Course Catalogue

To provide opportunity for its students to achieve Qualified Teacher Status in the Primary school context. To produce competent teachers who have a positive impact on learners and their progress. To develop informed and knowledgeable teachers, espousing creativity and research informed teaching through deliberate practice. To enable students to access, assess and apply educational research in the classroom. To develop students' critical reflection within the field of education and schooling, through analysis, synthesis and evaluation of evidence and practice. To provide opportunity for students to achieve their full academic potential at Level 7, through study encouraging self-motivation, self-awareness and application of initiative. To encourage an appreciation of the broader cultural, social and political context in which schools operate. To encourage social justice and develop practitioners with moral purpose. To build resilience and facilitate students to actively develop their intrapersonal and interpersonal intelligence. To encourage professional accountability informed by an understanding evidence based practice.

Teaching: Lead lectures develop the students' skills in listening and processing research, guidance and technical information. Workshops and seminars enable students to develop conceptual and procedural knowledge, and to work in groups to explore, speculate and evaluate; engaging with problem finding and problem solving activities. The students are encouraged to interact during workshops and seminars to reflect on experience and co-construct their understanding of pedagogic and professional matters. All modules in the programme emphasise evidence-based practice for teaching in the school context, involving students in a significant placement experience in more than one school throughout the programme. They are supported by school-based mentors, who meet with them regularly for discussion, reflection, feedback on their progress in the classroom and wider school context. LJMU tutors support and facilitate students and their mentors on placement.

Learning: Students are strongly encouraged to discover information for themselves and take responsibility for their own learning, making full use of the Library and interactive online learning opportunities. An element of school-based learning is compulsory and this will involve: structured lesson observations, supporting learners and teachers; team and solo teaching; including independent planning and evaluation for teaching, learning and assessment. Assignments are set regularly with fixed deadlines and the use of information and communication technology (ICT) is expected, including the use of email to communicate with tutors whilst on placement and interaction with online materials in the virtual learning environment (VLE). Verbal and written feedback on assignments and teaching fosters reflection, self-awareness and independent learning. Lectures, workshops and seminars encourage students to reflect, articulate thoughts and opinions and ask questions. Some group work is undertaken through task-based discussions and group presentations.

Assessment: All students receive general and module specific academic guidance, with specialist induction on the identification, location, and use of material in the Libraries and alternative local and non-local sources. Guidance on the aims, structure and marking of assignments is incorporated into module sessions and documentation. The grading criteria are published in the module guides. Indicative and essential readings are included in module guides. Formal evaluation of conceptual and procedural knowledge through written and verbal communication, engaging with research, reflection and observation. Students identify, record and present evidence of their competence in teaching.

Opportunity for a minimum of 120 days of placement experience will be provided in secondary schools, or in other educational settings. Placement based training follows the LJMU Partnership arrangements for initial teacher education (ITE), to meet the requirements of the national professional standards for teachers required to be recommended for qualified teacher status (QTS), as defined by the Department for Education (DfE).