UNIT A14: SCHEMES OF WORK
When you go on teaching experience you will need to plan not only individual sessions but also the whole of the work you will teach the class while you are there. This plan must be based on the syllabus which the RTC already uses. Some RTCs have their own teaching plans or syllabuses. Others follow syllabuses which have been produced by SIARTC.
You need to use these to produce your own plan or Scheme of Work for each class or year group you teach. For the first part of your teaching experience you will need a plan for about 6 weeks. Next year you will need one for a term and a half.
To produce a Scheme of Work you must look at:
a. the list of topics and skills in the syllabus;
b. the total time available for teaching in weeks or periods.
You must then decide how much time you can allocate to learning each topic and list what topic or skill you will teach each week or period.
You may need two types of scheme:
a. a general one to show the topics you will teach during the whole teaching experience;
b. a more detailed one to break down each topic into steps to be taught in each period or session.
There are many ways of writing a Scheme of Work, but the best way is to use a table with columns similar to that for a session plan.
The columns can be used in different ways. Two examples are given here.
A Scheme of Work must contain:
- Timing: in weeks or hours.
- Topics: the content or skills to be learnt.
- Objectives: the basic objectives of learning each topic.
- Activities: what the teacher will do and what the students will do.
- Assessment: how you will test the students’ skill and understanding..
The first example given here is for a long period, such as a term or the time of your first teaching practice. This tells you the topics / skills; objectives for learning each topic or skill; teacher and student activities; and assessment.
6 WEEK SCHEME OF WORK
SUBJECT: Agriculture: Integrated farming. YEAR: First Year.
Weeks | Topic / skills | Students objective | Teacher activity | Student activity | Assessment |
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Organise students. Explain preparation. | |||||
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Questioning: need for intercropping Explain and show main types.
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Oral quiz | ||||
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Questioning: choice of plants Explain choice of plants Show how to plant
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Observation of planting and finished garden | ||||
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Questions and discussion: what is needed in looking after a garden and why |
Observation of gardens and work in them | ||||
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Explain 3 types of food Show examples Organise preparation of meal |
Observation of food preparation and presentation and testing food by taste | ||||
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Ask students. their knowledge of traditional medicinal plants Discuss and show medicinal plants Organise planting of garden
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Use criterion referencing for assessing integrated gardens by check list |
1 WEEK SCHEME OF WORK
Topic: Mortise and tenon joint
Objective: For students to be able to make a mortise and tenon joint
| Session/ time | Skills | Knowledge | Understanding | Methods/ activities | Assessment |
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Period 1: 1 hour |
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What is a mortise and tenon joint? Use of joint. Tools needed.
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Why joint is suitable. |
Demonstration. Questioning. Show tools. |
Questioning |
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Period 2: 1 hour |
Marking the timber. Use of marking tool.
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Name of tool.
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Which parts will be cut out?
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Demonstrate. Practical – all students. |
Practical, using criteria |
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Period 3: 2 hours |
Cutting timber. Use of chisel and saw.
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Names of tools. |
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Practical – all students. |
Practical, using criteria |
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Period 4: 1 hour |
Joining the timbers. |
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Why joint is strong. |
Demonstration. Practical – all students. |
Practical, using criteria.Revision Questioning
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ACTIVITY 14.1: MAKING A SCHEME OF WORK
If possible find out what topics and skills you will be expected to teach during the your teaching practice this term. Get a copy of the syllabus for your subject used by the RTC you are going to.
1. Draw up a personal Scheme of Work week by week for the period of your teaching practice.
2. Break down one topic into a more detailed scheme period by period.