Regional Tutor Catherine Healey talks about the Teachers of Children with Hearing Impairment course
Nature of the Programme
Candidates can follow the Programme of Study at one of two levels: BPhil or Postgraduate Diploma. Both levels lead to the award of the mandatory qualification for those students who are eligible. Those candidates who successfully complete the Postgraduate Diploma may use this as credits towards the degree of MEd. The course content is identical for both levels of study, but students studying for the higher Postgraduate Diploma level will be expected to submit assignments which are both longer and display a greater degree of reflection and insight.
This is a distance education programme and regular attendance at the University is not required. Course content is embodied in a series of written and online course Units with accompanying recommended reading and resource materials. Attendance is compulsory at two annual Residential Schools at the University of Birmingham, and students are expected to attend seminars/workshops held in the students’ region. The most common pattern is six seminars lasting three hours each academic year, held on Saturdays, but there may be some regional groups may negotiate a different pattern. Regional tutors are appointed by the University to organise regional seminars and help in course assessment.
The Residential Schools provide opportunities for demonstrations and practice in the use of materials and equipment, lectures, discussions and tutorials.
Support for Deaf Students
Support is provided for students who are deaf or who have a hearing impairment. Once a student has been accepted onto the programme, a Learning Support Agreement is drawn up with the student and identified support needs are met. This could be the provision of BSL/ISL interpreters and/or note takers.
Support for all Students
The University appoints Honorary Tutors who are responsible for organising and providing regional seminars for small groups of students. The University team works closely with these tutors to ensure an effective system of academic, practical and pastoral support. These seminars are essential components of the Programme of Study. Candidates must be prepared to undertake some travelling, within a region, in order to meet with their group.
Also, each student is expected to obtain the services of a local qualified teacher of the deaf who will act as a ‘mentor’ and assist them throughout the course. Mentors are asked to support the student in a number of ways, for example, setting ideas presented in the course materials within a local context, helping with the arrangements for visits, and facilitating access to equipment.
A further level of student support is offered via the programme’s elearning web pages, and students need to have access to the internet. Students must also have regular access to e-mail throughout the course.
The Role of the Education Authority/School
The employing authority/school in which the student is located needs to:
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Identify for the University a qualified experienced teacher of deaf children who will act as mentor for the student (see above). On average approximately one hour a week of local support is needed. In some small schools and authorities it might be necessary to buy in this support.
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Release the candidate from teaching duties for at least half a day per week for work related to the Programme of Study and for the seventeen days practical placement during year 1.
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Release the candidate for the two annual Residential Schools.
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Note that as the regional seminars, the visits programme and teaching placements may involve considerable travelling for the student, and authorities might wish to cost such travelling into their estimates for the total cost of the course.
Assessment is organised on a modular basis. Each of the four taught modules has an assessed written assignment. The teaching and learning module is examined by an assignment, plus a portfolio comprising an activities file, a log of observations and visits, and evidence of successful completion of a practical test of audiology skills.
The assessed teaching module requires pass grades on the practical teaching and the teaching files, as well as a pass grade on a 2000 word assignment, evidence of INSET work, and evidence of signing competence equivalent to CACDP/Signature Stage 1 (or SLA 1 for students from Ireland).
Practical Work
An integral part of the programme is the school-based work. All students are required to complete in their own time a programme of visits to educational establishments for deaf pupils, and clinics concerned with diagnosis of hearing impairment and prescription of hearing aids. The log of these visits and observations is assessed as part of the Teaching and Learning in Deaf Education module.
Students taking the Assessed Teaching Placement module are required to complete two periods of assessed teaching totalling approximately 40 days of teaching over the two years of the course. For those working as teachers of the deaf the second of these placements will normally be in their own place of work. Students must be prepared to undertake some travelling in order to fulfil the requirements of this element of the programme.
Release for Observations/Visits/Private Study
Course members are expected to be released from their normal duties for the equivalent of least half a day per week. Some of this time will be taken up with visits and observations, and the rest will be used for private study.