Unit 504
David McCarthy ID No. 50148095
C&G DTLLS UNIT 504
Applying theories and principles for planning and enabling learning
1 Understanding the application of theories and principles of learning and communication to inclusive learning and teaching
Task 1
Analyse and evaluate how teaching theory Impacts upon your own practice
Assessment Criteria
1.1 Analyse the factors that can affect learning and achievement.
There are many factors affecting learning throughout schools and colleges across the United Kingdom. The aim of this assignment is to analyse some of the factors which can affect learning and achievement and how these theories can be applied to inclusive learning.
Some may consider these …show more content…
factors a barrier to some individuals but the same factors can also be a source of inspiration and motivation. Motivation and inspiration may come from many different pathways within the environment affecting learning and achievement and can either be personal or external. As a parent, I have helped influence my children’s career choices both intentionally and unintentionally, this I feel can be said of all parents. Similarly learners may be just as inspired by role models and peers outside of the home, as with many sporting stars. External factors affecting learning and achievement can be looked at from many different angles. A high proportion of my FE learners live in areas where there is a high rate of crime and have issues with gangs and anti-social behaviour, which can cause emotional and psychological disturbance and unsettlement affecting the learner’s ability to focus on learning and achievement. External factors can also be extended to include poverty and deprivation as this can limit individuals to learning opportunities. Even the area in which my learners live can be a significant factor as to whether the level of learning and achievement can be achieved. There are not enough resources in terms of qualified staff to support all of the learners at the college. It is often very challenging knowing that one of my learners would achieve a much higher level had they been given one to one help on certain subjects.
Many of my FE Level 1 and 2 learners are dealing with issues with their family environment living with only one of their parents or non in some cases, where they are the sole carer for siblings. This is a key factor which can affect learning and achievement. First of all the family structure and support of one or both parents of a learner at home can be hugely influential. According to the Office of National Statistics publication released on October 31, 2013 there are nearly 1.9 million lone parents with dependent. The single parent charity Gingerbread, report this figure to be as high as 3 million children living in a single parent household and 43 percent of single parents are social housing tenants (gingerbread.org.uk). There is little doubt that there is a relationship between the household and family structure and its influence on learning and achievements for learners, for some this may be a barrier but for others it can be a source of motivation and inspiration.
Information about the learner and how they prefer to learn is usually collected during the initial and diagnostic assessments which will give a reflection of ascertaining information regarding literacy, language, numeracy and computer skills. If these skills are not ascertained, it then makes it difficult to plan sessions to meet individual needs and/or arrange further training and support (Gravells, 2012). Gravells (2012) further emphasises that other aspects that may affect learning could be that if their equality and diversity needs are ignored it will subsequently affect the way they perform and effectively their achievement.
Personal factors may include a disability or learning difficulties such as dyslexia or generic inheritance. Learning difficulties could be a specific difficulty in one or more areas of development particularly if needs are not assessed and being provisions made to cater for. Learners with dyslexia may exhibit some tendencies like slow reading or writing speed, tendency to misread or possessing a short concentration span and more. Learners reaction to dyslexia may be varied as they may become frustrated and irritated by the effects however may be minimised if the problem is identified quickly in the initial assessment stage so that it is included in the planning of lessons. One of my FE level 2 learners with dyslexia was made aware to me by our support team before my first lesson teaching BTEC Fluid Power. This was an advantage to me as a Teacher, due to being able to develop my lesson plan with this in mind. Some learners may find it a barrier but many have benefitted from some good support from both Teachers and Institutions. The effect of dyslexia causes barriers to students learning and development not just from an educational standpoint but can also affect their social wellbeing as they may have difficulties organising work and other aspects of their lives. It could lead to stress, anxiety and low self-esteem for the learner if not identified early on.
Other personal factors also include issues relating to physical and psychological health. For example learners who are hyperactive tend to find concentration difficult which may also be a barrier not just to their own learning and development but also that of other learners.
1.2 Explain how theories and principles of learning and communication can be applied to enable inclusive learning and teaching.
In order to develop my skills in teaching, it is important to look at the different teaching and learning styles that are used in the classroom and consider how learning theories and principles of learning are demonstrated. Communication in the classroom is very important and should be used accordingly. JOHN HATTIE has spent his life studying the studies to find out what works in education. His advice to teachers? Just shut up.
Professor Hattie, appointed this year as the director of the Melbourne Education Research Institute at the University of Melbourne, says teachers need to stop spending 80 per cent of their time in class talking and start listening. ' 'When teachers stop talking deep learning takes place, ' ' he told a conference of educators at Parramatta. ' 'It 's our concept of ourselves as teachers that we have knowledge and we need to impart it. ' 'Speaking 80 per cent of the time in conversation means I 'm waiting for you to stop to have the chance to talk. In counselling you have to do the opposite, you have to listen and that 's what I want teachers to do. ' ' http://www.smh.com.au/national/education/just-shut-up-and-listen-expert-tells-teachers-20110609-1fv9y.html#ixzz3G96F5VpA
There are three main types of learning theories that can be separated into three main schools of thought: The behaviourist school, cognitivist school and the humanist school.
The behaviourist school of thought is concerned completely with learned behaviour. Behaviourists believe that behaviour is learned from external stimuli and that learners react more to teaching rather than being actively involved in the process.
Cognitivists believe that the learning process involves thought, senses and experience as opposed to learning solely by response to stimuli. This takes into account some of the specific human thinking traits, aware that we have a more complex brain than the animals used in some of the behaviour experiments contributing to behaviourist theory. Cognitivists also believe that although the animal behaviour experiments may tell us something useful about learning we should still experiment further into human specific learning processes.
Humanists believe that learners should be totally at the centre of learning. They believe that to develop autonomy, learners need personal goals and meaning to what they are learning. Although this is a less scientific method, it does offer a responsive approach to the individual differences that we experience in human learning. This school of thought is also heavily motivational to the point that most of the theorists behind this are motivation theorists rather than human theorists.
There are also different levels of learning (taxonomy of learning - Bloom) to be aware of which will allow for a type of differentiation between learners. Furthermore Speare (2008) Talks about communication and how this can be used appropriately to enable inclusive learning. Warm up activities are advised as they engage learners and assist in getting the learners to participate. This is something I encourage in most of my lessons. At the start of my Fluid Power lesson with my level 2 Btec learners, I will ask them to complete a risk assessment of the working area in groups of three and four. This changes each week due to different tasks being set by other tutors on the Hydraulic and Pneumatic test rigs.
As teaching professionals it is critical that a flexible and open minded approach to teaching be embraced and adopted for learning to be achieved. Not only do we need to be flexible with our teaching styles but also need to apply the same principle in delivering lessons and creating a suitable environment for achievements to be obtained. This is necessary because learners learn in different ways and forms. The vark learning styles theory was based on research which was undertaken by Neil Flemming in 1987 and is one of the more popular tools used to identify how students learn and are characterised as being either audio, visual or kinaesthetic learner. Auditory learners learn best by hearing information and are normally good at remembering what was said which an extremely useful component in the communication process is. Visual learners learn best through the written word and absorb information by reading information by reading books or taking notes.
Some lessons may require learners to work in groups where they can interact with their peers and express themselves and some activities may also require them to work on their own. This has been theorised by Vygotsky’s zone of proximal development. The principle of this theory is based on the belief that what learners learn with the help of others exceeds what they can learn on their own and highlights the parallels between these important factors of group work and its benefits in learners learning from each other where the strong supports the weak.
One could argue that this would create a suitable learning environment where all learners develop new skills as through this inclusion and interaction of peers it was possible to educate those who are so called uneducable. Conversely there may be some who could then argue that the theory may not be as beneficial to some students and may in fact be holding back their development. In contrast the Piaget theory suggest that development comes before learning and hence since we were all born with the ability to learn, learning could be more difficult later unless if there is little or no exposure to the suitable learning environment from a young age. Piaget further suggests that learning must wait until learners are ready. Vygotsky argued, “Learning is a necessary and universal aspect of the process of developing culturally organised, specifically human psychological function, In other words, social learning tends to precede development” (SS). My interpretation of this statement would be that Vygotsky was of the view that education is an individual process and everyone learns at their own rate, when they are ready to learn, regardless of age.
2.1 Apply inclusive learning and teaching strategies and resources taking account of theories and principles of learning and communication
When planning for my lessons I tend to incorporate theories from a variety of well-known theorist without thinking. Inclusive learning includes consideration of a lot things ranging from past experiences and achievements to teaching strategies and learning theories.
Trainers need to employ different strategies so as to target the differentiated learning methods (Wilson, 2009). They need to plan for individual activities and assessments following initial assessments. Wilson (2009) suggests employing different delivery methods which might include group work, discussions, debates, role plays, projects etc.
It is important to ensure all learners are engaged in my Btec Fluid Power lessons, due to the amount of knowledge required to complete each assignment within the given time frame. To achieve this goal, I use group exercises encouraging my learners to work together on the training rigs to solve problems together and interactive automation software for those creative learners who enjoy working alone.
Trainers might follow the different types of learning theories in order to deliver inclusive learning. Scales (2008:274) disputes that we cannot just dictate that ‘this is how we teach’ and expect learners to fit in with it. Trainers should find out how learners learn and develop provision, methods and resources to suit them. Gravells (2009) emphasises on using initial training to determine the correct plans for the variety of learning styles focusing on Visual, Audio, Reading/Writing and Kinaesthetic. By realising these learning styles the trainer is able to include all learners and therefore delivering learning effectively (Petty, 2009)
Bloom’s domains of learning could also be used in promoting inclusive learning. Bloom 's Taxonomy was created in 1956 under the leadership of educational psychologist Dr.Benjamin Bloom in order to promote higher forms of thinking in education, such as analysing and evaluating, rather than just remembering facts (rote learning). This identified three domains of educational activities or learning (Bloom, 1956): Cognitive: mental skills (Knowledge) Affective: growth in feelings or emotional areas (Attitude or self) Psychomotor: manual or physical skills (Skills) since the work was produced by higher education, the words tend to be a little bigger than we normally use. Domains can be thought of as categories. Trainers often refer to these three categories as KSA (Knowledge, Skills, and Attitude). This taxonomy of learning behaviours can be thought of as “the goals of the learning process.” That is, after a learning episode, the learner should have acquired new skills, knowledge, and/or attitudes (D. Clark, 2008 accessed on line 13/05/2014)
3.2 Use elements of minimum core in applying theories and principles for planning and enabling inclusive learning and teaching.
Minimum core has become more apparent in my teaching over the past two years. I teach a range of learners at level 1 to level 3. Many of my learners are functionally illiterate and far more have problems with numeracy. Minimum core elements require me as a tutor to develop literacy, language, numeracy and ICT needs of the learner through application of knowledge, understanding and personal skills. When delivering my fluid power lesson, I ensure the knowledge and understanding of the core subject (pedagogical skills) is explained well enough using a range of techniques to help each learner absorb the information. This ensures learners know basic techniques and underpinning knowledge whilst I also understand how important it is to develop their personal skills and encourage them to practice and build their skills.
In embedding these core skills as teachers, we need to be mindful of inclusion requirements which help to transform the learners from receptive learning to reflective reading. This takes into consideration Brooks (1995) thoughts on reflective practice (Coles and Anthony; 2004). This theory suggests that there are four critical lenses that trainers should use for reflection namely; by their autobiographies as trainers and as trainees.
Literacy, language, social, and communicating skills:
Setting up expectations of use of language in ground rules then address professionally.
How I introduce specialist terminology.
When trying to enforce a non-swearing policy in my classes, I find it easier than most as I do not use profanities, even expletives as part of my own everyday life. I live life this way and therefore lead by example in lessons. The opportunity here is to suggest/model words which help one express a matter more accurately and effectively.
For learners who slip with this rule, I gently rebuke using kind words suggesting alternative words to expand their vocabulary.
Literacy and Language:
At different levels I adjust my spoken language level accordingly e.g.
Level 1 – part
Level 2 – part, piece, or possibly component
Level 3 – component
This as well as word searches, puzzles, labelled tools, introduce the specialist vocabulary needed for engineering.
When holding individual conversations I use language accordingly to suit the individual. I also adjust my pace of speech to suit too. Occasionally I will drop in a word above the individual’s level to stretch the individual. I will also use another word alongside that they will know. This and the context can influence and grow the individual’s vocabulary especially where inquisitiveness is present.
ICT and Numeracy Skills:
This is still the ‘model and transfer’ methodology where I intentionally make tasks require ICT and Numeracy. In the workshop and process control lab, measuring equipment is used which gives a fine numeracy opportunity. Every opportunity – even telling the analogue time – I use to put across minimum core.
4.1 Analyse how own application of theories and principles of learning and communication impact on inclusive learning and teaching.
As a teacher, my methods of delivery have a large impact on the way learners respond to teaching. The Brookfield (1995) reflective practice helps both the trainer and the trainee to gain experiences and ideas from a wide range of sources about the things that are effective in the classroom thus strengthening their professional knowledge. The Brookfield theory helps in developing professional values as it develops certain attitudes and dispositions which are valued (Coles and Anthony, 2004).
Reflection helps me as a teacher to evaluate how each learner should be treated differently therefore promoting inclusivity. Using the Brookfield reflective practice promotes good professional practice as it encourages learners to try out things for themselves whilst in the classroom which in turn helps in improved learning in the classroom. Adding to these factors, reflective practice helps to evaluate practice by reflecting on the effective things and adding these to one’s professional knowledge. This concurs with Boud’s (1985) reflective theory which goes to reinforce that it could be used as a learning tool when learners have been taught how to reflect and therefore being self-aware with an appreciation of their own strengths and weaknesses encouraging selection of preferred learning style and relationship with individuals and the community (Coles and Anthony, 2004).
These theories tie in with the reflective theories for both Kolbe (1996) and Gibbs (1988) theories. Gibbs describes a reflective cycle that emphasises the need to continue to reflect on actions in order to develop professionally. After reflection the teacher could choose to employ any of the training styles in order to make sure that they capture the learners and keep them focused and ultimately achieve inclusivity.
“Maybe reflective practices offer us a way of trying to make sense of the uncertainty in our workplaces and the courage to work competently and ethically at the edge of order and chaos…” (Ghaye, 2000, p.7)
Ghayes statement above is so relevant to my teaching experiences as I often wonder why certain learners act the way they do in some of my lessons? I am then able to reflect and analyse what I could do better to cater for the individual learners needs.
Recognising how learners learn is a vital part of my role as a teacher. Assessment therefore is an essential part of the teaching and learning process. It helps me plan and provide support for learners used with the individual learning plan and the lesson plans. It is integral to managers for monitoring of performance, curriculum planning and evaluation of own teaching. Most importantly, assessments help to track progression, measure achievement and provide feedback to learners. In doing so, learners can make changes to their learning and improve the quality of their work. As Wilson (2009) .p 266 states “it is the process of checking that learning has occurred. It is the way teachers know whether or not they have been effective in their sessions”.
Task 2
Reflective Account and Plan
2.2 Assess the effectiveness of own selection and use of inclusive learning and teaching strategies and resources.
Reece and Walker (2000, p195) state “Thus, anything that you use to augment your teaching, or learning strategy, or anything you get your students to use, can be termed a learning aid or a resource”.
Being able to provide computer systems for use by learners is vital to enable them to gain practical experience of working with the hardware and software. My fluid power lessons would be more of a challenge without them, although, there are limitations on the use and effectiveness of these resources, however. Computer systems are expensive, fragile and quickly obsolete. Providing new equipment and maintaining existing equipment costs the engineering department, and the company, a lot of money, which might otherwise be available for other training uses.
As a College of Advanced Technology the engineering department has a selection of additional equipment available and I have a laptop for use during training sessions. The laptop is used to take the register, connect to the projector to display hand-outs etc. and playback video for the session.
There are also smart boards, training rigs, and simulation software packages. This is in addition to equipment provided by individual professional tutors I work with.
As well as computer hardware and application software, teachers and learners also have access to information and teaching materials. From September this year the college purchased the online learning resource LJ Create - Learning for life. This resource has transformed my delivery. Teachers and learners are able to access files on the server for a number of Btec level 1, 2 and 3 units, and staff may make schemes of work, assignments, hand-outs, worksheets and other training materials available for download or for reading online.
By using assessment tools within LJ Create, I am able to assess how well my lesson went by asking learners to answer short question papers. We then go through the answers on the smart board as a group.
Other resources come from sources as YouTube, hand-outs, flipcharts, text books/research, peer support etc.
3.1 Analyse ways in which minimum core elements can be demonstrated in applying theories and principles for planning and enabling inclusive learning and teaching
It is not appropriate to adopt just one of the three theories when developing lesson plans as I feel there is place for a combination of all three. There are many theorists who have founded their own conclusion about how people learn, however some say that intelligence is nature rather than nurture. Gardner’s model of intelligence has been recognised and encouraged within the education community. Gardner’s model states that children’s intelligence should be emphasised on more areas than maths and English. This has encouraged teachers to apply all aspects into their lesson planning in order to meet the needs of all learners allowing inclusive learning. Within Children’s Care, Learning and Development, Gardner recognised the Reggio Emilia School as a good example of practicing the multiple intelligence models, stating it as ‘good practice’ (Cohen, et al p42).
People who have a fixed mind-set and believe that their intelligence cannot be altered, often underachieve as they think there is no chance of them learning something new. Deck suggested this could ‘limit their successes’. (learningandtheadolescentmind.org).
My lessons foster a Humanist theory approach looking at the whole, overall student and not just the child sat in the classroom. This is based on the ‘unique characteristics of human beings’ (Squire, p405). Maslow (1954) believed that in order for students to achieve then they must move through stages and the bottom stage contains food and water, I often ask my learners if they had breakfast and find many have not. If a student has not had these basic needs met then they cannot achieve in their studies. Throughout college, there are learner support workers who can help to provide money for college items and refer learners to the right department to solve housing accommodation, should it be required. Some learners do not have a safe environment to return to and this can affect their college life. As a tutor I can access help to provide breakfast for example, to ensure students are meeting their basic needs ready to learn in the college environment.
Neo-behaviourists worked from the behaviourist view but believed there was a small cognitive step involved. Skinner (1938) founded a theory called Operant Conditioning which involved positive and negative reinforcements, which can help to ignore bad behaviour from learners. This style of learning is sometimes used with learners on the Autistic Spectrum and it is called ‘Applied Behaviour Analysis’ (www.aba-autism-education.co.uk). This style of learning can be applied by sharing objectives with learners, cues for ground rules and asking learners to reiterate these rules. When delivering a lesson to my level 1 learners I have to adopt more of a behaviourist approach. Two of my level 1 learners have Asperger’s and take everything I say literally, I am mindful of this and tend to spend more time with them explaining each task in small bite size chunks.
Cognitive theory is in total opposition to behaviourist schools of learning. ‘The whole transcends the sum of its parts’ (Scales, p62). This is often called Gestalt learning- a learner sees the whole of an idea before they see the individual parts of the task. In order to apply these to teaching then do not assume that the learners have all of the prior knowledge of a subject area before they walk through the classroom door.
The minimum core elements are considered as one of the basic skills and knowledge required in being able to deliver effective lessons as a Teacher irrespective of the area of specialism. Possessing the knowledge, understanding and personal skills in English, Numeracy and ICT provides us with the platform to be able show and demonstrate theories and principles to facilitate their learning. “Improving these skills will enable you to effectively fulfil your role as a professional teacher, it’s about being able to develop these skills in your students” (Ann Gravels). To further improve my own teaching I attend classes with my peers to improve core elements I feel lacking and attend various CPD days arranged by the college to help enhance my teaching skills.
4.2 Evaluate strengths and areas for improvement in own application of theories and principles of inclusive learning and teaching.
The applications of theories in my own practice in regards to areas of improvement are vast as there are various ways of achieving the better outcomes in training. In my field of training which is mainly engineering training, I see a lot of changes in legislation and some which affects the way I train and the way I deliver, I am always mindful of my environment and duty of care for my learners with respect of the Health and Safety at work act, COSHH and the many safe working practices which need to be followed.
Possessing over 30 years’ experience in engineering before I started Teaching Engineering related subjects as well as my abilities to engage learners in stimulating discussions has been my stronger areas as a Teacher. I am able to apply and use real life examples and or experiences from my time working for Ford Motor Company and relate them to lessons and use this means as an inclusive tool for learning. I am also able to adapt my lessons and teaching styles to different levels, am a good communicator and possess good classroom management
skills.
My last observation highlighted my strengths as very experienced and knowledgeable it was suggested that my recap and lesson summary needed to be more effective and was introduced to a technique call the flipped classroom model. The Flipped Classroom model basically involves encouraging students to prepare for the next lesson by stating what will be taught. With this in mind, I have produced a Daily learner sheet for my learners to complete at the start of each lesson. Thus the class becomes a dynamic environment in which learners elaborate on what they have already studied. Another area where development was suggested was that there has to be more ‘Teacher intervention’, set tasks and then go round to individual students ensuring that they are achieving their personal targets and complement the learners on their progress using ‘Directed questions then develop the learning process and using a feedback sheet at the end of lessons. I will also ask my learners to reflect at the end of the day in a box provided on their Daily learner sheet.
4.3 Engage in professional development opportunities to improve own application of theories and principles of learning and communication to inclusive learning and teaching
I consider my current role in teaching Engineering skills to level 1, 2 and 3 learners to be the most gratifying experience of my entire working life. Although I have developed over the last two years but consider that my journey has just begun and still has a long way to go. I have been fortunate to have had and still continue to have enormous support from my mentor and other teaching professionals within the college giving guidance to my professional development. I consider it necessary to have an open approach to professional development and as part of my development I am in constant dialogue with my mentor in identifying areas where my application of theories and principles of learning can be improved or broadened. I arrange regular meeting with my mentor to help with lesson planning and procedures required to deliver a good lesson.
The range of my learners varies in age, race, language and culture and of course inabilities and one of the areas that I intend to develop is that of professional discussions. Professional discussions are a two way conversation with a learner which is intended to help in identifying their learning needs and abilities. It can also be useful as a communications tool especially where the learner speaking, language or writing abilities needs to be developed and also creates an inclusive learning environment were learners have the opportunity to be creative and listen to their “inner speech”, developing their imagination. I intend to shadow tutors who work with ESOL learners within the next 2 months as I believe it will help me to be better equipped to and have a greater understanding how this can be further developed in the future. With the introduction of two new teaching staff in September whose first language is not English and both having a lot of experience working with ESOL learners, I feel I will learn a lot from them.
Jennings (2007) defines personal or professional development (PD) as a formal means by which an individual (normally working with a teacher, mentor or supervisor) sets out goals, strategies and outcomes of learning and training. It is therefore very important that as a teacher, working in an Engineering environment where safe working practice and duty of care for learners is key that I endeavour to maintain a robust PD plan.
This is not just relevant for personal gain but also it might be in alignment with the professional programme of study and is often written to meet requirements from regulatory or statutory bodies around continuing professional development (CPD) It is my goal to design a development plan with defined time frames, activities and outcomes to meet the defined goals, and specify dates for review and meetings with line managers and mentors. My plan will include formal and informal training, reading, attending meetings, observing colleagues, refreshing and learning new study skills, developing new skills to meet my career goal. In my organisation CPD is well employed due to the nature of the business, which is the provision of advanced engineering skills.
I attend regular standardisation meetings with my team leader, manager and fellow teachers to ensure we are all working to the same standards giving constructive feedback to learners.
Bibliography www. gingerbread.org.uk
(Gravells, 2012)
John Hattie - http://www.teacherstoolbox.co.uk/effect_sizes.html http://www.smh.com.au/national/education/just-shut-up-and-listen-expert-tells-teachers-20110609-1fv9y.html#ixzz3G96F5VpA (Bloom, 1956)
Petty, G (2009) Evidence Based Teaching: A Practical Approach. 2nd edition. Nelson Thornes
Scales, P (2008) Teaching in the Lifelong Learning Sector 2ND ed. OUP.
Brooks (1995) thoughts on reflective practice reflective practice (Coles and Anthony; 2004
Boud’s (1985) reflective theory
Kolbe (1996)
Gibbs (1988)
Jennings (2007) defines personal or professional development
Reece and Walker (2000, p195) Wallace (2010)
Wilson, L. (2009) Practical Teaching :
C&G DTLLS UNIT 504
Applying theories and principles for planning and enabling learning
1 Understanding the application of theories and principles of learning and communication to inclusive learning and teaching
Task 1
Analyse and evaluate how teaching theory Impacts upon your own practice
Assessment Criteria
1.1 Analyse the factors that can affect learning and achievement.
There are many factors affecting learning throughout schools and colleges across the United Kingdom. The aim of this assignment is to analyse some of the factors which can affect learning and achievement and how these theories can be applied to inclusive learning.
Some may consider these …show more content…
factors a barrier to some individuals but the same factors can also be a source of inspiration and motivation. Motivation and inspiration may come from many different pathways within the environment affecting learning and achievement and can either be personal or external. As a parent, I have helped influence my children’s career choices both intentionally and unintentionally, this I feel can be said of all parents. Similarly learners may be just as inspired by role models and peers outside of the home, as with many sporting stars. External factors affecting learning and achievement can be looked at from many different angles. A high proportion of my FE learners live in areas where there is a high rate of crime and have issues with gangs and anti-social behaviour, which can cause emotional and psychological disturbance and unsettlement affecting the learner’s ability to focus on learning and achievement. External factors can also be extended to include poverty and deprivation as this can limit individuals to learning opportunities. Even the area in which my learners live can be a significant factor as to whether the level of learning and achievement can be achieved. There are not enough resources in terms of qualified staff to support all of the learners at the college. It is often very challenging knowing that one of my learners would achieve a much higher level had they been given one to one help on certain subjects.
Many of my FE Level 1 and 2 learners are dealing with issues with their family environment living with only one of their parents or non in some cases, where they are the sole carer for siblings. This is a key factor which can affect learning and achievement. First of all the family structure and support of one or both parents of a learner at home can be hugely influential. According to the Office of National Statistics publication released on October 31, 2013 there are nearly 1.9 million lone parents with dependent. The single parent charity Gingerbread, report this figure to be as high as 3 million children living in a single parent household and 43 percent of single parents are social housing tenants (gingerbread.org.uk). There is little doubt that there is a relationship between the household and family structure and its influence on learning and achievements for learners, for some this may be a barrier but for others it can be a source of motivation and inspiration.
Information about the learner and how they prefer to learn is usually collected during the initial and diagnostic assessments which will give a reflection of ascertaining information regarding literacy, language, numeracy and computer skills. If these skills are not ascertained, it then makes it difficult to plan sessions to meet individual needs and/or arrange further training and support (Gravells, 2012). Gravells (2012) further emphasises that other aspects that may affect learning could be that if their equality and diversity needs are ignored it will subsequently affect the way they perform and effectively their achievement.
Personal factors may include a disability or learning difficulties such as dyslexia or generic inheritance. Learning difficulties could be a specific difficulty in one or more areas of development particularly if needs are not assessed and being provisions made to cater for. Learners with dyslexia may exhibit some tendencies like slow reading or writing speed, tendency to misread or possessing a short concentration span and more. Learners reaction to dyslexia may be varied as they may become frustrated and irritated by the effects however may be minimised if the problem is identified quickly in the initial assessment stage so that it is included in the planning of lessons. One of my FE level 2 learners with dyslexia was made aware to me by our support team before my first lesson teaching BTEC Fluid Power. This was an advantage to me as a Teacher, due to being able to develop my lesson plan with this in mind. Some learners may find it a barrier but many have benefitted from some good support from both Teachers and Institutions. The effect of dyslexia causes barriers to students learning and development not just from an educational standpoint but can also affect their social wellbeing as they may have difficulties organising work and other aspects of their lives. It could lead to stress, anxiety and low self-esteem for the learner if not identified early on.
Other personal factors also include issues relating to physical and psychological health. For example learners who are hyperactive tend to find concentration difficult which may also be a barrier not just to their own learning and development but also that of other learners.
1.2 Explain how theories and principles of learning and communication can be applied to enable inclusive learning and teaching.
In order to develop my skills in teaching, it is important to look at the different teaching and learning styles that are used in the classroom and consider how learning theories and principles of learning are demonstrated. Communication in the classroom is very important and should be used accordingly. JOHN HATTIE has spent his life studying the studies to find out what works in education. His advice to teachers? Just shut up.
Professor Hattie, appointed this year as the director of the Melbourne Education Research Institute at the University of Melbourne, says teachers need to stop spending 80 per cent of their time in class talking and start listening. ' 'When teachers stop talking deep learning takes place, ' ' he told a conference of educators at Parramatta. ' 'It 's our concept of ourselves as teachers that we have knowledge and we need to impart it. ' 'Speaking 80 per cent of the time in conversation means I 'm waiting for you to stop to have the chance to talk. In counselling you have to do the opposite, you have to listen and that 's what I want teachers to do. ' ' http://www.smh.com.au/national/education/just-shut-up-and-listen-expert-tells-teachers-20110609-1fv9y.html#ixzz3G96F5VpA
There are three main types of learning theories that can be separated into three main schools of thought: The behaviourist school, cognitivist school and the humanist school.
The behaviourist school of thought is concerned completely with learned behaviour. Behaviourists believe that behaviour is learned from external stimuli and that learners react more to teaching rather than being actively involved in the process.
Cognitivists believe that the learning process involves thought, senses and experience as opposed to learning solely by response to stimuli. This takes into account some of the specific human thinking traits, aware that we have a more complex brain than the animals used in some of the behaviour experiments contributing to behaviourist theory. Cognitivists also believe that although the animal behaviour experiments may tell us something useful about learning we should still experiment further into human specific learning processes.
Humanists believe that learners should be totally at the centre of learning. They believe that to develop autonomy, learners need personal goals and meaning to what they are learning. Although this is a less scientific method, it does offer a responsive approach to the individual differences that we experience in human learning. This school of thought is also heavily motivational to the point that most of the theorists behind this are motivation theorists rather than human theorists.
There are also different levels of learning (taxonomy of learning - Bloom) to be aware of which will allow for a type of differentiation between learners. Furthermore Speare (2008) Talks about communication and how this can be used appropriately to enable inclusive learning. Warm up activities are advised as they engage learners and assist in getting the learners to participate. This is something I encourage in most of my lessons. At the start of my Fluid Power lesson with my level 2 Btec learners, I will ask them to complete a risk assessment of the working area in groups of three and four. This changes each week due to different tasks being set by other tutors on the Hydraulic and Pneumatic test rigs.
As teaching professionals it is critical that a flexible and open minded approach to teaching be embraced and adopted for learning to be achieved. Not only do we need to be flexible with our teaching styles but also need to apply the same principle in delivering lessons and creating a suitable environment for achievements to be obtained. This is necessary because learners learn in different ways and forms. The vark learning styles theory was based on research which was undertaken by Neil Flemming in 1987 and is one of the more popular tools used to identify how students learn and are characterised as being either audio, visual or kinaesthetic learner. Auditory learners learn best by hearing information and are normally good at remembering what was said which an extremely useful component in the communication process is. Visual learners learn best through the written word and absorb information by reading information by reading books or taking notes.
Some lessons may require learners to work in groups where they can interact with their peers and express themselves and some activities may also require them to work on their own. This has been theorised by Vygotsky’s zone of proximal development. The principle of this theory is based on the belief that what learners learn with the help of others exceeds what they can learn on their own and highlights the parallels between these important factors of group work and its benefits in learners learning from each other where the strong supports the weak.
One could argue that this would create a suitable learning environment where all learners develop new skills as through this inclusion and interaction of peers it was possible to educate those who are so called uneducable. Conversely there may be some who could then argue that the theory may not be as beneficial to some students and may in fact be holding back their development. In contrast the Piaget theory suggest that development comes before learning and hence since we were all born with the ability to learn, learning could be more difficult later unless if there is little or no exposure to the suitable learning environment from a young age. Piaget further suggests that learning must wait until learners are ready. Vygotsky argued, “Learning is a necessary and universal aspect of the process of developing culturally organised, specifically human psychological function, In other words, social learning tends to precede development” (SS). My interpretation of this statement would be that Vygotsky was of the view that education is an individual process and everyone learns at their own rate, when they are ready to learn, regardless of age.
2.1 Apply inclusive learning and teaching strategies and resources taking account of theories and principles of learning and communication
When planning for my lessons I tend to incorporate theories from a variety of well-known theorist without thinking. Inclusive learning includes consideration of a lot things ranging from past experiences and achievements to teaching strategies and learning theories.
Trainers need to employ different strategies so as to target the differentiated learning methods (Wilson, 2009). They need to plan for individual activities and assessments following initial assessments. Wilson (2009) suggests employing different delivery methods which might include group work, discussions, debates, role plays, projects etc.
It is important to ensure all learners are engaged in my Btec Fluid Power lessons, due to the amount of knowledge required to complete each assignment within the given time frame. To achieve this goal, I use group exercises encouraging my learners to work together on the training rigs to solve problems together and interactive automation software for those creative learners who enjoy working alone.
Trainers might follow the different types of learning theories in order to deliver inclusive learning. Scales (2008:274) disputes that we cannot just dictate that ‘this is how we teach’ and expect learners to fit in with it. Trainers should find out how learners learn and develop provision, methods and resources to suit them. Gravells (2009) emphasises on using initial training to determine the correct plans for the variety of learning styles focusing on Visual, Audio, Reading/Writing and Kinaesthetic. By realising these learning styles the trainer is able to include all learners and therefore delivering learning effectively (Petty, 2009)
Bloom’s domains of learning could also be used in promoting inclusive learning. Bloom 's Taxonomy was created in 1956 under the leadership of educational psychologist Dr.Benjamin Bloom in order to promote higher forms of thinking in education, such as analysing and evaluating, rather than just remembering facts (rote learning). This identified three domains of educational activities or learning (Bloom, 1956): Cognitive: mental skills (Knowledge) Affective: growth in feelings or emotional areas (Attitude or self) Psychomotor: manual or physical skills (Skills) since the work was produced by higher education, the words tend to be a little bigger than we normally use. Domains can be thought of as categories. Trainers often refer to these three categories as KSA (Knowledge, Skills, and Attitude). This taxonomy of learning behaviours can be thought of as “the goals of the learning process.” That is, after a learning episode, the learner should have acquired new skills, knowledge, and/or attitudes (D. Clark, 2008 accessed on line 13/05/2014)
3.2 Use elements of minimum core in applying theories and principles for planning and enabling inclusive learning and teaching.
Minimum core has become more apparent in my teaching over the past two years. I teach a range of learners at level 1 to level 3. Many of my learners are functionally illiterate and far more have problems with numeracy. Minimum core elements require me as a tutor to develop literacy, language, numeracy and ICT needs of the learner through application of knowledge, understanding and personal skills. When delivering my fluid power lesson, I ensure the knowledge and understanding of the core subject (pedagogical skills) is explained well enough using a range of techniques to help each learner absorb the information. This ensures learners know basic techniques and underpinning knowledge whilst I also understand how important it is to develop their personal skills and encourage them to practice and build their skills.
In embedding these core skills as teachers, we need to be mindful of inclusion requirements which help to transform the learners from receptive learning to reflective reading. This takes into consideration Brooks (1995) thoughts on reflective practice (Coles and Anthony; 2004). This theory suggests that there are four critical lenses that trainers should use for reflection namely; by their autobiographies as trainers and as trainees.
Literacy, language, social, and communicating skills:
Setting up expectations of use of language in ground rules then address professionally.
How I introduce specialist terminology.
When trying to enforce a non-swearing policy in my classes, I find it easier than most as I do not use profanities, even expletives as part of my own everyday life. I live life this way and therefore lead by example in lessons. The opportunity here is to suggest/model words which help one express a matter more accurately and effectively.
For learners who slip with this rule, I gently rebuke using kind words suggesting alternative words to expand their vocabulary.
Literacy and Language:
At different levels I adjust my spoken language level accordingly e.g.
Level 1 – part
Level 2 – part, piece, or possibly component
Level 3 – component
This as well as word searches, puzzles, labelled tools, introduce the specialist vocabulary needed for engineering.
When holding individual conversations I use language accordingly to suit the individual. I also adjust my pace of speech to suit too. Occasionally I will drop in a word above the individual’s level to stretch the individual. I will also use another word alongside that they will know. This and the context can influence and grow the individual’s vocabulary especially where inquisitiveness is present.
ICT and Numeracy Skills:
This is still the ‘model and transfer’ methodology where I intentionally make tasks require ICT and Numeracy. In the workshop and process control lab, measuring equipment is used which gives a fine numeracy opportunity. Every opportunity – even telling the analogue time – I use to put across minimum core.
4.1 Analyse how own application of theories and principles of learning and communication impact on inclusive learning and teaching.
As a teacher, my methods of delivery have a large impact on the way learners respond to teaching. The Brookfield (1995) reflective practice helps both the trainer and the trainee to gain experiences and ideas from a wide range of sources about the things that are effective in the classroom thus strengthening their professional knowledge. The Brookfield theory helps in developing professional values as it develops certain attitudes and dispositions which are valued (Coles and Anthony, 2004).
Reflection helps me as a teacher to evaluate how each learner should be treated differently therefore promoting inclusivity. Using the Brookfield reflective practice promotes good professional practice as it encourages learners to try out things for themselves whilst in the classroom which in turn helps in improved learning in the classroom. Adding to these factors, reflective practice helps to evaluate practice by reflecting on the effective things and adding these to one’s professional knowledge. This concurs with Boud’s (1985) reflective theory which goes to reinforce that it could be used as a learning tool when learners have been taught how to reflect and therefore being self-aware with an appreciation of their own strengths and weaknesses encouraging selection of preferred learning style and relationship with individuals and the community (Coles and Anthony, 2004).
These theories tie in with the reflective theories for both Kolbe (1996) and Gibbs (1988) theories. Gibbs describes a reflective cycle that emphasises the need to continue to reflect on actions in order to develop professionally. After reflection the teacher could choose to employ any of the training styles in order to make sure that they capture the learners and keep them focused and ultimately achieve inclusivity.
“Maybe reflective practices offer us a way of trying to make sense of the uncertainty in our workplaces and the courage to work competently and ethically at the edge of order and chaos…” (Ghaye, 2000, p.7)
Ghayes statement above is so relevant to my teaching experiences as I often wonder why certain learners act the way they do in some of my lessons? I am then able to reflect and analyse what I could do better to cater for the individual learners needs.
Recognising how learners learn is a vital part of my role as a teacher. Assessment therefore is an essential part of the teaching and learning process. It helps me plan and provide support for learners used with the individual learning plan and the lesson plans. It is integral to managers for monitoring of performance, curriculum planning and evaluation of own teaching. Most importantly, assessments help to track progression, measure achievement and provide feedback to learners. In doing so, learners can make changes to their learning and improve the quality of their work. As Wilson (2009) .p 266 states “it is the process of checking that learning has occurred. It is the way teachers know whether or not they have been effective in their sessions”.
Task 2
Reflective Account and Plan
2.2 Assess the effectiveness of own selection and use of inclusive learning and teaching strategies and resources.
Reece and Walker (2000, p195) state “Thus, anything that you use to augment your teaching, or learning strategy, or anything you get your students to use, can be termed a learning aid or a resource”.
Being able to provide computer systems for use by learners is vital to enable them to gain practical experience of working with the hardware and software. My fluid power lessons would be more of a challenge without them, although, there are limitations on the use and effectiveness of these resources, however. Computer systems are expensive, fragile and quickly obsolete. Providing new equipment and maintaining existing equipment costs the engineering department, and the company, a lot of money, which might otherwise be available for other training uses.
As a College of Advanced Technology the engineering department has a selection of additional equipment available and I have a laptop for use during training sessions. The laptop is used to take the register, connect to the projector to display hand-outs etc. and playback video for the session.
There are also smart boards, training rigs, and simulation software packages. This is in addition to equipment provided by individual professional tutors I work with.
As well as computer hardware and application software, teachers and learners also have access to information and teaching materials. From September this year the college purchased the online learning resource LJ Create - Learning for life. This resource has transformed my delivery. Teachers and learners are able to access files on the server for a number of Btec level 1, 2 and 3 units, and staff may make schemes of work, assignments, hand-outs, worksheets and other training materials available for download or for reading online.
By using assessment tools within LJ Create, I am able to assess how well my lesson went by asking learners to answer short question papers. We then go through the answers on the smart board as a group.
Other resources come from sources as YouTube, hand-outs, flipcharts, text books/research, peer support etc.
3.1 Analyse ways in which minimum core elements can be demonstrated in applying theories and principles for planning and enabling inclusive learning and teaching
It is not appropriate to adopt just one of the three theories when developing lesson plans as I feel there is place for a combination of all three. There are many theorists who have founded their own conclusion about how people learn, however some say that intelligence is nature rather than nurture. Gardner’s model of intelligence has been recognised and encouraged within the education community. Gardner’s model states that children’s intelligence should be emphasised on more areas than maths and English. This has encouraged teachers to apply all aspects into their lesson planning in order to meet the needs of all learners allowing inclusive learning. Within Children’s Care, Learning and Development, Gardner recognised the Reggio Emilia School as a good example of practicing the multiple intelligence models, stating it as ‘good practice’ (Cohen, et al p42).
People who have a fixed mind-set and believe that their intelligence cannot be altered, often underachieve as they think there is no chance of them learning something new. Deck suggested this could ‘limit their successes’. (learningandtheadolescentmind.org).
My lessons foster a Humanist theory approach looking at the whole, overall student and not just the child sat in the classroom. This is based on the ‘unique characteristics of human beings’ (Squire, p405). Maslow (1954) believed that in order for students to achieve then they must move through stages and the bottom stage contains food and water, I often ask my learners if they had breakfast and find many have not. If a student has not had these basic needs met then they cannot achieve in their studies. Throughout college, there are learner support workers who can help to provide money for college items and refer learners to the right department to solve housing accommodation, should it be required. Some learners do not have a safe environment to return to and this can affect their college life. As a tutor I can access help to provide breakfast for example, to ensure students are meeting their basic needs ready to learn in the college environment.
Neo-behaviourists worked from the behaviourist view but believed there was a small cognitive step involved. Skinner (1938) founded a theory called Operant Conditioning which involved positive and negative reinforcements, which can help to ignore bad behaviour from learners. This style of learning is sometimes used with learners on the Autistic Spectrum and it is called ‘Applied Behaviour Analysis’ (www.aba-autism-education.co.uk). This style of learning can be applied by sharing objectives with learners, cues for ground rules and asking learners to reiterate these rules. When delivering a lesson to my level 1 learners I have to adopt more of a behaviourist approach. Two of my level 1 learners have Asperger’s and take everything I say literally, I am mindful of this and tend to spend more time with them explaining each task in small bite size chunks.
Cognitive theory is in total opposition to behaviourist schools of learning. ‘The whole transcends the sum of its parts’ (Scales, p62). This is often called Gestalt learning- a learner sees the whole of an idea before they see the individual parts of the task. In order to apply these to teaching then do not assume that the learners have all of the prior knowledge of a subject area before they walk through the classroom door.
The minimum core elements are considered as one of the basic skills and knowledge required in being able to deliver effective lessons as a Teacher irrespective of the area of specialism. Possessing the knowledge, understanding and personal skills in English, Numeracy and ICT provides us with the platform to be able show and demonstrate theories and principles to facilitate their learning. “Improving these skills will enable you to effectively fulfil your role as a professional teacher, it’s about being able to develop these skills in your students” (Ann Gravels). To further improve my own teaching I attend classes with my peers to improve core elements I feel lacking and attend various CPD days arranged by the college to help enhance my teaching skills.
4.2 Evaluate strengths and areas for improvement in own application of theories and principles of inclusive learning and teaching.
The applications of theories in my own practice in regards to areas of improvement are vast as there are various ways of achieving the better outcomes in training. In my field of training which is mainly engineering training, I see a lot of changes in legislation and some which affects the way I train and the way I deliver, I am always mindful of my environment and duty of care for my learners with respect of the Health and Safety at work act, COSHH and the many safe working practices which need to be followed.
Possessing over 30 years’ experience in engineering before I started Teaching Engineering related subjects as well as my abilities to engage learners in stimulating discussions has been my stronger areas as a Teacher. I am able to apply and use real life examples and or experiences from my time working for Ford Motor Company and relate them to lessons and use this means as an inclusive tool for learning. I am also able to adapt my lessons and teaching styles to different levels, am a good communicator and possess good classroom management
skills.
My last observation highlighted my strengths as very experienced and knowledgeable it was suggested that my recap and lesson summary needed to be more effective and was introduced to a technique call the flipped classroom model. The Flipped Classroom model basically involves encouraging students to prepare for the next lesson by stating what will be taught. With this in mind, I have produced a Daily learner sheet for my learners to complete at the start of each lesson. Thus the class becomes a dynamic environment in which learners elaborate on what they have already studied. Another area where development was suggested was that there has to be more ‘Teacher intervention’, set tasks and then go round to individual students ensuring that they are achieving their personal targets and complement the learners on their progress using ‘Directed questions then develop the learning process and using a feedback sheet at the end of lessons. I will also ask my learners to reflect at the end of the day in a box provided on their Daily learner sheet.
4.3 Engage in professional development opportunities to improve own application of theories and principles of learning and communication to inclusive learning and teaching
I consider my current role in teaching Engineering skills to level 1, 2 and 3 learners to be the most gratifying experience of my entire working life. Although I have developed over the last two years but consider that my journey has just begun and still has a long way to go. I have been fortunate to have had and still continue to have enormous support from my mentor and other teaching professionals within the college giving guidance to my professional development. I consider it necessary to have an open approach to professional development and as part of my development I am in constant dialogue with my mentor in identifying areas where my application of theories and principles of learning can be improved or broadened. I arrange regular meeting with my mentor to help with lesson planning and procedures required to deliver a good lesson.
The range of my learners varies in age, race, language and culture and of course inabilities and one of the areas that I intend to develop is that of professional discussions. Professional discussions are a two way conversation with a learner which is intended to help in identifying their learning needs and abilities. It can also be useful as a communications tool especially where the learner speaking, language or writing abilities needs to be developed and also creates an inclusive learning environment were learners have the opportunity to be creative and listen to their “inner speech”, developing their imagination. I intend to shadow tutors who work with ESOL learners within the next 2 months as I believe it will help me to be better equipped to and have a greater understanding how this can be further developed in the future. With the introduction of two new teaching staff in September whose first language is not English and both having a lot of experience working with ESOL learners, I feel I will learn a lot from them.
Jennings (2007) defines personal or professional development (PD) as a formal means by which an individual (normally working with a teacher, mentor or supervisor) sets out goals, strategies and outcomes of learning and training. It is therefore very important that as a teacher, working in an Engineering environment where safe working practice and duty of care for learners is key that I endeavour to maintain a robust PD plan.
This is not just relevant for personal gain but also it might be in alignment with the professional programme of study and is often written to meet requirements from regulatory or statutory bodies around continuing professional development (CPD) It is my goal to design a development plan with defined time frames, activities and outcomes to meet the defined goals, and specify dates for review and meetings with line managers and mentors. My plan will include formal and informal training, reading, attending meetings, observing colleagues, refreshing and learning new study skills, developing new skills to meet my career goal. In my organisation CPD is well employed due to the nature of the business, which is the provision of advanced engineering skills.
I attend regular standardisation meetings with my team leader, manager and fellow teachers to ensure we are all working to the same standards giving constructive feedback to learners.
Bibliography www. gingerbread.org.uk
(Gravells, 2012)
John Hattie - http://www.teacherstoolbox.co.uk/effect_sizes.html http://www.smh.com.au/national/education/just-shut-up-and-listen-expert-tells-teachers-20110609-1fv9y.html#ixzz3G96F5VpA (Bloom, 1956)
Petty, G (2009) Evidence Based Teaching: A Practical Approach. 2nd edition. Nelson Thornes
Scales, P (2008) Teaching in the Lifelong Learning Sector 2ND ed. OUP.
Brooks (1995) thoughts on reflective practice reflective practice (Coles and Anthony; 2004
Boud’s (1985) reflective theory
Kolbe (1996)
Gibbs (1988)
Jennings (2007) defines personal or professional development
Reece and Walker (2000, p195) Wallace (2010)
Wilson, L. (2009) Practical Teaching :