PED4412 - Curriculum and Applied Pedagogy

Objectives:

On successful completion of the module, students will be able to:
Demonstrate an awareness of the underlying values and principles relevant to Early Years education including the developments in the EYFS and Key Stage 1 frameworks;
Identify the key themes and factors that define effective Early Years teaching, including planning, teaching, assessing and delivering the curriculum;
Demonstrate how teaching can be adapted to meet the strengths and needs of all pupils, and to promote good outcomes for all learners;
Identify opportunities for their own professional development in relation to the Foundation subjects in EYFS and Key Stage 1.

Content:

In this introductory module, students will gain knowledge and understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage framework and the National Curriculum at Key Stage 1. It prepares students for their Level 4 School Based Training Module (PED 4302) and the Level 5 module Curriculum and Applied Pedagogy 2 (PED 5712). The module will consider the respective aims, values and principles; the distinctiveness of each curricula and their commonalities. From this foundational base students will consider how teachers create safe and enabling environments to support learning for children 3-7 and start to consider learning skills and attributes of children as learners, drawing upon relevant theories and models of learning. Students will develop an understanding of pedagogical approaches of the EYFS framework through examination of play, developmentally appropriate practice, assessment; subject delivery in the National Curriculum and transitional considerations between the two age phases. In this module Physical Development/PE will be an area of particular focus, continuing into Level 5, in line with national developments in this area. Students’ professional learning visits will provide the opportunity to explore the learning environment, common modes of organisation and curriculum delivery in Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 settings. These will be supported by Curriculum Focus Weeks where students will develop personal subject knowledge in relation to Specific Areas of Learning (eg Understanding of the World, Expressive Arts and Design) and a range of National Curriculum subjects and consider planning for the range of learning experiences within a Foundation Stage/Key Stage 1 setting and associated school-based training pro-forma. The areas of curriculum focus in Level 4 are: History, Geography, Computing, Art and Design and RE. Students will be encouraged to reflect on and evaluate the impact of their learning on their professional practice.

Learning and Teaching Information:

Lectures will involve students in interactive discussion and analysis of sources and key concepts. Workshop sessions will involve students in practical activities involved with teaching and learning and evaluation. Tutorials will involve students in small group and individual discussion focusing on analysis and synthesis. Curriculum Focus Weeks are workshop based and are planned and delivered in collaboration with colleagues from partnership schools. Workshops will demonstrate the progression from EYFS and into Key Stage 1 of a variety of subjects, with all subjects being covered by the end of Level 5 study.

A key feature of this module is the partnerships with schools, which will be organised around weekly professional learning visits settings where they will have the opportunity to work individually and in small groups to enable students to develop and contextualise their learning and links between theory and practice.

Scheduled learning and teaching activities
Hours: 40
Intended group size: Up to 40

Guided independent study
Hours: 160

Further details relating to assessment
Students’ on-going professional development will be identified and assessed through completion of a range of tasks that form part of their professional learning visits. These are discussed on a regular basis with their individual development tutor and form the basis of target setting for both academic study and school based training assessed blocks. Assessments will reflect as much as possible, the attributes and characteristics necessary in the fulfilment of the professional role of the teacher.

Assessment for this module is closely related to the scope of the Teachers’ Standards (2012) – and in particular; to promote good progress and outcomes for pupils (TS2), demonstrating good subject and curriculum knowledge (TS3), planning and teaching well-structured lessons (TS4), adapting teaching in response to the needs of pupils (TS5), making accurate and productive use of assessment (TS6), managing behaviour effectively to ensure a good and safe learning environment (TS7), and to fulfil their wider professional responsibilities (TS8).

In addition, professional learning visits will help students to understand their role and provide additional opportunity for them to meet Part 2 of the Teachers’ Standards (2012) in relation to personal and professional conduct.

Assessment:

001 Portfolio 4000 words equivalent semester 2 100%

Fact File

Module Coordinator - PRS_CODE=
Level - 4
Credit Value - 20
Pre-Requisites - NONE
Semester(s) Offered - 4YLQ4YLQ

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