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Essential Primary PGCE

Pre-course reading and activities.

Welcome to the Primary course at Newcastle University. You will have been directed to this page in order that you carry out subject knowledge development, preparatory readings and other activities. It is necessary to complete the essential pre-course reading before the start of the course - we have tried to keep the amount of pre-course reading to a minimum. Some text books may have been recently revised by the author, so please refer to the latest editions.

Further information on what you need to organize before commencing the course is also included below. You will receive further readings once the course begins. Many of the texts that are required throughout the course are available in the library, some as e-books, but links are included through to 'Blackwell Books' and ‘Amazon’ should you wish to buy the books on-line.

General

Before the course, please read the following chapters in Bartlett. S. and Burton D (2020 5th Edition) Introduction to Education Studies

  • Chapter 8
  • Chapter 9

You will need access to the following texts during the course:

Bartlett. S. and Burton D (2020 5th edition) Introduction to Education studies.

Pollard. A. (2018, 5th edition) Teaching in Schools, Continuum, London

English

1. Complete the English section of the Action Plan Document  (Drop Box Word Document) with your needs and begin to monitor your progress.

2. Before the course, please read chapters 7, 8 and 10 in Medwell, J., et al (9th revised edition) Primary English: Knowledge and Understanding and carry out relevant tasks.

3. Before the course, please read chapters 1, 2, 3 and 11 in Medwell, J., et al (9th revised edition) Primary English: Teaching Theory and Practice and carry out relevant tasks.

4. On the English course we will be referring to a number of key texts for a variety of purposes therefore you must download and complete this reading task document:
Key reading tasks (Drop Box Word Document)

5. Prepare a 'read aloud' using a children's book you have enjoyed ('Read Aloud' Task) (word document).

6. Phonics documents have been prepared below. These documents will enable you to be aware of the progression of phonics teaching in one phonic system widely in use.

You will need access to the following texts during the course:

Medwell, J., Wray, D. Moore, G and Griffiths, V. (9th revised edition) Primary English: Knowledge and Understanding

Medwell, J., Wray, D, Minns, H., Griffiths, V. and Coates, L. (9th revised edition) Primary English: Teaching Theory and Practice

Joliffe, W., Waugh, D. and Carss A. (2019). Teaching Systematic Synthetic Phonics. Exeter

Mathematics

1. Complete the Mathematics section of the Action Plan Document (Drop Box word document) with your needs and begin to monitor your progress.

2. Please complete a Key Stage 2 Maths SAT test paper

3. Support your personal mathematical development with Haylock, D. (6th Revised edition) Mathematics Explained for Primary Teachers Sage Publications Ltd

You will need access to the following texts during the course:

Science

1. Complete the Science section of the Action Plan Document (Drop Box word document) with your needs and begin to monitor your progress.

2. Top up and check your basic science knowledge & understanding to KS3 Level: KS3 Science: Complete Study & Practice

You will need access to the following texts during the course:

  • Primary Science: Knowledge and Understanding (Achieving QTS Series, 9th Edition)
  • Primary Science: Teaching Theory and Practice (Achieving QTS Series, 9th Edition) 

Diversity and Equality

The following are recommended texts with no accompanying task.

Computing

  1. You should note there is NO basic ICT 'skills' training on the PGCE course. You are expected to arrive knowing how to use Word, Excel, PowerPoint, email and how to navigate and search the internet effectively. On the course and as a teacher you will be expected to use ICT extensively! 
  2. Review your ICT skills against the Computing programmes of study for key stages 1 and 2 and in the National Curriculum:

National Curriculum - Computing key stages 1 to 2 (computingatschool.org.uk)

and plan actions to address your needs and begin to monitor your progress.

You will need access to the following test

Turvey K, John Potter, et al (2016) Primary Computing and Digital Technologies Knowledge, Understanding and Practice Learning Matters Ltd (7th Edition), Exeter.

Prior Experiences

Students join the PGCE course with a range of work experience. If you have had substantial work experience in an educational setting then read this document: Information

Text Books of Interest - available from library

Cambridge Review - Children, Their World, Their Education - Final report of the Cambridge Primary Review

Holt, J. (1990) How Children Fail; Penguin Books

Wrigley,T. (2006) Another school is possible; London Bookmark Publications

Other Resources

  • Lever arch folders
  • Dividers for the folders that work with plastic wallets
  • Lots of plastic wallets