Initial Assessment Essay
How can an Initial Assessment that I have devised myself help me to tailor my teaching to satisfy individual learner needs?
Action Research Project submitted to the
Southgate College
(Validated by the University of Middlesex)
In partial fulfilment of the requirements for the qualification of Diploma in Teaching in the Lifelong Learning Sector
by
Vishnu Kumar Maharatna Parihar
Period of study:
2008 – 2011
Introduction
I chose to research how an Initial Assessment Form (IAF) could identify a group’s background, barriers to learning, learning needs, learning activity and aid in the creation of an excellent learning programme. My aim was to ascertain whether the current method of oral initial assessment is accurate …show more content…
Two levels, level 1 and level 2, manual book keeping and accounting courses are offered by HALS. I based this assessment on informal techniques such as talking with the students individually or in small groups (Castling 1996, p11), gauging their responses to a variety of teaching activities, and generally “getting to know” them. I also spent some time talking to other teachers already familiar with the students I would be teaching. This enabled me to gain a tutor’s perspective of the students and the levels of effort, attitudes and preferred learning styles (Reece and Walker 2008, p141).
Literature Review
The publication of the Moser Report - 'A Fresh Start - Improving Literacy and Numeracy ', (DfEE 1999), reported that 7 million adults in England, roughly one in five of the population, had low levels of literacy skills. The situation for numeracy was worse, with estimates of the number of adults having some numeracy difficulties ranging from 30% - 50%. The report also found that 75% of people in prison had low literacy and numeracy skills and in fact cannot read The Sun newspaper.
One of the recommendations of the report was that there should be basic skills support in colleges and effective screening strategies implemented, to enable learners to progress on the pathway that will enable
Action Research Project submitted to the
Southgate College
(Validated by the University of Middlesex)
In partial fulfilment of the requirements for the qualification of Diploma in Teaching in the Lifelong Learning Sector
by
Vishnu Kumar Maharatna Parihar
Period of study:
2008 – 2011
Introduction
I chose to research how an Initial Assessment Form (IAF) could identify a group’s background, barriers to learning, learning needs, learning activity and aid in the creation of an excellent learning programme. My aim was to ascertain whether the current method of oral initial assessment is accurate …show more content…
Two levels, level 1 and level 2, manual book keeping and accounting courses are offered by HALS. I based this assessment on informal techniques such as talking with the students individually or in small groups (Castling 1996, p11), gauging their responses to a variety of teaching activities, and generally “getting to know” them. I also spent some time talking to other teachers already familiar with the students I would be teaching. This enabled me to gain a tutor’s perspective of the students and the levels of effort, attitudes and preferred learning styles (Reece and Walker 2008, p141).
Literature Review
The publication of the Moser Report - 'A Fresh Start - Improving Literacy and Numeracy ', (DfEE 1999), reported that 7 million adults in England, roughly one in five of the population, had low levels of literacy skills. The situation for numeracy was worse, with estimates of the number of adults having some numeracy difficulties ranging from 30% - 50%. The report also found that 75% of people in prison had low literacy and numeracy skills and in fact cannot read The Sun newspaper.
One of the recommendations of the report was that there should be basic skills support in colleges and effective screening strategies implemented, to enable learners to progress on the pathway that will enable