Postgraduate Certificate in Education in Foundation Phase Teaching

Purpose

The purpose of the Postgraduate Certificate in Education in Foundation Phase Teaching is to prepare qualifying learners with the focused knowledge, practical skills and workplace experience needed to teach in the Foundation Phase (Grades R to 3). Foundation phase teachers who are well qualified and well prepared achieve better learning outcomes for the children they teach across all learning activities. The qualification provides learners with sound pedagogical content knowledge and develops teachers able to reflect on their own performance and teaching.

The qualification requires a specific depth and specialisation of knowledge, together with practical skills and workplace experience to enable successful learners to apply their learning as beginner teachers in schools in varying contexts.

The qualification provides learners with sound pedagogical content knowledge and develops teachers able to reflect on their own performance and teaching.

Upon competition of the qualification, learners will be able to

• Understand the importance of sound subject knowledge for Foundation Phase teaching and be able to access and apply the subject and pedagogic knowledge needed to teach learners.
• Demonstrate an understanding and appreciation of the context, curriculum and legislation framing Foundation Phase teaching, and operate in a professional manner in the context of this framework.
• Apply effective teaching and learning strategies to the teaching of Foundation Phase learners and to one's own learning to enhance the learning experience at the Foundation Phase.
• Apply effective communication, data management and research skills to plan and report on learner progress.

Rationale

The qualification addresses the national need to develop more Foundation Phase teachers for South Africa, and across the continent in general. The qualification takes qualified learners from a variety of first-level qualifications and provides them with the knowledge, skills and personal attributes needed to function effectively as teachers in the Foundation Phase.

The one-year qualification allows for qualified learners to enter the teaching profession and is relevant to both first-time entrants in the field of education, and to those with teaching experience, but in need of, or desirous of, an additional educational qualification.

The qualification provides professional registration with the South African Council for Educators (SACE) for qualifying learners who have qualifications other than that of the Bachelor of Education (B Ed).

The qualification will provide benefits to society and the economy, and facilitates access to, and progression within education and the educational career paths of the teaching profession. It thereby accelerates the redress of past unfair discrimination in education

The qualification is a one-year full-time qualification on NQF level 7 designed expressly for the purpose of professionally preparing learners who have successfully completed the bachelor's degree or appropriate 360-credit diploma, or equivalent, to teach in the Foundation Phase. An appropriate diploma or degree includes sufficient disciplinary learning in appropriate academic fields to enable the development of teaching specialisation phases or/and subjects as specified for the Foundation School Phase.

In accordance with the Minimum Requirements for Teacher Education Qualifications (MRTEQ), approval of a degree or diploma for teaching is dependent on the specific combination of modules successfully completed in the qualification. These must ensure sufficient study of the disciplines underpinning the specific teaching specialisation (subject) to teach that school subject.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

The institution has an approved Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) policy which is applicable to equivalent qualifications for admission into the qualification. RPL will be applied to accommodate applicants who qualify. RPL thus provides alternative access and admission to qualifications, as well as advancement within qualifications. RPL may be applied for access, credits from modules and credits for or towards the qualification.

RPL for access

• Learners who do not meet the minimum entrance requirements or the required qualification that is at the same NQF level as the qualification required for admission may be considered for admission through RPL.
• To be considered for admission in the qualification based on RPL, applicants should provide evidence in the form of a portfolio that demonstrates that they have acquired the relevant knowledge, skills, and competencies through formal, non-formal and/or informal learning to cope with the qualification expectations should they be allowed entrance into the qualification.

RPL for exemption of modules

• Learners may apply for RPL to be exempted from modules that form part of the qualification. For a learner to be exempted from a module, the learner needs to provide sufficient evidence in the form of a portfolio that demonstrates that competency was achieved for the learning outcomes that are equivalent to the learning outcomes of the module.

RPL for credit

• Learners may also apply for RPL for credit for or towards the qualification, in which they must provide evidence in the form of a portfolio that demonstrates prior learning through formal, non-formal and/or informal learning to obtain credits towards the qualification.
• Credit shall be appropriate to the context in which it is awarded and accepted.

Entry Requirements

The minimum entry requirement for this qualification is

• An appropriate bachelor's qualification that includes sufficient disciplinary learning in appropriate academic fields to enable the development of teaching specialization phases or/and subjects as specified for each school phase.

or

• An appropriate Diploma that includes sufficient disciplinary learning in appropriate academic fields to enable the development of teaching specialization phases or/and subjects as specified for each school phase.

This qualification consists of the following compulsory modules at National Qualifications Framework Level 7 totalling 130 Credits.

Compulsory Modules, Level 5,130 Credits

• Classroom Management, 14 Credits.
• Teaching Methods, 20 Credits.
• Applied Childhood Psychology, 8 Credits.
• Home Language (English, isiZulu or Afrikaans), 12 Credits.
• Mathematics, 10 Credits.
• Life Skills, 11 Credits.
• First Additional Language (English, isiZulu, or Afrikaans), 6 Credits.
• Conversational Language (English, isiZulu, or Afrikaans), 3 Credits.
• Teaching Environment, 10 Credits.
• ICT, 4 Credits.
• Work-Integrated Learning, 24 Credits.
• Action Research, 8 Credits.

1. Demonstrate the importance of sound subject knowledge for Foundation Phase teaching and be able to access and apply the subject and pedagogic knowledge needed to teach learners.
2. Demonstrate an understanding and appreciation of the context, curriculum and legislation framing Foundation Phase teaching, and operate in a professional manner in the context of this framework
3. Apply effective teaching and learning strategies to the teaching of Foundation Phase learners, and to one's own learning to enhance the learning experience at the Foundation Phase.
4. Apply effective communication, data management and research skills to plan and report on learner progress.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1

• Understand how learners acquire knowledge and tailor the teacher's teaching to this knowledge.
• Demonstrate how to teach the key Foundation Phase subject areas (Mathematics, Home Language, Life Skills, First Additional Language).
• Select, pace and sequence content in accordance with both curriculum content and subject, and learner needs by implementing the understanding by design (UBD) framework.
• Manage different classrooms and contexts to ensure a conducive and enabling learning environment.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2

• Understand the implications and effects of diversity, inequality, and social justice in the context of South African education.
• Understand the legislative framework in which teachers work as professionals.
• Demonstrate familiarity with the school curriculum and apply its specialised needs.
• Use available resources appropriately.
• Design suitable learning programmes.
• Assess learners using a variety of reliable means.
• Use the results of the assessment to improve teaching and learning.
• Reflect critically and encourage systems that work with colleagues to improve practice and adapt to circumstances in place.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3

• Understand the importance of language usage and apply language appropriately for the phase.
• Apply and adjust classroom practices and techniques as needed.
• Provide classroom experiences.
• Demonstrate meta-linguistic skills to assist children to identify and analyse sounds to enable the learning of reading and writing.
• Identify barriers to learning and apply strategies for their resolution using the universal design for learning framework.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4

• Use effective communication with a variety of stakeholders, including parents, teachers, and school management.
• Analyse, monitor and evaluate the learners' progress using data and information obtained from a variety of sources.
• Prepare and use adequate and appropriate teaching resources to the benefit of the learners.

INTEGRATED ASSESSMENT

Continuous assessment is to be provided through: Portfolios; Simulations; Workplace assessments and practical workbooks; Written assignments; Written tests; Case studies and case presentations; Peer group evaluations; and face-to-face contact with learners, where applicable. Theoretical and practical components are to be assessed together, making use of a range of formative and summative assessment tools and methods to assess combinations of practical, applied, foundational and reflective competencies.

Aimed at the achievement of the overarching purpose, theoretical and practical components are assessed simultaneously, and integrated, as is the nature of teaching practice. This is the case in both formative and summative assessment tasks and combinations of practical, applied, foundational and reflective competencies are assessed.

The assessment instruments and processes are open, transparent, fair, valid, and reliable and no learner is disadvantaged in any way whatsoever.

All learning, teaching and assessment tasks are inextricably interwoven, due to the interrelationships of the purpose statements and the alignment to the outcomes of the qualification. Furthermore, the assessment of knowledge, skills, attitudes, and values shown in the qualification are in all assessment activities.

Assessment tasks are, wherever possible, practically contextualised. A variety of context-appropriate assessment methods, tools and instruments are utilised. Where it is not possible to assess the learner in the workplace, simulations, case studies, role-plays and other similar techniques are to be used.