Pre Workshop Introduction
Prospective Participant’s Information
Understanding the scope and requirements of the Supporting
Students’ Literacy Learning; oral language, reading and writing
series of workshops.
Purpose:
 provide information about the rationale behind the course, assessment requirements,
levels of participation and a course overview
 enable prospective participants to understand the level of commitment the course will
require.
Please Note
If you are participating in the workshops you will need to bring this Pre Workshop
Introduction Workbook with you for the first session.
1. Rationale/Purpose
This series of workshops is designed to:

Provide professional learning for paraprofessionals who work with children in schools
to:

support students’ oral language development

support students to develop reading skills

support students to develop writing skills.

“value-add” to the following units of the Certificate III and IV in Education Support
(CHC30808 and CHC41708) and support recognition of prior learning:

CHCEDS409A Support students’ literacy learning

CHCED308A Support the development of oral language skills

CHCEDS305A Support the development of reading skills

CHCEDS306A Support the development of writing skills.
It is envisaged that this professional learning program will also be of value to
paraprofessionals who wish to do further study in the future.
2.
Target Participants
Participants will include paraprofessional staff working in urban and rural primary schools.
The training could also be adapted for use by staff in other contexts.
3.
Expected Facilitators
Senior teachers, curriculum coordinators, and accomplished teachers committed to
increasing the understandings of paraprofessional staff involved in literacy support in
schools will be able to use this resource as facilitators.
The workshops are also designed to be used by Vocational and Education Training lecturers
of the literacy units for Certificates III and IV in Education Support. (CHC30808 and
CHC41708)
4.
Methods Of Assessment
There are four levels of involvement in these workshops. Levels one and two are focussed
on the provision of professional learning while levels three and four include assessment
tasks that have been developed to meet the requirements for recognised prior learning when
undertaking Certificate III or IV in Education Support (CHC30808 and CHC41708).
Level 1: Professional Learning only
Attendance + workshop participation
Level 2: Professional Learning and follow-up
Attendance + workshop participation + follow-up /between session activities →
sharing / feedback. This work (evidence) could be saved for assessment at a later
date.
Level 3: Certificate III Level
At Certificate III level, learners must provide evidence of specified essential
knowledge as well as skills. Certificate III units may be assessed either on the job or
off the job through an appropriate workplace simulation for:

a range of age groups

a range of conditions

over a number of situations.
Assessment methods will usually include:

observation of processes and procedures

oral and/or written questioning on Essential Knowledge and Skills

consideration of required attitudes.
2|Pre Workshop Introduction: Prospective Participant’s Booklet
Where performance is not directly observed and/or is required to be demonstrated
over a ‘period of time’ and/or in a number of locations, any evidence should be
authenticated by colleagues, supervisors, clients or other appropriate persons.
Level 4: Certificate IV Level (including diploma)
At Certificate IV level, learners must provide evidence of specified essential
knowledge as well as skills. Certificate IV units may be assessed either on the job or
off the job through an appropriate workplace simulation. Assessment should ensure
the candidate addresses the elements and criteria on at least three occasions over a
period of time.
Methods of assessment may include, but are not limited to, a combination of two or
more of:

case studies

demonstration

observation

questioning – oral and written

scenarios, simulations or role plays

workplace projects

authenticated evidence from the workplace and/or courses.
Certificate III, IV and Diploma units can be assessed independently by a Registered Training
Organisation (RTO). Participants are encouraged to keep their homework tasks as evidence
for assessment if they plan to enrol in certificate level training.
Assessment methods should reflect work demands (e.g. literacy) and needs of particular
groups such as people in remote locations, people from culturally and linguistically diverse
backgrounds, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, women, young people, older
people.
3|Pre Workshop Introduction: Prospective Participant’s Booklet
Outline of Workshops
Pre Workshop Introduction
Understanding the scope and requirements of the Supporting Students’ Literacy Learning;
Oral language, reading and writing series of workshops
Workshop Focus
Sessions
Assessment Tasks
Workshop 1
Understanding Our Learners
and Supporting Their Learning
1. Reflection on pre workshop
introduction
2. Overview, Big ideas
3. Planning For Purposeful
Talk and Knowing our
Learners
4. Scaffolding
Complete a student Profile
Workshop 2
Understanding How We Use
Language for Different
Purposes
1. Reflection on homework
tasks
2. How do we use language for
different purposes?
Workshop 3
Supporting Students’ Oral
Language Development
1. Reflection on homework
task.
2. Small group activities for
developing and practising
oral language
Read and be prepared to
comment at the next
workshop on a professional
reading.
OR
Observe the use of register
in the classroom
Prepare an oral language
lesson for a small group
using a scaffolded learning
model
Workshop 4
Supporting Students’ Literacy
Development (Reading)
1. Reflection on homework
task
2. What is reading
3. Planning for reading:
Activities for before, during
and after reading
4. Assessing reading
1. Reflection on Workshop 4
homework tasks
2. Writing for different
purposes
3. Stages of Writing
Development
4. The writing process
5. Supporting students with
writing
6. Summing up and evaluation
Workshop 5
Supporting Students’ Literacy
Development (Writing)
Observe questioning/
scaffolding techniques
Develop a resource
Small group reading activity
Complete a running record
assessment
Work with a small group of
students for one week using
the Scaffolded Writing
program.
OR
Plan and implement three
writing lessons.
If you are participating in the professional learning outlined above keep this booklet and
bring it to the first session.
It will form the first part of your workshop documentation and provide a quick reference guide
to the workshops ahead.
4|Pre Workshop Introduction: Prospective Participant’s Booklet