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HISTORY PRE-COURSE MAILING INTRO

Introductory pack for PGCE History

This pack of information will help you to prepare thoroughly for the beginning of the PGCE course. You need to share your progress with these tasks, with your tutor during your first tutorial in September.

There are three compulsory tasks to complete.

Compulsory Task 1: Subject Knowledge Audit

A curriculum audit has been included in your pack. This includes the subject knowledge needed for the National Curriculum as well as in many GCSE and A level specifications for history. The subject audit will help you to chart the progress of your subject knowledge throughout the course. We would like you to complete the Pre-PGCE column of the audit identifying how confident you feel about each topic area. The options range from C for confident knowledge and N for no knowledge in this area. There is also a space for you to comment on where your knowledge comes from e.g. a degree module, from studying A-level or observing a Key Stage 3 History lesson during some voluntary work experience.

Compulsory Task 2: Subject Knowledge Development

Your subject knowledge audit will help you to identify areas of subject knowledge that you need to work on before starting the course. Many of you have already begun researching areas of your subject knowledge or this has been set as a condition of your acceptance on to the course.  Becoming an effective teacher however is not just about having excellent subject knowledge. As you carry out your research, it would be useful for you to collect relevant resources and consider how you could use both knowledge and resources to teach effective lessons and activities.

The current History programme of study for key stage 3 was introduced through the National curriculum in September 2014.  Key to the curriculum is that all pupils understand abstract terms such as ‘empire’, ‘civilisation’, ‘parliament’ and ‘peasantry’.  In addition all pupils are expected to gain an understanding and be able to apply historical concepts such as continuity and change, cause and consequence, similarity, difference and significance.

Do you know what these terms and concepts mean? Consider how these are useful in teaching about history? How could you explain these terms to an average 11 or 14 year old?

Familiarise yourself with the National Curriculum, History GCSE and A Level exam boards and specifications.

What to do:

  • After completing your subject audit, identify at least two areas of the curriculum to work on (one of these we already agreed at interview).
  • Research these areas but keep in mind that you will be teaching 11-16 year olds and not undergraduates.
  • Generate/gather key points about what you have read, including the terms and concepts mentioned above and include any relevant sources (images, text, video and audio) to evidence your progression in this area.
  • Alternatively generate PowerPoint/s.  Whichever method you use make sure it is in electronic format and that you can share it.  Think like a teacher during the process by not writing degree level notes but by gathering information and resources that will be useful for you in your teaching.

Your record of this will be your curriculum audit and the website/PowerPoints that you generate. This is evidence towards Teacher Standard 3: Demonstrate good subject and curriculum knowledge. 

PLEASE NOTE  : The development of relevant subject knowledge is the responsibility of the student as limited time can be spent on this during the PGCE course itself.  

Compulsory Task 3: Reading

The PGCE History course will refer to the following text alongside other academic papers for which you will be provided with links or papers on Black board. 

Haydn, T., Stephen, A., Arthur., J. & Hunt, M. (2014) Learning to Teach History in the Secondary School (4th edition). London: Routledge.

Read Chapter 2 in this text, Ideas about the purposes and benefits of school history.  Complete the activities and consider what the role of history education is? Be ready to share your ideas in the first week of the course.

It is advised that you join the Historical Association to be able to access the wide range of resources and journal articles that will be of benefit to you throughout the course. There is usually a reduction in subscription charge for student teachers and first year NQTs.

Find out more at https://www.history.org.uk/

Further reading:
Counsell, C., Burn, K. & Chapman, A. (2016) Masterclass in History Education. London: Bloomsberry.
Davies, I. (eds) (2017) Debates in History Teaching (The Debates in Subject Teaching Series) (2nd edition). London: Routledge.
Chapman A ed (2021)  Knowing History in Schools Powerful knowledge and the powers of knowledge UCL Press Available at: https://www.uclpress.co.uk/products/130698
Gershon, M. (2014) Teach now! history: becoming a great history teacher. London: Routledge.
Haydn, T., Stephen, A., Arthur., J. & Hunt, M. (2014) Learning to Teach History in the Secondary School (4th edition). London: Routledge. (Read Chapter 2)
Olusoga, D. (2016) Black and British A Forgotten History. London: Macmillan
Riley, M., Ford, A., Goudie, K., Kennett, R. & Snelson, H. (2019) Understanding History KS3. London: Hodder Education (A student textbook but useful overview of KS3 topics with online dynamic resources option)
Please be ready to discuss with your tutor and your peers in the first week of the course:   The work you have done towards your PIAP conditions/adviceYour subject audit and subject knowledge developmentYour understanding of the key terms and historical concepts included in the National Curriculum for History Your ideas about the role of history education