Professional Development for Teaching Assistants In Wales. The Foundation Degree in Learning Support. SMU

1. Ann Birch Jill Morgan Building Foundations for Para-professionalism

2. Introductions Who are we? Ann Birch Jill Morgan Who are you?

3. What are we talking about today? Professional Development for Teaching Assistants In Wales. The Foundation Degree in Learning Support. SMU.

5. The Experience – Fantastic!!! How can we best describe it? A privilege! A learning curve! Enlightening! Stimulating! Emotional! Humbling!

9. The Dynamics! 1.12 The School of Education acknowledges the need for the programme to reflect the need to preserve the status of teachers and their lead role in promoting high standards of achievement. (Extract from Definitive Validation Document)

10. The Programme What is a foundation degree? The foundation degree, “provides a new model of vocational higher education based on close collaboration between employers and providers of higher education. It aims to widen and increase participation in higher education by delivering knowledge and skills needed for employment by the application of work-based and flexible modes of learning.” QAA. (2002)

12. Aims General Aim The programme aims to rigorously educate students, facilitating their professional and academic development. In so doing, it aims to prepare them to become active, contributors to, and effective, incisive members of, the professional, evolving school team within which they work. The purpose of the programme is not to detach theory from practice but to enable theory to inform practice.

13. Subsequently, specific aims include: 1. The facilitation of the professional development of students with particular regard for: Professional values and practice Knowledge and understanding Teaching and learning activities including planning and expectations; monitoring and assessment; teaching and learning activities as described in the Professional Standards for Higher Level teaching assistants (Welsh Assembly Government. 2003. p. 30) ( Appendix 2)

14. Aims (Cont’d) ii) the consolidation of participants’ Key Skills: Communication; Application of number; ICT and development of participants’ Wider Key Skills: Working with others; Improving own learning and performance; problem solving

16. Aims (Last but not least!) v) to extend participants academically by encouraging the use of literature, research evidence and documents relating to professional practice and to promote their education at HE level

18. Timescale Three years (part time) Can take up to five years due to part time nature of the programme

20. Year 2 Modules Supporting Children’s Learning – 2.1 Language Acquisition and Literacy 2.2 Language Acquisition and Literacy Work-Based 2.3 ICT 2.4 ICT in the Classroom Work-Based 2.5 Numeracy 2.6 Science and Technology

21. Year 3 Modules 3.1 Research in Action 3.2 Action Research (Work-Based) 3.3 Introduction to Psychology 3.4 Leading the Learning 3.5 Inclusion and Diversity in Schools 3.6 Investigating Inclusion and Diversity in Schools (Work-Based)

26. Poster Presentation

27. The Information Wall Learning and Assessment: (4000 words equivalent) Building upon the work of module 3.4, the first part of this double module will require you to work within a community of learning. You will work as small teams on a group task to produce a presentation, which will be shared and evaluated by the whole group. The whole task will be completed within two college based days.

28. Work in groups of four. Using handouts, library sources, internet sources and school documentation to inform your understanding, investigate the ‘inclusive classroom’. Present a broad outline of your group’s understanding of the ‘inclusive classroom’ – related specifically to SEN and cultural diversity. Address the following important elements:

29. Legislation and policy documents relevant to SEN and to equal opportunities and cultural diversity Issues to do with appropriate curriculum for pupils with varied backgrounds and needs The physical environment of the classroom The ‘culture’ of the classroom Curriculum access and differentiation - including for ‘gifted’ pupils. Approaches to teaching and learning Reference appropriately in your presentation and include a reference list.

30. During the task keep a reflective log: document the work you have done and your reflections upon what you have learned. This will be taken in at the end of the task. When all the presentations have been completed you will be expected to work with a partner, review the presentations and produce written evaluations of two, with reference to the assessment criteria.

32. The Driving Force - The Students! The Profile The Dynamics – networking The Commitment

33. Enhanced Knowledge and Skills

34. Increased Levels of Collaboration

35. Confidence!

37. What has come to underpin the programme? REFLECTION and CRITICAL REFLECTION

38. Reflection What is reflection? Reflection in action Reflection on action Models of reflection Donald Schon

42. The Way Forward Continue to evaluate and …. Listen to the students! A full time programme

43. We love to talk…… [email_address] [email_address]