Foundations of Primary English
PostgraduateTAS-EMT5112026
Course information for 2026 intake View information for 2025 course intake
- Study method
- 100% online
- Assessments
- 100% online
- Enrol by
- 15 Feb 2026
- Entry requirements
- Part of a degree
- Duration
- 14 weeks
- Price from
- $2,562
- Upfront cost
- $0
- Loan available
- HECS-HELP and FEE-HELP available
Foundations of Primary English
About this subject
Upon successful completion of this subject, the student should be able to:
- Apply theoretical knowledge about the English discipline which attends to structured literacy in the Lifting Literacy Strategy.
- Understand that reading instruction must attend to how the brain learns to read through systematic and explicit teaching practices for the following elements: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension and oral language.
- Design a sequence of lessons which deliver effective reading instruction that attends to how the brain learns to read through systematic and explicit teaching practices for the following elements: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension and oral language.
- An introduction to the Australian Curriculum: English
- An introduction to reading instruction: history, debates, contemporary theories.
- Phonological knowledge: Phonological and phonemic awareness
- Graphological knowledge 1: Concepts about print and alphabet knowledge
- Graphological knowledge 2: Phonics
- Semantic knowledge: Comprehension
- Teaching and assessing reading
- Vocabulary and fluency
- Teaching spelling
- Resource sharing
This subject has a focus on contemporary approaches to the teaching of reading, including close attention to the teaching of phonemic awareness, phonics, word knowledge, and vocabulary instruction and reading comprehension of a wide range of texts. An emphasis of study will also be on teaching children writing, with a close study of text types and grammar. Throughout the subject there is also a strong focus on the pedagogical imperatives underpinning the English curriculum including explicit teaching, assessing student learning progress and catering for diverse learners. You will learn to apply this knowledge by developing a portfolio of lesson plans in reading and writing.
- Design a sequence of three lessons demonstrating the structured literacy approach (40%)
- Vignette of practice – evaluation and reflection (40%)
- Phonic Knowledge Assessment (20%)
For textbook details check your university's handbook, website or learning management system (LMS).
Wherever you are, the University of Tasmania brings its island campus to you through a growing range of online programs across art and design, business, education, health, science, sustainability, technology, and more. It’s never too late to switch things up. Kickstart that career you’ve been dreaming about, or upskill for the one you’re in. You’ll also become a part of the world's leading university on climate action.
Learn more about UTAS.
Explore UTAS courses.
- QS World University Ranking 2026, within Australia:
- 20
- Times Higher Education World University Ranking 2026, within Australia:
- 14
Entry requirements
Part of a degree
To enrol in this subject you must be accepted into one of the following degrees:
Core
- TAS-EDC-MAS-2026 - Master of Teaching (Primary)
Prior study
You must either have successfully completed the following subject(s) before starting this subject, or enrol in the following subject(s) to study at the same time or prior to this subject:
Additional requirements
- Other requirements - Teaching Arrangement: You are expected to dedicate around ten hours per week to this subject. This may be divided as follows: Weekly Lecture (1 hour); Weekly Readings (2 hours); Weekly Tutorial (2 hours); Weekly Discussion Boards (1 hour); Assessment (5 hours). Your progress in this subject depends on your engagement with weekly online tutorials and discussion boards.
Study load
- 0.125 EFTSL
- This is in the range of 10 to 12 hours of study each week.
Equivalent full time study load (EFTSL) is one way to calculate your study load. One (1.0) EFTSL is equivalent to a full-time study load for one year.
Find out more information on Commonwealth Loans to understand what this means to your eligibility for financial support.
Related degrees
Once you’ve completed this subject it can be credited towards one of the following courses
PostgraduateTAS-EDC-MAS