Advanced Certificate in Foundation Phase Teaching
Education, Training and Development - Schooling
Purpose and Rationale
Qualification Overview
Purpose:
The qualification aims to enhance teachers' understanding of core domain knowledge and professional teaching knowledge in mathematics, language, natural and social sciences for the Foundation Phase. This involves knowledge of the specific curriculum to be taught, a deeper understanding of the concepts that underpin the specific subject knowledge as well as effective ways of teaching these concepts. It also focuses on developing teachers' understanding of how children learn to count and calculate, and how children learn to read. The qualification has two key aims in relation to the issue of subject content knowledge. The first aim is to develop the teachers' own engagement with reading and writing as well as oral and written English accuracy and fluency and their general knowledge of key concepts and content in the natural and social sciences. The second is to address specific areas of difficulty that teachers encounter in teaching in the Foundation Phase, for example an integrated approach to teaching and differentiated instruction that accommodates various levels of learner competence in a single class. The qualification enables teachers to analyse and reflect on learner products for the purposes of feedback as well as to inform further teaching and learning. The qualification is conceptualised around giving teachers greater confidence in both what they are teaching and how they are teaching, thus they will be developing both their ability to teach as well as their professional identities. The qualification takes seriously the notion of progression from Grade R to Grade 1 and from Foundation to Intermediate Phase, and thus consolidates both the teachers' knowledge of Foundation Phase and extends their knowledge beyond this to what knowledge learners will encounter in the future years of schooling.
Rationale:
This qualification responds to a research-based consensus on the need to develop teachers' subject knowledge, as well as to develop practical knowledge of how to teach that content. It is based on the understanding that teachers cannot teach effectively if they do not have a solid grounding in the subjects that they are teaching, and invariably will not understand the ways in which the learners learn. The qualification aims to:
- Recognise the professional development of teachers with a qualification in Foundation Phase teaching and/or to retrain qualified teachers in a new area of teaching, namely teaching in the Foundation Phase.
- Deepen subject matter knowledge, general principles and methodology in relation to teaching Grades R-3.
- Develop appropriate knowledge, skills, values, attitudes and dispositions of teachers within the fields of Foundation Phase curriculum, policy, and pedagogy.
- Enable teachers to develop disciplinary, pedagogical, practical and situational learning and reflexive competences in teaching and learning in the Foundation Phase of schooling.
The qualification includes a simulated work experience or work integrated learning (WIL). In addition, this qualification will equip teachers to undertake more specialised and intensive learning as part of their continuing professional development.
Outcomes
- Demonstrate understanding and application of content knowledge and pedagogical skills for teaching Foundation Phase subject areas.
- Identify and address challenges (barriers to learning) in relation to emergent school knowledge acquisition.
- Facilitate curriculum differentiation for multiple learning levels within a grade in the Foundation Phase.
- Demonstrate professional dispositions (attitudes, values and beliefs).
Assessment Criteria
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1:
- Discuss and apply terms, concepts, facts, principles, rules, and theories related to foundation phase teaching for effective teaching and learning strategies.
- Apply knowledge of a classroom situation during practical and situational teaching.
- Discuss the origin and content of different schools of thought in foundation phase teaching.
- Compare and evaluate different schools of thought in foundation phase teaching.
- Demonstrate knowledge of Language, Mathematics, and Life Skills subjects in the Foundation Phase.
- Demonstrate literacy skills and a culture of reading and writing for enjoyment and information.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2:
- Identify the range of challenges faced by early childhood education in different South African contexts.
- Discuss the challenges teachers encounter when teaching in environments with a high incidence of HIV/AIDS and poverty.
- Evaluate and discuss possible solutions for the identified challenges.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3:
- Understand and apply different perspectives on learning, focusing on constructivist and contemporary learning theories.
- Explain and apply different types of learning.
- Construct learning environments using various teaching methods.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4:
- Undertake effective and professional communication with relevant stakeholders within the school context.
- Demonstrate the ability to communicate accurately and coherently while respecting intellectual property conventions.
- Practice and promote a critical, committed, and ethical attitude towards developing respect and responsibility towards others.
- Create a supportive and empowering environment for learners while considering the educational needs of learners and fellow educators.
- Make decisions and act upon them in a professional, ethical, and moral manner, justifying decisions and actions with appropriate ethical and moral values.
Integrated Assessment:
- Utilize formative assessment for ongoing feedback throughout the teaching and learning process.
- Assignments contribute to a minimum of 10% of the teacher's final mark in some modules.
- Employ summative assessment at the end to determine if exit level outcomes have been achieved.
- Assess practical professional competency in an authentic setting.
- Include clear procedures for experienced teachers in associate schools to serve as co-assessors.
- Require teachers to compile a teaching resource portfolio assessed by the mentor lecturer after completing the teaching practice period.
Qualification Details
- Type
- Advanced Certificate
- NQF Level
- 06
- Min. Credits
- 120
- SAQA Source
- More Information
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This page includes information from the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) . Builtneat Pty Ltd trading as Study Start, has modified all or some of this information. SAQA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.