The study of any language requires an understanding of its sounds and the ways in which they relate to each other so that they can be written down. This unit of study introduces students to the production, perception and classification of speech sounds and their organisation into meaningful systems with particular reference to Indigenous Australian languages. It also provides an understanding of the development of writing systems and contemporary approaches to Australian orthography design.

Words are the principal vehicles for conveying meaning in most languages. This unit of study gives students a foundation in the description of meaning and the structure and function of words with particular reference to Indigenous Australian languages. It also provides students with the skills to classify words and their component parts and describe the ways in which they combine sound and meaning to make verbal communication possible.

Sentences and texts are the major units of human language. This unit of study provides students with the understanding and skills to describe these longer strings of language and make generalisations about them. It also considers the relationships between the many varieties of Australian languages that occur for different purposes, in different places and at different times.

Teachers in the language classroom are often confronted with the dilemma of choosing the right method or approach to adequately develop the proficiency of their students. What many do not realise is that there is no one perfect method or approach; what might work in one language teaching situation might not necessarily work in another. Over the last two centuries, a number of methods and approaches have emerged each determined by the social, cultural, economic and political factors of the day. Given this scope, there are teaching situations that have demanded a focus on the development of written proficiency whilst others that of oracy. The goal of this course is to introduce students to theories of languages education methodology and provide them with the foundations to successfully choose methods and/or approaches that will best cater the teaching of Indigenous languages in Australia. It will include significant methods used in the teaching of the macro (listening and responding, speaking, reading and responding, and writing) skills and the micro (lexico-grammatical) skills; determining teacher and learner roles; and effective language lesson planning.

Conducting research in the teaching of Australian languages requires an understanding of diverse issues, including: languages education research methods, the history of research on Indigenous people and languages, locating existing records, practical techniques for obtaining and managing data, project planning, Indigenous research ethics and community consultation. It is also important for students to understand the role of research in high-quality teaching and to gain experience in a range of research methodologies and their potential for application to likely teaching situations in this field. This unit of study allows students to explore these issues and develop practical skills that will allow them to become effective researchers in Indigenous languages education. Students will be expected to directly apply their learning in this unit of study to their activities in KCIL5621 Research Project in Languages Education or KCIL5622 Learning an Indigenous Language.

Although some Indigenous Australian languages have undergone substantial documentation and are currently being taught, many are in great need of further research and all require more investigation. This unit of study provides students with an opportunity to exercise the skills and knowledge provided in the course to generate new knowledge about particular languages and their teaching.

In order to teach an Indigenous language it is essential that the teacher has greater fluency than their students. This unit of study provides an opportunity for students to undertake study outside the degree program to develop their ability to speak an Australian language. Students may access courses offered by the University of Sydney, another tertiary institution, a TAFE college, school, community language centre, or similar. To obtain credit under this unit of study the external studies must be equivalent to 36 hours of face-to-face teaching and satisfy MILE staff regarding its standard and thoroughness. Students who are already fluent or cannot access an external unit in a language of their choosing should undertake KCIL5621 Research Project in Indigenous Languages as a means to enhance their skills.

Preceding any successful formal teaching or learning situation is effective programming and planning determined by curriculum parameters. Language curriculum development involves more than just the content to be taught in any given teaching situation. It involves establishing goals and outcomes often defined by external organisations; performing ongoing needs analysis of learning and teaching situations; programming and planning against external and internal factors; designing programs that best address all factors; choosing and designing resources; and determining appropriate assessment and evaluation procedures.The goal of this unit is to examine these issues against authentic situations and apply knowledge gained towards developing effective language curriculum for quality teaching in Indigenous languages education contexts and across all key learning areas.

Effective language teaching and learning can be enhanced by technology. This unit of study introduces students to the diverse technological aids that can enhance their teaching practices and their own language learning. It provides them with samples and models from which they can develop their own multimedia resources.