Module XPE-4214:
Subject Studies in Secondary Education
Module Facts
Run by School of Educational Sciences
30.000 Credits or 15.000 ECTS Credits
Semester 1 & 2
Organiser: Dr Susan Jones
Overall aims and purpose
This module will
- Introduce ATs to theories for understanding and interpreting practice, alongside research to inform, analyse and develop the principles of teaching and learning in the subject specialism and AoLe;
- Teach ATs how secondary pupils learn the specialist subject by synthesising content knowledge, subject pedagogical knowledge and context knowledge with the ATs’ emerging practice; - Demonstrate how the content is matched to the QTS standards for Wales and develop understanding of how this informs ATs’ development in teaching the Curriculum for Wales.
- Develop the ATs’ understanding and enable them to promote a culture of enquiry, collaboration and resilience in relation to practice within the specialist subject.
Course content
Associate Teachers will explore:
- A range of current evidence-based approaches to the teaching of the specialist subject and Area of Learning (AoLe), enabling Associate Teachers (ATs) to teach effective lessons in context. All approaches will be analysed within the contexts of established learning theories
- Theories and principles of assessment and how they are linked to practice in terms of pedagogy, learning and notions of progress within the specialist subject and AoLE;
- The nature and aims of the specialist subject and AoLe within the Welsh National Curriculum, including programmes of study, GCSE and A level specifications, transitions from different phases and, where appropriate, vocational qualifications;
- How literacy, numeracy and digital technology across the curriculum can be developed and applied where relevant within the specialist subject;
- How Associate Teachers’ personal literacy, numeracy, digital and thinking skills can be developed, and applied within their specialist subject;
- How specialist subject tutors and mentors can model the use of Welsh within context and within the specialised subject. All ATs will have the opportunity to develop their use of the Welsh language within the specialist subject; from beginners to fluent speakers who wish to enhance their writing skills;
- Methods, methodologies and a consideration of ethical principles appropriate to a small scale professional enquiry.
The Four Purposes of the curriculum areas will be embedded throughout the module:
Developing children as:
- ambitious, capable learners, ready to learn throughout their lives;
- enterprising, capable contributors, ready to play a full part in life and work;
- ethical, informed citizens of Wales and the world;
- healthy, confident individuals, ready to lead fulfilling lives as valued members of society.
Research Methods and Methodology
The content and delivery of the module will encourage ATs to offer advanced critical review of the importance of being consumers and producers of subject specific pedagogical research. They will analyse, synthesise and critically reflect on the spectrum of research that informs teaching practice specific to their subject and/or AOLE. ATs will also be encouraged to offer advanced critical evaluation of practice-based or close-to-practice research. The module will encourage mastery of what it means to develop a ‘culture of enquiry’ within self-improving school systems (such as within individual departments), schools as learning organisations, and the importance of developing and participating in Professional Learning Communities. ATs will also be given the opportunity to undertake a small scale practice based enquiry.
Academic Study Skills
- Development and refinement of: (embedded within module content and assignment context):
- time and task management skills;
- reading for academic purposes ;
- planning assignments;
- critical thinking, analysis and developing an argument;
- assignment structure;
- academic writing style;
- referencing;
- information literacy;
- reflective learning.
Progression in Bilingualism
ATs will study the aims and goals of bilingual education from the different perspectives, to include the specific issues associated with assessment of bilinguals, and the expected and realistic outcomes for different types of bilinguals. ATs will be taught subject specific bilingual pedagogical approaches, alongside those with a more general application (to include trans-languaging, monolingual/bilingual discourse).
ALN, Inclusion and Differentiation
Barriers to learning will be explored critically with particular attention given to additional learning needs (ALN) within the specialised subject. ATs will reflect critically on how complex social, cultural, emotional and personal influences may affect progress within their specialist subject. ATs will explore how to plan and provide within the specialist subject for those who speak English or Welsh as an additional language.
Health and Well-being
They will study how their subject can develop the role of learners as ethical and informed citizens of Wales and the wider world, ensuring that the health and well-being of learners is promoted where appropriate and to embed equality and diversity in all aspects of their practice.
The module aligns with the Professional Standards for Teaching and Leadership in Wales, and provides a scaffold for the ATs' demonstration of the standards in practice within the secondary subject specialism (Please refer to the Professional Standards tracking document). In addition, the strands of research literacy, core academic skills development and meta-cognition inform the module throughout.
Assessment Criteria
excellent
Most learning outcomes will have been produced at an excellent level.
A good knowledge and understanding of the module content will be supported by an excellent range of theory, practice and research literature.
Candidates will provide excellent critical analysis when reflecting on a significant range of teaching and learning styles.
Students will have developed excellent study skills and will be able to communicate to an excellent standard in professional and academic contexts.
good
Most learning outcomes will have been produced at a good level. Excellence in some learning outcomes may compensate for satisfactory attainment in others.
A good knowledge and understanding of the module content will be supported by a good range of theory, practice and research literature.
Candidates will provide good critical analysis when reflecting on a significant range of teaching and learning styles.
Students will have developed good study skills and will be able to communicate to a good standard in professional and academic contexts.
threshold
All learning outcomes will have been produced to a satisfactory level.
Knowledge and understanding of the module content will be supported by a satisfactory range of theory, practice and research literature.
Candidates will have demonstrated satisfactory evidence of critical analysis when reflecting on teaching and learning.
Students will have developed their study skills to a satisfactory standard and will be able to communicate to a satisfactory standard in a professional and academic context.
Learning outcomes
-
Plan, teach and critically evaluate lessons which are informed by research and principles of teaching and learning in the subject specialism and AoLe
-
Critically analyse the nature and aims of the specialist subject and AoLe within the Welsh National Curriculum
-
Design, implement and critically evaluate a small-scale practice-based enquiry.
Assessment Methods
Type | Name | Description | Weight |
---|---|---|---|
LOGBOOK OR PORTFOLIO | Critical Portfolio | Please refer to the Subject Studies handbook for details of the assignment. |
50.00 |
ESSAY | Professional Enquiry | Please refer to the Subject Studies handbook for details of the assignment. |
50.00 |
Teaching and Learning Strategy
Hours | ||
---|---|---|
Private study | Personal study time as appropriate to meeting the learning outcomes of the module. |
150 |
The principal methods of learning and teaching will be lectures, seminars and workshop sessions, including those which make use of technology. Formative testing of vital areas of subject knowledge may also take place. |
150 |
Transferable skills
- Literacy - Proficiency in reading and writing through a variety of media
- Numeracy - Proficiency in using numbers at appropriate levels of accuracy
- Computer Literacy - Proficiency in using a varied range of computer software
- Self-Management - Able to work unsupervised in an efficient, punctual and structured manner. To examine the outcomes of tasks and events, and judge levels of quality and importance
- Exploring - Able to investigate, research and consider alternatives
- Information retrieval - Able to access different and multiple sources of information
- Inter-personal - Able to question, actively listen, examine given answers and interact sentistevely with others
- Critical analysis & Problem Solving - Able to deconstruct and analyse problems or complex situations. To find solutions to problems through analyses and exploration of all possibilities using appropriate methods, rescources and creativity.
- Safety-Consciousness - Having an awareness of your immediate environment, and confidence in adhering to health and safety regulations
- Presentation - Able to clearly present information and explanations to an audience. Through the written or oral mode of communication accurately and concisely.
- Teamwork - Able to constructively cooperate with others on a common task, and/or be part of a day-to-day working team
- Mentoring - Able to support, help, guide, inspire and/or coach others
- Caring - Showing concern for others; caring for children, people with disabilities and/or the elderly
- Management - Able to utilise, coordinate and control resources (human, physical and/or financial)
- Argument - Able to put forward, debate and justify an opinion or a course of action, with an individual or in a wider group setting
- Self-awareness & Reflectivity - Having an awareness of your own strengths, weaknesses, aims and objectives. Able to regularly review, evaluate and reflect upon the performance of yourself and others
- Leadership - Able to lead and manage, develop action plans and objectives, offer guidance and direction to others, and cope with the related pressures such authority can result in
Subject specific skills
- That they set demanding teaching and learning objectives relevant to all learners in their classes and use those teaching and learning objectives for lesson planning, and lesson follow-ups with appropriate differentiation for learners;
- That they choose and prepare resources, and plan to organise them safely and effectively, giving consideration to learners' interests, their language and cultural backgrounds, with the assistance of support staff when appropriate.
- That they take part in teaching teams, and contribute to them, according to what is appropriate to the school. That they plan, where applicable, for the deployment of an extra adult to support the learning of children and young people.
- That they make appropriate use of a range of monitoring and assessment strategies to evaluate learners' progress towards planned teaching objectives, and use that information to improve their own planning and teaching.
- That they identify more able and talented learners and provide them with support;
- That they systematically record learners' progress and successes, in order to provide evidence of the range of their work, their progress and achievement over time. That they use this to support learners in reviewing their own progress and to illuminate planning.
- That they can teach the skills, information and understanding required or expected in relation to the curriculum for learners in the age range which they have been trained to teach and how they are relevant to the age range they were trained to teach making appropriate use of the Cwricwlwm Cymreig for learners aged 7 - 14;
- That they adapt their teaching in order to meet needs of learners, including the more able and talented, and those with special educational needs. That they can receive guidance by an experienced teacher when appropriate.
- That they can support those learning Welsh or English if that is the language in which they are being educated and is different to the language, or to the language form of their home, with the support of an experienced teacher when appropriate.
- That they give consideration to various interests, experiences and successes of every pupil they teach in order to help learners' progression.
- That they organise and manage teaching and learning time effectively.
- That they organise and manage the physical teaching environment, the equipment, materials, books and other resources safely and effectively, with the help of support staff when appropriate.
- That they can take responsibility for teaching a class or classes over a continuous and substantial period of time. That they can teach across the age range for which they were trained.
- That they can identify and respond effectively to matters relating to social inclusion and equal opportunities when they arise in the classroom, including challenging stereotypical opinions, and challenging bullying or harassment by following the policy and relevant procedures.
Resources
Reading list
Art and Design
Addison, N. (2014). Learning to Teach Art and Design in the Secondary School. London, UK: Routledge.
Addison, N., Burgess, L (2012). Debates in Art and Design Education. London, UK: Routledge.
Hickman, R. (2010). Why We Make Art: And Why it is Taught. London, UK: Intellect.
Rayment, T. (2008). The Problem of Assessment in Art and Design. Chicago, USA: University of Chicago.
Computing/ IT
Beecher, K. (2017). Computational Thinking A Beginner's Guide to Problem-Solving and Programming. Swindon, UK: BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT.
Clarke, B. (2017). Computer Science Teacher Insight into the computing classroom. Swindon, UK: BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT.
Connell, A., Edwards, T. (Eds) (2015).A Practical Guide to Teaching Computing and ICT in the Secondary School. Abingdon, UK: Routledge.
Simmons, C. Hawkins, C. (2015). Teaching Computing (Developing as a Reflective Secondary Teacher. London, UK: Sage. Design Technology
Capewell, I. (2007). The Sustainability Handbook for Design and Technology. London, UK: Practical Action.
Owen-Jones, G. (2015). Learning to Teach Design and Technology in the Secondary School. London, UK: Routledge.
Owen-Jones, G. (2013). Debates in Design and Technology Education. London, UK: Routledge.
Moreland, J., Jones, A., Barlex, D. (2008). Design and Technology Inside the Black Box. London, UK: GL Assessment.
Cymraeg
Dean, G., (2005). Teaching Reading in Secondary Schools, Second Edition . London: Routledge, .
Jones, D.V., Lewis, G., George, S., Thomas, M. and Laugharne, J., (2009). Dysgu ail iaith yng nghyfnodau allweddol tri a phedwar: addysgu’r Gymraeg mewn ysgolion cyfrwng Saesneg Welsh Journal of Education 10(4) 111-117.
Roberts, G., a Williams, C. (2003) Addysg Gymraeg – Addysg Gymreig, Prifysgol Cymru Bangor.
Strong, J., (2013). Talk For Writing In Secondary Schools: How To Achieve Effective Reading, Writing And Communication Across The Curriculum, Milton Keynes: Open University Press.
Thomas, E.M,. a Webb Davies, P. (2017) Agweddau ar Ddwyieithrwydd. Prifysgol Bangor
English
Didau, D. (2014). The Secret of Literacy: Making the implicit, explicit. Carmarthen, UK: Independent Thinking Press.
Dymoke, S. (2009). Teaching English Texts 11-18. London, UK: Continuum.
Green, A. (2013). A Practical Guide to Teaching English in the Secondary School. Abingdon, UK: Routledge.
McCallum, A. (2012). Creativity and Learning in Secondary English: Teaching for a Creative Classroom. Abingdon, UK: Routledge.
Pieper, K. (2016). How to Teach Reading for Pleasure. Carmarthen, UK: Independent Thinking Press.
Ross, A. (2013). English Language Knowledge for Secondary Teachers. Abingdon, UK: Routledge.
Geography
Balderstone, D. (2009). Secondary Geography Handbook. Geographical Association.
Biddulph, M., Lambert, D. and Balderstone, D. (2015). Learning to Teach Geography. 3rd Edition. London, UK: Routledge.
Hopwood, N. (2012). Geography in Secondary Schools. London, UK: Continuum.
Lambert, D., and Jones, M. (2017). Debates in Geography Education. 2nd Edition. London, UK: Routledge.
History
Burn, K., Chapman, A., Counsell, C. (2016). Masterclass in History Education. London, UK: Bloomsbury.
Davies, I. (2017). Debates in History Teaching. London, UK: Routledge.
Harris, R (2013). The Guided Reader to Teaching and Learning History. London, UK: Routledge.
Haydn, T (2014). Learning to Teach History in the Secondary School. 4th Edition. London, UK: Routledge.
Maths
Boaler, J. (2016). Mathematical Mindsets. San Francisco, USA: Jossey-Bass.
Chinn, S. (Ed) (2015). The Routledge International Handbook of Dyscalculia and Mathematics Learning Difficulties. Abingdon, UK: Routledge/Taylor and Francis Group.
Drury, H. (2014). Mastering Mathematics: Teaching to Transform Achievement. Oxford, UK: OUP.
Watson, A., Jones, K., and Pratt, D., (2013). Key Ideas in Teaching Mathematics: Research-based Guidance for Ages 9-19. Oxford, UK; OUP.
Modern Foreign Language
Pachler, N. (2014).A Practical Guide to Teaching Foreign Languages in the Secondary School. London, UK: Routledge.
Driscoll, P. (2013). Debates in Modern Languages Education. London, UK: Routledge.
Nikula, T., Dafouz, E., Moore, P. (2017). Conceptualising Integration in CLIL and Multilingual Education. London, UK: Multilingual Matters.
Music
Evans, J. & Philpott, C.(2009) Practical guide to teaching Music. Oxford UK: Routledge
Green, L. (2016) Music, Informal Learning & the School. Oxford UK: Routledge
Philpott, C. & Plummeridge, C. (eds) (2001) Issues in Music Teaching. London, UK: Routledge Falmer
Spruce, G. (ed) (2002) Teaching music in secondary schools: A reader. London, UK: Routledge Falmer
ODA
Beames, S. and Brown, M. (2016) Adventurous Learning: A Pedagogy for a Changing World London: Routledge
Beames, S., Higgins, P. and Nicol, R. (2011) *Learning Outside the Classroom: Theory and Guidelines for Practice London: Routledge
Hopkins, D. and Putnam, R. (1993) Personal Growth Through Adventure London: David Fulton Publishers
Priest, S. and Gass, M. (1997) Effective leadership in adventure programming Champaign, IL: Human kinetics
Prouty, D., Panicucci, J., and Collinson, R. (2007) (eds.) Adventure Education: Theory and Applications Champaign, IL: Human kinetics
Van Matre, S. (1990) Earth education: A New Beginning Greenville W.Va.: Institute for Earth Education
Physical Education
Capel, S., & Breckon, P. (2013). A Practical Guide to Teaching Physical Education in the Secondary School (2nd eds). London, UK: Routledge.
Capel, S., & Whitehead, M. (2015). Learning to Teach Physical Education in the Secondary School: 4th Edition. London, UK: Routledge.
Green, K. (2008). Understanding Physical Education. London, UK: Paul Chapman.
Mosston, M. & Ashworth, S. (2002). Teaching Physical Education. San Fransisco, USA: Benjamin Cummings.
Stidder, G. (2015). Becoming a Physical Education Teacher. London, UK: Routledge.
RE
Barnes, L. Philip. Ed. (2017). Learning to teach RE in the secondary school. 3rd Edition London, UK: Routledge.
Erricker, C. (2010). Religious Education. A Conceptual and Interdisciplinary Approach for Secondary Level. London, UK: David Fulton.
Grimmitt, M. (2000). Pedagogies of RE. Great Wakering, UK: McCrimmon.
Holt, James D. (2015). Religious Education in the Secondary School: An introduction to teaching, learning and the World Religions London, UK: Routledge.
Wintersgill, B. (ed.) (2017). Big Ideas for Religious Education Exeter, UK: University of Exeter
Science
Driver, R., Squires, A., Rushworth, P., Wood-Robinson, V. (2014). Making Sense of Secondary Science: Research into Children’s Ideas. London, UK: Routledge.
Reiss, M. (2011). Teaching Secondary Biology. London, UK: Hodder.
Ross, K., Lakin, L., McKechnie, J., Baker, J. (2015). Teaching Secondary Science. London, UK: Routledge.
Sang, D. (2011). Teaching Secondary Physics. London, UK: Hodder.
Taber, K. (2012). Teaching Secondary Chemistry. London, UK: Hodder.
Toplis, R. (2015). Learning to Teach Science in the Secondary School. London, UK: Routledge.
Wellington, J., Ireson, G. (2012). Science Learning, Science Teaching. London, UK: Routledge.
Bilingualism
Baker, C. & Wright, W. (2017). Foundations of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism (6th ed.). Clevedon: Multilingual Matters.
ALN and Inclusion
Briggs, S. (2015). Meeting Special Educational Needs in Secondary Classrooms. 2nd edition. London, United Kingdom: Routledge.
Ryder. N. (2013). Yr ABC i Anghenion Ychwanegol. Abersytwyth: Canolfan Peniarth
Soan, S. (2016). Additional Educational Needs: inclusive approaches to teaching. London: David Fulton.
Welsh Government (2017). Additional Learning Needs Code of Practice. Cardiff: Welsh Government
Policy
Welsh Government. (2013). National Literacy and Numeracy Framework. Cardiff, UK:
Welsh Government. (2015). Digital Competence Framework guidance. Cardiff, UK: Welsh Government.
Welsh Government. (2015). Qualified for Life. A Curriculum for Wales – a Curriculum for Life. Cardiff, United Kingdom: DfES.
Welsh Government. (2015). Revised Areas of Learning and programmes of study: Phase 1 - literacy and numeracy. Cardiff, UK: Welsh Government.
Methodology and Research methods
Bell, J. 2010. Doing Your Research Project, 4th edition, Maidenhead: OUP.
Costello, P., 2011. Effective Action Research, 2nd edition, London, Continuum.
Denscombe, M., 2014. Good research guide: for small-scale social research projects. Buckingham, OUP.
Hopkins, D., 2008. A Teacher's Guide to Classroom Research, 2nd edition. Maidenhead, OUP.
Punch, K.F., 2009. Introduction to Research Methods in Education, 1st ed. London, UK: Sage Publications Ltd.
Wragg, E.C., 2013. An Introduction to Classroom Observation. Hoboken, Taylor and Francis
General Reading
Black, P.J., Harrison, C., Lee, C., 2003. Assessment for learning: putting it into practice. Maidenhead, Open University Press.
Capel, S., Leask, M., & Turner, T. (2016). Learning to Teach in the Secondary School: a Companion to School Experience. (7th ed.). London, United Kingdom: Routledge.
Clarke, S., 2014. Outstanding Formative Assessment: Culture and Practice. London: Hodder Education
Donaldson, G. (2015). Successful Futures: Independent Review of Curriculum and Assessment Arrangements in Wales. Cardiff, United Kingdom: Welsh Government.
Hattie, J. (2012). Visible Learning for Teachers: Maximizing Impact on Learning. London, United Kingdom: Routledge.
Pollard, A. (2014). Reflective Teaching in Schools. London, United Kingdom: Bloomsbury.
Rogers, B. (2015). Classroom Behaviour. (4th ed). London, United Kingdom: SAGE.
Wheeler, S (2015). Learning with ‘E’s: Educational Theory and Practice in the Digital Age. London, United Kingdom: Crown House.
ALN and Inclusion
Briggs, S. (2015). Meeting Special Educational Needs in Secondary Classrooms. 2nd edition. London, United Kingdom: Routledge.
Ryder. N. (2013). Yr ABC i Anghenion Ychwanegol. Aberystwyth: Canolfan Peniarth
Soan, S., (2016). Additional Educational Needs: inclusive approaches to teaching. London: David Fulton.
Welsh Government (2017). Additional Learning Needs Code of Practice. Cardiff: Welsh Government
Journals
British Education Research Journal
Cambridge Journal of Education
Journal of Curriculum Studies
Journal of Educational Research
Courses including this module
Compulsory in courses:
- 3D7N: PGCE Secondary ? Biology (leading to the award of QTS) year 1 (CERT/TTBE)
- 3F53: PGCE Secondary ? Biology with ODA (leading to QTS) year 1 (CERT/TTBO)
- 3D7K: PGCE Secondary ? Chemistry (leading to the award of QTS) year 1 (CERT/TTCE)
- 3F4V: PGCE Secondary ? Chemistry with ODA (leading to QTS) year 1 (CERT/TTCO)
- 3D7P: PGCE Secondary ? Design and Technology (leading to QTS) year 1 (CERT/TTDTE)
- 3F54: PGCE Secondary ? Design & Tech with ODA (leading to QTS) year 1 (CERT/TTDTO)
- 3D7Q: PGCE Secondary ? Geography (leading to the award of QTS) year 1 (CERT/TTGE)
- 3F56: PGCE Secondary ? Geography with ODA (leading to QTS) year 1 (CERT/TTGO)
- 3D7J: PGCE Secondary ? Mathematics (leading to the award of QTS) year 1 (CERT/TTME)
- 3F65: PGCE Secondary ? Mathematics with ODA (leading to QTS) year 1 (CERT/TTMO)
- 3D7S: PGCE Secondary ? Outdoor Activities (leading to QTS) year 1 (CERT/TTOAE)
- 3D7L: PGCE Secondary ? Physics (leading to the award of QTS) year 1 (CERT/TTPE)
- 3D7R: PGCE Secondary ? Physical Education (leading to QTS) year 1 (CERT/TTPEE)
- 3F5B: PGCE Secondary ? Physical Educatn with ODA (leading to QTS) year 1 (CERT/TTPEO)
- 3F4W: PGCE Secondary ? Physics with ODA (leading to QTS) year 1 (CERT/TTPO)