Advocacy and Social Justice

This unit provides pre-service teachers with an understanding of the concept of social justice and the skills and motivation to use that understanding to be effective advocates for children, families and their profession. An additional aim is that they gain a commitment to social justice as professionals and to teach children effectively about fairness, equity and social justice. Pre-service teachers will also gain knowledge and understanding of theoretical perspectives relating to difference and diversity. They will learn about an anti-bias approach and explore its implications for their teaching as they explore ways of developing meaningful connections with children, families the community.


Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:
1. Identify, describe and define categories of diversity and difference.
2. Critically examine and apply principles of social justice.
3. Apply knowledge of teaching strategies, responsive to the learning strengths and needs of students from diverse linguistic, cultural, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds.
4. Critically reflect to identify and challenge their own and others’ bias and stereotypes from an informed and principled perspective.
5. Demonstrate and evaluate an understanding of strategies to meet the specific learning needs of students including knowledge of appropriate legislative requirements.
6. Work collaboratively to develop strategies for advocacy and activism to promote the rights, interests and needs of children and their families in relation to equity and inclusion.