It is my role and responsibility as a health and social care diploma tutor, to guide the learner to achieve their qualification within the target date with a professional and respectable approach.
When I am tutoring the learners I actively involve them by asking them questions, getting them to join in discussions, asking them their views or thoughts, this is so they engage in the activity to their full potential. Throughout the appointment I give the learners feedback while working in line with the main legislations to maintain a safe and confidential manner.
The legislations that I work in line with are:
Health and Safety at Work Act …show more content…
1974 - to ensure the safety of the employee, employer, clients and visitors. Ensure the learners know where all the exits are, the toilets, the kitchen for refreshments and all wire are covered or moved out of the way so no one drips over them.
The Teaching and Higher Education Act 1998 – this was established to improve the teaching standards throughout England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The act also made provision for the new system of student loans that were introduced, and introduces paid leave from work for training towards a qualification. (Student Loans Act 1998), Data Protection Act 1984, later updated in 1998 then 2003 – this is to protect all personal information being passed on to anybody who isn’t authorised to receive such information. I also work in line with the Code of Practice - assurance of academic quality and standards in higher education (the Code of practice) provides guidance on maintaining quality and standards for universities and colleges subscribing to QAA. It is made up of 10 sections and was originally prepared by QAA between 1998 and 2001. Revisions of individual sections began in 2004, the Equality Act 2010 – this act is to make sure everyone are being treated fairly and equality. It stops employers discriminating against a person because of their age, race, sex, colour, religious beliefs and also individual who are classed as disabled. The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 is now in tow with the Equality Act 2010.
At the beginning of the learner’s qualification, in the induction, I ask the learners to complete a maths and English initial assessment, this is to establish if the leaner needs any additional support or have any learning barriers. Some learners may need extra support with Math and English so I will refer the learner to the functional skills assessor, English may not be the learners first language (ESOL) so you may need to have a translator in the classroom, a foreign dictionary or other language devices such as electrical aids i.e. Foreign language writing aid which is a computer programme that assists a non-native language user.
In the induction I set professional barriers, I make myself approachable for the learners but also make them aware that I am still their teacher. I will treat everyone as individuals and equality, with respect and in return I expect my learner to show me the same treatment.
I discuss with the learners the companies’ policies on discrimination, bullying and how to make a complaint, if they feel I am treating them unfairly.
I take all correct criteria with me and paperwork for the learners. Each learner completes an ILP (Individual Learner Plan) which is locked away in the learner folder in head office (I make all the learners aware of this). I give them a hand-out on the Data Protection Act 1998.
‘Feedback - learners need information on what they do well, and how to improve, and then they need to act on this. Teachers can give feedback, but students can too, with self- assessment and peer assessment. The best feedback (or formative assessment) uses student's work to diagnose strengths and weaknesses, and to set individual targets for improvement.’
(Petty, ‘Evidenced based teaching’ p.22)
Here Petty explains how feedback to a learner can improve their learning outcomes, whether the feedback is from me, the assessor, themselves or other peers.
When giving the learners feedback I use the sandwich technique, this is when I have a discussion with the learner about their work in a private room, and I start off with praise. I say about how well some of their work is or how well they completed a task, I then talk about a topic that the learner may be slightly weaker in, I give them feedback and ways of improving that would suit their learning needs or techniques. I then finish the discussion with more praise and comment on how well the learner has completed a task. I feel this is a good approach as the learner won’t feel to demotivated and gets constructive feedback.
In return, I read and sign visiting homes policies on Data Protection and agree to keep all sensitive information between myself and the learner. I do inform the learners that if I witness anything that I feel are a safeguarding issues, it is my duty of care to report the matter to the appropriate person in charge.
Every appointment I have with the learner is recorded on a review form, I also record on this form, what units we have looked at and planned and any research I wish the learner to look up.
Halfway through the qualification, we also complete a 12 weekly review where a meeting is arranged for the learner and manager to sit with me in a private area to discuss the learner’s progress. This is a good opportunity for the learner or me to discuss any concerns, barriers which we may be experiencing. These reviews are scanned onto my companies’ laptop and attached to the learners file. The paper copy is put in the learners individual folders which are locked at head office.
I make sure all risk assessments and protocols are in place in every setting I visit to prevent any harm or upset to either myself, the learner and mainly the service users. I make all learners aware of this requirement.
I also talk to the learners about plagiarism and if they use any quotes, they need to reference it. I give the learners web sites which explain and show how to Harvard reference. I also have hand-outs which the learners can keep. I feel all of this aids the learners and they know where information can be found.
Finally I make sure the learner knows and understands what I expect of them and that they understand the criteria to be able to complete and achieve their
qualification.
I also keep the records and paperwork up to date, keeping a written evidence records of how the learners are getting on and any concerns. This is also used as a planning formats so both myself, the leaner and managers can monitor how the leaner is progressing.
I give support and guidance to my learners, showing active support myself so the learner feels more motivated and feels they are able to approach me if they have any concerns or questions.
If any of my learners have special requirements then I will accommodate their individual needs, I have a learner who is dyslexic and prefers their units/standards or information to be on yellow paper, this is because on white paper, the words appear to move around and my learner is unable to focus on the words and read them. Also, yellow paper I the only colour that doesn’t hurt the learners eyes. My learner brings to workshops and appointments, her iPad which she uses to complete work and for spell check. The iPad background colour is yellow.
I do spend some additional time with the learner where we read through the diploma standards (the knowledge questions in her Health and Social Care diploma) together, my learner makes notes then we do voice recordings. This is where I introduce myself and the learners name and registration number on a voice recording then I read the diploma standards and the learner answers them. I upload and attach the voice recordings to her electric portfolio, completing knowledge questions in her diploma.
We complete the voice recordings in a quiet and private room as the learner needs to consecrate but also my learner can feel under pressure to answer the questions in front of other learners and can feel embarrassed.
‘By inclusive learning we mean the greatest degree of match or fit between how learners learn best, what they need and want to learn, and what is required from the sector, a college and teachers for successful learning to take place’
Tomlinson 1996
Tomlinson is explaining that inclusive learning is when you identify the learners’ specific, individual and additional needs, providing resources and appropriate support and meeting their preferred learning styles to achieve the best outcomes for them in their education.
When I am preparing for a workshop at our offices, I log on to each learners electric portfolio and check which units out of their diplomas each learner is working on. I print out the standards (diploma knowledge questions) for the units each learner is currently working on, on suitable coloured or white paper. I have a learner who has all her work printed on pale blue paper as she is dyslexic and can focus and see the questions. On white paper he words blur and merge into each other which makes it unable to read, he white paper also gives my learner a headache. I also print out any hand-outs and information that will be needed, again, using coloured paper if necessary.
I set up my laptop and PowerPoint, ensuring all wires are covered so not to cause an accident and the kitchen has supplies so the learners can have refreshments.
I risk assess the room to ensure safety and the smoking area outside, make sure there is a fire proof bin for the cigarettes.
Reference
gov.org. (). Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. Available: http://www.hse.gov.uk/legislation/hswa.htm.
legislation.gov.uk. (). data protection. Available: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1998/29/contents. Last accessed 23/12/12 petty, Geoff. (2004). Teaching Today. Available: http://www.geoffpetty.com/differentiation.html
Petty, Geoff. (2009). ‘Evidenced based teaching. ‘2nd Ed 2009. Available: http://www.geoffpetty.com/
Tomlinson, Ann. (2996). inclusive learning. Available: http://dera.ioe.ac.uk/10143/1/Equality_and_diversity_in_adult_and_community_learning.pdf. Last accessed 6/2/13.
Tomlinson, Ann. (2000). Differentiation of Instruction in the Elementary Grades. Available: http://minniehughes.ccsdschools.com/UserFiles/Servers/Server_2876523/File/Staff/Rogers/differentiated_instruction.pdf
Wikipedia. (15/1/13). Foreign language writing aid. Available: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_language_writing_aid. Last accessed 5/2/13