PGCE English
Tutors: Roy Goddard, Andrey Rosowsky
The University of Sheffield PGCE English course is a research-led, reflective and exciting course presenting a balanced approach to language and literacy development. It thoroughly prepares student teachers for working with the Key Stage 3 and 4 National Curriculum and post-16 English provision, nurturing critical enquiry. Students are encouraged to respond critically and creatively to curricular and other legislation.
The overall aim of the course is not only to be as practical as possible in providing for the needs of the beginning teacher, but also to encourage critical reflection which will enable teachers to develop their own rationale for English in school.
Fiction, drama, poetry, media and cultural studies, as well as elements of language study, are all given an important place on the course. There is an emphasis on academic reading and critical enquiry, as well as upon practical experience in the classroom; students frequently share the benefits of their experiences and research with their peers in both formal and informal situations.
University-based sessions aim to be practical and workshop based, allowing opportunities to try out teaching ideas. The emphasis of early work on the course is on enabling student teachers to cope with all the aspects of English which they will meet on their first School Experience. Student teachers will be asked to study children´s fiction, poetry and Shakespeare in order to discuss ways of presenting them in class and to read children´s writing in order to decide how to respond to it positively. Student teachers will also be guided in how to plan and present lessons, to set work and assess it, and will be shown how to organise and manage small-group learning. There will be additional workshops on `A´ level teaching, drama and media education.
A close relationship is maintained with the English Departments of the University Partnership schools. Each student teacher will be placed in two of these schools, one on each School Experience. There is close consultation between the PGCE tutor and the English mentor in the schools concerned on existing and changing patterns of English teaching.
Student teachers on the English PGCE course have the use of a teaching room equipped with a digital projector, television/video and a wide range of print-based resources including children´s literature, teaching resources and professional texts.
We are generally looking for students whose degrees are predominantly English based, either in Language or Literature. Where students have a degree in Linguistics or Language, we like them to be able to demonstrate that they have read widely and with enjoyment across a range of literature types including Shakespeare. Even where students' degrees have not covered the full spectrum of literature, a willingness to engage with the canon of English literature is very important. Moreover, knowledge of English Language or linguistics is highly desirable, but not essential, for those who have taken Literature degrees. We also, however, take students with other related degree qualifications (such as in Law or in Journalism), but we are careful to find evidence within the degrees taken, or in students' further studies, of a strong engagement with literature and/or language related work. A look at the National Curriculum for English will give students an understanding of why we feel we need to be rigorous in our selection process, please see:
If a candidate wants to undertake an English PGCE without a language or literature degree, we often encourage them to study for language or literature modules with the Open University or equivalent. These do not have to have been completed before application, but assurance will be sought that plans are in place to complete before the start of the course in September.
http://www3.open.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/arts-and-humanities/english-language/index.htm
Candidates with non-standard qualifications are encouraged to apply. Documentary evidence will need to be provided for those who are offered a place in order to ascertain their equivalence. Help with non-UK qualifications can be found on this site: www.naric.org.uk.
"The PGCE has helped me to develop as a person. It has taught me about the world of work, and acts as a bridge between student life and the professional world."
Laura Shore, English student teacher
Valuing Diversity
The School of Education values diversity and promotes the development of a diverse teaching workforce. We are happy to make any appropriate and reasonable adjustments to enable students with a disability to gain Qualified Teacher Status. In order for this to be possible, we invite anyone with a disability to contact the School´s Disabilities Officer (Dr Tim Corcoran) by telephone or e-mail. Any information can be disclosed in confidence and will be used in order to consider appropriate adjustments to our provision, including the interview process.
T: 0114 2228185
E: t.d.corcoran@sheffield.ac.uk).
Minority Ethnic Recruitment Initiative
The University is committed to a programme of action and strategies to make its Equal Opportunities Policy effective. One such strategy is the Initial Teacher Education course's active membership of the TC21 project. This is run by a consortium of Yorkshire and Humberside Universities and funded by the Training and Development Agency for Schools, with the aim of promoting the recruitment of student teachers from black and minority ethnic groups into Initial Teacher Education. If you would like further information about the TC21 project, are from a black or minority ethnic group and are interested in teaching as a career, please contact Sudha Raghavan, the Minority Ethnic Recruitment Advisor for the Yorkshire and Humberside Region:
T: (0113) 343 4541
E: enquiries@tc21.org.uk
W: http://www.tc21.org.uk
PGCE Enquiries:
T: 0114 2228080, 0114 2228081
E: ite@sheffield.ac.uk