Study Skills and ICT

This module is intended to develop the students’ skills and confidence in producing academic writing and confident use of the University’s Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). It will deal with how to collect information from academically appropriate sources and present this in a well-structured manner with indication as to its source. The skills developed in this module are generic ones which will be applicable across all modules. Additionally, the module facilitates self-evaluation of a range of key skills and promotes the development of an action plan focusing on academic, personal and career outcomes. Inherent in this is the development of the skill of critical self-reflection.

The Emerging Practitioner

The module investigates concepts of care and education within the landscape of provision for children and families. It examines a variety of settings and the legislation which underpins practice within them. This module will provide the context for work placement preparation, an opportunity to see observation in practice and promote students responsibility in relation to safeguarding children within the work setting.

Early Language and Communication

Language and communication are central to children’s emotional, social and cognitive development. The ability to express needs, feelings, opinions and questions unlocks the world of understanding, knowledge and relationships for the young child. This module provides students with an understanding of language and communication development in young children and babies, identifies the role of the adult in promoting language and looks at theories of language development. It provides the student with the opportunity to discuss and analyse a range of theoretical perspectives and consider their application to practice.

Play and Creativity in the Early years

The module considers the role of play and creativity within young children’s learning. It will examine a range of theories in relation to how play supports children’s holistic development, and how opportunities for play and creativity can be provided within early years settings. The module will also consider the relationship between current curriculum guidance and opportunities for play and creativity.

The Growing Child

Due to the wide diversity of students in terms of age range, prior knowledge of this subject, experience and ability, an innovative approach to teaching this module has been adopted. It is part taught, and part student led, to enable those less experienced students to gain understanding by their own studies, whilst giving more experienced students the opportunity to demonstrate their expertise. It aims to encourage the development of methods of enquiry in students, and the opportunity to undertake exploratory study and to share information.

Early Emotional and Social Development?

The module begins with an exploration of attachment and how very young children develop an understanding of the attachments which are important to their development. The factors associated with the promotion of well-being and happiness are considered. Different parenting styles are discussed, as are vertical and horizontal relationships. The module provides an opportunity for students to examine research into emotional literacy and concept of resilience and how the findings from this are put into practice.

SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) & Inclusive Practices in the Early Years

The aim of the module is to introduce students to special issues of the learning process, which derive from children’s individual characteristics and needs during the teaching and learning process. Emphasis will be placed on the theoretical analysis of current educational trends related to the early intervention for children with special needs. Furthermore, the module will examine the role of the early years practitioner through the presentation and discussions of several case studies. The module aims to inform students about the issue of differentiated learning and to examine inclusive strategies and practices that can be adopted in the classroom.

English I

Students will develop their general English skills in reading, writing, listening and speaking, and be provided with an introduction to academic English. Students will develop their grammatical, phonological and general and subject specific lexical awareness. By the end of the module students’ language for academic study should be at a mid B2 on the CEFR equivalent to IELTS 5.5.

Educational Activities (Music, Art)

The main aim of the programme is to combine high academic knowledge with practical skills in order to prepare students for their professional career in the field. Based on the above aim, the ‘Educational Activities’ module was developed to help students develop certain knowledge and skills and to train them in order to be able to design and implement creative art education activities. Students attend workshops in music, creative movement, art, crafts and drama. All activities take place at a designated Educational Lab, where students have the opportunity to be trained and also to design and use their own educational material.

Children’s Health

This module is intended to develop students’ knowledge of concepts of health as they apply to children in contemporary society, and how this is related to healthy growth and development. Throughout the module a strong emphasis is placed on poverty and its’ resultant inequalities in health, the policy context including children’s right to health and the role of the Early Years Educator in promoting children’s health and wellbeing.

Developing Employability

This module seeks to further students’ personal and professional development, building upon skills learnt in Stage 1, with a particular focus on reflective practice skills. Within the early years sector high value is placed upon the importance of working collaboratively as part of a team, particularly in moving towards securing the highest standards of children’s welfare. This module enables students to review their personal and professional development and the successful and limiting factors which influence working together effectively with children, parents, and professionals from both a theoretical and practice perspective.

Child Protection

This module is aimed at students who are planning to work with children in early years, health, social care and education settings. The purpose of the module is to equip students with knowledge and understanding that will help them to identify children at risk of or suffering abuse and neglect. The module will help students to understand the policies and procedures that will help them fulfil their safeguarding responsibilities effectively. The module also aims to promote understanding of multi-agency and multi-disciplinary working in the field of safeguarding children.

The Early Years Researcher?

The Module is designed to help students plan their own research, develop research skills in a topic of their choice and give the opportunity to study an area of interest to yjem. The knowledge gained will help in the understanding of how practice and theory inform each other. It involves the development of a range of skills, including the ability to study independently. Crucially, the Ethical Guidelines of the University are explored and how they affect students, settings and tutors.

Emerging Literacies in the Early Years

The module considers the role of children’s emergent literacies in an increasingly digital age. It will look at the historical context of children’s literature and how childhood is portrayed within children’s reading material. It will explore the relationship between children’s literacies and current issues in childhood experience and consider how books and digital material can be used to support children’s learning. The module aims to equip students with a deeper understanding of how important aspects of childhood are addressed through image, icon and text illustration as well as writing.

Creative Approaches to the Curriculum 0-8 years

This module explores the central role of creativity in children’s early learning. Students will be encouraged to develop a clear understanding of how creativity can support children to become autonomous in their own learning through decision making and provide opportunities for them to develop individual approaches to learning across the curriculum. This will focus upon creative methods of learning and teaching and students will relate these ideas to the current curriculum and consider implications for their practice.

English II

The module builds on English I and further develops students’ general and academic English skills in reading, writing, listening and speaking. Students will be exposed to more advanced forms of academic English. Students will further develop their grammatical, phonological and general and subject specific lexical awareness. By the end of the module students’ language for academic study should be at a B2/B2+ on the CEFR equivalent to IELTS 6.0 or above.

Educational Activities(Music, Drama, Crafts)

The main aim of the programme is to combine high academic knowledge with practical skills in order to prepare students for their professional career in the field. Based on the above aim, the ‘Educational Activities’ module was developed to help students develop certain knowledge and skills and to train them in order to be able to design and implement creative art education activities. Students attend workshops in music, creative movement, art, crafts and drama. All activities take place at a designated Educational Lab, where students have the opportunity to be trained and also to design and use their own educational material.

Contesting Childhood

This module aims to equip students with a critical understanding of childhood; recognising it is a contested phenomenon. It explores competing ideas from history, philosophy, psychology and sociology about the concept of ‘childhood’, children’s development and reflects upon current research findings especially when considering how different groups (or communities) consider notions of ‘upbringing’. It is particularly useful in developing students’ critical thinking skills. The style of presentation is necessarily dialogic and includes individual and small group tasks requiring skills of working together, debate and communication.

The Critically Reflective Practitioner

The term reflection has been interpreted by theorists and practitioners in a number of different ways and is used for different purposes. This module explores ideas and theories about the purpose of critical reflection and its use to practitioners and students in the final year of the early childhood studies undergraduate programme. It enables students to recall, explain, analyse and reflect upon their own professional practice and personal development through the nurturing of critical thinking skills. It provides an opportunity for students to bring synthesis to their academic and practice-based journey and their personal progression.

Children’s Voices: Listening and Experiences

Children live different lives according to the context in which they are located. This module aims to provide a framework for exploration of these (in some respects) unique experiences without judgement and in full recognition of the validity of diverse lives. The course addresses issues of children’s rights and citizenship in modern contexts globally and its content includes ‘ways of asking’, different languages through which children can feel confident to express their feelings and experiences, hopes, fears, aspirations etc. Practitioner’s roles and approaches are clearly key to this process as well. This relatively new area is, arguably, part of a new thinking about children as active participants in interpreting and making meanings of their world(s).

International Perspectives in Early Childhood Education and Care

The aim of this module is to raise critical thinking in relation to contemporary academic debates about childhood, children and children’s services, drawing on practice from across the world. It recognises that there are significant differences in practice, exploring their origins and justification. The module encourages students to ask whether these differences in approach are important. Through examination of the policy and practice in a range of countries, specific aspects of provision are contrasted with the United Kingdom. As we live in a competitive international environment, this module examines the premise that it is becoming increasingly important to be aware of alternatives and to see early childhood from a global perspective. The module explores a range of provision from across the world and requires a critical consideration of how specific international provision can inform personal and professional attitudes and practice.

Independent Study

This module is designed to enable students to bring to bear upon a personally chosen field of study a range of skills developed in the course to date in order to identify an aspect of practice in relation to the care and education of younger children which they have studied or researched in considerable. This will provide a distinctive and unique aspect to their degree qualification and will represent a field of knowledge and understanding which may be developed further in practice, postgraduate study or research.