Study information

Semi Specialist English (Primary)

Module titleSemi Specialist English (Primary)
Module codeEEDM009
Academic year2019/0
Credits30
Module staff

Dr Anthony Wilson (Convenor)

Duration: Term123
Duration: Weeks

12

12

12

Number students taking module (anticipated)

30

Module description

This module meets the central Government requirements in relation to the National Curriculum for English, The Professional Standards for Qualified Teacher Status 2012, Ofsted, and other externally imposed requirements. The module will develop the knowledge, skills and confidence for you to teach English in Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2, and to understand how it is taught in related phases. There is an emphasis within the module for peer support and developing you as a future subject leader in English. The module covers English in wider contexts beyond the classroom and it is hoped that you develop a longer-term view on effective teaching of English grounded in theory and practice.

Taught sessions will be delivered via lectures, seminars, and workshops (on and off-campus), including peer teaching as appropriate.

Module aims - intentions of the module

The module will focus on extending the breadth and depth of your understanding of primary education in several directions, in order that you can develop children’s learning and your own teaching in a number of ways. These include:

  • acquiring a deeper understanding of Programmes of Study in the English National Curriculum as they relate to speaking and listening, reading and writing;

  • developing an awareness of creative approaches and professional and classroom communication skills for teaching English to children with a range of needs;

  • extending your understanding of the range resources for English, the importance of including a wide range of types of texts from literature to ICT based texts, and other resources, and their function in the process of learning to read, write, speak and listen;

  • understanding assessment in English across the school and the use of results at school level in considering ways to improve classroom practice;

  • developing skills in researching a chosen area of practice to deepen knowledge and understanding of theory and classroom based research and recognise the implications of this information for your own professional philosophy and for improving practice;

  • understanding the roles and responsibilities of the English subject leader, ways to support and inspire colleagues and approaches to the management of English in a school;

  • meeting the Standards required for the award of Qualified Teacher Status (2012) and thus be in a very good position to gain employment as a primary teacher able to specialize in English teaching.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

  • 1. identify and evaluate educational concepts and issues related to the teaching of English ; and engage in critical debate about current educational issues in the teaching of English drawing on evidence from theory, research and practice;
  • 2. recognise pupils’ learning needs in English and interpret these learning needs in order to plan, teach, assess and evaluate lessons and schemes of work;
  • 3. demonstrate confident academic and pedagogic subject knowledge to teach English in Key Stage 1 and 2;
  • 4. demonstrate secure understanding of the statutory requirements of the National Curriculum for English;

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

  • 5. critically evaluate the relevance of educational theory to practice;
  • 6. synthesise relevant educational literature in support of an argument;
  • 7. use appropriate technologies for data handling and writing in education;
  • 8. present data and findings in a form appropriate in educational studies;
  • 9. use research data in support of an argument in education;

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

  • 1. manage your own learning development;
  • 11. learn effectively and be aware of your own learning strategies;
  • 12. express ideas and opinions, with confidence and clarity, to a variety of audiences for a variety of purposes;
  • 13. work productively in different kinds of teams (formal, informal, project based, committee based etc); and
  • 14. think creatively about the main features of a given problem and develop strategies for its resolution.

Syllabus plan

The module introduces students to current thinking in the teaching of English and develops students’ pedagogic and academic subject knowledge in the wider field of English education.  

Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that key elements of the module will include:

English seminar programme covering: drama games to foster class cohesion; use of role play ; how to plan for learners with EAL, including minority EAL contexts; grammar and writing research; planning for poetry; creative approaches to literacy; using the visual arts to plan for literacy; ); planning for cross-curricular English); the role of the subject leader in the twenty-first century, including planning for whole school assessment.

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Scheduled Learning and Teaching ActivitiesGuided independent studyPlacement / study abroad
512490

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

CategoryHours of study timeDescription
Scheduled Learning & Teaching activities33Practical classes and workshops: English Pedagogy & theory workshops; Peer Teaching and Subject Support Groups
Scheduled Learning & Teaching activities8Seminar days
Scheduled Learning & Teaching activities9Pathway activities
Scheduled Learning & Teaching activities1Tutorials with academic tutor
Guided independent study40Reading set texts
Guided independent study50Wider reading
Guided independent study22Web based activities
Guided independent study35Seminar/Workshop prep/follow up
Guided independent study12Peer teaching activity
Guided independent study30Learning support group preparation
Guided independent study60Coursework assignment preparation

Formative assessment

Form of assessmentSize of the assessment (eg length / duration)ILOs assessedFeedback method
Specialist reading task: Research paper critique1000 words1,10,12,13Verbal (group tutorial)
Written assignment: Literature review Using research, policy & theory to explore a question.1,500 words 1,2,6-12,14Written feedback

Summative assessment (% of credit)

CourseworkWritten examsPractical exams
10000

Details of summative assessment

Form of assessment% of creditSize of the assessment (eg length / duration)ILOs assessedFeedback method
Written assignment: Research Based Enquiry1005,000 words1-12,14Written feedback

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Original form of assessmentForm of re-assessmentILOs re-assessedTimescale for re-assessment
Written assignment: Research Based EnquiryWritten assignment: Research Based Enquiry (5,000 words)1-12,14See notes below.

Re-assessment notes

If a submitted assignment is deemed to be a Fail, you will be given feedback outlining what needs to be done to bring the assignment to a pass standard and one opportunity for resubmission will be allowed.

You can choose to resubmit a failed assignment ‘in year’ (i.e. before the final PGCE Assessment, Progression and Awarding Committee (APAC) in July).). The resubmission would normally be made 4 weeks after receiving feedback on the first submission. Alternatively, you may opt to go to the PGCE Assessment, Progression and Awarding Committee with the fail mark. You will then be referred to the College level Assessment, Progression and Awarding Committee who will confirm the conditions for resubmission of the work. Normally the resubmission should be by 1 st September. You should discuss these options with your tutor.

Note: if you choose the second option, the award of PGCE will be delayed until the Assessment, Progression and Awarding

Committee following any successful resubmission (normally held in December).

If an assignment is deemed to be a Fail, the mark obtained on resubmission will be capped at 50%.

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

Core Reading:

Alexander, R. (2004), Towards Dialogic Teaching: Rethinking Classroom Talk. Cambridge: Faculty of Education.

Waugh, D., and Jolliffe, W., (2012), Teaching Systematic Synthetic Phonics in Primary Schools (Transforming Primary QTS). London: Sage.

Waugh, D., Warner, c., Waugh, R., (2013) Teaching Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling in Primary Schools. London, Sage.

Bearne, E. and Wolstencroft, H. (2007), Visual Approaches to Teaching Writing: Multimodal Literacy 5-11. London: Sage.

Carrington, V. and Robinson, M. (2010), Digital Literacies. London: Sage.

Fisher, R., Jones, S., Larkin, S., Myhill, D., (2010) Using Talk to Support Writing. London: Sage.

Lewis, M. and Ellis, S. (2006), Phonics: Practice, Research and Policy. Leicester: UKLA.

Johnston, R. and Watson, J. (2007), Teaching Synthetic Phonics. Exeter: Learning Matters.

Riley, J. (2006), Language & Literacy 3-7:  Creative Approaches to Teaching. London: Sage.

Stainthorp, R. & Flynn, N (2006) The Learning and Teaching of Reading, London: John Wiley and Sons Ltd.

Whitehead, M.R. (2010), Language & Literacy in the Early Years 0-7: 4th Edition. London: Sage.

Medwell, J., Moore, G., Wray, D. and Griffiths, V. (2017), Primary English Knowledge and Understanding 8th Edition).  London: Learning Matters.

Medwell, J., Wray, D., Coates, L., Moore, G., Griffiths, V. (2017), Primary English: Teaching Theory and Practice(8th Edition). London: Learning Matters.

Myhill, D. Jones, S. and Lines, H. (2016), Essential Primary Grammar. Maidenhead: Open University Press.

Indicative learning resources - Other resources

https://literacytrust.org.uk/research-services/research-reports/

http://www.literacyshed.com/

https://www.pobble.com/

Key words search

Primary, PGCE, Primary English.

Credit value30
Module ECTS

15

Module pre-requisites

None

Module co-requisites

Educational & Professional Studies module (EPSM000)

Primary Professional Learning module (EDUM034)

Primary Curriculum Studies module (EDUM033)

NQF level (module)

7

Available as distance learning?

Yes

Origin date

01/08/2009

Last revision date

04/12/2017