Primary and Early Years Partnership

Initial Teacher Education Programme

Preparation for QTS courses

For PGCE School Directcourses starting in 2014

Contents

Section

1Introduction

2Initial needs assessment: experience gained

3Reflecting on your classroom experience

4 Observing in the classroom

5Visiting an Early Years setting

6Visiting secondary schools

7Mathematics

8Science

9English (including Early Reading and Phonics)

10 Recommended reading for ITE courses

Appendix 1 Teachers' Standards

Appendix 2 Checklist of Tasks

1. Introduction

Congratulations on being offered a place at Sheffield Hallam University in partnership with your school/cluster.

During the next few months, you will be eager to prepare for success on your course. We hope you will arrive ready to make progress from the first day and this document is designed to help you prepare for that.

You will need to work through the activities and readings contained in this booklet. The booklet contains a number of tasks which will be referred to during the first few weeks of the course. These are marked ‘essential tasks’. Some tasks are school based and you are advised to aim to complete these as soon as you can, for obvious practical reasons. Please do you best to complete all the tasks but if you are unable to complete the school based tasks due to lack of time in school then your tutor will be sympathetic towards this.

The booklet also includes further suggestions for developing your knowledge about English and Maths.

As you progress through the course you will develop your understanding of the key curriculum documents. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) provides guidance for supporting the learning of 0-5 year olds and you can read about the EYFS at

The Primary National Curriculumprovides guidance for the teaching of 5-11 year olds who are in Key Stages 1 and 2 and you will probably be familiar with the current subject areas from your own school experiences. Currently there are two versions of the National Curriculum (NC). One is the current NC, which is statutory in schools until 2014 but there is also a new National Curriculum due to be implemented in September 2014. You can develop your knowledge of both of these documents at

We would advise that you focus your study on the 2014 version and take the opportunity in schools to discuss what changes schools will need to make in time for 2014.

You can be confident that your course is planned to provide a comprehensive and thorough initial training to prepare for your role as an NQT and as such covers all the aspects you will need. There are though key areas of priority which will be key foci through your course. These include in particular:

  • the teaching of early reading and the associated systematic synthetic approach to phonics
  • mathematics
  • provision for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)
  • provision for children whose English is an additional language (EAL)
  • behaviour management

In your preparation for the course you should take every opportunity to explore these areas through your own research and experience in schools and early years settings and identify where your current strengths and areas for development are.

We look forward to welcoming you in September and working with you through your Initial teacher Training.

Sue O'Brien

Primary and Early Years Programme Leader

2. Initial needs assessment: experience gained

2.1 (Essential task)Introducing yourself to your academic tutor and your school based tutor.

Your academic tutor is the university based tutor who will follow your progress throughout your time at University. Your school based tutor is the teacher in school who will guide your training when in their school. You will meet your academic tutor during your first days at university; you will meet your school based tutors when you go into school.

When you begin your time in school you will have an initial meeting with your SBT to discuss your strengths and initial needs/targets. In preparation for this write a brief overview summarising the following. This will help your SBT to tailor your training in school to your individual needs and strengths. We suggest you aim for about one side of A4. You willalso take this to your first individual meeting with your academic tutor at SHU. Include:

  • who you are and why you decided to become a teacher (eg you are a mature trainee who became interested in a teaching career through helping at your children's school, following work experience in school, career changer )
  • previous/ongoing relevant experience and skills (eg degree subject, used to be nursery nurse; qualified football coach; experience of working with child with autism)
  • relevant skills you possess, or have developed (eg you feel confident in supporting children with particular needs)
  • interests that you would like to share with the school (eg dance teacher; play the piano)
  • areas for development and what you hope to achieve on the placement (eg feel confident with whole class teaching; have developed a range of effective strategies for managing children's behaviour. )

2.2 (Essential task) Initial Needs Assessment

In addition, for your initial meeting with your SBT and AT Please complete the following initial needs assessment. It is the first step on your study programme towards becoming a qualified teacher. Once you have decided which areas you need to develop, refer to the relevant texts (these are shown for English, maths and science in later sections)and start work. The books listed at the end of this document are some of those that will be referred to during your course. You will refer to this initial needs assessment during your first SHU academic tutorial and your first meeting in school.

Write about those areas in which you have gained some experience in teaching or working with children. An example illustrates how your work as a volunteer or TA might be addressing each standard. See Appendix 1 for the full version of the Teachers' Standards.

Standard / Experience gained / What I have already learned which is relevant to my course / What I want to learn about on the course
Example:
4 Planning and teaching / Worked with variety of groups. Helped with reading groups and with small groups in maths / Importance of being clear in what I expected the childrento do / Ways to ask questions and handle groups of children

Sheffield Hallam University Pre-course booklet SD PGCE 2014 start

INITIAL NEEDS ASSESSMENT
Standard(with an example of what it might mean for you)
See Teachers' Standards, Appendix 1, for further guidance) / Experience gained / What I have already learnt which is relevant to the course / What I want to learn about on the course
PART 1: TEACHING
1 High expectations
(e.g.you demonstrate positive values and have high expectations of pupils)
2 Pupils' progress
(e.g. you ask pupils to reflect on what they have learnt, you have been responsible for monitoring a small group of children/individuals)
3 Subject and curriculum knowledge
(e.g you know about the subjects you are helping to teach, what are your strengths/interests?)
4 Planning and teaching
(e.g. you explain new ideas to pupils, you have planned for small groups, extra-curricular, taught individuals)
5 Inclusion
(e.g. you know that a range of factors affects pupils'
progress, have worked with children with specific needs)
6 Assessment
(e.g. you give pupils an indication of how well they have done a task, worked with teachers on assessing work)
7 Behaviour management
(e.g. you follow school policy with regards to rewards and sanctions)
8 Wider professional
responsibilities
(e.g you work as part of the classroom team, have contributed to wider activities)
PART 2: PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT
Ethics and behaviour
(e.g you value pupils' responses, you are aware of your position as role model)
School ethos, policies & practices
(e.g you are aware of and follow school policy on behaviour management)
Statutory frameworks
(e.g.you know about the professional duties of teachers)

Please continue on a separate sheet if appropriate.

Sheffield Hallam University Pre-course booklet SD PGCE 2014 start

3. Reflecting on your classroom experience

3.1 (Essential Task)As a trainee teacher, you are expected to reflect on and review your ideas about effective teaching at various stages of the course. Before starting, however, we feel that it is important for you to consider what you already know. All trainees begin their course with a range of valuable experience. This may have been gained as a student, on work experience or through voluntary or paid work in educational contexts.

You will undoubtedly already have strong ideas about teaching. Here we ask you to make notes on these ideas. These notes will be used as the starting point for discussion during the early stages of the course. Keep them and bring them with you when you start.

a)Think about your own experiences of being in schools, nurseries and/or other educational environments. These may relate to your time as a pupil or whilst doing voluntary or paid work. There will be some teachers and lessons that you remember clearly, either for positive or negative reasons. Make a note of teachers that you remember and the reasons why you do so. Also, make brief notes on memorable times at school and again jot down reasons why these are memorable.

b)Using your notes, consider:

  • how your learning was supported and encouraged
  • and/or any barriers to learning that you experienced

c)Based on these reflections, write down a list of ways in which teachers may support effective learning. You may wish to comment on the way the teacher addresses some of the following areas:

  • relationships
  • classroom ethos
  • meeting different needs
  • choice of teaching methods
  • behaviour management
  • types of activities
  • working alongside additional adults in the classroom
  • any other areas you feel are important

d)As a teacher, you will be responsible for creating an environment that promotes learning. Consider the various schools and nurseries that you have visited. Comment on aspects of these learning environments that were particularly effective in contributing to effective learning. You may wish to comment on some of the following areas:

  • resources
  • use of display
  • support for children with different needs
  • ethos
  • grouping
  • ways in which independence is encouraged
  • behaviour management
  • any other areas you feel are important

Describe each aspect and explain how it contributes to effective learning.

e)Look at the notes you have made in response to (c) and (d). Jot down your thoughts on how your responses may have been different in relation to:

  • different subjects
  • different age groups

Teachers who know about children's interestsand learning preferences are more likely to plan appropriate and engaging activities. The following task will help you to make a start on developing your knowledge of children through observations and discussions.

4. Observing in the classroom

4.1 (Essential Task) Ask permission from a parent/carer or classroom teacher to observe a child engaged in day to day classroom learning and interactions in a variety of formal and informal contexts within and beyond the classroom. Unobtrusively observe the child and record what you notice about how the child interacts with others, and how he/she engages with activities. You may also want to talk to the child about general likes/dislikes, preferred classroom/nursery activities and out of school interests.

  • What did you learn about the child?
  • What does the child already know and understand?
  • What are the child's interests?
  • What activities does the child enjoy?
  • How does the child relate to other children and adults?
  • List some examples of what the child says in different situations, speaking and responding to a variety of people - children and adults. What do you notice about this child's use of talk in these different situations? Does her/his language change at all according to the different interactions and settings? Look for ways in which the child is using talk to develop understanding.

Ensure you share your observations and records with the parent/carer or classroom teacher. Keep your notes - they will be useful during your course.

4.2 (Essential Task) Arrange to observe a session focusing on Early Reading in a Foundation setting or Key Stage 1 classroom.

i) Observe the session and consider the following:

  • What are children learning about reading?
  • What links are made between reading and writing?
  • What resources are used?
  • How are children organised/grouped during the session?
  • What have the children learned specifically in this teaching episode ?

ii) Consider the classroom environment – look at the displays, resources, artefacts and activities within the classroom and note ways in which the classroom environment could be encouraging children’s use of speaking and listening, reading and writing.

iii) If possible, talk to the teacher and find out about:

  • the teaching of phonics and how it fits within the broader provision for early reading within the classroom
  • links between home and school in the teaching of early reading

The teaching of Early Reading and systematic synthetic phonics will be covered throughout your course and this will be a key area for development for you. The recommended reading on phonics is listed in Section 9 of this booklet.

5 Early Years Visit

5.1 Visiting an Early Years setting: Essential Tasks for both EY and primary trainees

As part of your pre-course classroom experience, visit an early years setting and make notes on:

  • how the learning environment is organised and managed
  • adults' roles in managing and organising the learning environment
  • the established routines, e.g. snack time and how children respond
  • the resources provided in at least 4 areas of learning - what are the children learning in these areas of learning?
  • records of children's conversations during play - what insight did you gain into what they know and understand?
  • discussions with the teachers/nursery nurses about how they 'teach' 3 /4/5 year olds?

5.2Early Years Reading Task

Read a chapter from Riley, J. ed (2007) Learning in the Early Years 3-7, 2nd ed.London: Sage. Make notes on what you have found out about what motivates and interests children.

  • How does it relate to your knowledge of young children?
  • How does it relate to your observations of how adults interact with young children and how children respond?

6Secondary Visit (Primary Only)

6.1 Visiting a secondary school: Essential Task for PGCE primary

trainees

As part of your preparation you should:

  • observe teaching and discuss the curriculum in secondary school with secondary colleagues.

Also make notes onthe following:

  • What do children like about the move up to secondary?
  • What worries them?
  • What work do they find easy / hard?
  • Ask the teachers what information they received from primary? What would they like to receive?
  • What surprises them about the knowledge / lack of knowledge of the children?
  • Is there anything which the primary school does which is particularly helpful?

Sheffield Hallam University Pre-course booklet SD PGCE 2014 start

7. Mathematics tasks

We ask you to carry out three tasks in preparation for the maths component of your course. These relate to the very broad areas of subject knowledge. The first looks at attitude and pedagogical approach, the second looks at your conceptual subject knowledge, what can be termed 'subject knowledge per se' and the third is concerned with observation in schools and early years settings.

The first task involves reflecting on your own experiences of maths and encourages you to begin to formulate your ideas about what constitutes good (and bad) maths teaching. It aims to encourage you to think about maths teaching more broadly than simply your subject knowledge but at how your approach and attitude as a teacher can greatly affect the quality of your teaching and therefore your impact on children's learning.

This is task 7.1 and requires you to read and evaluate two articles.

The second part task (7.2) involves taking stock of your own conceptual subject knowledge, acknowledging any problem areas and setting about strengthening your expertise in the subject so that you can teach it confidently.

The third task (7.3) asks you to reflect upon how a subject area such as maths is delivered in an early years setting or primary classroom today. Recent research and reviews such as Made to Measure ( 2012) have focused on the importance of teaching for understanding in maths