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• College of Social Sciences and International Studies

Postgraduate Module Descriptor

EDUM033: Primary Curriculum Studies

This module descriptor refers to the 2017/8 academic year.

Module Aims

The principal aims of the module are to:

• enable you to gain a comprehensive understanding of theory and practice in the key areas of English, Communication and Languages, Mathematical understanding and Scientific understanding;
• enable you to gain an introduction to the teaching of the Arts, Physical Education (PE), Humanities, Music and Modern Languages (ML) in primary school and Foundation Stage settings;
• help you meet the Standards required for the award of Qualified Teacher Status and thus be in a very good position to gain employment as a primary school teacher; and

nurture your development as a reflective and autonomous professional practitioner who is able to identify strengths and areas for development in your subject knowledge and pedagogy, through evaluating current professional practice in relationship to developments in research and curriculum theory.

Module Content

Syllabus Plan

The module introduces students to current thinking in the teaching of Primary education and develops students’ pedagogic and academic subject knowledge in the field of Primary education. The module is structured as follows:

Autumn Term

English, Maths and Science: 9 weeks of 1 hour lectures and 2 hour seminars for each of the 3 subject areas

Humanities: 8 weeks of 2 hour seminars

Music, PE, Art: 4 weeks of 2 hour seminars for each of the 3 subject areas

Spring / Summer Term

PE: one week equivalent of 20 hours during School Based Work experience

ML: one week equivalent of 20 hours during School Based Work experience.

The module will address the following key elements:

• English, Mathematics and Science within the National Curriculum for Key Stage 1 and 2 and English, Mathematics and Science for the Early Years Foundation Stage for Early Years specialists;
• Effective formative and summative assessment, including Assessing Pupil Performance (APP);
• The role of Information Communication and Technology;
• The principles of lesson planning, including recommended structures for Literacy and Mathematics lessons;
• Critical reflection, through the use of lesson evaluations, agenda evaluations, assignments, directed tasks, and peer and tutor discussions;
• Short courses in Humanities, Art, Music and PE.
• Preparation for school-based work.

• The National Primary Strategy and its relation to English and Mathematics;
• The principles of teaching ML in primary schools;

On the Primary PGCE, you will learn and reflect on the skills and knowledge required by the programme’s credit-bearing and non-credit bearing modules throughout the year. You will need to think about the modules in relation to each other. To facilitate this, the learning and teaching activities and guided independent study described below are scheduled to occur across all three terms both in the context of your university taught course and in the context of your 24 weeks of applied professional experience in schools.

Learning and Teaching

This table provides an overview of how your hours of study for this module are allocated:

...and this table provides a more detailed breakdown of the hours allocated to various study activities:

Online Resources

This module has online resources available via ELE (the Exeter Learning Environment).

How this Module is Assessed

In the tables below, you will see reference to 'ILO's. An ILO is an Intended Learning Outcome - see Aims and Learning Outcomes for details of the ILOs for this module.

Formative Assessment

A formative assessment is designed to give you feedback on your understanding of the module content but it will not count towards your mark for the module.

Summative Assessment

A summative assessment counts towards your mark for the module. The table below tells you what percentage of your mark will come from which type of assessment.

...and this table provides further details on the summative assessments for this module.

Re-assessment

Re-assessment takes place when the summative assessment has not been completed by the original deadline, and the student has been allowed to refer or defer it to a later date (this only happens following certain criteria and is always subject to exam board approval). For obvious reasons, re-assessments cannot be the same as the original assessment and so these alternatives are set. In cases where the form of assessment is the same, the content will nevertheless be different.

Re-assessment notes

The Professional Learning and Curriculum Studies modules are designed to allow you to manifest attainment of the teachers’ standards. As these modules are assessed concurrently, in the same work placement context, and with regard to some shared intended learning outcomes, a referral or deferral in either module will necessitate a referral or deferral in both.

If a submitted portfolio is deemed to be a Fail, you will be given feedback outlining what needs to be done to bring the portfolio to a pass standard and one opportunity for resubmission will be allowed, based on an additional school placement if this is confirmed by the Consequences Board following the Examination Board for the PGCE Primary programme.

The resubmission would normally be made at the end of the additional placement.

Indicative Reading List

Basic reading:

English texts

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

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

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

Medwell, J., Moore, G., Wray, D. and Griffiths, V. (2012), Primary English Knowledge and Understanding(Achieving QTS Series)6^th Edition.  Exeter: Learning Matters.

Medwell, J., Wray, D., Minns, H. , Griffiths, V., Coates, E., (2012) Primary English: Teaching Theory and Practice (Achieving QTS Series) 6^th Edition. Exeter: Learning Matters.

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

Science texts

Hollins, M. & Whitby, V. (2001) Progression in Primary Science (Second Edition). London: David Fulton Publishers

Harlen, W. & Qualter, A. (2004) The Teaching of Science in Primary Schools (Fifthourth Edition). London: David Fulton Publishers.

Dunne, M. & Peacock, A. (Eds.2012) Primary Science: A Guide to Teaching Practice. London: Sage Publications Ltd.

Sharp, J. et al. (ed. 2004) Developing Primary Science. Exeter: Learning Matters Ltd.
Sharp, J. & Bryne (2007)Primary Science Audit and Test , Exeter: Learning Matters Ltd

Mathematics texts

Haylock, D. (2010) Mathematics Explained for Primary Teachers, 4^th Edition. London: Sage Publications

Thompson, I. (ed) (2010) Issues in teaching numeracy in primary schools. Maidenhead: Open University Press

Haylock, D. & Cockburn, A.D. (2009)Understanding Mathematics for Young Children

A Guide for Foundation Stage and Lower Primary Teachers, Third Edition. London: Sage

Tucker, K. (2010) Mathematics Through Play in the Early Years, Second Edition. London: Sage

Hansen, A. (ed) (2011) Children’s Errors in Mathematics (2^nd edition) Understanding Common Misconceptions in Primary School. Exeter: Learning Matters.

Humanities texts

Ashley, M. (ed) (1999) Improving Teaching and Learning in the Humanities. London: Fulton
Brown, A. and Seaman, A (2001) Feeding Minds and Touching Hearts: Spiritual Development in the Primary School. The National Society
Catling, S. & Willy, T. (2009) Teaching Primary geography. Exeter: Learning Matters
Cooper, H. (2007) History 3-11: a guide for teachers. London: David Fulton  

Art texts:

Blake, Q. & Cassidy, J. (1999) Drawing for the Artistically Undiscovered.  Palo Alto: CA: Klutz.

Cox, S. & Watts, R. (eds.) (2007) Teaching Art and Design 3-11.  London: Continuum.

Key, P. & Stillman, J. (2009) Teaching Primary Art and Design.  Exeter: Learning Matters.

Watt, F. (2009) The Usborne Complete Book of Art Ideas.  London: Usborne.

Music texts
Hennessy S. (1995) Music 7-11: Developing Primary Teaching Skills. London: Routledge
Young. S. & Glover. J. (1998) Music in the Early Years. London: Falmer Press

MFL texts
Martin, C. (2008) Primary Languages: Effective Learning and Teaching. Exeter: Learning Matters Ltd.
Jones, J. and Coffey, S. (2006) Modern Foreign Languages 5-11: a guide for teachers. Exeter: David Fulton
Sharpe, K. (2001) Modern Foreign Languages in the primary school. London: Kogan Page

PE texts
Pickup. I. & Price, L.  (2007) Teaching Physical Education in the PrimarySchool: a Developmental Approach. London: Continuum
Gerald Griggs ( 2012) An Introduction to Primary Physical Education. London: Routledge

Web based and electronic resources: see PGCE Primary Core Curriculum Studies page on ELE (http://vle.exeter.ac.uk/)

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