Glossary

2-D, 3-D

two-dimensional, three-dimensional. Having two or three dimensions respectively.

A

adult

in education, adults include all learners after the age of 16; outside education, 18 is often taken as the benchmark age for adulthood, since it is the legal age of majority.

appropriate

describes a text, word, utterance, style, method or choice that is suitable for its intended audience, form or purpose. 'Appropriate' accepts that different contexts require different treatments and is in this respect to be differentiated from 'correct', which is associated more with the right grammatical formulation of an expression, or the 'right' choice or response, etc.

assessment

means collecting information in order to make decisions. Assessment should provide the information required to build and maintain a profile of the learner. This will enable teachers and trainers to establish and review both the learner's requirements and the learning opportunities that can be provided for him or her. It will also provide feedback to the learner on his or her progress.

B

basic skills

'the ability to read, write and speak in English and to use mathematics at a level necessary to function at work and in society in general' (from A Fresh Start).

C

capacity

volume, i.e. a measure in three-dimensional space, applied to liquids, materials that can be poured, or containers.

CD/CD-ROM

an acronym for 'compact disc read only memory'.

common

used to describe: words, signs and symbols, patterns of spelling and grammatical constructions that occur frequently in the learner's everyday experiences; units, measures, instruments, tools, etc. that are widely used in everyday life in non-specialist contexts.

conjunction

a word used to link clauses within a sentence, a type of connective.

context

the non-linguistic situation in which spoken or written language is used, and in which the learner is operating.

curriculum

a planned approach to learning made up of identified activities.

curriculum elements

are the broad areas of learning and teaching within each milestone.

curriculum framework

sets out the entitlement to learning against which clear and detailed steps can be planned to enable learners to progress in a structured way.

curriculum sub-elements

are smaller, 'bite-sized' areas of learning. These will typically form the basis of an individual learning, training or care plan.

D

data

information of a quantitative nature consisting of counts or measurements: where they refer to items or events that are separate and can be counted, the data are discrete; where they refer to quantities such as length or capacity that are measured, the data are continuous. Singular: datum.

DfEE/DfES

Department for Education and Employment (now the DfES - Department for Education and Skills - since June 2001).

digit

one of the symbols of a number system, most commonly the symbols 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9. The number 10 is a two-digit number, for example, and the number 9 is a single-digit number. The position of the digits conveys place value.

disability

the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 defines a disabled person as someone who has a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on his or her ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.

E

e-mail

electronic mail.

estimate

to arrive at a rough answer by calculating with suitable approximations for numbers or, in measurement, by using previous experience.

everyday

an adjective used to describe situations, text, language, numbers, measures, units, instruments, etc. that fall within the daily experience of the learner.

F

factor

when an integer can be expressed as the product or two or more other integers, these are factors of the first. Example: 24 = 6 × 4, so 6 and 4 are factors of 24. A prime factor is a factor that is a prime number.

familiar

describes people, contexts, situations, words, sources, numbers, measures, shapes, objects etc. of which the learner has considerable prior knowledge or experience.

feedback

the ongoing reaction given by an audience to those communicating, which helps them evaluate the success of their communication. Feedback may be verbal or non-verbal (e.g. through facial expressions or action).

format

the way in which text or information is arranged or presented (e.g. as a leaflet or application form; as a stock-taking record or drawing of a 3-D shape), or the way in which it is structured (e.g. the use made of headings, sub-headings, lines to write on, boxes to tick, etc.).

G

grouped data

observed data arising from counts and grouped into non-overlapping intervals, e.g. number of people in different age-groups with intervals 0-9, 10-19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, etc.

H

I

ICT

Information and Communications Technology is the use of technology, such as a computer, to transmit information or to communicate with others.

images

pictures, photographs, graphs, charts, graphical representations.

inconsistencies

'with some inconsistencies' is a phrase used to express the concept that a learner's performance may fluctuate in the context of achieving the learning outcomes described in the indicators; this may be because the learner has not fully attained the required knowledge. It may also be the result of a change: in the activity, the setting, the people he or she works with, or other external and internal factors such as health.

It is expected that a learner whom teachers and trainers have assessed as working at a sub-element of a particular milestone will usually, given a familiar environment, be able to achieve the learning outcome described in the relevant indicator. However, when the context, people, building, equipment or environment involved are not within the learner's usual experience, the learner may display an inconsistency in his or her performance.

It is therefore the contexts, rather than an arbitrary 'number of times' the learner demonstrates achievement of the learning outcome described in the indicator, that allow for the flexibility of inconsistency in the teacher's or trainer's assessments.

indicators

- describe the specific learning outcomes that a learner will work towards

- describe the skills, knowledge and understanding that a learner will not only have acquired but also be capable of using and applying when he or she has been assessed to have achieved these outcomes

- do not prescribe delivery or dictate the activities a learner will be doing.

individual learning plan (ILP)

the output of initial assessment; sets out what the learner plans to learn, by when, the ways he or she will undertake the learning, and the resources required to bring the plan into action.

instruction

communication designed to help the recipient achieve certain goals (such as verbal instructions on how to use the photocopier).

internet (the Net)

a network of computer networks and all the services provided on this network.

J

K

key words

the words that carry the substance of a phrase or the meaning of a sentence. Identifying the key words of a request, for example, is therefore a means of understanding its main point or ideas.

The term is also applied to those words in any subject that, it is considered, learners have to be able to understand/use if they are to progress.

L

learning difficulty/disability

The White Paper, Valuing People (2001), defines learning disability as a significantly reduced ability to understand new or complex information or to learn new skills (impaired intelligence), combined with a reduced ability to cope independently (impaired social functioning), which started before adulthood, with a lasting effect on development.

In education, the term learning difficulties is used in preference to learning disability. However, in legal terminology, the Learning and Skills Act (2000) states that a person has a learning difficulty if:

(a) he or she has a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of persons of his or her age, or

(b) he or she has a disability that either prevents or hinders him or her from making use of facilities of a kind generally provided by institutions providing post-16 education or training.

However, a person is not to be taken to have a learning difficulty solely because the language (or form of language) in which he or she is or will be taught is different from a language (or form of language) which has at any time been spoken in his or her home.

M

mental health

psychological or psychosocial well-being.

milestones

are significant points along the continuum in this curriculum framework that have relevance to assessing a learner's attainment: they help identify the learner's literacy and numeracy skills at the most appropriate of these points.

N

narrative

describes communication that re-tells events or experiences, often in chronological sequence. A narrative may be purely fictional, or it may include factual information.

number line

a written or graphical continuum of numerals, either horizontal or vertical; helpful to some learners as a visual aid to counting on and back.

numeral

a symbol used to denote a number. The Arabic numerals 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 are used in the Hindu-Arabic system, giving numbers in the form that is widely used today.

O

object permanence

the concept that objects can remain stable in their position over time.

ordinal number

a term that describes a position within an order, e.g. first, second, third, fifth, etc.

P

patterns

in literacy, the association of sounds with patterns that enables the learner to understand better the sound and the sense of words and constructions, and thus obtain meaning from text; in numeracy, a systematic arrangement of numbers, shapes, colours or other elements arranged according to a rule.

personal details/vocabulary

relates to personal information that is a necessary and common part of the learner's vocabulary such as their own name, or their own address; these may be in the form of spoken communication, text, symbols or signs.

phonic

relating to vocal, or speech, sounds. As a plural noun, 'phonics' denotes a method of teaching reading and spelling that is based on establishing the link between the sound of a word and its graphical (written) representation.

progress - by maintenance

a learner who needs regular practice in order to retain skills, knowledge and understanding and responses, or who may have experienced erosion or loss of skills, or is seeking to maintain their current skills, may demonstrate progress by maintenance of his or her skills.

progress - incrementally

a learner may progress in an incremental way, moving on from one milestone to the next. The learner acquires new skills, knowledge and understanding, building on previous responses, achievements and learning outcomes (as described in the indicators previously achieved). A learner may also move in the opposite direction, for temporary or longer-term reasons.

progress - laterally

a learner may also make lateral progress by developing the capacity to respond positively in a variety of situations or by learning to apply their skills, knowledge and understanding in a range of different contexts.

Q

QCA

the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority.

R

register

a variety of language selected for use in a specific social situation. In particular, the register differentiates formal from informal use of language.

S

sample learning activities

are suggestions for activities that can be used to help the learner to achieve the learning outcomes.

self-advocacy

describes the ability of people with learning difficulties, and others, to identify and express their own needs rather than have their needs represented by others (for example, parents, teachers, social workers, doctors, etc.).

sequence

a succession of terms or events formed according to a rule or order, in which there is a definite relation between one term or event and the next and between each term and event and its position in the sequence, e.g. the learner using a conventional sequence of letters in his or her own name, or anticipating a term or an event in a sequence that follows a regular order; 1, 2, 3, 4, this morning, this afternoon, etc.

short

denotes words, sentences, texts, oral communication and periods of time of such a length as to be accessible to learners and to enable them to experience a sense of achievement in having successfully worked with them.

sign/signing

learners who have a difficulty with speech or hearing will often use a recognised form of signing (such as Makaton, a recognised signing system for people with communication and learning difficulties), but may also have developed a more individualised signing system.

It is good practice for teachers and trainers to communicate with all people who spend time with the learner to ensure a consistent approach to signs and signing.

simple

in literacy, applied to narratives, words, sentences, instructions, to indicate a basic, uncomplicated structure dealing with people, events, etc. that are fully familiar to the learner. A simple narrative given to learners on a familiar topic, for example, will follow a chronological sequence and be told from one viewpoint only. In numeracy, 'simple' is applied to numbers, information, diagrams, patterns, statements, etc., that make limited demands on, and are fully within contexts that are familiar to, the learner, for example: adding single-digit whole numbers to five; uncomplicated representations of limited amounts of data such as a timeline, etc.

straightforward

describes subjects and materials that learners often meet in their work, studies or other activities. Straightforward content is put across in a direct way, enabling easy access, and learners will be familiar with the vocabulary used.

structure

the way in which letters are built up into words, and words are grouped together to convey meaning and information. The term can also refer to the design of an activity or period of learning, where timing and resources have been planned towards the learner achieving an identified goal.

style

a difficult term to define because of its many uses, but it can be defined as the selection of a set of linguistic features from all the possibilities in a language, in relation to context, purpose, audience.

subject

the topic, issue, area of knowledge or main theme.

symbol

learners will often use a recognised symbol system (such as Widgit, or those related to health and safety or mathematical systems) but may also have developed a more individualised system of symbols.

It is good practice for teachers and trainers to communicate with all people who spend time with the learner to ensure a consistent approach to symbols and their use.

T

table

an orderly arrangement of information, numbers or letters, usually in rows and columns.

taking turns

one of the most widely recognised conventions of conversation in English-speaking cultures, with people speaking/communicating one at a time, taking turns to speak or communicate. People develop (consciously or unconsciously) ways of signalling the wish to speak and of indicating to another person that it is their turn. Also refers to similar understood conventions in interactions with others, such as when passing an object around a group.

time line

a written or graphical continuum of time, time periods or events, either horizontal or vertical; helpful to some learners as a visual aid to understanding time and the occurrence of periods of time or events.

U

V

volume

a measure in three-dimensional space.

W

web site

The entry to a site is called the home page and is usually situated at the address:
http://www.XXXXXX.com/ for companies
http://www.XXXXXX.ac.uk/ for UK educational institutions
http://www.XXXXXX.org/ for non-profit organisations
http://www.XXXXXX.gov.uk/ for UK government, etc

weight

the force with which a body is attracted towards the earth's centre. In non-scientific contexts, often used synonymously with mass (though technically different).

World Wide Web (WWW, the Web)

all the web sites on the Internet

X

Y

Z