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An early childhood teacher plays a vital role in sparking curiosity and fostering a lifelong love of learning in children. With an increasing demand for qualified educators, early childhood teaching provides excellent job opportunities and career advancement in early childhood education and care services. Enrol in the Graduate Diploma in Early Childhood Teaching and learn how to support young children's learning and development through play. The Graduate Diploma in Early Childhood Teaching is dedicated to producing quality graduates ready to take up employment across the early childhood education sector, including teaching children aged Birth to 3 years, pre-kindergarten (3 year olds), and kindergarten (4 to 5 year olds) in early learning settings. Dealing specifically with children aged Birth to 5 years, this course focuses on the care and education of children through building strong, positive relationships with children, families, communities and colleagues. This course recognises the diverse range of educational and life experiences students bring, utilsing reflective thinking to strengthen the links between theory and practice as you explore child development, curriculum and pedagogical practices. You will develop the ability to plan, implement and assess socially inclusive curricula where children are valued, respected and productively engaged in learning. The Graduate Diploma in Early Childhood Teaching provides a teaching qualification for students who have already obtained a Bachelor degree or an equivalent qualification in areas other than Education.
This course information may be updated and amended immediately prior to semester. To ensure you have the correct outline, please check it again at the beginning of semester. In particular please check the course requirements and the unit and unit set offerings, as these differ according to course delivery location.
Central to this course is an extensive program of Professional Experience in early childhood education and care settings culminating in a final Practicum in the final semester of the course. Students have the shared responsibility for the education, safety and well-being of children in early childhood education and care settings, therefore the teaching profession demands the highest professional standards and personal ethics. In line with ACECQA regulatory requirements, the Graduate Diploma in Early Childhood Teaching will require 60 days of Work Integrated Learning (WIL) in the form of professional experience placements. The first professional experience is provided through the unit Investigating Young Children’s Holistic Learning and Development in Early Childhood Education and Care, where students will work with children from birth to 35 months for 20 days. The second professional experience is provided in the new unit Effective Pedagogy and Practice in Early Childhood Education and Care, where students will work with children from birth to five years. All professional experience placements will be undertaken in early learning centres. Further information regarding Professional Experience can be found at: <a href="https://www.ecu.edu.au/schools/education/professional-experience">https://www.ecu.edu.au/schools/education/professional-experience</a>
The Department of Education Western Australia has the right to determine 'fit and proper persons' to enter and practice in Centres. For these reasons, all Pre-Service Teachers 18 years of age and over will be required to have a current Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check (NCCHC) and a current Working with Children Check, or the equivalent clearance issued by the relevant State authority before commencing this period of Professional Experience. Further information can be found at <a href="http://www.ecu.edu.au/schools/education/professional-experience/before-professional-experience">http://www.ecu.edu.au/schools/education/professional-experience/before-professional-experience</a>
Generally host Centres require that the Pre-Service Teachers attend the placement on a full time basis or otherwise meet their specific attendance requirements of the particular placement. There is limited scope for ECU to negotiate any deviations from these requirements.
During the placement, it is imperative that Pre-Service Teachers always demonstrate professionalism and respect for industry partners. Pre-Service Teachers must abide by the professional standards set out in the ECU Student Code of Conduct and comply with the applicable University policies and rules. The Student Code of Conduct can be found at: <a href="http://policysearch.ecu.edu.au/PolicySearch/Record/767/file/document">http://policysearch.ecu.edu.au/PolicySearch/Record/767/file/document</a> The host Centre has absolute discretion to terminate the Pre-Service Teacher's placement prior to completion of the placement. Situations where this discretion has been exercised are typically where the Centre has had concerns about the Pre-Service Teacher's conduct or performance. ECU may also withdraw a Pre-Service Teacher from placement in certain circumstances. Early termination or withdrawal from the professional experience placement may result in a Fail grade for this unit.
The Professional Experience units are designated as a fundamental course requirement and may only be attempted once unless otherwise determined by the Progression Panel. Failure to pass these units may result in exclusion from the course.
This course has been Accredited by: Australian Children's Education & Care Quality Authority (ACECQA).
The Graduate Diploma in Early Childhood Teaching is accredited with the Australian Children's Education & Care Quality Authority (ACECQA - <a href="https://www.acecqa.gov.au/qualifications/nqf-approved">https://www.acecqa.gov.au/qualifications/nqf-approved</a>). Graduates of ACECQA accredited programs may apply for registration and work in Australian early childhood education and care settings with children aged birth to five years. Graduates from an ACECQA accredited Graduate Diploma in Early Childhood Teaching course may also be eligible to apply for registration as an early childhood teacher with the Teachers Registration Board of Western Australia (<a href="https://www.trb.wa.gov.au/Schools-and-Employers/Early-childhood">https://www.trb.wa.gov.au/Schools-and-Employers/Early-childhood</a>).
Students will need to graduate to be eligible to register with the Teacher Registration Board of Western Australia (TRBWA). Registration with the Teacher Registration Board of Western Australia (TRBWA) is required to practice in the profession.
Graduates must meet the Teacher Registration Board of WA (TRBWA) English language proficiency requirements for teacher registration in Western Australia. Further information is available at <a href="http://www.trb.wa.gov.au">http://www.trb.wa.gov.au</a>
English competency requirements may be satisfied through completion of one of the following:
This course has been accredited by ECU as an AQF Level 8 Graduate Diploma Award.
This course does not follow the standard ECU academic calendar. Please check the School of Education calendar for start dates and practicum dates.
| Unit Code | Unit Title | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|
| LAN6120 | Language and Literacy Birth to 5 Years | 15 |
| AED6160 | Visual Arts and Music Education in Early Childhood | 15 |
| ECE6340 # | Inquiry in Professional Experience (Birth to 35 months) | 15 |
| MSC6110 | Mathematics and Technologies for Young Children | 15 |
| Unit Code | Unit Title | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|
| SCE6120 | Science for Young Children | 15 |
| ECE6145 | Inclusive Early Childhood Environments | 15 |
| ECE6360 # | Inquiry in Professional Experience 2 (3 to 5 years) | 15 |
| ECE6170 | Leading and Managing in Early Childhood Contexts | 15 |
# Designated Unit - a Unit or Unit of Competency which a School has designated as a fundamental course requirement and may only be attempted once unless otherwise determined by the School Progression Panel.
For the purposes of considering a request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005), inherent requirements for this subject are articulated in the Unit Description, Learning Outcomes and Assessment Requirements of this entry. The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the support for students with disabilities or medical conditions can be found at the Access and Inclusion website.
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