Unit Outline

Are you an aspiring teacher, librarian, writer or publishing professional? Or are you just fascinated by writing for young people? This unit explores the diverse and challenging world of writing for children and young adults. Through a variety of genres—such as picture books, graphic and prose novels, and short stories—you will investigate how books for young people deal with the big themes of growing up and living in a changing and challenging world. This unit examines: different perspectives on the values and challenges of books for young people;· the distinctive logics and practices of creative writing for young people; and, current themes and debates in the study of children’s literature. Through weekly writing exercises and extended research and analytical projects, you will learn what it takes to publish, write, and critique works for young audiences.

Intended Learning Outcomes

As per the Assessment and Results Policy 1.3, your results will reflect your achievement against specified learning outcomes.

On completion of this unit, you will be able to:


1	Summarise the main trends, themes, concepts, and texts and contexts in the history of children’s and young adult’s literature
2	Evaluate the role children’s and young adult literature in education, children’s development, and culture generally
3	Demonstrate an ability to draft an effective piece of writing for a young audience
4	Develop and communicate ideas through collaboration, discussion with peers, and formal academic writing

Requisites


REQUISITE TYPE	REQUISITES
Pre-requisite	25 points at Introductory level in any discipline in any faculty

Alterations as a result of student feedback

How will I be Assessed?

For more detailed assessment information please see MyLO.

Assessment schedule


ASSESSMENT TASK #	ASSESSMENT TASK NAME	DATE DUE	WEIGHT	LINKS TO INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES
Assessment Task 1:	Tutorial/online participation	See the MyLO site for the due date	10 %	LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4
Assessment Task 2:	Presentation and creative response	See the MyLO site for the due date	20 %	LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4
Assessment Task 3:	Weekly writing activities	See the MyLO site for the due date	20 %	LO3, LO4
Assessment Task 4:	Research essay	See the MyLO site for the due date	50 %	LO1, LO2, LO4

Assessment details

Assessment Task 1: Tutorial/online participation

Task Description:

n/a

Task Length:

Due Date:

See the MyLO site for the due date

Weight:

10 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Regular and active participation in tutorial/online activities and discussions with peers	LO4
2	Demonstrate comprehension of the set texts and readings	LO1, LO2
3	Apply key strategies and techniques for writing for young audiences to creative practice	LO3

Assessment Task 2: Presentation and creative response

Task Description:

This task is designed to give you an opportunity to analyse a piece of children’s literature that holds significance for you, explore a topic relevant to the study of children’s literature, and practice the craft of writing for children.
The task involves a short recorded presentation and a short creative piece. Detailed instructions for how you will prepare, upload and share the components of this task are available on MyLO.
Short Recorded Presentation (10 marks)
You will select a written work of children’s fiction that has left a lasting impression on you, and prepare a short presentation (5 minutes) that analyses your chosen work in relation to one of the topics available on MyLO.
The presentation may take the form of a narrated PowerPoint presentation, video, or podcast.
Short Creative Piece (10 marks)
You will prepare a short piece of writing (400 words) that is inspired by the craft of your chosen work. The scope of this piece of writing is largely up to you: it may be a complete work in itself or an excerpt from a larger envisaged piece of work.
Your piece of writing will be accompanied by a brief statement (100 words) that identifies what elements of your chosen work you have drawn on in your piece of writing, and why.

Task Length:

Due Date:

See the MyLO site for the due date

Weight:

20 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Apply knowledge of the main trends, themes, concepts, and texts and contexts in the history of children’s and young adult’s literature to your selected topic	LO1
2	Construct a scholarly argument about your chosen topic supported by evidence from your chosen text	LO2
3	Communicate ideas in a manner that: a. Uses an appropriate structure b. Adheres to conventions of spoken English	LO4
4	Produce a coherent piece of writing inspired by your chosen work of fiction that draws on key strategies and techniques for writing for young audiences	LO3
5	Summarise how your piece of writing draws on elements of your chosen work of fiction	LO3

Assessment Task 3: Weekly writing activities

Task Description:

Starting in Week 3, you will submit a short response to a set creative writing exercise. The following week, you will provide feedback on a response by another student.
Over the course of the semester, you will prepare four responses and you will provide feedback on four responses prepared by a classmate. Each response you draft will be no more than 300–350 words (or equivalent, depending on the writing prompt you choose to respond to). There is no word limit on your feedback, but you should aim to write 150 words or so.
The writing prompts, as well as detailed instructions on how you will prepare, format, upload and share your writing exercises and feedback, are available on MyLO.
You will receive marks for:
(a) Your short responses to the set writing exercises (2.5 marks each; 10 marks total)
(b) Your feedback on responses submitted by other students (2.5 marks each; 10 marks total)
If you complete the work according to the task instructions, you will get full marks. Due to the nature of these activities, late submissions will not be accepted.

Task Length:

4 x 300–350-word responses, plus comments on peers’ work

Due Date:

See the MyLO site for the due date

Weight:

20 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Timely submission of short responses to the set writing exercises	LO3
2	Timely submission of constructive feedback on other students’ responses	LO4
3	Regular and active participation in individual and collaborative tutorial/online writing activities and associated discussions across semester	LO4

Assessment Task 4: Research essay

Task Description:

This research essay provides opportunity for you to build an extended argument based on both your own study of one or more texts studied in Module 3 of this unit, and your investigation of other critical responses. Your Works Cited should include at least 5 scholarly secondary sources. Essay topics are available on MyLO.

Task Length:

2000 words

Due Date:

See the MyLO site for the due date

Weight:

50 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Apply knowledge of the main trends, themes, concepts, and texts and contexts in the history of children’s and young adult’s literature to your selected topic	LO1
2	Construct a scholarly argument about your chosen topic supported by: a. Evidence from your chosen text(s) b. Reference to secondary sources	LO2
3	Communicate ideas in the form of a written essay that: a. Uses an appropriate essay structure b. Adheres to conventions of written English (word choice, grammar, punctuation, spelling) c. Conforms to MLA style for presentation and referencing	LO4

How your final result is determined

To pass this unit, you need to demonstrate your attainment of each of the Intended Learning Outcomes, achieve a final unit grade of 50% or greater, and pass any hurdle tasks.

Submission of assignments

Where practicable, assignments should be submitted to an assignment submission folder in MYLO. You must submit assignments by the due date or receive a penalty (unless an extension of time has been approved by the Unit Coordinator). Students submitting any assignment in hard copy, or because of a practicum finalisation, must attach a student cover sheet and signed declaration for the submission to be accepted for marking.

Academic integrity

Academic integrity is about acting responsibly, honestly, ethically, and collegially when using, producing, and communicating information with other students and staff members.

In written work, you must correctly reference the work of others to maintain academic integrity. To find out the referencing style for this unit, see the assessment information in the MyLO site, or contact your teaching staff. For more detail about Academic Integrity, see Important Guidelines & Support.

Requests for extensions

If you are unable to submit an assessment task by the due date, you should apply for an extension.

A request for an extension should first be discussed with your Unit Coordinator or teaching support team where possible. A request for an extension must be submitted by the assessment due date, except where you can provide evidence it was not possible to do so. Typically, an application for an extension will be supported by documentary evidence: however, where it is not possible for you to provide evidence please contact your Unit Coordinator.

The Unit Coordinator must notify you of the outcome of an extension request within 3 working days of receiving the request.

Late penalties

Assignments submitted after the deadline will receive a late penalty of 5% of the original available mark for each calendar day (or part day) that the assignment is late. Late submissions will not be accepted more than 10 calendar days after the due date, or after assignments have been returned to other students on a scheduled date, whichever occurs first. Further information on Late Penalties can be found on the Assessments and Results Procedure.

Review of results and appeals

You are entitled to ask for a review of the marking and grading of your assessment task if there is an irregularity in the marking standards or an error in the process for determining the outcome of an assessment. Details on how to request a review of a mark for an assignment are outlined in the Review and Appeal of Academic Decisions Procedure.