Modules
Common strands running throughout the degree and developed within the context of this module include commitments to inclusivity in all its forms; safeguarding and well-being of children; promoting a positive classroom environment conducive to engagement and respecting diversity; and building curricula and sequences of lessons designed to ensure the progression of all. Alongside this and in common with other modules, ATs will be supported to prioritise their own well-being, achieve a sustainable work-life balance while managing their initiation into professional communities of practice.
The module prepares ATs for and encompasses their second period of school-based learning and their enrichment placement. ATs will undertake a range of activities in a school or educational setting over a period of approximately 40 days. There is a continuing emphasis throughout the degree and in particular at level 5 on supporting the needs of all children and how pedagogy and curriculum planning can be inclusive - as such ATs' lesson planning to include those with a diverse range of needs will be a particular focus. The module will also constitute an opportunity to observe, plan, co-teach, and individually teach a variety of different subjects at KS1 or 2 and/or different areas of learning in the EYFS. ATs will be making pedagogical and curriculum choices on the basis of developing subject knowledge expertise in Core and Foundation subjects and/or in areas of learning. ATs will have opportunities to develop techniques designed to improve literacy, reading, writing and oracy and will reflect on enactments of important curricular and pedagogical concepts (e.g. scaffolding; dialogue; questioning; meaning-making; working memory; long-term memory; cognitive load; engagement; identity transformation; sequencing; interleaving; knowledge-rich; coherence; cumulativity; cultural capital; connectivity). ATs will also have opportunities to develop their own management of classrooms and pupil behaviour, and be able to seek support of other colleagues and, where appropriate and with guidance, parents and carers to help pupils learn. ATs will follow advice and feedback from a variety of sources, including from colleagues, tutors, mentors and from pupils to inform their lesson planning and will have opportunities to break knowledge down, scaffold, practice and present it in learnable ways connecting it to other content. ATs will also participate in the delivery of sequenced and balanced curriculum and reflect on how their own lesson planning and homework setting fits into broader curricular frameworks. ATs will develop strategies for motivating children of all kinds to learn and become more autonomous and will have opportunities to exercise judgement in the use of assessment so that it is purposeful and not overly burdensome. ATs will be invited to participate in professional conversations with colleagues that enable collaboration, teamwork and shared, mutual learning. ATs will also be challenged to manage their own workload and to use techniques for ensuring a productive work-life balance.
The enrichment placement provides additional opportunities for ATs to work with other adults and professionals in the wider children’s workforce and in educational contexts that do not necessarily constitute formal school settings. This could be education in environments other than mainstream UK schools or education systems and practices in other countries. ATs will explore student learning experiences within these other educational contexts; and reflect upon similarity and difference in relation to educational environments, practices and systems.
Common strands developed within the context of this module include safeguarding and well-being of children; promoting a positive classroom environment conducive to engagement and respecting diversity; and building curricula and sequences of lessons designed to ensure the progression of all. Alongside this and in common with other modules, ATs will be supported to prioritise their own well-being, achieve a sustainable work-life balance while managing their initiation into professional communities of practice.
The module has a core focus on inclusion in all its forms. It will explore specific areas of special educational needs and disability (SEND); more able learners; social disadvantage; looked after children; cultural diversity; adverse childhood experiences and English as an additional language. ATs will develop the principles of responsive teaching as part of a commitment to inclusivity and the implications this may have for practitioners, planning and curricular design. This will involve taking an increasingly critical perspective to approaches which either have no clear effect or worse exacerbate gaps and underachievement especially for those pupils who are in danger of being left behind by such practices.The module covers the importance of the relationships children have with each other, and between teachers and pupils and how groupings affect and result from them. It includes the impact teaching can have on developing positive relationships, motivation, well-being, and attainment especially of those from disadvantaged backgrounds and how this affects child development. ATs will also develop their repertoire and understanding of approaches to dealing with disruption in classes. The centrality of the curriculum and important concepts of curriculum design (e.g. sequencing; interleaving; knowledge-rich; coherence; cumulativity; cultural capital; connectivity). The module also builds on earlier work in level 4 on theories of learning and teaching, and what this may mean for developing critical insights into policy, research and the history, sociology, and politics of education. ATs will also be given opportunities to develop their techniques for managing themselves in terms of developing professional relationships with colleagues, including additional adults in classrooms, based on collaboration and mutuality; conducting professional dialogues at appropriate times with colleagues and, with guidance, with parents and carers where appropriate; leading their own professional development and managing their own well-being and workload.
Developing resilience and 'managing self' is a core theme of all professional studies-related modules.
Throughout, ATs will be expected to develop their ability to challenge the relevance and validity of emerging theoretical and practical perspectives. The placement module
(PR5820) will enable students to relate aspects of the taught programme to classroom practice.
The module's assessment enables students to reflect on their own inclusive practice and identify targets for their final placement.
Common strands explored within the context of this module include commitments to inclusivity in all its forms; safeguarding of children; promoting a positive classroom environment conducive to engagement and respecting diversity; and building curricula and sequences of lessons designed to ensure the progression of all. Alongside this and in common with other modules, Associate Teachers (ATs) will be supported to prioritise their own well-being, achieve a sustainable work-life balance while managing their initiation into professional communities of practice.
This module in addition considers the teacher’s role in developing both the health and well-being of pupils. Key content includes enabling ATs to deliver Personal, Social, Health and Economic
(PSHE) education in the Primary and Early-Years Phases including 'Relationship and Health Education' (RHE) (DfE, 2019).
The module will also allow ATs to develop their confidence and subject knowledge in the teaching of related elements of Physical Education
(PE) including outdoor and adventurous education (OAE) as well as learning outside the classroom (LOTC) and Forest schools.
The importance of healthy emotional development including children’s emotional regulation, self-esteem and resilience is explored as part of the teacher’s role in recognising and supporting mental health needs.
Cross curricular links and how key themes within health and wellbeing will be integrated across subjects. Through examination of policy and drawing on a range of theoretical ideas, the module illustrates how teachers, parents and professionals all bear a responsibility to work together to support and protect children’s health and wellbeing.
The module will integrate certificated qualifications where possible (for example: Forest school level 1 award, certificate of Professional Development in PSHE Education) and offer options for ATs to gain further qualifications within their allocated independent learning hours for the module (for example; paediatric first aid, mental health first aid). This will enhance AT employability as well as their preparedness for their NQT year.
Common strands developed within the context of this module and the Core subjects include commitments to inclusivity in all its forms; safeguarding and well-being of children; promoting a positive classroom environment conducive to engagement and respecting diversity; and building curricula and sequences of lessons designed to ensure the progression of all. Alongside this and in common with other modules, ATs will be supported to prioritise their own well-being, achieve a sustainable work-life balance while managing their initiation into professional communities of practice.
This module additionally develops ATs' substantive content, pedagogical and professional subject knowledge in the core subjects (linked with selected foci from the Key Stage 1 & 2 programmes of study). An important focus of this module is to enable ATs to analyse and evaluate inclusive approaches to teaching and differentiation in core subjects that promote positive relationships, motivation, well-being, and attainment especially of those from disadvantaged backgrounds. Intrinsic to this is how pupils’ needs can be discerned from efficient and effective assessment practices (oral, written, self-assessment, peer assessment
etc.) that do not overly burden learners and colleagues. ATs will be supported to plan for progression through sequences of lessons and make pedagogical and curricular decisions on the basis of research and theory. The module also encourages ATs to take an increasingly critical approach to practices that serve no evident purposes, or are not evidence-based.
Common strands developed within the context of this module and the foundation curriculum include commitments to inclusivity in all its forms; safeguarding and well-being of children; promoting a positive classroom environment conducive to engagement and respecting diversity; and building curricula and sequences of lessons designed to ensure the progression of all. Alongside this and in common with other modules, ATs will be supported to prioritise their own well-being, achieve a sustainable work-life balance while managing their initiation into professional communities of practice.
This module additionally builds on earlier work from level 4 and will involve updating subject knowledge auditing and aims to develop the ATs’ ability to inform pedagogical and curriculum decision-making on the basis of research and theory and developing subject knowledge expertise in Foundation subjects. A pivotal focus of this module is to enable ATs to analyse and evaluate inclusive approaches to teaching and differentiation in foundation subjects that promote positive relationships, motivation, well-being, and attainment especially of those from disadvantaged backgrounds. Intrinsic to this is how pupils’ needs can be discerned from efficient and effective assessment practices (oral, and written) that do not overly burden learners and colleagues. ATs will also become increasingly confident in the use of subject specific terminology and how to communicate to lay stakeholders (e.g. Classroom Assistants, Parents and Carers) appropriately to co-plan and elicit support for pupils. Theory and research will be developed from level 4 to help ATs interpret and analyse practice relating to teaching and learning concepts and in connecting new content to prior learning (e.g. scaffolding; exemplars; analogy; multiple representations; demonstrations and explanations; dialogue; questioning; meaning-making; working memory; long-term memory; cognitive load; engagement; identity transformation). Similarly, theory and research will be developed from level 4 work to interpret and analyse key concepts relating to curriculum design within and across Foundation subjects (e.g. sequencing; interleaving; knowledge-rich; coherence; cumulativity; cultural capital; connectivity) and evaluate articulations of curricular intent for the Foundation subjects. The module also encourages ATs to take an increasingly critical approach to practices that serve limited purposes, or are not evidence-based.
Through research, students may consider:
- Children’s Rights and legal entitlements;
- Basic needs to ensure health and well-being;
- The nature of physical social and emotional health and well-being for children and young people;
- Factors contributing to poor health and well-being and the impact this has on children and young people’s development;
- Transitions and stages in social, emotional, physical, and intellectual development;
- The roles of adults, children and young people as health educators;
- Common forms of illness and disease in childhood and adolescence;
- Health inequalities – causes, effects and strategies to reduce these;
- Strategies to develop health promotion.