Student and tutor module reviews
Difficulties in literacy development
- Points: 60
- Code: E801
- Level: Postgraduate
- On this page
Student reviews
This module was full on from start to finish. The course material was interesting and engaging. It was also helped by having an amazing tutor who supported us all the way. The face-to-face tutorials, where ideas and issues were shared and discussed, were beneficial. I loved every minute but the workload was heavy at times. You really need to discipline yourself and balance work, study and family life. The only negative comment is that the course came to an end!!
Denise Marlow
Course starting: October 2010
Review posted: December 2011
Faculty response
E801 is a very innovative course as it takes an interdisciplinary view of literacy difficulties. As is appropriate for a Masters course, E801 includes challenging readings and course materials. While it is challenging, it is also very rewarding because it provides new insights into thinking about and engaging with literacy teaching and literacy difficulties. It also provides opportunities to consider how to utilise new understandings in educational settings and educational practice.
This course demands a lot from anyone undertaking it. It has a lot of reading and much of this is fairly complex reading. The course book recommended is very well written and was, for me, one of the more informative texts in the course. It is important to take part in the online forum; without this I would have been very dispirited at times. The group who contributed last year were very supportive ( and informative).
I did not find the feedback given on assignments to be particularly helpful so you really have to do this on your own. It is a good course, but a hard one, so be prepared for a lot of hard work. However, having just passed it, I am very glad to have done it, I learnt an awful lot from it and it has changed a lot about the way I view not only literacy teaching but education policies in general.
Course starting: October 2009
Review posted: December 2010
Faculty response
This is a Masters course and involves reading at a Masters level. In response to this comment the module team and tutorial team collectively reviewed practice in order to enhance student support to facilitate student achievement at this level.
I found this course very useful and informative. It gave me a lot of confidence and insight into how to assess and teach more effectively.
The reading materials were dry and I found myself nodding off on more than one occasion. However, this was possibly due to the heaviness of the subject matter.
Unfortunately I found the tutor very dry also and despite some pleading (perhaps too subtle on my part) for support in developing critical analysis to improve my grades, I was left feeling frustrated at her might I say 'half-hearted efforts' to do her job.
If you are considering this course, you need to be determined and resourceful. However, in terms of content it was very good and relevant.
Course starting: October 2008
Review posted: July 2010
I found this course very useful and the content interesting although the workload is particularly high. I did not pursue accreditation as topped with the reading, TMAs and ECM, the extra was too much. I chose this course as I felt that although I was teaching literacy, I had little understanding of the underlying problems some students experienced, and this has certainly expanded my knowledge. Overall an informative course, but you will need to keep on top of everything.
Course starting: October 2008
Review posted: January 2010
Faculty response
Since the dates of presentations referred to in the reviews and statistics provided, the course has been the subject of a mid-life review of students' views, the outcomes of which have informed a significant rewrite and updating of content in the new edition of the course for October 2009.
E801 Course Team
I am really glad I took this course but as my second postgrad course I did find it had a high workload - I found AMBDA certification almost impossible to obtain and it's important to mention that my tutor did not know about AMBDA registration and couldn't help with this at all.
Career wise I secured a promotion off the back of this course and I use the knowledge I gained in testing and assessment on a daily basis in my place of work. Be prepared to work VERY hard!
Course starting: October 2007
Review posted: November 2009
Faculty response
Since the dates of presentations referred to in the reviews and statistics provided, the course has been the subject of a mid-life review of students' views, the outcomes of which have informed a significant rewrite and updating of content in the new edition of the course for October 2009.
E801 Course Team