Graduate Level. At seminars, Teacher Candidates will engage in collaborative learning and critical reflection.

This subject readies the generalist classroom teacher for the teaching of Health and Physical Education. It does so by drawing on the skills of high quality classroom teaching and applying these in the conduct of Health and Physical Education, both inside and outside the classroom. While Health and Physical Education is an integrated Learning Area within the Victorian Curriculum, the subject is structured via two parallel paths, taken by all Teacher Candidates, one of which emphasizes teaching of the Personal, Social and Community Health strand, the other the Movement and Physical Activity strand. Both of these paths focus on unit development in order to situate the curriculum content in activities that are meaningful to the children involved. A proportion of classes are conducted in primary schools local to the University in order to provide a concrete context within which the teaching of Health and Physical Education may be experienced.

This subject will develop and consolidate teacher candidates’ understanding of major science concepts through an examination of children’s everyday experiences. This development in science conceptual understandings will occur through the dynamic exploration of phenomena such as weather, motion and food, and understandings of students’ motivations to learn science, and their curiosity about the natural world.

This development in science conceptual understandings will occur through the dynamic exploration of phenomena such as weather, plants, motion and food, and align with, and contribute to, with students’ interests and motivation to learn science. Candidates will develop pedagogical skills that support students to be curious about the natural world and create.

Teacher Candidates will be introduced to key resources for science teaching in the form of activities, artefacts and digital technologies that will help them to plan for teaching science and technology concepts effectively in the classroom. They need to demonstrate that they can respond to the learning needs, curiosity and interests of primary students and design a sequence of learning experiences.

Candidates will also be assisted to design, teach and evaluate a sequential unit of science that they have implemented. Candidates will become familiar with, and know how to utilise, the educational research that addresses science conceptual teaching challenges and appropriate pedagogical approaches that respond to the well - documented learning needs of primary aged students.

In this subject, Teacher Candidates will develop an understanding of research in education, as the first part of their capstone experience in the Master of Teaching (Primary). Candidates will participate in a series of lectures, focusing on: what constitutes research in education; the function of a literature review; common methodologies and methods in education research; key issues in research ethics; the management and analysis of data and the fundamentals of research writing. Workshops in this subject provide the opportunity for candidates to develop insight into common approaches to research in primary education, and to consider how principles of research apply to their developing professional practice. The lectures and workshops will be supported by online tasks. 

This subject provides Candidates with an understanding of research principles and methods applicable to education practice or policy, a focus on the use of research to inform and improve education practice, and prepares them to undertake a research project as the second part of their capstone experience.

In this subject, students will develop an understanding of how to appraise, plan, implement and disseminate research in education. Students will participate in a series of lectures and seminars, focusing on: what constitutes research in education; the function of a literature review; methodologies and methods in education research; key issues in research ethics; the management and analysis of data and the fundamentals of research writing. Students will develop a research proposal with guidance from a supervisor, and present an overview of the aims and significance of their proposed project.

This subject will develop and consolidate Teacher Candidates’ understanding of major science concepts through an examination of children’s everyday experiences. This development in science conceptual understandings will occur through the dynamic exploration of phenomena such as weather, motion and food, and understandings of students’ motivations to learn science, and their curiosity about the natural world.

Teacher Candidates will develop knowledge of the primary science curriculum (F-7) and be introduced to key resources for science teaching in the form of activities, artefacts and digital and design technologies that will help them:

1. plan for teaching science and technology concepts effectively in the classroom and
2. respond to the learning needs, curiosity and interests of primary students and
3. design a sequence of learning experiences

Teacher Candidates will also be assisted to use curriculum, assessment and reporting knowledge to design and test, and then evaluate and refine a sequential, balanced teaching unit in a particular science topic area for primary students. Teacher Candidates will be assisted to become familiar with, and know how to utilise, the educational research that addresses science conceptual teaching challenges and appropriate pedagogical approaches that respond to the well - documented learning needs of primary aged students. Working with experts, and peers, the Teacher Candidates will collegiately design, ready for implementation, a large well-resourced unit.

In this subject Teacher Candidates will plan and execute a substantial research-based project as the second part of their capstone experience in the Master of Teaching (Primary). The research project provides an opportunity for sustained and systematic study of an issue in education practice or policy. Candidates will define a feasible research question in their area of primary specialisation, identify appropriate methodology and methods to respond to the research question, and analyse an existing dataset (ie. relevant literature, policy documents, or empirical data from a project that already has ethics approval). The capstone project will culminate with students synthesizing the findings of their research in the form of a conference paper, journal article or report. Throughout this subject, Candidates will be expected to consider how research can inform and improve education practice.

This subject will highlight the significance of literacy assessment and teaching to meet the individual learning needs of primary school students.

Topics will include: the social and cognitive factors that impact on primary school students’ literacy development and a review of related research; the key role of assessment in profiling students’ learning and the importance of targeted interventions in literacy.

Teacher Candidates will undertake an analysis of a range of assessment practices used to identify the literacy needs of students, including diagnostic and standardised tests and the evaluation of various forms of work samples against state curriculum standards. They will investigate literacy teaching programs and approaches, differentiated for particular student groups within classroom contexts, which may then be generalised to curriculum implementation for improved outcomes more broadly.

Teacher Candidates will also undertake a placement in a school or other educational setting (as a hurdle requirement).

This subject will support Teacher Candidates to develop pedagogical content knowledge for the effective teaching and learning of the following mathematics strands from Prep to Year 6:

Content Strand: Statistics and Probability

Proficiencies: Understanding, Fluency, Problem Solving, Reasoning.

Within this content strand, Candidates will analyse the development of key concepts in primary mathematics and identify critical progression points for children’s learning. They will consider typical conceptions and misconceptions held by children, their likely causes, diagnostic tools to diagnose them and teaching strategies for changing them.

They will review and critique resources for primary mathematics and examine tasks designed to achieve specific learning outcomes in these strands.

Candidates will consider research evidence related to selected key issues of teaching Statistics and Probability. They will examine cognitive and affective characteristics of mathematics classrooms that encourage deep learning in these content areas and in the proficiency strands.

This subject will develop Teacher Candidates’ practical understanding of how the Arts can be applied in the primary classroom. Teacher Candidates will link studio practice to relevant theory and school experience to formulate a rationale for their emerging arts pedagogy. Studio time will involve practical arts making which emphasises content, skills, knowledge and resources for teaching both within the discrete arts disciplines, and for applying the Arts across the curriculum. Teacher Candidates will engage with the individual Drama, Music and Visual Arts components of the Victorian Curriculum, investigating their application (in and across artforms) in the classroom and whole school programs. Emphasis will be given to building awareness of avenues for continued professional learning in the arts.

This subject builds on the skills and knowledge developed in EDUC90373 Primary Humanities Education. This subject aims to explore how the Humanities curriculum can be designed to help students understand the world around them. Emphasis will be placed on effective teaching and learning practices in the Humanities, with a particular focus on inquiry, digital and design technologies, student agency, questioning, critical thinking, authentic problem solving and communication strategies. Teacher Candidates will apply their understanding of these processes in a critical inquiry-based project focusing on Geography, History, Economics and Business, and Civics and Citizenship. The development of an inquiry-based unit aims to encourage young learners to explore and clarify values and attitudes, and to develop relevant knowledge and skills to understand their world. Through the inquiry process, opportunities for active and informed citizenship for the 21st century will be explored.

This subject will highlight the significance of literacy assessment and teaching to meet the individual learning needs of primary school students.

Topics will include: the social and cognitive factors that impact on primary school students’ literacy development and a review of related research; the key role of assessment in profiling students’ learning and the importance of targeted interventions in literacy.

Teacher Candidates will undertake an analysis of a range of assessment practices used to identify the literacy needs of students, including diagnostic and standardised tests and the evaluation of various forms of work samples against state curriculum standards. They will investigate literacy teaching programs and approaches, differentiated for particular student groups within classroom contexts, which may then be generalised to curriculum implementation for improved outcomes more broadly.

Teacher Candidates will also undertake a placement in a school or other educational setting (as a hurdle requirement).

This subject will support Teacher Candidates to develop pedagogical content knowledge for the effective teaching and learning of the following mathematics strands from Prep to Year 6:

Content Strand: Statistics and Probability

Proficiencies: Understanding, Fluency, Problem Solving, Reasoning.

Within this content strand, Candidates will analyse the development of key concepts in primary mathematics and identify critical progression points for children’s learning. They will consider typical conceptions and misconceptions held by children, their likely causes, diagnostic tools to diagnose them and teaching strategies for changing them.

They will review and critique resources for primary mathematics and examine tasks designed to achieve specific learning outcomes in these strands.

Candidates will consider research evidence related to selected key issues of teaching Statistics and Probability. They will examine cognitive and affective characteristics of mathematics classrooms that encourage deep learning in these content areas and in the proficiency strands.

In this subject, students gain experience in designing a substantial educational research investigation that could be subsequently used to inform the development of a PhD proposal. Students negotiate to undertake the completion of a theoretically and methodologically defensible research proposal with assistance from an academic supervisor.

This subject will develop Teacher Candidates’ pedagogical content knowledge for the effective teaching and learning of the following mathematics content and proficiency strands from Foundation to Level 6:

• Content Strand: Statistics and Probability
• Proficiencies: Understanding, Fluency, Problem Solving, Reasoning.

Within this content strand, Candidates will analyse the development of key concepts in primary mathematics and identify critical progression points for children’s learning. They will consider typical conceptions and misconceptions held by children, their likely causes, diagnostic tools to diagnose them and teaching strategies for changing them.

Teacher Candidates will learn to critically evaluate mathematics programs, materials and teaching methods. Teacher Candidates will develop a mathematics unit in Statistics and Probability for use in primary mathematics classrooms.

Candidates will consider research evidence related to selected key issues of teaching Statistics and Probability. They will examine cognitive and affective characteristics of mathematics classrooms that encourage deep learning in these content areas and in the proficiency strands.

Candidates will be assisted to develop leadership skills to enable them to become future leaders of mathematics/numeracy in their future careers.

This subject builds the capacity of Teacher Candidates, studying to become Language and Literacy Specialists, to develop and sustain improvement in student language and literacy outcomes. The subject design allows Teacher Candidates to develop deep and critical knowledge of:

• Curriculum policy development in the areas of Language and Literacy Education or subject English;
• The use of a range of assessment tools to authentically and reliably assess students' language and literacy skills, understandings and interests;
• Language and literacy pedagogical content knowledge and research-informed approaches to plan for targeted and differentiated instruction at the individual, class and whole-school level;
• Professional capabilities required to support and lead their colleagues to become effective teachers of language and literacy so all students learn and are engaged.

Teacher Candidates will also undertake a placement of 10 days in a school (as a hurdle requirement).