Programme Specification
A statement of the knowledge, understanding and skills that underpin a
taught programme of study leading to an award from
The University of Sheffield
1
Programme Title
Teaching and Assessing in SpLDs in Post-16 Education
2
Programme Code
ELTT94
3
JACS Code
X160
4
Level of Study
Postgraduate
5a
Final Qualification
Teaching and Assessing in SpLDs in Post-16 Education
(PGDip)
5b
QAA FHEQ Level
7
6a
Intermediate Qualification(s)
Post-Graduate Certificate in Teaching and Assessing in SpLDs
in Post-16 Education
6b
QAA FHEQ Level
7
7
Teaching Institution (if not Sheffield)
Not applicable
8
Faculty
Board of Extra-Faculty Provision
9
Department
English Language Teaching Centre
10
Other Departments involved in
teaching the programme
Not applicable
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Mode(s) of Attendance
Part-time, Distance
12
Duration of the Programme
2 years
13
Accrediting Professional or Statutory
Body
Not applicable
14
Date of production/revision
November 2015
15. Background to the programme and subject area
Dyslexia and other SpLDs are legally considered disabilities (DDA 1995; Equality Act, 2010) and universities are
therefore legally required to make reasonable adjustments to allow students with SpLDs to compete on a level
playing field with other students. Universities are obliged to offer support to this group of students. Specialist
support is usually provided by tutors within the university/ college, which is the case at the UoS. There are few
support teachers with the required specialist qualifications and/or experience, and this means that universities
may struggle to provide adequate support.
The proposed course will be run by specialist tutors with years of experience as specialist SpLD tutors at the
UoS, The area of dyslexia support in post-16 education is a growing one. Increasing numbers of people with
dyslexia are now going on to further and higher education and the specialist support they receive in these
institutions can be crucial to their success. There are few similar courses in the Yorkshire region, and fewer still
which are delivered via distance learning. The proposed course fits serves well the objectives of the Widening
Participation agenda, as ultimately, it will result in greater numbers of specialist teachers and assessors.
Teachers or appropriately qualified support workers already working in FE/HE who wish to get a specialist SpLD
teaching/ assessing qualification that is recognised by the British Dyslexia Association. Freelance SpLD tutors
or study skills tutors who have a teaching qualification and who would like to push their professional
development and/or enter into work in HE. A PG qualification in teaching/ assessing in SpLD in FE/HE is
quickly becoming a requirement for those employed as specialist SpLD tutors and those who carry out dyslexia
diagnostic assessments (unless they are qualified via the BPS route). There is a need for more specialist
teachers and assessors. In the near future, the student loans company will not pay for specialist tutorials which
are not carried out by a suitably qualified teacher.
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16. Programme aims
This programme aims to give students a thorough grounding in the theory and practice of specialist teaching
and assessment in dyslexia and specific learning difficulties. It aims to provide students with the theoretical and
practical overview of the principles of assessment necessary to inform the development of effective support
methods for students with dyslexia.
The programme also aims to give students a broad understanding of the roles and responsibilities held by
Specialist SpLD tutors in FE/ HE contexts and will offer an opportunity for students to explore the challenges
faced by students with SpLDs as learners in the university or college context, and to learn how some of these
difficulties can be overcome. Students will undertake structured teaching and assessment practice in SpLDs/
dyslexia, they will design their own materials, lesson places, and learning plans.
The programme aims to give a grounding in the theories of dyslexia from the perspective of cognitive and
educational psychology and also in theories of social construction, discourse, identity and ideology which
influence how learners respond and interact with different elements of their post-16 learning environment. The
programme is designed to encourage meaningful reflection upon the use of theory in both teaching and
assessment practice and upon the students’ own development.
Those who complete the diploma course will be qualified to teach and assess students in SpLD/ dyslexia in
post-16 education.
17. Programme learning outcomes
Knowledge and understanding: By the end of the unit, a candidate will be able to demonstrate knowledge or
understanding of:
K1
Theories of developmental dyslexia.
K2
Theories of disability, social constructionism, and social justice.
K3
Key issues for dyslexia in adults, the difficulties and challenges faced by students with SpLDs in an
FE/HE learning environment, and the strategies to support students through these.
K4
the implications the Equality Act (2010) and DDA (1995) have upon the situation of SpLD in FE/ HE
contexts.
K5
The theories of teaching and practice with students with SpLDs/ dyslexia.
K6
The theory and practice of SpLD assessment.
Skills and other attributes: students will be able to
S1
Administer, produce, examine and interpret psychological reports and other relevant documentation in an
appropriate way, and use these to inform support given.
S2
Draw up and Individual Learning Plan, and plan, design, and deliver clear, appropriate specialist tutorials
and materials to students with SpLD/ dyslexia in post-16 education.
S3
Critically reflect upon their teaching and assessment practice.
S4
Communicate appropriately with academics and other professionals in the field around issues of SpLD,
dyslexia and learning.
S5
Work with students in partnership with a recognition of the varied learning identities students can take on
when they are given a label of dyslexia or SpLD.
18. Teaching, learning and assessment
Development of the learning outcomes is promoted through the following teaching and learning
methods:

Guided teaching practice

Videoed lectures and associated tasks

Independent reading, and workbook completion

Participation in a discussion forum with other students around lecture topics

1:1 tutorials
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
Problem solving classes

Group seminars

Guided assessment practice
Opportunities to demonstrate achievement of the learning outcomes are provided through the following
assessment methods:

Teaching Practice File: this will be a collection of plans, materials, reflections, evaluations etc for the
student’s work with dyslexic students (S2, S3)

Portfolio File: This collection of documents, reflections, and records will demonstrate the ability of the
student to work in partnership with other stakeholders and to communicate with students and staff
appropriately within their institution (S4, S5, K3, K4)

Assessment report and Assessment video: Students will demonstrate their knowledge and skills in
administration and interpretation of psychometric tests (S1)

Materials Pack (K3, S2)

Essays (K1, K2)

Case study work (K5, S3, S4, S5)
19. Reference points
The learning outcomes have been developed to reflect the following points of reference:

The BDA (British Dyslexia Association) list of competencies for membership, and which all students must
meet in order to pass BDA approved courses in SpLDs. These competencies include a number of core
elements and a number of specialist elements. Below are a number of the core competencies, as an
example:
Demonstrate an understanding of the:
1.1. The nature of dyslexia.
1.2. Good practice in teaching of literacy (reading, spelling and writing
1.3. Contemporary theories of the typical development of language, literacy and numeracy skills and how
dyslexic learners may differ from those who are not experiencing difficulties in acquiring these skills.
1.4. Principles underlying structured, sequential, multi-sensory teaching.
1.5. Design and delivery of individual teaching programmes.
1.6. Learning environment organisation facilitating individual learning.
1.7. The contribution of ICT in the screening and teaching of specific learning difficulties / dyslexia and a
knowledge of relevant technical aids.
The students on this course will need to demonstrate that they have reached all of the required competencies
for BDA membership by the end of their course. The assessments have been designed to allow students to
demonstrate all of these. Students will be allocated a grade from 1-5 (5 = full competence, 1 = little to no
competence) for each of the BDA competencies. At least 3 will be needed in each competency by the end of the
course to enable the student to pass. These numbers will be considered equivalent to the higher education
marking bands; that is 5 will map onto 70+; 4 to 60-69; 3 to 50-59; 2 to 40-49; 1 to below 40. Students will
receive an individual mark for each assessment and this will map onto the BDA competencies exactly.
A mid-year review in each year of the course has been built in to enable recognition of where students may be
struggling to meet the required standards so that they can be further supported/ guided in order to achieve
these.
The proposed course also adheres to General University Regulations (REGULATION XVI).
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20. Programme structure and regulations
This is an online, 2-year, distance-learning course.
Students will study 6 modules: 4 of 15 credits and 2 of 30 credits
Year one: PGD1,2,3, (ELT6010, ELT6011 & ELT6012)
Year two: PGD4,5,6, (ELT6013, ELT6014 & ELT6015)
The course will run from 1st October 2016 to end September 2018
Students must pass the first year in order to progress to the second year.
All assessed work will be used to list evidence for competencies required by the British Dyslexia Association:
competencies assessed 1-5 (5 – very strong evidence; 4 – fairly strong evidence; 3 – adequate evidence; 2 –
borderline; 1 – little or no evidence. Final grades should be 3 or above to pass).
The full list of competencies will draw upon evidence across modules and assessments and will be included as
a separate document for each year of the course.
Detailed information about the structure of programmes, regulations concerning assessment and progression
and descriptions of individual modules are published in the University Calendar available on-line at
http://www.shef.ac.uk/govern/calendar/regs.html.
21. Student development over the course of study
The course is designed so that students gradually progress in both the teaching and assessment elements of
SpLDs. In both years the modules run concurrently. The modules cannot stand alone, and must be studied at
the same time.
The first year of the proposed course introduced the theories of teaching and assessment, and will involve at
least 20 hours of teaching practice (as per the BDA requirements). By the end of this year, successful students
will have reached the required level of competency to enable them to apply for ATS with the BDA. In the second
year, the students will be expected to fulfil the competencies to enable them to undertake full psychological
assessments for students within higher education, and will also have undertaken at least 10 further hours of
teaching practice. These elements will enable the students to apply for AMBDA.
Students will spend an equal amount of time upon topics related to teaching and to assessment in SpLDs, but it
is only in the second year that they will have undertaken sufficient practice to reach the required level for
AMBDA status.
By the end of the first year we will expect a basic understanding of planning and delivery of specialist teaching,
and a good understanding of theories relating to dyslexia, SPLDs, disability and cognitive development. By the
end of the second year, we expect students to have become confident as practitioners, able to apply this
knowledge in practice within the post-16 education sector.
22. Criteria for admission to the programme
Undergrad Degree or equivalent, preferably 2:1 standard or above.
PG Teaching qualification or equivalent experience.
Experience in working with students in post-16 education.
English and Maths GCSE C or above (or equivalent).
IELTS 8.0 (8.0 in each component) for speakers of English as an additional language.
Must be working with the post-16 age group for access to students with whom they will undertake their teaching
and assessment practice (or equivalent).
23. Additional information
This specification represents a concise statement about the main features of the programme and should be
considered alongside other sources of information provided by the teaching department(s) and the University. In
addition to programme specific information, further information about studying at The University of Sheffield can
be accessed via our Student Services web site at http://www.shef.ac.uk/ssid.
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