Award: Associate Degree

This course is concerned with the literacy problems that exist among Jamaican primary school children and the methods of diagnosis and instruction to address these difficulties. The course is designed within a constructivist framework that espouses the notion that children have multiple realities and multiple intelligences. In other words, despite the difficulties experienced in conventional literacy activities, each student possesses particular strengths that may aid in his/her literacy development. Therefore, the course encourages student teachers’ exploration of empirically informed learner-centred instructional approaches to addressing difficulties children experience in their literacy activities. While being conversant with issues related to the course, the teacher educator should foster a participatory approach where student teachers are led into practical explorations of children’s reading difficulties and their solutions. In addition, the teacher educator should be aware of the national curricular and extracurricular provisions for addressing children’s reading difficulties and generate further solutions based on participation and research.

Teaching and assessment are complementary processes; one activity informs the other. This course therefore seeks to increase student teachers’ knowledge of the range of assessment strategies that are appropriate for the developmental needs of the young child. Assessment is used to inform pedagogy, improve students’ learning and make valued judgement about students’ progress. Student teachers will be introduced to the various issues in assessing children- birth to eight years – and equip them with the skills to: observe and document children’s experiences, analyse students’ progress, design assessments which will modify teaching instructions to better meet the needs of the individual child. Effective assessment strategies require student teachers to understand each child’s performance through developmentally appropriate expectations. The information will be disseminated through lecture sessions, discussions, small group work, oral presentations, simulations, and case studies.

“In this course, student-teachers will critically examine the teacher’s role as assessor, decision maker and evaluator. They will develop a better understanding of assessment-related terms, concepts and principles. They will gain practice in the rudiments of assessment procedures, conduct evaluation and prepare reports about the performance of students. “

This course is designed to give student teachers the opportunity to apply/put into practice all the knowledge, methodologies and strategies they have been exposed to over 3 semesters. The practical application will further expose students to authentic situations in the classroom over approximately 12 weeks. The entire process will be guided by the Practicum Handbook and values 9 credits.

This course will develop student teachers’ skills, competence, professionalism in the management of today’s classroom, using a situated and constructivist learning approach. The course will provide students with the insights and theoretical foundations needed to manage the learning environment in a contextually appropriate manner. They will explore the principles and theories of classroom management, the teachers’ management roles and responsibilities as well models and approaches to classroom management. The course will also address the legal and ethical framework guiding classroom practice. The students will explore classroom management as a collaborative experience yet individual process, as they appreciate the sensitive and delicate balance needed to manage the relationships encountered by both teachers and students.