Supporting Successful Learning in Primary School
Build your understanding of learning and teaching to gain confidence in supporting children in school as a teaching assistant.
Duration
4 weeksWeekly study
3 hours
Supporting Successful Learning in Primary School
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 behaviour 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.
What topics will you cover?
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 behaviours
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
When would you like to start?
Start straight away and join a global classroom of learners. If the course hasn’t started yet you’ll see the future date listed below.
Available now
Learning on this course
On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.
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 the course as a tool for teaching and classroom support.
- Demonstrate an understanding of the advice available to consider teaching as a career.
Who is the course for?
This course is for teaching assistants and support staff in early years and primary school. It will also be of interest to teachers returning to work, newly qualified teachers, as well as providing a refresher for current teachers. Parents of children in schools may also find this course useful in helping them to support and encourage their children’s learning.
This course focusses on teaching and learning in primary schools. If you work in a secondary school, you may like to join: Supporting Successful Learning in Secondary Schools.
Who will you learn with?
I am Professor of Outdoor Learning and Play at the University of Reading. I am also Director of the Postgraduate Certificate in Healthcare Education.
Who developed the course?
University of Reading
The University of Reading has a reputation for excellence in teaching, research and enterprise.
Learning on FutureLearn
Your learning, your rules
- Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps to help you keep track of your learning
- Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
- Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores
Join a global classroom
- Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
- Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
- Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others
Map your progress
- As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
- Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control
- Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate
Want to know more about learning on FutureLearn? Using FutureLearn
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Get a taste of this course
Find out what this course is like by previewing some of the course steps before you join:
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