Bachelor of Education in Foundation Phase Teaching

Purpose

The purpose of the qualification is to prepare teachers for the education sector as Foundation Phase teachers. Graduates will be prepared to teach in a wide variety of contexts in South African society, to act as knowledgeable, committed professionals in their careers, to be life-long learners and to contribute to the teaching profession.

Teachers will learn approaches to meeting the wide ranges of learning and behavioural challenges that more and more children suffer from, and ways of providing support in the overcoming of these challenges. Some components promote individual study, though the greater proportion of components being interactive, collaborating with others with the aim to develop social skills, as preparation for effectively facilitating processes of teaching and learning.

The qualifying teacher will have extensive knowledge of current educational principles, detailed subject-related knowledge and will be well developed in critical and analytical thinking abilities.

The qualification is a specialisation in Foundation Phase teaching, so that the qualifying teacher will be able to teach competently and effectively, be competent in managing classes through providing interesting, engaging and creative lessons, have an integrated teacher identity, able to employ well-developed interpersonal and social skills.

Qualifying teachers will also be prepared to support learners in schools in overcoming deficits in learning, emotional development and self-worth.

Graduates will be competent in all aspects of being a professional teacher, a good leader, administrator/manager, working with human values, appreciation of diversity, a positive approach to challenges and care for environment, as well as in community, citizenship and pastoral roles.

In broad terms, the teacher will have developed

• Competences relating to fundamental learning.
• Competences relating to the subjects and content of teaching.
• Competences relating to teaching and learning processes.
• Competences relating to the school and the educator profession.

The qualification equips the teachers with the knowledge, skills and values needed by a beginner teacher, including the specialised knowledge needed for the transition from informal learning in Grade R to the formal learning in Grades 1 - 3. It combines academic abilities in terms of a broad and detailed understanding of educational principles, and the ability to work reflectively with these in mastering the practical demands of class teaching. The practical demands include effective teaching, class management and interpersonal interaction, and the professional attitudes and values that belong to the teaching profession.

Rationale

Education in South Africa requires teachers that are highly skilled to teach in different contexts of society, able to support the process of redress of past injustices in the provision of education in the past. There is a need for modelling an empowering form of education, which develops learners as active, creative and values-driven human beings, able to adapt to a continually changing world in which entrepreneurial skills will be more needed than before. The need for teachers in the South African schooling system is well known.

This qualification is for persons seeking to become fully qualified as professional educators in schooling, specialising in Foundation Phase teaching. The qualification serves to implement the requirements for the teaching profession stipulated by the South African Council for Educators (SACE) and those for employment in public schools stipulated by the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET). It adheres to the Minimum Requirements for Teacher Education Qualifications (MRTEQ, 2015).

The typical teachers come from all sectors of society, who after completing their National Senior Certificate successfully, wish to embark on a teaching career, due to their interest in working with children in the age range of the Foundation Phase. An interest in the educational and social well-being of their future learners is a prerequisite. Graduates may apply for positions in any school of their choice, including National Curriculum schools, Waldorf Schools or other independent schools.

The learning pathway towards this qualification requires both academic and practical development in a broad spectrum of knowledge, competences and skills. This pathway specifically develops depth of insight into the needs of children in the Foundation Phase, in which play, creativity, imagination and active learning underpins every learning process.

Teachers will benefit from the qualification both professionally and personally, through four years of intensive study, personal development and practical teaching experience in a variety of schools. They will be qualified to seek employment as Foundation Phase teachers. The learners whom they teach will benefit from the wide range of skills the graduate has obtained in making learning interesting, engaging and pleasurable, as well as supportive of their development academically, socially and emotionally.

Teachers who qualify will have interpersonal skills in working with colleagues, the parents of learners in their care, and the teaching profession. Their work will benefit society at large, and lay foundations for providing the nation and the economy with new generations of well-developed, emotionally and socially competent citizens that will build and benefit society.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

RPL principles are adhered to as described as policies and/or recommendations nationally or in the sector. Institutional internal RPL policies are available on request.

RPL can be used sporadically for the two purposes of

• Enabling suitable candidates, who lack certain entry requirements, to undertake these studies.
• Enabling candidates who have already undergone, and are able to demonstrate, relevant prior learning to avoid repetition of learning.

RPL is implemented to avoid repetition of learning can be used to shorten a candidate's trajectory towards graduation. For all modules awarded RPL evidence is compiled to show the candidate's levels of understanding and skills, in line with the assessment criteria for the respective modules. Examinations that are required for other students are also required in the case of RPL students.

Entry Requirements

The minimum requirements for admission into a Bachelors Degree are

• A National Senior Certificate granting access to Bachelor Degree studies with competency in English.

Or

• A National Certificate (Vocational) Level 4 granting access to Bachelor Degree studies and with achievements in three fundamental subjects including the medium of instruction, which is English.

This qualification comprises elective and compulsory modules at Levels, 5, 6 and 7 totalling 493 Credits.

Compulsory Modules Level 5, 102 Credits

• Education 1, 13 Credits.
• Subject Studies 1, 29 Credits.
• Subject Studies 2, 7 Credits.
• Subject Studies 3, 6 Credits.
• Personal and Professional Development 1, 8 Credits.
• Personal and Professional Development 2, 9 Credits.
• Personal and Professional Development 3, 9 Credits.
• Personal and Professional Development 4, 4 Credits.
• Arts in Education 1, 9 Credits.
• Teaching Practice 1, 8 Credits.

Compulsory Modules Level 6, 255 Credits

• Education 1, 17 Credits.
• Education 2, 18 Credits.
• Education 3, 3 Credits.
• Subject Studies 1, 18 Credits.
• Subject Studies 2, 33 Credits.
• Subject Studies 3, 18 Credits.
• Personal and Professional Development 1, 6 Credits.
• Personal and Professional Development 2, 21 Credits.
• Personal and Professional Development 3, 7 Credits.
• Personal and Professional Development 4, 6 Credits.
• Arts in Education 1, 1 Credit.
• Arts in Education 2, 10 Credits.
• Arts in Education 3, 11 Credits.
• Arts in Education 4, 10 Credits.
• Teaching Practice 1, 12 Credits.
• Teaching Practice 2, 24 Credits.
• Teaching Practice 3, 40 credits.

Compulsory Modules Level 7, 136 Credits

• Education 3, 12 Credits.
• Education 4, 36 Credits.
• Subject Studies 3, 16 Credits.
• Subject Studies 4, 16 Credits.
• Personal and Professional Development 3, 4 Credits.
• Personal and Professional Development 4, 14 Credits.
• Arts in Education 4, 2 Credits.
• Teaching Practice 4, 36 Credits.

Exit Level Outcomes

• Demonstrate sound subject knowledge.
• Demonstrate an understanding of children and how they learn.
• Demonstrate the ability to communicate effectively, in order to mediate learning.
• Demonstrate literacy, numeracy and IT skills.
• Demonstrate knowledge about school curriculum and use of resources.

Associated Assessment Criteria

The Associated Assessment Criteria will be assessed in an integrated manner across the Exit Level Outcomes.

• Demonstrate an understanding of diversity, learning and social problems.
• Demonstrate the ability to manage classrooms effectively.
• Demonstrate an ability to assess learners in reliable and varied ways, and to use the results.
• Demonstrate a positive work ethic, appropriate values and conduct.
• Demonstrate an ability to reflect on own practice.

Integrated Assessment

A variety of assessment approaches are used to ascertain teachers' abilities in each of the expected outcomes. Formative assessment, with feedback from which learners are benefiting while still in the process of learning, is complemented by summative assessment once a unit has been completed.

Formal examinations take place to assess the main, cognitive modules. For modules that have a formal examination, a standard weighting of 60% for course work and 40% for the examination defines the learners' final mark for the unit. Specific competence tests ensure that learners meet the requirements in literacy, numeracy and Information technology (IT) skills.

In preparing students for teaching practice, teachers must demonstrate their competence in applying theory learned and their developing teaching skills by giving micro-lessons (simulated teaching) during their Subject Studies in the institution. These are assessed according to specified criteria, which the teachers practise applying before assessment takes place.

For the assessment of the Work-integrated Learning (Teaching Practice), in authentic classroom situations in schools, the following arrangements are in place:

• The host teachers are prepared in how to support and assess the teacher's progress in applying teaching skills during the practice teaching period.
• The institution's academic staffs monitors and assess students' progress. At least two visits per 3-week Teaching Practice block are scheduled, of which the last visit forms the summative assessment.

In each module, the expected levels of the Associated Assessed Outcomes are chosen, and made known to the learners, in accordance with the level descriptors and the specifications defined for the module aims and content. All teachers' achievements are monitored continuously, and formally evaluated annually in terms of each learner's readiness to progress to the next year of study.