Award: Associate of Arts Degree

Study Mode: Full-Time/Part Time

Semester 1

College Readiness: GED 101This course introduces students to basics of tertiary education in preparation for their transition from secondary school to an institution of higher learning. They are expected to complete various modules in time management, critical listening, group working and academic writing.
Communication for Tertiary Purposes: GED 102This foundational communication course is designed to introduce students to the communication process, channel and associated theories. It enables them to interpret and analyse verbal and non-verbal cues to critically evaluate various forms of communication in personal, professional, and societal contexts. In addition, it will help students improve their critical thinking and academic writing skills necessary for becoming effective communicators in business organisations.

English & Communication I COM 100This course aims to enhance students’ information gathering and processing skills. It focuses on both the reading and listening skills required for basic research, effective comprehension and assimilation and summary of information. The course is designed to alert students to the processes involved in reading and listening and the strategies that could aid those processes. Students are expected to utilize the available technology as well as all library resources.

Philosophical Foundations of Early Childhood Education ECPF 101This course aims to help student teachers acquire the knowledge and skills to become sensitive and competent classroom practitioners, capable of creating appropriate and effective learning environments for young children. Student teachers will acquire knowledge and understanding of the foundations of early childhood education and contemporary trends in early childhood curriculum practice. Teachers will study the key theories and perspectives of teaching and learning with particular emphasis on childhood studies, constructivist and developmentally appropriate approaches and strategies for teaching at the early childhood level. Student teachers will be expected to reflect on the theories and their own.

Introduction to the Social and Cultural Foundations of Education EDSF 101This introductory course examines philosophical, historical, social and cultural perspectives that impact educational policies and practices. It aims to provide teachers with the knowledge, skills and techniques necessary for them to reflect on issues that have practical importance in the classroom and school system.

Semester 2

English & Communications II COM 101This course aims to develop students' ability to use Standard English structures to express themselves clearly, precisely and fluently in speech and writing and to evaluate that ability in themselves and their peers. It is designed to alert students to the processes used in oral and written communication. The course also focuses on providing students with opportunities to produce different types of communication while selecting and combining forms, media, channels and technologies to maximize effective communication.

Teaching Mathematics to Young Children ECMT 101This course will cover the following elements of mathematics: number concepts, patterns, spatial sense, measurement, data collection, and data representation. Student teachers will learn how to plan and execute developmentally appropriate math lessons that integrate into other areas of the curriculum. Inquiry-based, hands-on learning will be emphasized as will research-based teaching strategies.

Early Childhood Science & Health ECSH 101This course will give student teachers the knowledge to encourage young children’s natural curiosity about how the world works. Student teachers will be given opportunities to explore concepts first as learners. Subsequently, they will apply the knowledge and concepts they learn during the course to early childhood settings to offer children developmentally appropriate, hands-on science and health curricula. Student teachers will learn current research-based strategies that promote young children's inquiry and learning. Activities culturally relevant to the Eastern Caribbean environment will be emphasized.

Semester 3
Early Language Acquisition and Literacy DevelopmentECLA 101This course focuses on theories of language and early literacy development and how these theories inform practice in early childhood education, particularly as they apply to children from birth through age 8. The acquisition of the sounds, syntax, and meanings of language as well as the relation between oral language development and concepts of print, emergent literacy, family and community contexts are examined along with issues stemming from language diversity. Students benefit from a review of the scientific and pedagogical research, which undergirds the knowledge of early childhood development and curriculum and instruction in a variety of early childhood settings.

YEAR 2 Semester 1
Caribbean StudiesACC 200This course offers an interdisciplinary study of the Caribbean region, with a particular focus on its rich history, diverse cultures, and complex social realities. It aims to explore the unique challenges faced by the region's people, including political, economic, social, and environmental issues. By delving into the many facets of the Caribbean, this course aims to showcase the region's incredible diversity and passion.

Child Development: Birth through Eight Years OldECCD 101This course focuses on developmentally appropriate practices in the socialization and education of young children derived from principles of child growth and development. Students explore the developmental and behavioral characteristics at different ages and stages of the growth and maturation processes. The course places emphasis on the interrelatedness of developmental domains to enable student-teachers to see the child, including the child with special needs, as a “whole” person and to understand how holistic growth can be fostered in the early childhood classroom. The course also introduces key research and emerging issues relevant to the Eastern Caribbean context, and encourages student-teachers to reflect on their own childhood experiences and relate theoretical concepts to real-life situations.

Techniques in Classroom InvestigationEDCI 101Today, there is an emphasis on providing quality education for all the students who enter the classroom. In order to do this, teachers must be skilled at identifying areas of need and seeking viable solutions. This calls for skills in investigation. This course prepares teachers to identify areas of need, collect data for investigative purposes, plan and implement solutions, monitor the outcomes and make decisions about future actions. The course is designed to help teachers develop and implement action on action research in their classrooms.

Semester 2
Children’s Literature in the Early Childhood ClassroomECCL 101The primary intent of this course is to explore international literature for young children. This is a survey course of children’s literature and the resource materials related to that literature. Student teachers will closely examine visual images, read and respond to children’s books, with a primary focus on picture books, and engage in dialogue and hands-on activities about reading. Literature will be critiqued from multicultural and global perspectives in order to expand teachers’ understandings of the cultural pluralism in children’s lives and throughout the world.

Early Childhood Language Arts and Reading and DecodingECRD 101This course begins by reviewing the development of oral and written language in young children and moves toward helping student teachers apply this knowledge to the exploration of teaching and learning reading as children develop. Attention is given to both culturally responsive and developmentally appropriate approaches for young children. Through the use of current research, emphasis is placed on process oriented, contextualized, and integrated ways of teaching the language arts.

Classroom Processes and Instruction in the Early Childhood ClassroomECCP 101This course provides an introduction to the cognitive and behavioural processes associated with meeting the needs of young children and their families. The course content focuses on classroom observation, child guidance and classroom management; differentiated instructional strategies--developmentally appropriate practices and approaches; and planning. Student teachers will be able to display comprehensive knowledge of the different ways children learn.

Methods of Educational Assessment in the Early Childhood ClassroomEAEC 101This course will enable student teachers to: 1) Understand the importance of assessment in the context of the instructional cycle 2) Monitor children’s educational progress 3) Use valid, reliable assessment strategies appropriate for assessment purpose(s) and each child’s developmental level 4) Analyze and interpret results, draw conclusions, and report results to a variety of audiences 5) Formulate instructional plans based on assessment results.

Semester 3
Reading & Writing across the CurriculumEDCL 101This course is designed to help teachers develop a positive attitude towards teaching reading and writing skills in the content area. Teachers become familiar with strategies for reading and writing in the content areas and acquire skills in teaching reading and writing in the content areas; and using content area reading and writing strategies as instructional tools.

YEAR 3 Semester 1
Social Studies Methods in the Early Childhood Classroom ECSS 101This course will provide teachers with the developmentally appropriate strategies, content knowledge, and skills for basic social studies concepts required to teach children from birth through 8-years-old. Student teachers will learn how to plan and integrate social studies concepts throughout the early childhood curriculum using inquiry-based, hands-on activities.

Inclusion of Children with Special Needs in the Early Childhood ClassroomECSN 101The purpose of this course is to provide early childhood educators with a foundation of best educational practices for including children with diverse abilities in the early childhood classroom. Student teachers will gain an understanding of the characteristics of children with diverse learning needs, including children who are developing typically and those with varying developmental, sensory, physical, and/or behavioral challenges. This course presents specific information, techniques, and methods for developing age-appropriate and meaningful programming within typical early childhood settings for students who have varying exceptionalities such as autism, multiple disabilities, cognitive disabilities, and emotional and behavioral disorders.

Creative Arts for the Young ChildECCA 101The purpose of the course is to familiarize student teachers with approaches to the creative arts as they may be applied in early childhood settings. Student teachers will learn about visual arts, drama, music, and movement activities for young children. Additionally they will learn how the creative arts foster total development. The teacher’s role in planning developmentally appropriate creative arts curriculum is emphasized throughout the course. Student teachers will have opportunities to design, implement, and participate in various creative arts projects.

Semester 2
Extended Classroom PracticumECP 101This practical course requires teachers to teach the core subjects of the primary curriculum in a selected class for a period of ten consecutive weeks. Teachers plan and execute lessons and are observed and assessed during the three phases of the practicum. They are also expected to prepare portfolios documenting their experiences and lessons learned throughout the practicum exercise.

Electives

Physical Education PE 101 This course focuses on the ways in which teachers can use physical education activities to enhance academic achievement and the attainment of educational goals. The course involves a sequence of planned physical experiences through a variety of activities starting with basic movement and progressing toward more complex skills in sports, dance, aquatics and other forms of human movement.

Visual Arts VA 101This course is designed for teachers to acquire an understanding and appreciation of the true meaning of visual arts and how it can be used to express their students’ ideas and creativity. The course promotes the integration of visual arts into other subjects in the early childhood classroom. Teachers develop practical activities to teach visual arts as a subject and as a form of self-expression in the classroom.

Health and Family Life Education HFLE 101This course is designed to assist teachers in identifying and using appropriate teaching strategies to facilitate Health and Family Life Education. Student teachers explore and discuss issues in a range of topics including human sexuality, self-esteem, nutrition and healthy diets, health and welfare and fitness. The course also provides opportunities for student teachers to increase their competencies in social skills - empathy, tolerance, anger and stress management.

Drama and Theatre Education DTE 101This course provides opportunities for student teachers to understand how Drama and the Theatre Arts can be used to develop student expression in the early childhood classroom. The course uses practical activities and assignments to help teachers explore strategies for developing and enhancing students’ oral, physical, and kinesthetic development. Teachers explore the various genres within Theatre including acting, singing, orating, composing and dancing.

Seminar in Technology in Education EDET 101With the rapid developments in Information and Communication Technology and the significant impact it has on Education in general, this course provides teachers the opportunity to gain the knowledge, skills and competencies required to make effective use of ICT in the classroom. It is designed to introduce teachers to various media, technologies and strategies that can be used to enhance teaching and learning and assist them in infusing and integrating such resources into their instructional practices.