2B: What is 'success' in teaching, training and learning?

One of the most demanding aspects of teaching, especially where you have a mix of learners with different levels of literacy, numeracy or language skills, learning styles and interests, is meeting individual needs in a group context. Good session planning underpins good teaching and learning.

Teachers at one organisation identify teaching strategies to meet individual and group needs after carrying out an analysis of learners’ learning styles. Helen, one of the teachers, talks about some of her learners:

‘Laurence was identified as someone who is a predominantly “visual” learner. I encouraged him to work on the computer and set up an e-mail account for him, which he very much preferred to working from worksheets. He illustrated his writing with digital photography, which he also used to compile a story-board. I also encouraged him to experiment with using clip art and different fonts.

‘In another group session, I asked Laura, a very confident learner, to lead the activities and discussion. Other people contributed written ideas, each person doing something that fitted their ability, personality and learning styles.’

 

The RNID runs Skills for Life programmes for deaf learners both at its head office in London and in the community in partnership with local community organisations or groups such as the Asian Deaf Women’s Programme. Some of the teaching is in groups of up to eight learners, whilst those who need a lot of attention receive one-to-one tuition. The teacher is qualified in using British Sign Language and is working towards the Level 4 subject specialist qualification in literacy. Additional support with communication is provided for those learners who need it. Tania, the Skills for Life coordinator told us: ‘We use a lot of group discussion. This is very important as deaf learners are often socially isolated. We usually discuss themes together, then do individual work. For example we could be discussing situations where you use money. We then might ask learners working at a higher level to work out the amount of change they should receive in their heads, while those at lower levels would work with real coins and notes. We very much try to work with learners’ individual interests’.

Lester, a teacher at Age Concern Training, told us about his approach to teaching. ‘Initially it’s very important to establish each individual’s learning styles. It can be very unproductive to go straight into teaching without knowing that. You need to know how every individual will best learn. The first thing I say to literacy or numeracy learners is that you’ll need to know how to learn. The first month is most vital in encouraging them to be more confident in themselves and their tutor and in establishing how to select my method of teaching to suit their learning styles. It’s down to us as teachers to develop learning and lesson plans that develop their skills in the way best suited to them.

 

‘You need a flexible approach. I’m working towards gaining my teaching qualification at the moment. I think that that helps teachers in developing the skills to do this. This all benefits the learner – otherwise teachers can go round in circles not achieving very much. Really this is an equal opportunities issue. Being properly qualified gives you the tools that the learner needs in order to succeed.’

‘I got kicked out of school. Then I got into trouble. The Probation Service suggested this course. I’ve been here about three months. I came here so I could learn words. Before I couldn’t read. I don’t want to go into the future without learning – it’s fantastic teaching here. I want to learn about writing and find work.

 

‘When I came here I thought I’d have a look. I enjoy it. It’s built up my confidence. Sometimes I don’t know a word then I learn it. The second time I came here I got lost. Now I have the confidence to come here (Wimbledon to the city) myself. Now my confidence is improving I’m not stressed. I always used to forget words. I couldn’t write my name or address. Now I can and I practise at home. It’s much easier.

‘The first time I came I didn’t know what to expect. I feel very comfortable here. I may go onto college.’

Tony’s teacher, Marlene, commented, ‘Tony often used to be late, when he first started. Now when I get to the class he’s here waiting for me.’

The RNID uses ICT to support learning wherever appropriate. Each classroom is equipped with one or two computers. The teacher takes laptops with her to community venues. Although the classrooms do not have Internet access, the teacher accompanies individual learners to workstations that are used by administrative staff in the building to perform web searches or to send e-mails.

 

Pat, the manager of Age Concern Training in Walsall, comments, ‘We find the use of ICT is a very good mechanism for helping literacy and numeracy. They can see the relevance. Friends send them e-mails, for example, so we set up e-mail accounts for them. Some of our older learners have been involved in a project researching their family history, so we bought a number of CDs on genealogy. The standard project was very high.’

‘My name is Veronica. I am 57 years old with three children. I have worked most of my life in the leather industry and looked after my family. I joined the course at Age Concern to better myself and get a good job at the end. I am enjoying my course and have passed my City and Guilds Entry Level 3 in maths, First Aid and Manual Handling. My teachers have helped me a lot to get through.

‘I know now that I have the confidence in myself to do better with looking for a job and talking to people and listening to them. I now have the confidence to go forward with everything in life. I can talk to people better, fill in forms for jobs and work a computer, which we call IT. I feel a lot better in myself for doing this. I really can do the things I had watched other people do.

‘I am going for interviews for a job and going to carry on with my training and interest with native Americans who I am reading and finding out about at the library and on the Internet.’

Veronica’s teacher adds, ‘ICT is a tool that until recently has been largely ignored. When you see people like Veronica you can see how much confidence being able to use ICT gives learners. At the end of the day ICT is a tool – it doesn’t have to be employed correctly, it needs to be used productively. If you look at Veronica for example – she’s really interested in native Americans. Her initial assessment showed her reading skills to be mainly at Entry Level 2. If she does a research activity on the Internet she can practise many of the skills she needs, such as looking words up according to their alphabetical order or developing her vocabulary.’

Helen, a teacher who works with vulnerable young adults, assesses their literacy, numeracy and language needs using the Basic Skills Agency initial assessment materials. She then assesses their learning styles at the start of the six-week courses. She has always found that the young people are happy to be assessed. By the time they have been referred to her they have spent a great deal of time with support workers, who would not refer them to literacy, numeracy and language support sessions unless they felt the learners were ready. Helen also encourages the learners to feel at ease, and reassures them about the outcomes of their assessment. She told us, ‘The first meeting is laidback and relaxed, usually it’s carried out one-to-one. I explain the purpose of the assessment.’

Lincolnshire Action Trust works in close cooperation with the local probation and youth offending services in screening offenders in the pre-sentence report stage. Should this indicate that the client has literacy, numeracy or language needs, an appointment is made with one of the Trust’s qualified Skills for Life teachers for a diagnostic assessment. This then informs the development of the individual learning and session plans.

The RNID carries out the Fast Track oral assessment in Sign with people attending employment advice sessions. Where this highlights that someone probably has a problem with literacy or numeracy, they are referred to the Skills for Life teacher for further diagnosis. She uses the national Skills for Life diagnostic materials, accompanied by ‘deaf-friendly’ diagnostic material. She also designs on-course summative assessments relating to individual targets and learning outcomes. The results of the final assessment are recorded on learners’ records of achievement. This document also records learning that takes place outside the learning session, for example at home or in a library.

 

Tania, the Skills for Life coordinator, commented, ‘You may not see yourself as a candidate for college, or a candidate for further education, but you come away with a Record of Achievement that places you in the context of further training or somewhere you might not have thought you could progress to.’

One organisation providing full-time programmes reviews its learners’ progress once every four weeks as a minimum. The results are recorded on a database. This also makes it clear when reviews are outstanding.

 

‘My name is Seivright and I am 47 years old. I left school at 16 and I worked for four companies. The last job I did lasted for 25 years until I was made redundant. After six months on the dole I was told of this course by my Jobcentre and I decided to give things a try. I am very glad I did and I would never have even known what I could do if I hadn’t joined. I feel that I can go on now and pass more courses and get certificates that will help me get the job I want.

‘I have learned to fill in interview forms and I am more confident in myself when mixing with different people who I learn with. There is loads of things I can now do that I never even thought I could do in a million years.

‘After I finish the course, I hope my time here will help me to better myself and my prospects for a job. I am sure my time with the teachers will be very good for me in the future.’

‘My name is Bibi. I have children and I joined the Age Concern Training Centre in February 2004. The reason I am here is to gain some qualifications and to help me get a job in the future. My adviser from the Jobcentre advised me to join the course because it would help me to improve my literacy and numeracy skills. In fact I like being here and I am pretty confident with my work. I also learnt a lot on grammar, punctuation, numeracy and letters. I can write formal letters and I also know which layout to use.

‘I think the course is good for people who need help and support with their learning and to improve their communication skills. It has helped me in lots of ways already and will only get better in the future. The course has helped me in all sorts of ways, including making me think what employers want and what I myself can offer employers. I am confident now and I know I will get qualifications and a job after all my hard work.’