Bachelor of Education in Foundation Phase Teaching
Education, Training and Development - Early Childhood Development
Purpose and Rationale
Purpose:
- Provide FP teachers with the constructs, concepts, and procedures inherent in the Foundation Phase (FP).
- Train well-grounded and competent FP teachers with knowledge and skills to facilitate learners' access to Literacy, Numeracy, and Life Skills in their home languages.
- Expose FP teachers to diverse and inclusive learning environments in the South African context.
- Develop FP teachers' theoretical foundations and research scholarship through orientations to research in FP classrooms.
- Provide supervised teaching practice in schools for at least seven to ten weeks in the third and fourth years of study.
- Offer mentorship from mentor teachers and university lecturers throughout the program.
- Enhance academic literacy skills and ICT skills for academic tasks and teaching in the FP.
Rationale:
- To address the demand for teachers in the Foundation Phase (FP) where supply is currently limited.
- Specifically, to address the shortage of teachers proficient in teaching in African languages in the FP.
- Monitoring of teacher education enrolments showed a need for more teachers, especially in the FP.
- Collaboration with universities within a consortium to develop the BEd (FP) qualification.
- Funding obtained from the European Union (EU) to increase the number of institutions offering BEd (FP) to address the shortage.
- Involvement in developing a BEd (FP) qualification since 2011 to meet the identified gap in FP teachers, particularly in teaching African languages.
Outcomes
- Acquire adequate knowledge and skills to facilitate FP teachers' epistemological access to Literacy, Numeracy and Life Skills which are the fundamental components of the Foundation Phase (FP) curriculum.
- Be exposed to diverse and inclusive learning environments in order to understand the complexities and dynamics of teaching in the South African context.
- Conduct research and develop theoretical foundations for orientations in FP classrooms.
Assessment Criteria
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1:
- FP teachers are taught in their home languages.
- Develop a well-rounded teacher with deep subject content and pedagogical knowledge, particularly in Literacy, Numeracy, and Lifeskills.
- Apply an understanding of child development in cognitive, emotional, social, and psycho-motor domains when teaching.
- Understand and critically engage with literature on theories relevant to literacy, numeracy, and life skills teaching.
- Integrate and apply constructs, concepts, and procedures in order to teach in the Foundation Phase.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2:
- Empower FP teachers with practical skills in areas such as lesson designing, preparing, and developing materials for the classroom.
- Design FP learning programmes and teach and assess lessons in the FP, reflecting on them.
- Share experiences and exchange information within groups, gaining confidence.
- Conduct micro teaching in key areas of FP (Literacy, Numeracy, and Lifeskills).
- Evaluate understanding and ability to apply work in different settings through presentations, micro teaching, and supervised teaching practice.
- Strengthen communication skills and develop a sense of independence.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3:
- Conduct research in FP classrooms based on one of the FP subjects to apply theoretical and practical knowledge.
- Examine, critically analyse, and apply theories of development and learning in the FP classroom.
- Challenge FP teachers to research their own practices in preparation for postgraduate studies in early childhood education.
Integrated Assessment:
- Assess learners' level of understanding and their ability to apply, analyse, critique, and evaluate knowledge as prospective teachers.
- Expose learners to academic writing through written assignments and research in FP classrooms.
- Provide observation opportunities in schools with experienced teachers.
- Place learners in schools for supervised teaching practice for at least seven to ten weeks.
- Assess FP teachers based on set criteria such as preparation quality, subject content knowledge, interaction with learners, use of teaching resources, assessment quality, critical thinking challenges, classroom management, and lesson reflection.
- Conduct formative assessment through continuous feedback, classwork, tests, assignments, presentations, projects, and micro teaching.
- Provide summative assessment through examinations in May/June and October/November each year to determine progression levels.
Qualification Details
- Type
- National First Degree
- NQF Level
- 07
- Min. Credits
- 480
- SAQA Source
- More Information
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