EDM188: Educating Diverse Groups

Module code: EDM188

Module provider: Institute of Education

Credits: 20

Level: Postgraduate Masters

When you'll be taught: Semester 2

Module convenor: Professor Catherine Tissot, email: c.tissot@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: Yes

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 5 August 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

This module provides an opportunity for students to gain a better understanding of the diverse groups that are seen in schools and settings. This includes children with disabilities as well as other disadvantaged groups that a teacher may see in a mainstream classroom. It explores the theoretical basis for inclusion as well as the impact this has on practice. It will also debate the impact that diverse groups have on society. Topics covered include: inclusion, social justice, the way England supports diverse groups of children including some specific disabilities such as autism spectrum disorder, and dyslexia, as well as how we support other minority groups such as issues relating to gender, socioeconomic disadvantage and ethnicity. etc. Each session will start with an exploration of recent academic literature and provide a description, history and current research.

Aims

• To develop an understanding of the different groups of learners and the impact this may have on their education and educational setting
• To contextualise the meaning of inclusion and the impact this has on educational settings
• To develop an understanding of current research on the specific types of disabilities and disadvantaged groups
• To increase understanding of the approaches to teaching specific types of diverse groups
• To increase awareness of the historical context of disability and diversity as well as current government guidelines

Module learning outcomes

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

1. Critically evaluate contemporary research on the nature of disability to develop an enhanced understanding of the research around best practice in working with students with additional learning needs
2. Critically analyse recent national initiatives on the teaching of children with additional learning needs and discuss and debate issues related to disabilities and the impact this has on society
3. Develop an academic argument on one aspect of disability and the impact on practice
4. Critically evaluate their current or past practice in the light of evidence

Module content

The taught content may vary slightly depending on guest lecturers availability:

• Special educational needs and diversity and the impact on society
• What does inclusion mean theoretically as well as in practice
• Reading difficulties
• Learners with English as an additional language
• Diversity in education
• Student led workshop on research literature relevant to the assignment
• Mental health
• Autism
• Personal experience of disability

* Remotely delivered sessions/F2F dependent on visiting speakers

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

Teaching and learning activities will include lectures and seminars, peer-led group discussions, and discussions about research literature – some F2F and some online (due to guest lecturer availability). Students will need to do some weekly pre-session reading focusing on research literature or social context of disability.

Study hours

At least 20 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 50% 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.

Reassessment

Additional costs