Supporting Successful Learning in Primary School (FutureLearn)

Overview

Build your understanding of learning and teaching to gain confidence in supporting children in school as a teaching assistant. Improve the support you provide for children’s learning in primary school. Giving children in primary school the right support is vital. On this course, you’ll hear from education experts, school staff, and school children who provide insight into how children learn, the learning environment, and communicating in school.

You’ll explore some of the theories underlying people’s behavior that could impact learning in school, and you’ll reflect on your own experiences in the classroom to help build on your confidence and working practices.

By the end of the course, you’ll be better equipped to improve the support you provide in the education of children.

Syllabus

Week 1: You and others

• An introduction to values, beliefs, and attitudes
• Understanding the unconscious
• Looking at your own biases and reflecting upon them
• Reflecting on your own values

Week 2: How people learn

• An introduction to how people learn
• Exploring a child’s view of their environment through their eyes, as well as hearing about their world views
• Looking at the expectations we have of children
• Building on what children know and what they should know

Week 3: The environment for learning

• An introduction to the learning environment and what consists of
• Exploring misconceptions about managing a classroom and finding out what teaching is like in reality
• Introduction of student behaviour through a case study: The sofa
• Understanding the psychology behind primary and secondary behaviors

Week 4: Communication, language, and literacy

• Introduction to aspects of communication within teaching
• Learners to take part in activities that include communicating and listening
• Exploring the importance of asking the right question
• Share examples of good practice
• How to plan effective questions for the classroom

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to,

• Demonstrate knowledge and confidence to work more effectively in supporting and teaching children in early years and primary.
• Apply for the course as a tool for teaching and classroom support.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the advice available to consider teaching as a career.

Teacher

• Helen Bilton