2. Session Aims
■ Introduction to academic writing at Level 4
■ Conventions of academic writing
■ Engagement with the Level 4 Assessment Criteria
■ Introduction to the Childhood Assignment
■ Beginning to write
3. Thanks to Rebecca Austin for her webinar
31st October 2018 on
THE ASSIGNMENTWRITING
PROCESS
(You will find the link to the webinar in this
folder.)
5. Let’s start at the very beginning…….
Academic writing is:
- formal
- informed by evidence (theory
- and practice
- informed by policy
- succinct
Word count must be included at the end of every essay.
You are permitted to exceed this by 10%
6. Why am I writing
assignments? What is the purpose
of the Childhood
assignment?
7. The introduction
What? -
Who? When? Where?
Usually one paragraph
o Introduces the topic
o Provides background
information and context
o Presents your line of
argument/viewpoint
The body
Why? -
made up of several
paragraphs
o Topic sentence
o Main point
o Concluding sentence/link
o Topic sentence
o Main point
o Concluding sentence/link
o Topic sentence
o Main point
o Concluding sentence/link
The conclusion
So what? -
Usually one paragraph
o Sums up your argument
with reference to the
question
13. Avoid opinion
Students need to work on:
“… achieving a ‘workable balance between self and sources’ (Groom, 2000: p. 65)… Groom
(2000) describes three patterns of difficulty.
– The first, called ‘solipsistic voice’, means that students express their own experiences and
opinions without reference to the literature.
■ So make sure you’ve done your reading and are equipped with knowledge.
– The second, the ‘unaverred voice’ refers to students who offer ‘a patchwork of
summaries of other authors’ views’ (p. 67) without making own claims …
■ So make sure you know what youthink – and understand. Take a stand!
– The third pattern is the ‘unattributed voice’; here students make propositions sound as if
they were their own idea when in fact they were taken from another source.” (p.147)
■ So make sure you know where your ideas come from and reference carefully
14. How will I introduce the assignment?
An introduction should comprise approximately 10% of total essay
eg 200 words for a 2,000 word essay
15. How will I conclude it?
A conclusion should comprise approximately 10% of total essay
eg 200 words for a 2,000 word essay
18. In short…
■ You have to UNDERSTAND what you are writing about: Read to understand
■ You have to HAVE SOMETHINGTO SAY – an argument to make – something you
feel/believe in: Read to establish what your argument/position is and where it comes
from (what support there is from your reading)
■ You have to STRUCTURE the argument so that you can convince your reader : Use
formal language and register, clearly signposting the reader through your work.
■ A good argument is based on understanding which is demonstrated through the way
in which you present your position
20. What does critical thinking involve?
o Identifying and presenting arguments
o Weighing up evidence
o Checking for bias and false premises
o Making comparisons
o Synthesising information
23. Read the following:
What is the point of rewards and
sanctions? (Sangster, 2013)
Sangster, M. (2013) ‘Does rewarding children
lead to independent learners?’ Chapter 12 in
DevelopingTeacher Expertise. London:
Bloomsbury.
Highlight key points
24. Now relate what you have read to what you
have observed children do in practice.
25. Questions, questions, questions…related to the reading
What ?
What is the main issue?
What are the key terms
Supports the introduction to your
writing
Who? When? Where?
Setting the context
Develops the introduction to your
writing
Why?
Reasons, logical
explanations, causes
The deeper analysis -based
on your reading and
thinking over time
So what?
What are the implications?
Justify your position
The evaluation, summary,
What next?
26. Transfer key points
to this critical
writing frame
Critical Reading Frame
Title of article/ book:
Author/s:
Date written:
General Synopsis of Article:
Main Arguments:
Sources which have informed the writer
28. Can you write a couple of paragraphs about
how to reward children.
■ Do consider our responsibilities/ accountability as teachers
■ Do consider theory/ies
■ Do conclude with your own stance.
30. ASSIGNMENT TITLE:
A CASE STUDY EXPLORING THE CHILD AS A LEARNER.
This is ONE submission which will include PART ONE and PART TWO to be SUBMITTED AS ONE DOCUMENT.
You will find all assignment information by selecting the ASSESSMENTS tab on the Childhood Blackboard. This will include:
• The Childhood Assignment Bucket
• Guidance on how to submit your work to Turnitin:
– Video tutorial
– Word document
• The assignment brief (with accompanying PowerPoint and Targets from Previous Assignment box)
• The assessment grading criteria - level 4
• PART ONE: Journal of Observations guidance
• A checklist for your assignment submission
• PART TWO: Your essay – guidance.
EXTRA SUPPORT for assignment writing can be accessed by clicking
on the ‘student support’ tab and entering the Student Learning Development board.
Cite Them Right will help you with Harvard style referencing – this is on your student
portal.
31. Submission Date: Wednesday 8th July 2020 by 2
p.m.
Return date : Wednesday 29th July 2020 at 5pm
ONE document which includes Marking Feedback
Box, PART ONE (Journal of Observations) and PART
TWO (Essay) to be submitted electronically via
Turnitin.
Support for the Turnitin process can be found on
Blackboard
https://learn.canterbury.ac.uk/webapps/blackboard/conte
nt/listContentEditable.jsp?content_id=_1972591_1&course
_id=_9980_1&mode=reset
32. WHAT IS A CASE STUDY?
• It is a type of research inquiry that examines a real life contemporary
phenomenon. It is usual for multiple sources of evidence to be used
(Yin, 2009).
• Fry et al (1999) describe case studies as complex examples which give an
insight into the context of a problem as well as illustrating the main
point.
33. PART ONE: JOURNAL OF OBSERVATIONS.
• Choose one focus child
• Discuss with the class teacher which child to select.
• Ask for any data for this child which is related to their learning and
holistic development. This might be observation information as part of
assessment against the Early Learning Goals, SATs results, reading test
scores, school report etc
Please anonymise all persons and settings
YOU CAN CHOOSE WHETHER YOU WRITE YOUR JOURNAL ELECTRONICALLY OR IN HARD COPY BUT
PLEASE BE AWARE THAT IT WILL NEED TO BE SUBMITTED ELECTRONICALLY TO TURNITIN ALONG
WITH YOUR ESSAY
34. PART ONE: JOURNAL OF OBSERVATIONS.
You can choose whether you write your journal electronically or in hard copy but please be aware that
it will need to be submitted electronically to Turnitin along with your essay as ONE document.
Guidance for how to write your
Journal can be found on BB –
Assessment tab
35. WORK WITH YOUR FOCUS CHILD
EACH DAY YOU ARE IN SCHOOL
• Begin your Journal of Observations diary using the prompts provided - PART ONE: Journal of Observations
on Placement Guidance. Add entries as you:
- observe them at play, in the playground, the classroom, the dining hall, a School Club etc
- Make notes on their physical development
- Make notes about their communication and use of language
Try to hear them read each day.
Work with them across a range of subjects in the classroom to see how they learn.
Get to know your child through conversation – their likes, dislikes, their hobbies, family situation etc
Consider how any theories you have covered relate to your child. Look for examples of practice to support or
contradict.
Photograph any relevant pieces of work as supporting evidence.
36. PART TWO: WRITING YOUR ESSAY.
Write about just ONE of your focus
children
.
It is recommended that you begin to plan and draft your essay over the Christmas holidays.
You will be asked to bring your drafts and journals to tutorials on 20th January 2020.
37. USING OBSERVATIONS NOTED IN PART
ONE: YOUR JOURNAL OF OBSERVATIONS,
YOUR ESSAY WILL REFLECT ON:
• your understanding of the nature of childhood, its diversity and complexity,
and aspects common to children at different times and in different places.
• the significance that language, culture, play, physical development and the
building of positive relationships have on children’s learning and development.
• your awareness of the importance of language, socio-cultural and
economic conditions which influence the learning and development of
children.
• theories of child development and learning and their implications for
education and development of children.
38. THE INTRODUCTION
Use the introduction to tell the reader what you intend to discuss.
Introduce the setting and your chosen child.
• Define any terms you are going to use.
• You can reuse the words in the title to show your understanding.
• End with a sentence that links to the first topic you will be discussing.
Look within Student Support – Student Learning Development – Resources – Essays and
Assignments folder – Writing introductions to essays
https://learn.canterbury.ac.uk/bbcswebdav/pid-199183-dt-content-rid-
1238178_1/courses/CC09SSSU/2.%20Planning%20and%20writing%20your%20essay%20introduction%20
DL%206pp%284%29.pdf
39. THE MAIN BODY
https://learn.canterbury.ac.uk/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_1
271_1&content_id=_199178_1
• Make it clear at the start of each paragraph what you will be talking
about.
• ‘Signpost’ the reader to the overall intention of the paragraph.
• Use reading of literature, policy documents and theory to support
your thinking.
• Exemplify points by referring to practice as noted in PART ONE - your
Journal of Observations. For example, extracts of discussions with the
child, or examples of their work (written/pictorial/photographs etc.)
Look within Student Support – Student Learning Development – Resources – Essays and
Assignments folder – Writing good paragraphs.
40. CONCLUSION
• Restate your main points, reminding the reader what you have
discussed and why you think it is important.
• Pull your thoughts together into a main idea.
• You could link this to a wider context and discuss what may happen
next.
Look on Student Support resources
https://learn.canterbury.ac.uk/bbcswebdav/pid-199184-dt-content-rid-
289050_1/courses/CC09SSSU/Study%20support%20files/Resources/Essays%20and%20Assignments%20Writing%20essay%20c
onclusions/essay-conclusion/index.html
41. YOU ALSO NEED TO…
• Ensure you have anonymised all people, including the child and school
(you can give the child a pseudonym)
• Use the Checklist for Assignment Submission (on BB)
• Show a word count at the end of the ESSAY. This can be 10% more or
10% less than 2000 words.
• Submit a copy to the draft bucket to check your plagiarism score.
• Place this at the start of every submission
PLEASE COPY AND PASTE THIS AT THE START OF EACH SUBMISSION
Target(s) from previous assignments
Special Consideration to be applied
Submit form at front of assignment
Yes/No
Marking tutor
42. READING
• Lists of readings are available on the assignment brief, the module outline and from the
seminar PowerPoints where additional texts may be recommended. It is expected that
you draw from these as well as your own searches.
• You will also be expected to refer to National Curriculum age-related expectations and
Early Learning Goals.
• Online journal articles are available from the library search.
Education 3-13 and Child Development are recommended.
• Look at Google Scholar online for additional resources
43. The assignment will be marked against the general assessment criteria for
written assignments at Level 4. This can be found on Blackboard in the
Assessment Folder.
ASSESSMENT CRITERIA
45. EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES:
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
• If you have missed, or are likely to miss, an assessment hand-in or feel
your performance was impaired, owing to a short-term, unexpected and
unavoidable disruption to your studies such as illness or other misfortune,
you may be eligible to make a request under the Extenuating
Circumstances procedures.
• Should you wish to apply for extenuating circumstances you must contact
me to discuss the hand in date.
• Further information about extenuating circumstances can be found on the
Student Support and Guidance website for the University:
• http://www.canterbury.ac.uk/students/academic-services/extenuating-
circumstances.aspx
46. REFERENCES
Austin, R. (2019) 'Getting started' Chapter 2 in The Trainee Teacher's Guide to Academic
Assignments. London: Learning Matters.
Fry, H., Ketteridge, S. & Marshall, S. (1999) A Handbook for Teaching and Learning in Higher
Education. Glasgow: Kogan Page.
Wingate, U. (2012). ‘Argument!’ Helping students understand what essay writing is
about. Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 11(2), 145-154.
Yin, R. K. (2009) Case study research: design and methods. (4th edn.) London: SAGE.
47. POST SESSION READING:
Austin, R. (2019) 'Getting started' Chapter 2 in The Trainee
Teacher's Guide to Academic
Assignments. London: Learning Matters.
Editor's Notes
Please show students how to access the various folders on BB
Thinkk about the formal language required in academic writing – no contractions, formal words, NO opinion or bias.
There is a 10% allowance for the word count – above and below
In general, to be a better teacher – to be informed and to develop greater knowledge and understanding of teaching and learning.
To develop own ‘theories’ of learning and teaching so that you can justify your approach in the classroom to yourself and others.
Refer to forthcoming requirement /placement booklet to carry out a Case Study of one child in your placement school. Developing ability to observe one child’s learning is with the aim of applying deeper knowledge and understanding of children’s physical development, their development of communication and language, the important role of play and how the three main learning theories of behaviourism, constructivism and social constructivism relate to their future practice.
Reflect on how you have approached writing tasks in the past.
What is the specific knowledge related to this assignment.
Childhood assignment brief will be introduced later.
Recommended reading for the assignment – why would you NOT read this?!
See Session 2 on Academic Reading.
General/Core texts – use as a springboard – identify key names and important ideas
Use a range of literature.
Refer to national and local policies such as the National Curriculum, Early Years Foundation Stage Statutory Framework, OFSTED guidance or reports, and other government documentation,
Conisder our responsibility as teachers to uphold the Teachers’ Standards
More specific texts/journals to develop more focused understanding of key issues
Pictures show a range of texts which are appropriate for their Childhood module
Consider different ways of working – spider diagrams, highlighting readings etc – we will be doing this later in the session in pairs
To record
To explore
To understand
To think
To remember
Remember the SLD unit
Reflect on various methods for planning
Remember that sub headings are useful and permitted
Wingate, U. (2012). ‘Argument!’helping students understand what essay writing is about. Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 11(2), 145-154.
Set out the parameters, state your case, acknowledge you know where you are going.
Write the introduction as if the assignment is already finished
“In this assignment I argue for ….” not “In this assignment I will argue for…”
Establishes the bigger picture/context
Defines terms
Sets out your position
Summarise
I have just argued this...
The next things that might be thought about are….
Do NOT introduce points/ideas that you did not address in the main body – unless you are saying ‘here are some other things that are important but I was not able to cover in my assignment’.
Summarises the key arguments
Presents a ‘So what?’ or ‘What next?’ stance.
Good academic writing is SIMPLE – clear and straightforward. Express your understanding.
You need to be formal but you do not need to be complex or complicated. Your aim is to show your understanding to the reader.
Get the right connective!
A key aspect of students’ writing that impacts negatively on arguments is using these words incorrectly – they are not interchangeable!
Reminder of developing criticality as discussed last week.
Please click on picture for a refreshing other voice on how to think critically when writing.
Reading into thinking into writing
Activity - large paper, pens Title in centre and then question words as development
Following slides explain the Childhood assignment.
A Case Study exploring the child as a learner
Two Parts
These could be tackled in any order and are as applicable to a four year old as they are to a ten year old. It will be useful though, if you can observe in an early years classroom as this will support pour understanding of the older learner.
You will all have had sessions on theory, play, language and physical development by the time you have to submit this assignment and it may be that you have other learning from courses that you can draw on
Remid them that they have a quik guide for Harvard
Draft buckets
Explain the word count include quotes
Discuss protecting the identity of the child in words and photos
No targets as yet – very important for students with LSPs
Hand out grading criteria – one between 2 and discuss how they work.
Write all over the scripts – identifying reference to PLAY, Language, Physical Development, Theory etc
Finally, underline all references to any sources and create your own References List, compare this to the reference lists provided.
