Latest Module Specifications
Current Academic Year 2025 - 2026
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Description The module will enable students to gain a wide range of professional learning experiences in planning for, teaching and critically reflecting upon all day in any mainstream primary school setting and in developing their adaptive expertise. Throughout the ten-week (school) placement, students will be expected to maintain consistent standards of effective planning, teaching, critical reflection and evaluation and to develop skills in short and long-term planning and the completion of the Cuntas Míosúil (monthly progress report). Planning approaches to differentiating for all learners, including children with various additional educational needs in the primary school, will be integral to all elements of student preparation for teaching. Students will be expected to plan and manage the learning environment to construct effective curriculum-aligned learning outcomes and meaningful teaching/learning experiences. During the placement, students will also engage in a series of professional learning activities to allow them to experience the many dimensions of whole-school life and to contribute to its activities. Students will have opportunities to engage in professional dialogue with their Treoraí (and other school staff) and to participate in activities such as ongoing assessment and co-teaching. Students will further enhance their familiarity with the Code of Professional Conduct (Teaching Council) and its implications for the professional role of the teacher, and they will apply these standards to their own professional practice. Students will develop their knowledge of statutory requirements for safety, health and welfare management systems in schools and they will engage with local school policies and protocols as part of their obligations. Students will engage in critical and shared reflection on the elements of their placement, informed by coursework and school-based learning, in line with the Teaching Council's continuum of portfolio-based learning. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Learning Outcomes | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml |
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Indicative Content and Learning Activities
Child Safeguarding Statutory requirements revisited, including relevant updates. University policy, protocols and procedures pertaining to Child Safeguarding for students on Professional Placement reviewed (including re-engagement with online training, as required). School policy, protocols and procedures pertaining to Child Safeguarding reviewed. Enactment of above and other relevant policies/protocols in preparation, teaching and engagement with children. Code of Professional Conduct Privacy and confidentiality around information received in the classroom/school. Familiarization with the Code of Professional Conduct (Teaching Council) and how the domains pertain to the student teachers as emerging professionals. Long and Short-Term Planning Advanced methods in planning (short-term and long-term planning) to include the preparation of logical progressional schemes of work, daily plans with succinct structured lesson notes and the completion of the Cuntas Míosúil. Teaching Resources Preparation and curation of a resource folder which contains physical and digital resources (commercial / school-provided / self-made) to support teaching and learning, across the curriculum, during the placement. All-Day Teaching Engagement in all day teaching for the majority of this placement: teaching across the full curriculum on a weekly basis and responsibility for the full range of activities (including procedural, non-teaching slots - for example entry/exit of the pupils, roll call...) in the daily timetable. Creation and curation of a weekly timetable is required. Reflection/Evaluation Engagement in multiple reflective tasks (daily/weekly/block period, as required) to reflect upon (professional) progression and to identify strengths and challenges. Pupil Assessment Preparation and curation of an assessment folder (with various prescribed elements) to provide formative and summative insights on the pupils, and to influence the planning/teaching cycle. Personal and Professional Resilience when Teaching Development of adaptive expertise. Capacity to deal with unexpected events in a professional manner. Flexibility and adaptability to children's learning and changes in the school and wider educational environment. Prioritisation of wellbeing, self-care and personal awareness during the placement. Professional Activities Engagement in a series of prescribed professional activities during the placement to enhance awareness of: the wider school context, the role of parents, inclusive education practices, team-teaching etc... | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Indicative Reading List Books:
Articles: None | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Other Resources
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