Overview
This is a unique and innovative course designed for those who support learning in its widest sense. You may be working as a teaching assistant, in a teaching or behaviour support role in an educational setting. It is relevant to those from primary, middle, special and secondary schools or from further education colleges. The course is also very valuable to those working with children, young people or vunerable adults in a day or residential setting and from agencies such as the Youth Offending Service, Connexions, residential childcare or the voluntary sector.
The course is designed to develop and extend students’ knowledge and skills to work inclusively with their "clients" as well as working as part of a multi-agency, multi-professional team. Students are encouraged to reflect on their own practice and the practice in their workplace and make links between these and the various theories that form a major part of the course.
Content and Modules
Modules include: Personal and Professional Development, Foundations of Learning and Development, Supporting Additional Needs, Behaviour Awareness, Effective Communication, Multi-Agency Working, Research Methods, Work-based Learning, and a Negotiated Project.
Teaching methods used will combine teacher-led and student-led activities and will include lectures, seminars, small group work, workshops and tutorials. All modules are assessed and use a range of methods, including structured essays, reports, case studies, critiques, reviews, presentations and the production of resources.
The work placement is an important part of the course as many of the assignments depend upon the student being able to carry out activities with "clients" or draw upon practice in a setting. Full-time students are required to work in an appropriate setting for 20 hours per week. For part-time students this is 10 hours per week.
As part of the course students will be gaining knowledge and skills that they can use towards the various teaching qualifications in the Lifelong Learning Sector.