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You will choose a real life case study, either:
Allen, G. (2011) Early intervention: the next steps (chapters 2 & 3, p.13 to 29)
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/f
ile/284086/early-intervention-next-steps2.pdf
or
Ofsted (2017) Bold Beginnings: the reception curriculum in a sample of good and outstanding primary schools
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/f
ile/663560/28933_Ofsted_-_Early_Years_Curriculum_Report_-_Accessible.pdf
and you will discuss a dominant discourse that is presented in the case study and analyse it by using an alternative perspective. You will also analyse the implications for practice/practitioners/children and their families when disrupting dominant discourses.
The Case Study Analysis is divided into 3 sections (approx. 800 words each). You also need to include an Introduction & Conclusion (approx..300 words each). Total word count is 3000 words*
Learning Outcome 1: Explain and contextualise one dominant discourse of child development
Introduction: use this to set the scene for your case study analysis. Start with a clear phrase that indicates this is the introduction (e.g. ‘The purpose of this case study analysis is to…’, ‘This case study analysis will…’, or you might want to begin with a statement to grab the attention of the reader and then follow this up with one of the more conventional clear phrases above).
A good introduction will act as a road map for the reader and so for this assignment should:
- identify the case study you have chosen with some very brief background information about it & why you chose it
- include a summary of the aims of the assignment (use the wording of the learning outcomes to help you to frame this part of the introduction
- identify the main points, concepts, ideas you will address
- give a brief overview of how you will organise your work
You can use the Section headings in bold on your assessment if that helps to structure your work
Section 1: Understanding & identifying dominant discourses (Learning Outcome 1: Explain and contextualise one dominant discourse of child development)
To help you structure this section:
- explain what dominant discourses are & how they become to be known as truths in practice. For example:
Use your notes from Formative Activities 1, 2 & 3/4 and your wider reading (see Follow Up Reading weeks 1 & 2) around discourses and regimes of truth to demonstrate your understanding of the concept of discourse and the dominant discourse of normal development.
- Focusing on your case study in particular, identify a dominant discourse in the case study and explain what may have influenced its dominance. For example:
Use your notes from Formative Activity 3 or 4 and Week 2 Follow Up Reading to write about how and why the reader is being persuaded by the dominant discourse in the case study. For example, have any developmental theories; policies; reports influenced the ideas & practice on children’s development that are referred to in the case study and are they being used to convince the reader of the claims being made? How is language used to evoke particular responses?
Section 2: Problematising the dominant discourse (Learning Outcome 2: Critically discuss how an alternative perspective might disrupt the dominant discourse)
To help you structure this section:
- draw on an alternative perspective, for e.g. Post-Colonialism, to explain why we need to problematise dominant discourses. For example:
Use your notes from Formative Activity 5, 6 , 7 & 8 and Week 3 & 4 Follow Up Reading to explain why an alternative perspective, such as Post-Colonialism, is needed to help challenge/question the dominant discourses & taken for granted assumptions of how children develop.
Use a specific idea or ideas from your alternative perspective to analyse the dominant discourse in your case study. For example, from Post-Colonialism, you might use concepts such as ‘Other’; ‘Legitimisation’ (best interests of the child); ‘Binaries’; ‘Subaltern’ to demonstrate what happens if the dominant practices in the case study are not questioned.
You can use examples from the case study to support & demonstrate your ideas.
Section 3: Implications for practice
(Learning Outcome 3: Analyse the implications of disrupting dominant discourses in practice with babies, children and families)
To help you structure this section:
- analyse the challenges practitioners face when they engage in ethical (reflective) rather than technical practice. For example:
Start by identifying and discussing the difference between technical and ethical (reflective) practice.
Then analyse the types of challenges an ethical practitioner might encounter in their practice in order to support the learning and development of all children. This discussion should include an acknowledgement that any discourse, not just the dominant one, comes with its own challenges in practice.
Use your notes from Formative Activity 9 & 10 and Week 5 & 6 Follow Up readings to support this section.
Conclusion: use this to summarise the discussion in the 3 sections of the main body & to make some recommendations for future practice.
Start with a clear phrase that indicates this is the conclusion. (e.g. `In conclusion...`, `To conclude...` or `Overall...`). This will help the reader to understand that they have reached the concluding section of your assignment.
For this assignment your conclusion should include a:
- Summary of the discussion. This should reflect the aim/purpose indicated in the introduction.
- Re-statement of the central points e.g. ‘This case study analysis has highlighted that....`, or `The central points made in this analysis demonstrate…’
- Implications: You could make recommendations for research or practice, or answer the question `So what?` (e.g. It may be useful to investigate further...`, `One recommendation for practice could be...`, or `The above discussion highlights the importance of ....` ).
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