VU23564 - Research features of Australian Government

Unit code:VU23564Study level:TAFE

Nominal hours

Location

Footscray Nicholson
St Albans
Sunshine
Werribee

Prerequisites

(Or equivalent to be determined by unit coordinator)
Co-requisites
(Corequisite units must be studied concurrently with this unit)

Overview

This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required by EAL learners to research features of Australian Government and write an opinion piece on a current issue related to government.
The outcomes described in this unit relate to:

the Australian Core Skills Framework (ACSF). They contribute directly to the achievement of ACSF indicators of competence for Reading and Writing and Oral Communication at Level 4, and
the ISLPR (International Second Language Proficiency Ratings) descriptors for Speaking and Listening, Reading and Writing are not applicable for this unit.
This unit applies to learners who need to develop their English language skills to broaden their knowledge of Australian Government.This unit is designed for integration and contextualisation with language units to support achievement of English language knowledge and skills.

Assessment

For Melbourne campuses

Assessment tasks will be designed to reinforce & extend knowledge and skill competence within set & controlled parameters in accordance with each unit's learning outcomes & performance criteria requirements, including the setting of work-based practical application tasks designed to provide evidence of competence outcomes, within periodic and scheduled timelines.

Students will be expected to demonstrate the following required skills:

locate, interpret and analyse information on three features of the system of Australian Government and two features of the election process
research, plan and write one opinion piece comprising several coherently linked paragraphs which use register, style and language appropriate to audience and intended outcome about an issue of interest related to the Australian Government.

Students will also be expected to demonstrate the following knowledge:

specialised vocabulary relevant to Australian system of government
compound sentences and complex sentences with subordinate clauses
use of verb tenses
use of modal forms
use of discourse markers
use of conversational / discourse linkers and conjunctions in discussions
linguistic features of informative texts and texts expressing an opinion including:

text pattern and structure
logical sequencing of events, identification of an issue followed by points of view and supporting material, followed by summary and opinion
conventions of paragraph writing

strategies to express meaning in spoken texts, such as fact and opinion, irony, understatement, exaggeration.
Sociolinguistic and Cultural Knowledge:
aspects of the national political culture, such as colloquial language and irony as it relates to spoken and written texts relevant to government
detection of attitude, mood or intentions and inferred meaning by using cues, such as syntactic, semantic, logical, contextual
different perspectives presented by different sources
how text, language or structure influence the reader to adopt particular views and positions.

Required reading

The qualified trainer and assessor will provide teaching and learning materials as required in the form of workbooks produced by Victoria University and/or via the Victoria University e-learning system.