Learning Outcomes

1. Apply learning theories to diverse student audiences
2. Identify ethical behaviour in complex professional situations
3. Interpret complex assessment data
4. Demonstrate advanced research skills through student learning investigations
5. Collect, analyse and use assessment data to improve student achievement

Instructions:

To think about your relationship with others, especially the students you will work with, it is important to get to know about them, their families, backgrounds and communities. All children and young people you teach, or will teach, possess unique “funds of knowledge” (Moll et al., 1992) that many education professionals and teachers do not know anything about. To get to know anybody well, you need to invest some time and energy in the process. This Assignment requires you to explore a unique approach to connecting homes and classrooms.

Write a 1000-word paper and submit it by the end of Module 3.

Drawing on ‘Funds of Knowledge for Teaching: Using a Qualitative Approach to Connect Homes and Classrooms’ by Moll et al. (1992) and at least two other sources (include quotations and a reference list), address the following questions in your paper:

• What does the term ‘funds of knowledge’ mean? Provide specific examples to support your explanation.
• Why is it important for current or future education professionals to understand the background of the children and young people they work with?
• How might you find out more about the family backgrounds and what funds of knowledge come from the households of the children and young people you work with or will potentially work with? Outline a plan.
• Is ethnography something you can see yourself undertaking? If not, what other ways are there to learn about your students’ funds of knowledge?
• What literacy teaching activities would give you access to your students’ funds of knowledge?

  Submit this 1000-word Assignment at the end of Module 3.