module specification

SDQ017 - Curriculum Studies (2023/24)

Module specification Module approved to run in 2023/24
Module title Curriculum Studies
Module level Level 4/5/6 (99)
Credit rating for module 30
School School of Social Sciences and Professions
Total study hours 300
 
100 hours Guided independent study
200 hours Scheduled learning & teaching activities
Assessment components
Type Weighting Qualifying mark Description
Coursework 100%   Portfolio
Running in 2023/24

(Please note that module timeslots are subject to change)
Period Campus Day Time Module Leader
Year North Multiple -

Module summary

To support the trainee to:
● Develop a deep understanding of the curriculum they will be required to teach on school experience, and an ability to interpret this to plan engaging lessons which promote pupil progression.
● Develop their own subject knowledge to ensure they are confident to teach on school experience, through a combination of personal evaluation, target setting, personal study and engagement with university teaching and learning sessions.
● Develop a critical appreciation of the relevant traditions in pedagogy, assessment and children’s rights related to the areas they will be required to teach, and to use this knowledge to make decisions about planning, teaching and assessment which promote pupil progression.

Prior learning requirements

Graduate (and must be enrolled on PGCE)

Syllabus

● The DfE Core Content Framework will form the basis of the curriculum as a minimum course requirement:
● The curriculum – the national curriculum and the taught curriculum
● Planning learning – lesson planning; medium term planning; constructive alignment
● Assessment – formative and summative; formal and informal; examinations
● Pedagogy – teaching approaches, health and safety, children’s rights, pedagogic research

Learning Outcomes LO1 - LO6

Balance of independent study and scheduled teaching activity

● Student teachers will complete subject knowledge audits throughout the training programme and devise individual action plans to plan to make progress in areas where this is required.
● Individual and group tutorials will be provided to help guide students through this process.
● Optional peer teaching may be arranged to help share areas of subject knowledge strength.
● Compulsory university based workshops will address the curriculum, assessment and subject related pedagogy in the following areas:
o Primary (3-7, 5-11, 7-11) (i) English and language development; (ii) Maths and numeracy; (iii) Science; (iv) the foundation subjects
o Secondary subject specialisms (English with Media, English with Drama, Maths, Sciences, Modern Foreign Languages, Music, PE, Citizenship, Computer Science with ICT)
● Optional university based workshops will provide students with top-up workshops to help address areas of subject knowledge
● Students are expected to maintain and to make weekly submissions to an online reflective journal

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of the module, trainees will be able to:
● LO 1 Demonstrate that they are able to critically review their own professional development needs and plan a training programme that will enable them to make progress in their own subject knowledge.
● LO 2 interpret the curriculum / assessment frameworks for their specialism to enable them to plan engaging and effective lessons and sequences of lessons.
● LO 3 Understand how to use formative and summative assessment methods to support their judgements in relation to children’s attainment in key areas of the curriculum.
● LO 4 Demonstrate a thorough understanding of children’s rights and the curriculum they are expected to teach, for example:
o English, maths, science and the foundation subjects for Primary and Early Years student teachers;
o Secondary student teachers will specialise in the secondary subject(s) specified for their route.
● LO 5 Identify and justify appropriate pedagogical strategies to address specific learning intentions, using experience, research and the wider literature where appropriate.
● L O 6 Explain and provide evidence of how their teaching has an impact on pupils’ learning and progress, demonstrating the critical application of their skills of reflection and evaluation.

Assessment strategy

Assessment will be mediated through a portfolio constructed around the model of a ‘patchwork’ text. The whole Portfolio will be equivalent to 8000 words. The tasks for the portfolio (patches) will be designed to reflect the nature of the route being followed and the curriculum in schools. Tasks will be set throughout the year addressing specific aspects of the module learning outcomes, but all will be related to some extent to the overall issue of teaching and learning. Towards the end of the year students will complete a final synoptic task which will reflect on the individual tasks and address a key overarching question such as, “what are the principles of effective inclusive pedagogy in your specialism?”

The Portfolio will be assessed against the Module Learning Outcomes. In order to complete the module successfully, the Portfolio will have to demonstrate that it meets all of the outcomes.

Additional assessment issues:
● Because full attendance is required on the course, absence or lateness on this module may trigger a ‘Cause for Concern’ procedure and subsequent failure to meet attendance / punctuality targets may lead to students being failed in this module and on the course as a whole.
● Students identified as being particularly weak or of concern in this module may be required to participate in a viva voce examination with a relevant course leader before embarking on a school experience module. The objective of any such examination will be to reassure tutors that the student has an adequate grasp of subject knowledge to undertake teaching on their placement. Failure to achieve the required professional standard may result in a postponement of the school experience module or a fail in this module and on the course as a whole.

Bibliography

Reading will reflect the route and will be detailed in course handbooks and in the VLE. An indicative list includes the following key texts:

Core Texts

DfE Core Content Framework
Bryan, H., Carpenter, C., & Hoult, S. (2010) Learning and Teaching at M level: A Guide for Student Teachers, Sage Publications Ltd.
Pritchard, Alan (2005) Ways of Learning: Learning Theories and Learning Styles in the Classroom, London: David Fulton
Stobbart, Gordon (2008) Testing Times: The uses and abuses of assessment, London: Routledge

Primary and Early Years Mathematics

Barnbury, P., Bolden, D and Thompson, L. (2014) Understanding and Enriching Problem Solving in Primary Mathematics, critical publishing
Haylock, D. with Manning, R (2014) Mathematics Explained to Primary Teachers (5th edition) Sage
Haylock, D (2014) Student Workbook for Mathematics Explained for Primary Teachers, Sage
Haylock, D and Cockburn, A (2012) Understanding Mathematics for Young Children: A Guide for Teachers of Children 3-8, Sage
Hansen, A et al (2014) Children’s Errors in Mathematics, Sage.
Mathematic Mastery (2012) http://www.mathematicsmastery.org/our-programme/primary/
Newell, R. (2017) Big Ideas in Primary Mathematics, Sage.
Southall, E. (2017) Yes, But Why? Teaching for Understanding in Mathematics, Sage.

Primary and Early Years English

Browne, A. (2009) Developing Language and Literacy 3-8. 3rd edn. London: SAGE.
Goouch, K. & Lambirth, A. (2016) Teaching Early Reading and Phonics. 2nd ed.: Creative Approaches to Early Literacy, London: SAGE.
Graham, J.& A. Kelly (eds) (2010) Writing Under Control: Teaching Writing in the Primary School, London: David Fulton.
Graham, J.& A. Kelly (eds) (2008) Reading Under Control: Teaching Reading in the Primary School, London: David Fulton.
Marsh, J & Hallet, E (2010) Desireable Literacies , London: SAGE.
Perkins, M (2017) Observing Primary Literacy. 2nd edn. London: SAGE.
Waugh, D & Joliffe, W  and  Allot, K. (2017) Primary English for Trainee Teachers. 2nd edn. London: SAGE.
Wyse, D, Jones, R, Bradford, H   & Wolpert. M (2013) Teaching English, Language and Literacy. 3rd edn.  Routledge.
National Curriculum for English Key stages 1 & 2  EYFS Development Matters – Communication & Language/ Literacy  https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/596629/EYFS_STATUTORY_FRAMEWORK_2017.pdf http://www.literacytrust.org.uk/assets/0001/9202/Curriculum_Review_and_Planning_Tool.pdf

Primary and Early Years Science

Beeley, K., (2012), Science in the Early Years, London: Featherstone
Brunton, P & Thornton L (2010) Science in the Early Years, London: Sage
Cooke, V & Howard, C. (2014) Practical Ideas for Teaching Primary Science. London, Critical Publishing
Davies, D. et al (2014) Teaching Science and Technology in the Early Years (3-7): Abingdon, Routledge
Harlen, W. and Qualter, A. (2009) The Teaching of Science in Primary Schools (5th Ed). Abingdon, Routledge
Peacock,G.,Sharp,J., Johnsey,R., & Wright,D. (2012) Primary Science-Knowledge and Understanding. London, Learning Matters (Sage)
Wenham, M., & Ovens,P. (2009) Understanding Primary Science. London, Sage
National Foundation for Education Research (NFER 2013) various publications are available on-line at www.nfer.ac.uk

Secondary Mathematics

Ollerton, M (2009) The Mathematics Teacher’s Handbook , Bloomsbury
Baoler, J (2015) Mathematical Mindsets, Wiley and Sons
Conteh, J (2015) The EAL Teaching Book, 2nd edition, Sage
Chambers, P and Timlin, R (2013) Teaching Mathematics in the Secondary School, Sage

Secondary Science

Biology Suggested Reading:

Reiss, M. (ed) (2011) Teaching Secondary Biology, 2nd Ed., London: John Murray for the ASE
Ross, K., Lakin, L., Callaghan, P. (2004) Difficult ideas in biology in Teaching Secondary Science: David Fulton, pp. 106-114.

Chemistry Suggested Reading:

Tabor,K.. (ed) (2012) Teaching Secondary Chemistry, 2nd Ed, London: John Murray for the ASE
Johnson, P. (2002) Progression in children’s understanding of a ‘basic’ particle theory: a longitudinal study in Amos, S. and Boohan, R (eds) Teaching Science in Secondary Schools: Routledge Falmer pp. 236-249.
Ross, K., Lakin,L., Callaghan, P. (2004) Difficult ideas in chemistry in Teaching Secondary Science: David Fulton, pp. 88-98.

Physics Suggested Reading:
Boohan, R. and Ogborn, J. (1996b) Differences, energy and change: a simple approach through pictures. School Science Review, 78 (283), 13-20
Frost, J. (2005) Physics and Astronomy in Frost, J. & Turner, T. (eds) Learning to teach Science in the Secondary School: Routledge-Falmer pp. 72-81
Shipstone, D. (2002) A study of children’s understanding of electricity in simple DC circuits in Amos, S. And Boohan, R (eds) Teaching Science in Secondary Schools: Routledge Falmer

Secondary English with media

Green, A (Ed.) (2011) Becoming a reflective English, McGraw-Hill Education/OUP
Brindley, S (1994) Teaching English, OUP
Davison, J and Dowson, J (2014) Learning to Teach English in the Secondary School, 4th edition
McCallum, A (2012) Creativity and Learning in Secondary English, Routledge

Secondary English with Drama

Arts Council England (2003) Drama in Schools second edition Arts Council England http://www.artscouncil.org.uk/publication_archive/drama-in-schools-second-edition/
Boal, A. (2002) Games for Actors and Non-Actors (2nd Edition): Routledge
Chadderton, D. (2008) The Theatre Makers: How Seven great artists shaped the modern theatre, Studymates
Davis, D. (2014) Imagining the real: towards a new theory of drama in education Bloomsbury.
Fleming, M. (2003) Starting Drama Teaching Second Edition London: David Fulton Publishers 
Kempe, A. & Ashwell, M. (2000) Progression in Secondary Drama Oxford: Heinemann 
Kempe, A., & Nicholson, H. (2007) Learning to Teach Drama 11-18 second edition, London: Continuum

Green, A (Ed.) (2011) Becoming a reflective English Teacher, McGraw-Hill Education/OUP
Brindley, S (1994) Teaching English, OUP
Davison, J and Dowson, J (2014) Learning to Teach English in the Secondary School, 4th edition
McCallum, A (2012) Creativity and Learning in Secondary English, Routledge


Secondary Modern Foreign Languages

Pachler, N et al (2009) Learning to teach Foreign Languages in the Secondary School (4th Edition) Routledge
Pachler, N and Redondo, A  (2014) A Practical Guide to Teaching Foreign Languages in the Secondary School (2nd Edition), Routledge
Smith S and Conti, G (2016) The Language Teacher Toolkit 2016, Createspace Independent Publishing