ED3MPE1: Mental and Physical Education - Psychology of Education

Module code: ED3MPE1

Module provider: Institute of Education

Credits: 20

Level: Level 3 (Honours)

When you'll be taught: Semester 1 / 2

Module convenor: Mrs Laura Purser, email: l.purser@reading.ac.uk

Module co-convenor: Mrs Gwenda Lappin, email: g.m.lappin@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students: No

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 21 May 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

• This module has been designed to develop student understanding of the connection between physical and mental health, facilitating criticality of the parity of esteem for these two domains. The purpose of this module is to explore potential applications for supporting healthy minds for healthy living and positive health outcomes. 
• This module provides an understanding of the values, aims and purposes of physical education in primary school and ways it can be used to support mental wellbeing.  
• It aims to build on prior knowledge from the following modules: ED1SP1, ED1PSP1, ED2PSP2, ED2FS1, to develop understanding of the inclusive practitioner, drawing on research surrounding neurodiversity, executive functioning, neuropsychology and trauma informed practices.  
• The module develops RPT’s subject knowledge, relating to the teaching of physical education and is designed to develop effective teaching and support pedagogical knowledge and practical work with children in physical education.  
• It builds on prior knowledge and provides practical techniques, applicable in the wider curriculum. These techniques will be taught alongside continuing development of subject knowledge. It looks further in depth at inclusion and neurodiversity to refine pedagogic practice in preparation for school experience, building and reflecting upon your professional practice.  
• The module is designed to support students to critically reflect on behaviour management pedagogies to consider therapeutic and restorative approaches toward facilitating positive behaviour for learning in the primary classroom and within subject specific pedagogy for physical education.   
• The module content aligns with the Initial Teacher Training Core Content Framework (ITT CCF) and going beyond to support trainee skill development and their own teacher mental health and wellbeing.  

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to:

1. Recognise the connection between physical and mental health, understanding how physical education and mental health knowledge can be used to support healthy living.
2. Critically evaluate implications of psychological frameworks, trauma informed pedagogies and plan for effective practice, taking into account theories about how children learn in physical education with application both within and outside of the primary classroom.
3. Develop therapeutic and restorative approaches to facilitate development of the wider role of the teacher both in and outside the classroom.
4. Critically examine research about the teaching of physical education to provide a well-constructed response, supported by observations and reading.

Module content

This module highlights the connection between physical and mental health, facilitating criticality of the parity of esteem for these two domains. This module utilises an interpersonal neurobiological framework to discuss implications of mental health and ways to support it within the primary classroom. It emphasised the role of coregulation between the teacher and the pupil to support emotional regulation through a polyvagal and psychological lens. The module is designed to support students to critically reflect on behaviour management pedagogies to consider therapeutic and restorative approaches toward facilitating positive behaviour for learning in the primary classroom. The module aims to develop student teachers to consider self-leadership and its role in systems thinking.  

• Parity of Esteem: Integration of the Embodied Brain - Mental and physical health integration 
• Interpersonal Neurobiology and Mental Health 
• Physical Education: Movement in Practice – Gymnastics 
• Trauma & Attachment Informed Educational Practices & Trauma Informed Physical Education - dance and yoga 
• Retributive vs Restorative Behavioural Approaches. Critically reflecting on therapeutic approaches. 
• Neuropsychology and Executive Functioning  
• Physical Education: Invasion Games  
• Self-Concept, Leadership & Integrative Systemic Frameworks  
• Metacognition for Change - Healthy active lifestyles 

The module makes reference to relevant and key aspects of the Primary Phase Curriculum and ITT Core Content Framework (CCF) to inform design. 

The following books are recommended reading and drawn on during the sessions, with regular preparatory reading tasks set. It is not essential to buy them, as copies will be available from the library.

1. Phillips, S. and Melim, D., 2020. Belonging: A Relationship-based Approach for Trauma-informed Education. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. 
2. What Do Teacher Need To Know About Child Mental Health, Laura Purser (2025) Journal Article freely available prior to book release: What Do We Need to Teach New Teachers About Child Mental Health? | The Buckingham Journal of Education (ubplj.org)
3. Van der Kolk (2014) Van der Kolk, B., 2014. The body keeps the score: Mind, brain and body in the transformation of trauma. Penguin UK.

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

This module will be delivered in interactive teaching sessions. Teaching and learning methods will often mirror those used in the primary classroom. They will include a balance of input, discussion and practical activities. Sessions will be interactive in nature building on students’ prior knowledge.  

Students will be expected to participate in discussions and activities with blended learning activities incorporated to support through the Blackboard site, including key materials and digital content for the module. Some pre-viewing will be expected and students will be prepared to work collaboratively in different tasks.. 

Students will reflect on their application of content into their placement practice and provide feedback on their experiences.

Study hours

At least 25 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 40% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

Ongoing formative assessment in practical sessions developing subject knowledge, confidence, student engagement and positive contributions to the sessions. Critically reflection of the application of content to placement, drawing connections across the primary curriculum and psychologically informed pedagogies. Throughout this module we will be modelling use of a wide range of assessment techniques, such as eliciting prior knowledge, questioning, peer assessment and observation of practice against criteria.  

Reassessment

Additional costs