The Bachelor of Education in Foundation Phase Education will enable graduates to enter the teaching profession as Foundation Phase (Grade R-3) teachers in South African public and private schools. Two Oceans graduates will have both theoretical and practical skills that enable them to demonstrate their academic and professional primary school teacher abilities using their expertise in subject content, educational theories & methodologies, and pedagogical theories & methodologies. Graduates will demonstrate the ability to integrate and apply different types of knowledge and learning, understand the learner’s characteristics and learning capabilities, and adapt education accordingly.
Qualified foundation phase teachers of Two Oceans Graduate Institute will be generalist trained in the early years of study and introduced to the CAPS document for all the foundation school subjects. With progress, they will be in a position to teach a Home Language (English, Afrikaans or isiXhosa), English First Additional Language, Mathematics, and Life Skills.
SAQA Number – 119211
The Two Oceans Graduate Institute opted for the development and implementation of a distance and online teaching mode of delivery. This mode of teaching and learning is realized in environments where there is effective integration of different modes of delivery, models of teaching and styles of learning through adoption of a strategic and systematic approach to the use of ICT’s and digital technologies. The underpinning principle of an online teaching pedagogy lies in the shift from lecturer-centered teaching to student-centered learning in higher education. This student-centered approach is based on a deepened understanding of the student’s learning.
In an online and distance mode of delivery, the teaching and learning method supports students in creating their own structure of knowledge of the discipline under study. A learner management system (LMS) has been specially designed for the Two Oceans Graduate Institute and can be accessed via the institution’s online web-based intranet. The LMS supports several online teaching, learning and assessment strategies as well as different ways of online interaction between the student and the lecturer/module facilitator as well as between students. These include assignments, chat, choice, database, feedback, forum, glossary, lesson, quiz, SCORM, survey, wiki and workshop. There is virtual contact via ZOOM, Skype or WhatsApp.
Teaching Practice is a compulsory component of the curriculum of the B. Ed. Foundation Phase programme and is a very important aspect of teacher training. Students are given the opportunity to apply theoretical learning and learn from, through and in the practice of experienced teachers in a variety of classroom situations. It is therefore an integration of theoretical knowledge and authentic practical learning in the context of a classroom and school.
During the Teaching Practice period students are required to be at the schools full time, which includes time allocated for extramural activities (including weekends). This is to enable them to become immersed in the full spectrum of school life and the different aspects of the teaching profession. Foundation Phase teachers must be capable of teaching all four Foundation Phase subjects (Home Language, First Additional Language, Mathematics and Life Skills), drawing from a broad range of general knowledge, which will support and enable them to implement the national school curriculum (CAPS) (MRTEQ, 2014).
Teaching Practice takes place during each cluster from Cluster 2 onwards. Please take note of the prescribed time for Teaching Practice:
Year | Cluster | Duration of Teaching Practice (weeks) | Phase |
1 | Cluster 2 | 2 | R |
2 | Cluster 3 | 3 | 1 |
2 | Cluster 4 | 3 | 1 or 2 |
3 | Cluster 5 | 3 | 2 |
3 | Cluster 6 | 3 | 2 or 3 |
4 | Cluster 7 | 3 | 3 |
4 | Cluster 8 | 6 | R |
The dates are scheduled into each semester based on the academic programme at TOGI, school terms and other arrangements with schools. It usually takes place early in the second and third term. Students visit different schools and different grades in the Foundation Phase each year. It is only in exceptional circumstances, and with permission from the Teaching Practice Unit, that the same school can be visited more than once. This will have to be formally applied for and follow a protocol of possible approval or rejection. Students are encouraged to visit different types of schools, e.g. city, rural, well-resourced, poorly-resourced, skills, Montessori and private. This is to familiarise students with a range of contexts and learning experiences. Students can contact the Teaching Practice office (tp.bedfp@togi.ac.za) to receive guidelines for selecting appropriate, functional schools.
It is crucial to note that students must attend a brick-and-mortar school for each Teaching Practice. Pre-service teachers must be exposed to real life classroom and schooling experiences under the supervision of professional teachers. Therefore, students must include the Teaching Practice requirements into the planning of their studies. They might need to make arrangements to get leave from work, care for children or other dependents, or other external factors that might influence their participation in Teaching Practice.
The BEd (Foundation Phase Teaching) Programme is a full time four-year qualification.
An augmented curriculum programme can be arranged for students with special requests. Requests that will be considered are the following: work commitments, difficulty in coping with the full workload and other circumstances that are deemed as valid for consideration. Students should apply in writing for registration on the augmented programme. Management will consider such requests in consultation with the student and draft a plan for the individual student’s progress. There will be an undertaking from the student to adhere to the plan within the period determined. Augmented programme students will have to register for at least four Modules per cluster to enable completion within six years of study.
| Description | Amount |
|---|---|
| Application Fees (non-refundable) | R 350.00 |
| Registration Fees (non-refundable) | R 1 000.00 |
| Modules of 5 Credits | R 2 100.00 |
| Modules of 10 Credits | R 4 200.00 |
| Estimated Annual Cost | R 50 400.00 |