module specification

The module introduces students to educational theory and practice underpinning primary school provision in England and enables students to understand the integrated nature of children's development and learning through these issues and from observation.

This module will introduce students to educational theory and practice underpinning primary school provision in England.  The material the students will be studying comes from a range of disciplines and will embody a variety of teaching and learning styles.  The module starts with a focus on equal opportunities in a multi-ethnic environment, followed by a theoretical and academic orientation to schools and teaching.

The module will enable students to examine the origins and structures of schooling for the three to eleven age ranges, and explore recent developments in education whilst increasing awareness of the diversity of UK cultures, and also extend students understanding of equal opportunities.

Module teaching will increase students’ awareness and understanding of citizenship across the curriculum enabling students to actively support teachers in delivering citizenship across curriculum subjects and through making a contribution to school life.

Through theory and practice students will understand the integrated nature of children's development and learning and recognise the importance of observation in childhood research and practice and to understand its development.

Study throughout this module will be focused on the educational theory and practice underpinning primary school provision in England.  It will review the origins of schooling (age range three to eleven); an historical context for Primary education in Britain and key thinkers and influences.

It will include exploration of the diversity of cultures in the UK (migration and settlement), and an  in depth focus on selected communities with specific study of equal opportunities in relation to race/ethnicity, gender and class, definition of terms, explication of disadvantage and inequality within society and equal opportunity initiatives in schools.

The module includes observation of a chosen child. With emphasis on the history and development of child observation and its role in both theory and practice.  It will introduce students to a range of theoretical frameworks for considering young children’s cognitive development. It will underline the role of movement, talk, exploration and representation in learning. Some of the controversial issues associated with child development, such as cultural bias and gender differences will be explored. The content of sessions will include social and emotional development and learning, fine and gross motor development and linguistic development.  The emphasis will be on the development of babies and children from birth to six.  Tutors will pay close attention to issues of equal opportunities throughout the module.

A range of learning and teaching methods: lectures/presentations, discussions, seminars and practical workshops, some tutor-led, some student directed.  Students will be encouraged to work collaboratively in group sessions and reflect on and make use of their previous experiences in order to link theory and practice. All teaching material will be supported by Moodle (VLE)

On successful completion of the module students will be able to:

1. Demonstrate awareness of the diversity of UK cultures, be conversant with equal opportunities issues related to race/ethnicity, gender and class
2. Examine the origins and structures of schooling for the five to eleven age range and understand recent developments in education – policies and practice, including citizenship issues
3. Offer a foundation of theory and its application to classroom practice through the use of observation and demonstrate some awareness of the impact of the social, cultural and environmental context on theories of child development and observation.
4. Develop arguments which show some awareness of the interrelatedness of areas of development and learning.

The assessment is in two parts:
Part A.  Poster construction and short presentation on issues of diversity and equality of opportunity in teaching and learning. These tasks together constitute 40% of the assessment for this module. (LO1,2)

Part B.  Students should choose a child in workplace and observe the child throughout the module and from these observations produce a report (60%) which looks at aspects of the child's development and learning in light of current and relevant theory including diversity and equality of opportunity. (LO3,4)

Core Texts

Bentzen, W.R. (2008) (6th ed.) Seeing Young Children. A Guide to Observing and Recording Behaviour. Vancouver: Thomson Delmar Learning

Boys, R., Bowen, P., Macroy, G., Spink, E. (2008) Primary Curriculum: Teaching the Foundation Subjects. London: Continuum

Cooper, H. (2012) Professional Studies in Primary Education. London: Sage

Recommended

Wilson A (2009) (2nd ed) Creativity in Primary Education. (Achieving QTS Cross Curriculum strand series). Learning matters. London.

Driscoll P, Lambirth A, Roden J (eds) (2011). The Primary Curriculum. A Creative Approach. Sage. London

Dean J (2008) (4th ed) Organising Learning in the Primary Classroom. Routledge. London

Bhattacharyya, G. Ison, L., Blair, M. (2003) Minority Ethnic Attainment and Participation in Education and Training. DfES and University of Birmingham Research Topic Paper RTP01-03

Dunn, D. (2011) How to be an Outstanding Primary School Teacher. London: Bloomsbury
http://outstandingteaching.com/

Hobart, C. (2009) (4th ed.) A Practical Guide to Child Observation. Cheltenham: Nelson Thornes

Palaiologou, I. Goodcliff, G., Trodd, L. (2008) Childhood Observation: M Learning Matters

Online Resources

www.bbc.co.uk/schools/
www.primaryresources.co.uk/
www.collections.europarchive.org/tna/.../teachernet.../redirect.cfm?...
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