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.

Indicative Reading List

This reading list is indicative - i.e. it provides an idea of texts that may be useful to you on this module, but it is not considered to be a confirmed or compulsory reading list for this module.

Appleyard, J.A. (1991) Becoming a Reader. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press

Clark, C (2013) Children's and Young People's Reading in 2012: Findings from the 2012 Annual Literacy Survey London: National Literacy Trust

Fox, G. (1995) Celebrating Children’s Literature. London: Hodder and Stoughton

Gough, P.B.  and Tunmer, W.E. (1986) Decoding, reading, and reading disability. Remedial and Special Education, 7, 6-10.

Harrison, C. (2004) Understanding Reading Development. London: Sage

International Reading Association (2007) Reading Well: A Synthesis of the International Reading Association's Research on Teacher Preparation for Reading Instruction. Newark, DE: Author.

NSW  Teaching Comprehension Strategies http://www.curriculumsupport.education.nsw.gov.au/literacy/assets/pdf/packages/combook.pdf

Snow, C., Griffin, P. and Burns, M.C. (2007) Knowledge to Support the Teaching of Reading. San Francisco: Jossey Bass

Stainthorp, R. and Stuart, M. (2008) The simple view of reading and evidence based practice.   Evidence to UCET ITE Committee http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=the+simple+view+of+reading&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB:official&client=firefox-a

Stuart, M., Stainthorp, R. and Snowling, M. (2008) Literacy as a complex activity: deconstructing the simple view of reading. Literacy, 42, 59-66.

Thomson, J.M. and Goswami, U. (2010) Learning novel phonological representations in developmental dyslexia: Associations with basic auditory processing of rise time and phonological awareness. Reading & Writing, 23, 453-69.

Torgerson, C. Brooks, G. and Hall, J. (2006) A Systematic Review of the Research Literature on the Use of Phonics in the Teaching of Reading and Spelling. London: DfES Research Report 711

Wyse, D. and Goswami, U. (2008) Synthetic phonics and the teaching of reading. British Educational Research Journal, 34: 691–710.