Diploma in Education (DipEd) Programme Overview of Courses (Updated on 11 th June 2013. Next Update will be on September 2014) First Year August (Semester 1) January (Semester 2) Core Courses: Core Courses: Curriculum Studies (CS): DCE 100: Teaching Reading and Writing I Subject Knowledge (SK): DSE 102: Exploring the Language and Structure of Texts Certificate in English Language Studies (CELS): DUE 101: The Study of Language DUE 102: Pedagogical Grammar of English DLK 101: English for Academic and Professional Purposes 1 DLK 131: English for Academic and Professional Purposes 2 Subject Knowledge (SK): DSE 100: Grammar Certificate in English Language Studies (CELS) DUE 103: Effective Oral Communication DUE 104: Effective Written Communication DUE 105: Grammar in Use DLK 101: English for Academic and Professional Purposes 3 DLK 131: English for Academic and Professional Purposes 4 Second Year August (Semester 1) January (Semester 2) Core Courses: Curriculum Studies (CS): DCE 200: Teaching Reading and Writing II Core Courses: Curriculum Studies (CS): DCE 201: Teaching Oral Communication Certificate in English Language Studies (CELS): DUE 201: Children s Literature DLK 201: Communication Skills for Teachers 3 DLK 231: Communication Skills for Teachers 4 DLK 201: Communication Skills for Teachers 1 DLK 231: Communication Skills for Teachers 2 1 Course taken by student teachers who are enrolled in a one year Diploma in Education (Chinese Language; Primary) 2 Course taken by student teachers who are enrolled in Diploma in Education (Art/Music Education; Year 1) and Diploma in Education (Home Economics; Year 1). 3 Course taken by student teachers who are enrolled in Diploma in Education (Mother Tongue; Year 2), Diploma in Physical Education and Diploma in Education (General; Primary). 4 Course taken by student teachers who are enrolled in Diploma in Education (Art/Music Education; Year 2) and Diploma in Education (Mother Tongue; Secondary).
Diploma in Education (English Language; Primary) Individual Course Listings and Descriptions Student teachers enrolled in the Diploma in Education (General) to teach English Language at the primary levels are offered a range of courses that include: Curriculum Studies (CS) Subject Knowledge (SK) Certificate in English Language Studies (CELS) Individual courses are listed below accompanied by course descriptions and objectives. Curriculum Studies DCE 100: Teaching Reading & Writing I This course aims to provide first year student teachers with an introduction into the world of language learning and literacy. They will understand the purpose of planning meaningful and integrated reading and writing lessons for lower primary classrooms and they will acquire pedagogical knowledge about reading and writing processes. Student teachers will gain familiarity in conducting the Shared Book Approach (SBA) and the Language Experience Approach (LEA). Significantly, student teachers will also learn how to teach grammar, phonics and vocabulary through these approaches. The role of the classroom environment and classroom management practices will examined as significant aspects for effective implementation of the approaches in primary school classrooms. Student teachers will become familiar with the learning outcomes of the 2010 MOE English Language Syllabus and they will be introduced to a range of assessment tools to monitor the development of pupils reading and writing. understand how various theories of language learning and literacy impact the teaching and learning of reading and writing at the lower primary level develop skills in planning, implementing and evaluating reading and writing lessons develop a clear understanding of the theory and application of the Shared Book Approach (SBA) and the Language Experience Approach (LEA) be aware of the significance of developing grammar, phonics and vocabulary through these two approaches
DCE 200: Teaching Reading & Writing II This course focuses on the strategies for teaching, monitoring and assessing reading and writing at the upper primary levels in primary schools. It also aims to equip student teachers with the knowledge and skills to teach vocabulary and grammar, and to use information and communication technology for English Language learning. Fiction and non fiction texts and children s literature will be used in this course once again with close reference to the 2010 MOE English Language Syllabus. design reading and writing lesson plans using the instructional strategies introduced. articulate the underpinning principles of responding to students writing. apply appropriate strategies to teach vocabulary and grammar at the upper primary levels. DCE 201: Teaching Oral Communication This course focuses on equipping student teachers with the theoretical knowledge, skills and strategies to teach oral communication at the lower and upper primary levels. Student teachers will learn how to select learning outcomes for the teaching oral communication as specified by the 2010 MOE English Language Syllabus as well as current theories of language learning and literacy. Student teachers will work on instructional strategies by planning lessons for the teaching of listening and viewing and speaking and representing at the primary school levels. interpret and understand the focus areas and learning outcomes for teaching the language skill of listening and viewing, speaking and representing as specified by the 2010 MOE English Language Syllabus plan classroom ready lessons that incorporate the use of multi modal resources for teaching oral communication design effective classroom activities for teaching listening and viewing, and speaking and representing apply appropriate assessment modes for specific oral communication tasks.
Subject Knowledge DSE 100: Grammar This course introduces student teachers to the grammatical structures of the English Language, enabling them to understand the language requirements of the 2010 English Language Syllabus. Through examining the grammatical systems of English in selected types of texts, the course explores ways of explaining grammar in use. understand, analyze and articulate basic patterns of English sentence structure understand the study of grammar in relation to pedagogy as outlined in the English Language Syllabus. understand how lexis and grammatical structure create meaning understand the metalanguage of grammar DSE 102 : Exploring the Language and Structure of Texts In this course, student teachers will understand how language is used in different types of texts to achieve different purposes. They will study both fiction and non fiction texts written for children, and will learn how to analyse these types of texts in terms of context, purpose and audience to identify organisational structures, as well as key language features. Through tutorial activities, student teachers will see how all these features of texts work together and are used by readers and writers to communicate and construct meaning. understand the organizational structures of curriculum types of texts understand that different types of texts are written to achieve different purposes understand that grammatical structures and vocabulary help to make writing fit different subject areas analyse the structure and language features of texts
Certificate in English Language Studies (CELS) This programme is for Diploma in Education (General) student teachers who are taking English Language as a Curriculum Studies subject either as CS1 or CS2. There are three content enhancement courses and three language enhancement courses in this programme. (1) CELS Content Enhancement Courses DUE 101: The Study of Language This course is a basic introduction to the study of language, with a special focus on English. It provides an overview of the major branches of linguistics, including formal areas such as phonetics and grammar, as well as areas that look at language as a socio cultural phenomenon. The relevance of the systematic study of language to education and teaching is emphasized throughout the course. By the end of the course, student teachers will: have a basic understanding of the different ways in which language can be studied, and of how the various areas are interrelated have a good understanding of the nature of human language, both in terms of its structural properties as well as its role in society be able to articulate basic facts about language and support their claims with evidence from scholarship introduced in this course DUE 102: Pedagogical Grammar of English This course introduces students to the key concepts, theories and issues related to the study of grammar. It equips students with the knowledge, skills and metalanguage to understand, analyze and articulate basic patterns of English sentence structure. Student teachers will also be able to understand how to apply the study of grammar to pedagogy, and be able to make grounded judgments in the use of textbooks, grammar references and other teaching resources for instruction and to teach grammar through the use of authentic texts. By the end of the course, student teachers will able to: understand how English grammar works use the metalanguage of grammar to talk about the English language analyze English sentence structures make sense of and deal with errors commonly encountered in student writing in schools.
DUE 201: Children s Literature This course introduces student teachers to selections of traditional and contemporary children s literature from the West, Asia, and other parts of the world. In addition, the course equips them with a basic knowledge of the elements of literature, approaches to literary criticism, artistic elements and features of design in picture books, and language of poetry. By the end of the course, student teachers will: have a deep appreciation of children s literature become familiar with basic literary terms and concepts (2) CELS Language Enhancement Courses The following three courses are conducted concurrently at the end of each academic year in the form of a Language Camp. DUE 103: Effective Oral Communication DUE 104: Effective Written Communication DUE 105: Grammar in Use Taught in an integrated manner, these three courses equip student teachers with the knowledge and skills for continual self directed improvement in spoken and written Singapore Standard English. Topics such as using correct pronunciation, word stress, and the language (vocabulary and grammar) of Standard English are integrated into the learning process. Student teachers will focus on one of three themes which are Digital Storytelling, Digital Journalism or Digital Newsletters to learn the principles of effective oral and written communication. By the end of the course, student teachers will: develop their competency in using oral English effectively in performing their professional duties raise their metacognitive knowledge and awareness of their own oral language use develop self directed and independent learning through self access and online learning develop collaborative learning skills and teamwork through project work develop ICT skills that are relevant to the school context
Language Enhancement and Academic Discourse Skills (LEADS) DLK101/ DLK131: English for Academic and Professional Purposes This course is designed to develop student teachers language and communicative competence towards two desired outcomes. The first is to equip student teachers with the thinking and language skills needed to produce appropriate texts in course related writing tasks. The second is to guide them towards a reader focused and socially aware approach to written communication with colleagues, parents, and other people that teachers interact with in the course of their work. In addressing these outcomes, the course will also raise awareness of how grammar can affect meaning. take a rhetorical, reader focused and socially aware approach to written communication analyse communication tasks and situations to determine the social and communicative purpose of the written product and the expectations of the target audience select and organise meaning to meet the conventions of written genres used in educational settings demonstrate awareness of the role of grammar for effective communication DLK201/DLK231: Communication Skills for Teachers This is a practical course designed to provide student teachers with the oral and written skills necessary to communicate effectively as teachers in the classroom and in their professional interaction with colleagues, students, parents and the general public. There are three segments of study in the course: Voice and Pronunciation, Oral and Written Communication, and Use of Oral Language in the Classroom. Student teachers will learn about vocal health care and vocal quality. They will be given instruction on pronunciation and articulation, and the practice of pronunciation and good voice production will be embedded in subsequent tutorials. The concepts of purpose, audience and context in effective communication will be explored and student teachers will engage in activities of making oral and written presentations in a variety of school contexts. There will be an emphasis on using oral language to build interaction and scaffold learning in the classroom. Built into the tutorials are also opportunities for student teachers to reflect on their practices and how the knowledge and skills that they have acquired during the course will be of help in projecting their professional image. By the end of the course, student teachers will: appreciate how to support good voice production, vocal health care and quality understand the importance of being a good model of Singapore Standard English and use a dictionary and online resources to resolve pronunciation and word stress difficulties understand of the importance of considering purpose, audience and context when communicating
appreciate various roles that teachers take on in school based interaction understand the significance of voice modulation, body language and cultural practices in communication communicate more effectively to manage students, give oral feedback, and to promote student learning and thinking communicate more effectively in workplace speaking and writing contexts