Reference no: EM132743686 , Length: word count:5000

ASSIGNMENT 1

Critique the teaching of a topic from within the science programme of study.

This assignment aims to support the development of your subject knowledge for teaching, through thoroughly researching subject knowledge and pedagogy for teaching a chosen topic and writing an essay (2000-2500 words) critiquing the teaching of the topic within science.
To prepare for writing the assignment you need to:

1.Decide on a topic or idea that you intend to explore. This can either be something that you need to teach this placement and know little about or something that you need to develop your subject knowledge to meet your targets. It needs to link to the National curriculum e.g. force, respiration, photosynthesis, bonding, elements and compounds. Choose a specific topic on GCSE, KS3 or A level.

2.Research the current state of knowledge about your topic/idea using the educational database(s) and find out how this is assessed in your current placement, to understand the progress students need to make and what they find challenging. Read a few recent journal articles (at least 8, but more is better and within the last 5 years) and get a real feel for the current state of knowledge about the issues that surround the teaching and learning of this topic. Look at: schemes of work, teaching resources, examiners' reports -anything that gives you information about teaching and learning this topic (you can even do short interviews with a few pupils to shed some more light on it). How is it taught? What difficulties are there (either conceptually or procedurally) with the topic or the way it is typically taught? What are the misconceptions associated with the topic and how would you address them from your teaching and that of other teachers? How the misconceptions are addressed by literature and how is it different from what you do in the classroom? What suggestions have been made about possible ways forward?

You may consider the following as a guide in addition to the above:

• What is the National curriculum depth and breadth of chosen topic?
• What are misconceptions in science?
• You will need to research the common misconceptions that pupils hold about the topic you are going to teach. You could elicit the children's prior understanding of the subject before you teach it. You should include the evidence of this elicitation of children's ideas in your work or appendix to the assignment and refer to it in your discussions.
• Analyse one or more misconceptions associated with your topic drawing upon your school experience and literature. Discuss how they might have arisen and ways of addressing them. Could the use of models, role play, experiments, images etc. be useful in addressing the misconceptions? Refer to your classroom experience of dealing with this and support with relevant literature to show the link between theory and practice. Are there any formative assessments you carried out to address the misconceptions? Describe them and any evidence/outcome. You should aim for all students in the class to enjoy the lesson and make progress.
• Critically evaluate the importance of identifying children misconceptions and using them as part of the teaching and learning process. While critiquing, remember to draw upon theory and your practice.
• Reflect upon relevant reading relating to the place of children misconception in learning and teaching

ASSIGNMENT 2

A portfolio evidence to illustrate the assessment of science learning (2000-2500 words)

This assignment is designed to demonstrate your understanding of monitoring practices in schools (how pupils' progress is tracked, targets set and checked) and how the assessments can be used to impact upon planning. This will constitute a portfolio of evidence to illustrate your understanding of assessment practices in science. Science education uses summative, formative and practical skills assessments. These forms of assessments are combined to brand a pupil with an attainment grade.
Select a pupil that you teach from year 7, 8, 9 or 10.

What is expected?

1. An analysis of the types of assessment practices there are (700-800 words). You may like to consider and/or focus on some of the following questions:
• How can assessment be defined?
• To what extent do these assessment techniques represent the actual (absolute) understanding, knowledge and skills of a pupil?
• To what extent is assessment driving what is taught?
• How are the assessment challenges for science unique to science?
• To what extent are these assessment challenges universal across all subjects?
• What drives assessment, and what processes and people are involved in assessment?
• What physical evidence of assessment can be provided?
• What evidence of assessment can be inferred?
• What is deemed ‘good assessment practice' and why?

In your write up, refer to relevant literature in assessments and include aspects of your classroom experience of carrying out assessments. Remember to link theory to practice.

2. A description of the pupil and a summary overview of his/her assessment and monitoring records, from both summative and formative assessments. You can include any records from any sources that you consider relevant, but the emphasis should be on attainment in science. Include relevant literature in your discussion linking theory to practice (300-400 words).

3. An analysis of recent work in science.
Choose a range of recent assessment evidence and analyse it in detail, providing a written account of what this evidence shows about the pupil's current attainment and how you have arrived at your judgement. You must clearly show the evidence for any judgements you make (also include copies of the pupil's work in the appendix and refer to this in your discussion) (600 - 700 words). Remember to refer to relevant literature in your discussion and be critical.

4. Suggestions for a way forward.
Consider the evidence of current performance from your analysis and suggest strategies that could be adopted to ensure progress in meeting any needs that you have identified and any advice that should be given to adults who help the pupil. Make these points specific, referring to the evidence cited elsewhere and support with relevant literature that relates to your findings (400 - 600 words).

Help with writing a critique:

Please be aware that all assignments will require you to link theory and practice that is, drawing upon your own classroom experience as well as linking to relevant literature. You must also develop a critical approach all through your essay, see guide below:

• Make comparisons between different approaches drawing upon literature you presented and make relevant conclusions based on what you think e.g. from your practice. You may also include evidence from your lesson.
• Weigh up alternatives if possible and make your own views known and link this to relevant literature to strengthen your argument.
• Apply your own judgements
• Make links between areas of knowledge- how does it relate to literature?
• Analyse why something did not work
• Evaluate/argue/contests- link this to relevant literature. Draw evidence from your practice and compare views from different authors.
• Be ready to critique whatever you read. Do not always assume they are right even when you have tried it, there may be different approach to it.

Attachment:- ASSIGNMENT guidance.rar