Advanced Diploma in Education in Remedial Education

Purpose

The purpose of this Advanced Diploma in Education in Remedial Education is to prepare teachers with theoretical knowledge and practical skills in order to develop as remedial teachers and learning support specialists. Students will develop specialised competence and evidence-based practices around the pedagogy and didactics of remedial education.

Rationale

There is a high demand amongst schools and parents for teachers with specialised knowledge and skills around remedial teaching. Many learners in all phases of schooling exhibit difficulty with language acquisition, learning, literacy and numeracy. Students who enrol for this Advanced Diploma in Education will typically be teachers who are presently practicing in either primary or high schools and this programme will add to their knowledge by providing specialist skills in supporting pupils with scholastic, language, literacy and numeracy difficulties.

In mainstream classrooms, since the formalisation of Inclusive Education with the Education White Paper 6 (Department of Education, 2001) there are many more learners with mild to moderate scholastic, language and learning problems and teachers require additional competence and specialised skills in assessing, diagnosing and supporting these learners' difficulties.

This qualification will help teachers to develop their competence in designing, implementing and reporting on learning support plans, curriculum differentiation and adapted classroom practices for learners who experience learning, language, literacy and numeracy difficulties and thus have specialised teaching or remedial needs.

In their initial teacher education degree, teachers are educated in the content and methodology of their learning areas. There appears to be limited education in the support of learners who exhibit problems with acquiring the language of instruction which, for many learners, differs from their primary or home language. There is also limited focus on the remediation of learners who exhibit reading, spelling, writing, handwriting, learning, and memory and mathematics difficulties. This Advanced Diploma in Education in Remedial Education will allow teachers to develop their knowledge and skills in these highly specialised areas of teaching. In practice, teachers often need to render support to such learners by diagnosing areas of deficiency; designing remedial intervention plans; differentiating the curriculum; enriching language experiences and adapting their classroom practices to support these remedial needs. In addition, providing such remedial learning support requires skills in collaborating with school-based and multi-disciplinary teams and with parents in developing home remedial programmes for learners with learning and language difficulties.

Students who complete this Advanced Diploma in Education in Remedial Education will benefit society by being able to provide much needed support and remediation for children experiencing difficulties with school work and learning. They will also work ethically and establish professional relationships with the learners' parents, and collaborate with other professionals on multi-disciplinary support teams.

Students who register for this programme are assumed to have

• Capacity to do self study and complete written assignments.
• Ability to communicate in English (read, write and speak).
• Ability to manage their time.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

The Faculty accepts Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) as an integral part of education and academic practice. It is acknowledged that all learning has value and the Faculty accepts the challenge to assess prior learning and award credit that is aligned to Faculty programmes to promote lifelong learning. The purpose of the University of Johannesburg's RPL policy, which directs the Faculty's RPL procedure, is to recognise prior learning in order to provide for admission to programmes, grant advanced placement in programmes and grant credits for modules on the principles and processes that serve as basis for faculty-specific RPL practices.

A panel of selected staff members will determine, on an individual basis, the competence of prospective students who apply for RPL. In determining an applicant's competence against the relevant Exit Level Outcomes, this panel will do one or more of the following:

• Verify the standard/quality of an applicant's prior qualifications.
• Ask for and assess a portfolio containing examples of the applicant's work in the field of education, training and development.
• Observe the applicant's performance in authentic and/or in situ teaching-learning situations and/or contexts.
• Conduct individual interviews with applicants to discuss the results of the evidence collection process.

Students are supported mainly through monitoring of assessment results and provision of assistance through the tutor system:

• The lecturer in conjunction with the tutor identifies at-risk students.
• A support strategy is developed by the lecturer and discussed with the tutor.
• Support includes: Individual tutor sessions with students, group work sessions, and referral to the Academic Development Division for professional services.
• The student's progress is then tracked and monitored.

Access to the Qualification

Access to the Advanced Diploma in Education in Remedial Education is granted to all applicants who are in a possession of one of the following:

• Bachelor of Education Degree.
• Postgraduate Certificate in Education.
• Advanced Diploma in Teaching.
• Former Further Diploma in Education.
• Former Advanced Certificate in Education.
• Higher Diploma in Education (Undergraduate).
• An Advanced Certificate in Teaching.
• A former three year College of Education Diploma or A National Professional Diploma in Education (NPDE) (360 Credits at NQF Level 5) followed by an Advanced Certificate in Teaching.
• Equivalent foreign qualification as determined by SAQA.

The Qualification consists of the following NQF Level 7 Modules

• Remedial Foundations 1, 30 Credits.
• Scholastic Assessment 1, 30 Credits.
• Learning Support 1, 40 Credits.
• Parental Involvement 1, 20 Credits.

Upon completion of the Advanced Diploma in Education in Remedial Education the qualifying students will be able to

1. Demonstrate sound theoretical knowledge of the pedagogy of remedial education.
2. Demonstrate practical competence in diagnosing scholastic learning difficulties; designing and implementing remedial intervention support plans; reporting on assessments and interventions; collaborating with parents, teachers and multi-disciplinary teams.
3. Apply appropriate and adaptable professional skills and judgement in evaluating appropriate and effective curriculum differentiation and adapted classroom practices which allow for remedial education to be promoted in classrooms.
4. Demonstrate a capacity to critically analyse relevant remedial and support materials, resources and practices, in the light of a conceptual understanding of the specialist area of remedial education.
5. Demonstrate understanding of the world as a set of related systems by taking the holistic approach in managing learners within their bio-socio-ecological contexts.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1

• Basic linguistics, language acquisition, emergent literacy, orthography, learning disability, diagnostic assessment principles, learning support and parental involvement in supporting learning disability are demonstrated.
• Identifying and solving problems is demonstrated by the students when they work with pupils who exhibit language, learning, literacy and numeracy difficulties in schools.
• Learner deficits are identified and assessed and problem solving in designing and implementing remedial programmes is demonstrated.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2

• Team work is demonstrated by students collaborating with classroom teachers, parents and various other members of multi-disciplinary teams, such as occupational, speech therapists and psychologists.
• Self organising is demonstrated by the student in working closely with teachers, the School Based Support Team, the learners and their parents.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3

• Assignments are successfully completed and practical remedial work carried out.
• Demonstrate the ability to communicate effectively by negotiating practical remedial work with the school; teaching learners requiring remedial attention; consulting with parents and therapists; writing remedial diagnostic reports and assignments; using technology as a channel of communication.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4

• Utilise technology in accessing certain theoretical aspects of the curriculum, such as an on-line programme from Dyslexia International.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5

• Demosntrate a commitment to high ethical standards in the practice of remedial education by collaboration with stakeholders, ethical report writing and undergoing continious professional improvement of self.

Integrated Assessment

The broad assessment strategy of the Faculty assessment policy is

Formative and summative assessment opportunities are available to students. Formative assessment supports teaching and learning, provides feedback to the student, diagnoses the students' strengths and weaknesses, assists in the planning of future learning and helps to make decisions on the readiness of the student to do a summative assessment. Summative assessments are conducted for the purpose of making a judgment about the level of competence of students in relation to the outcomes of a module. The marks reflect a pass or fail. An assessment analysis is done for each assessment to ensure that all questions are on the correct cognitive level as well as to ensure an appropriate percentage of higher and lower cognitive questions.

There are a minimum of three summative assessment opportunities per semester module and at least seven summative assessment opportunities per year module. One of these summative assessment opportunities, preferably towards the end of a module, should be substantial (such as a written examination, a portfolio or substantial assignment) to ensure that outcomes are assessed in an integrated manner. The weighting of the latter assessment opportunity should be at least 50% but not more than 60% of the final mark.