Postgraduate Module Descriptor

EFPM321: Reading the World

This module descriptor refers to the 2020/1 academic year.

Module Aims

The principal aim of this module is to enable you to develop a stronger theoretical understanding of reading and the teaching of reading. This will have a direct impact on your own pedagogical practices and a direct impact on your students’ outcomes in reading assessment and in using reading to access the curriculum. The module also aims to broaden and extend your familiarity with a wide range of literature for children.

 Specifically, the module aims to:

develop your understanding of theoretical models of the reading process;

clarify the respective roles of phonics and comprehension in becoming an effective reader;

support your ability to make connections between research in reading and your own classroom practice;

develop your subject knowledge of literature written for children and young people;

enable you to understand readers’ perspectives on reading;

support your ability to manage effective classroom practice in reading.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

This module's assessment will evaluate your achievement of the ILOs listed here - you will see reference to these ILO numbers in the details of the assessment for this module.
On successfully completing the programme you will be able to:
Module-Specific Skills1. demonstrate systematic understanding of theoretical models of the reading process;
2. identify students’ learning needs in reading and interpret these learning needs in order to plan, teach, assess and evaluate lessons and schemes of work which involve reading;
3. evaluate critically and analyse a wide range of books written for children and young people;
Discipline-Specific Skills4. critically evaluate the relevance of reading research to classroom practice;
5. synthesise relevant reading research literature in support of an argument;
6. use appropriate technologies for data handling and writing in education;
7. present data and findings in a form appropriate for educational contexts;
Personal and Key Skills8. manage your own learning development;
9. learn effectively and be aware of your own learning strategies;
10. express ideas and opinions, with confidence and clarity, to a variety of audiences for a variety of purposes;
11. think creatively about the main features of a given problem and develop strategies for its resolution.

Module Content

Syllabus Plan

Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will cover some or all of the following topics:

Introduction: an overview of research in reading; learning to read; the role of phonics in decoding text; the role of comprehension in reading; international reading standards.

Children’s Literature:  the place of picture books in reading development; the history of literature written for children; classic children’s literature; fiction for the primary school; teen fiction; non-fiction texts; contemporary authors; reading for pleasure.

Developing Comprehension: taxonomies of comprehension skills; comprehension strategies; self-regulation; analysing students’ comprehension levels; developing comprehension skills.

Reluctant Readers: reading and motivation; understanding readers’ perspectives; gender differences in attitudes to reading; supporting reluctant readers.

Learning and Teaching

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

Scheduled Learning and Teaching ActivitiesGuided independent studyPlacement / study abroad
332670

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

CategoryHours of study timeDescription
Scheduled Learning & Teaching activities 268 seminars of 3 hours each (4 Study Days): Face-to-face or online webinar, plus 2 one hour webinars
Scheduled Learning & Teaching activities7Workshop: Reader Exchanges (conducted online), One per week.
Guided independent study32Fieldwork: observing children’s responses to teenage literature, and observing comprehension skills revealed in lessons
Guided independent study60Independent Study: reading children’s literature and collation of critical evaluation of texts read
Guided independent study10Preparation of a research proposal for the research assignment.
Guided independent study40Data collection and analysis for research assignment
Guided independent study40Preparation of a Powerpoint presentation with audio recorded commentary offering a critical evaluation of children’s literature
Guided independent study85Completion of written assignment for summative assessment. Task includes further reading in relation to focus of the project, synthesis of material and drafting/redrafting the final piece of work.

Online Resources

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

Module Dropbox for sharing resources and materials