1.            Analyse own role and responsibilities in education and training

(PowerPoint slides attached with assignment)

In the teaching profession, there are roles that need to be carried out in order to effectively teach students. To teach and educate students according to guidelines provided by the National Curriculum Framework under the overall guidance of the competent education authority

A primary responsibility is to ensure learners are enrolled correctly in terms of their needs, abilities and aspirations. Also, to ensure that learners meet the organisational requirements. In a certain sense ‘moulding’ learners to behave how the organisation would want. By implementing the appropriate organisation policies.

I would need to ensure I prepare lessons with the use of the scheme of work and lesson plans, making sure the learners are aware of the lesson objectives and the learning outcomes. The use of continuous assessment throughout the learning experience could help you to continually mange the learning and keep tabs on the learning of your students.

Keeping record of the assessments of all the learners to ensure I am tracking progress or failure is an important responsibility of a teacher. We use Individual Learning Plans to track progress of students and always attempt to give constructive feedback. By keeping a record, you can monitor the students that may need additional support or excelling and possibly be put in a more challenging class, also when the parents are invited to the school to have a parents evening, there is ample information documented to pass on to the parents of the students.

Another significant role of a teacher is the ability to work with others. In a school there are many people with very different thoughts and beliefs. Being able to work alongside them effectively with the same objective: to teach.

2.            Summarise key aspects of legislation, regulatory requirements and codes of practice relating to own role and responsibilities

Legislation, is the process of enacting or passing laws. Laws are passed by the Government, there are legislative regulations that are very important and should be adhered to by every professional in the education sector as these are considered hugely important to the well-being of learners when they are under their supervision.

Legislation, regulatory requirements and codes of practice help teachers to behave accordingly and what behaviours to expect and/or accept from our learners.

Health and Safety at Work Act (1974), states that an employer must do everything reasonably practical to provide a safe and healthy workplace. Which would make sure everybody within the establishment is aware of the minimum expectations to avoid anyone being hurt. All teachers individually and collectively are responsible for everybody at the place of learning. The Health and Safety Act also requires employers to take all practicable measures to manage risk.

Equality and Diversity Act (2010) Protects people from discrimination on the basis of ‘protected characteristics’. As teachers, we need to constantly examine our behaviours to make sure our thoughts and actions are not discriminatory and politically correct.  Equality and Diversity is crucial in order to meet every learner’s needs; however, it is not easy to treat all students equally, taking in to account differences such as nationality, race, background and disabilities.

Disability Act comes under the Equality Act and has been included to ensure that people with disabilities, whether they be physical or educational are treated fairly and as equally possible to their peers. As teachers, we are influenced to use different tasks and teaching methods accordingly to best suit their level of knowledge, learning styles or disability without letting them feel discriminated against.

Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act (2006) ensures that background checks are appropriately carried out to ensure that unsuitable individuals are unable to work with children/ young adults or vulnerable groups and their history is checked against the Criminal Record Bureau (CRB) and a certificate is issued by the Disclosure Barring Service (DBS)

Human Rights Act (1998) means that you can defend your rights in the UK courts and that public organisations such as the Government or the police must treat individuals equally, with fairness, dignity and respect.

Codes of professional practice/conduct is used in support of all teachers as guidance of how to be a good teacher, especially within their institution. The code of conduct also contains the appropriate behaviour expected of teachers, how to behave around the learners and basic expectations of the institution on which you are working.

3.            Analyse the relationships and boundaries between the teaching role and other professional roles

As teachers, we work in quite emotionally engaging and personally demanding positions of which boundaries can unintentionally be easily crossed. In order to ensure a teacher doesn’t overstep those invisible boundaries the code of professional conduct must be upheld and without these boundaries, individuals may misinterpret or misunderstand a situation.

Within a school or within the wider educational system there are many professionals that are there to support teachers in their quest or primary purpose.  Knowing the boundaries of my role as the teacher is essential. According to Wilson (2009) ‘it is also important for the teacher to realise that there are some aspects of the learners’ expectations that are far beyond the role of a teacher’

Boundaries in education are also put in place so teachers can concentrate on teaching and not involving in other needs their learner may have that may fall outside of their actual role. This would lead a teacher to follow guide and ensuring they refer their leaner onto the correct professional. Some may work within the organisation and some outside.

A Teaching Assistant (TA) or Learning Support Assistant (LSA) would be a professional which as a teacher you would intend to build a strong relationship to get a positive result while teaching your students.  They could assist in carrying out 1-1 sessions with disruptive students or assisting learners that may have minor learning difficulties. There would be a clear boundary between the two roles as the TA/LSA would not be teaching the main body of students and would allow the teacher the time to concentrate on the bulk of teaching, while extracting “difficult” learners.

Social workers are another professional in which a teacher would need to be aware of. If a teacher is made aware of, for example a child or young person that is at risk of being abused they would need to go down the correct route to get the correct professional involved. In some institutions, this may be firstly directed through the safeguarding department within the school and then onto the Social services in which a social worker would take the correct route.

It is the responsibility of every working professional in a school to ensure the safety of the learners and out colleagues.

4.            Describe points of referral to meet the needs of learners.

(PowerPoint slides attached)

A referral happens when a teacher seeks assistance for a student they have worked closely with.  This usually happens when the teacher believes the learner could benefit from some intervention or support in their area of concern. The decision comes from the teacher after observing the learners’ behaviours or actions. It is important to have a good relationship

Internal referrals are classified as individuals or a department within your organisation, which you would contact at your first point of concern.  These are inclusive of the administration department, learning support and student support services. These said departments or individuals are in place to help carry out roles and responsibilities, and they support teachers to help learners within the institution.

An external referral would be outside of the organisation such as government agencies, voluntary organisations and specialist support. These organisations usually have an expertise in a specialist area and can support with learners’ individual needs. For an external referral a teacher would have to refer the child to the specialist department within their own organisation which then would decide which organisation would be the best suit for the learners needs.

2.1 Explain why it is important to identify and meet individual needs of learners

We must consider the needs of all learners as all learners have a different variety of needs, whether they are simply learning preferences, physical or educational needs. And ensure that I use my knowledge of different learner’s preferences while using different phases of the learning cycle (Kolb, 2010) to keep them all interested. There are ways of identifying the needs individual of learners, while also keeping them included in the main body of the class. To ensure all students are included in the class I always talk to students to ensure they’re understanding what I am teaching.

If I can identify if a student has any different or additional needs to the majority of the class as I would need to ensure I keep these students as involved as possible by planning and creating an inclusive environment, whereby learners of all abilities are able to be involved without it being openly aimed at students’ individual needs.

Some learners show that although they are educationally very capable, they tend to get easily distracted or bored of the lessons they are not interested in learning. To ensure that I keep my students interested in my lessons I need to keep them motivated and interesting enough to keep their attention.

To create a learner-centred environment I try to use a variety of different teaching methods to keep the learners involved in the lesson. Rather then constantly talking to the students, I would be more inclined to use either group tasks or individual feedback sessions where we all share our ideas and opinions.

There are individual needs that I must be aware of and willing to work with to ensure I am working with students in order for them to reach their full potential.

2.2 Analyse the role and use of initial and diagnostic assessment in agreeing individual learning goals

If my learner’s individual needs are met, then the chances of success are increased. And meeting the needs of individual learners can be the difference between failure and success. The quicker I can find out what a learner’s learning preferences and learning abilities are, I can decide what guidance they may need to meet all qualification requirements

I could make my first opinions by carrying out an initial assessment. Initial assessments happen at the time of transition into a new learning programme. It helps us to build a picture of a learner’s prior achievements, skills, interests, previous learning experiences and goals, and the learners needs associated with their goals. This information is used as a basis for negotiating a course or a programme to best suit the learner’s abilities.

Diagnostic assessments happen continuously, ‘teachers can assess needs when they look at a student’s work. (Petty, G. 2009) or daily when asking questions among the class. Diagnostic assessments are not to make learners feel like they are failing but more to find the areas in which they struggle and work together towards improvement and agreed goals.

When diagnostic assessments are carried out through the school year you can continuously identify if the learners are struggling with their work, and give feedback which would indicate they’d need to work on their struggles and then confirm any improvement.

2.3 Use methods of initial and diagnostic assessment to agree individual learning goals with learners

Using a diagnostic assessment adds value to the information that you collected from your learners at the beginning in the initial assessment. Gravells, (2012) explained that using diagnostic assessment to ascertain information regarding basic skills using LNA you can come to an understanding of your learners’ current abilities

CV:

The use of a Curriculum Vitae is used before a company is in any way associated to an individual, they can read a CV to find out the information about previous experiences, address any knowledge gaps or areas that may need improvement and paint a vague idea of the ‘professional’. When going into a new establishment having a CV with your attributes and abilities can encourage a potential associate to invest in them.

Application form:

Application forms further add to the information that may be received on a CV, in an application form, the organisation can decide what information they need that is relevant from their potential client. An application form is another form of initial diagnostic assessment, because it helps to build the picture of the individual. You can find out what previous training they have had, any experiences and usually space for a personal statement so they can explain or describe what kind of work they have done, or what they wish to learn. I believe an application form is a better form of initial assessment than a CV because you can paint a bigger picture.

Learning or training needs analysis (LNA):

We use a Learning Needs Analysis as mode of assessment to check development of learning and to support individuals needs or areas that require development. It can evaluate areas that are in need of improvement, such as skills or knowledge that are needed to meet the qualification requirements. After using an LNA I can then identify the correct learning plan that I would need to discuss with the learner to achieve this.

To agree goals with the learner it is appropriate to discuss the areas for concern if any have been found. Once the diagnostic assessments have been carried out I would meet on a one-to-one basis with each individual student and we would have a formal discussion negotiating and come to an agreement devising an individual learning plan (ILP), firstly informing them of the outcome of their diagnostic assessment then talking about their long-term goals, any support they believe I could help them with, including learning support or any additional support either myself or the institution can offer. Then we would decide together, reasonable timescales to which they would need to achieve certain goals that would help them to fulfil the qualification requirements

2.4 Record learners’ individual learning goals

3.1 Devise a scheme of work in accordance with internal and external requirements

‘The scheme of work is a plan which organises course content and the learning of important skills such as reasoning and assignment writing, breaking them up into teaching weeks or lessons and putting them into a logical teaching order.’ (Petty, 2009) It considers all the appropriate content of the course syllabus, resources and any assessment strategies that are going to use for the specific topic in an allocated time.

There needs to be an underlining understanding of the syllabus and course requirements and it is not always created with the classroom teacher around in the initial stages. The teacher is expected to identify the essential learning content and arrange the lessons in a logical manner considering the syllabus’ expected outcomes.

(Scheme of work attached to assignment)

3.2 Design teaching and learning plans that respond to:

• The individual goals and needs of all learners
• Curriculum requirements

A lesson plan is the detailed description of the course’s instruction for a lesson. We develop plans daily to help guide our class’ learning. The details included can differ from day-to-day depending on the preference of the teacher or the subject that is being covered and most importantly the needs of the learners.

In the preparation of a Lesson Plan (LP) I would ensure I have clearly stated the lesson objectives and highlight the introduction part of the lesson, where I would preferably spend 5-10 minutes introducing the lessons topic and having a quick recap of the previous lesson. Asking if my learners had any questions or concerns about anything we had discussed about in the group. Or I would ask quick-fire questions to have a true indication of whether there is true understanding.

(Lesson plan attached to assignment)

3.3 Explain how own planning meets the individual needs of learners

By planning my lessons in advance, I am giving myself the time to be able to decide on different teaching approaches I could use to effectively maintain my students interest in the topic.  I could decide whether I’d open the lesson discussing what we covered in our previous session, as suggested in Bloom’s Taxonomy (1956)  if I start at a certain point I could surely teach the learners effectively. In my lesson plan I would need to follow this ideology. So, I would recap on our previous lesson, I would then present the learners with a new concept or information then, I would ask the students to try and apply this new information to a ‘problem’ I’d present to them and so forth.

By going through these stages and constantly reflecting I’d hopefully be able to keep all learners’ attention and track of the whole class’ understanding of the subject.

While using Bloom’s theory I’d be able to incorporate different resources, such as handouts and the use of the electronic dashboard involving the students. I’d also consider differentiation among my learners. Those that learn better using different avenues such as Visual- using diagrams, videos or demonstrations

Auditory- with teacher explanations or discussions

Reading/wRiting- Using case studies and making own assumptions

Kinaesthetic- Where they physically make or do something to   understand

By giving the learners more control over the way in which they learn helps them to learn better, or at least retain more information. I would continuously encourage peer-to-peer questioning and exploring ways to understand.

3.4 Explain ways in which teaching and learning plans can be adapted to meet the individual needs of learners

When drawing up my lesson plans I am sure to include a variety of different methods for more exciting and enjoyable lessons. Using different teaching methods help to promote the process skills ‘they are more important for many of your students than the subject-specific facts and skills you are teaching’ (Petty, 2009).

Varying content in the lesson also helps to keep the students interested. Designing different handouts, so they can attract the visual learners.

I create the lesson plan with the ability to adapt the activities for individual needs for example if there I have planned for a task where there is a case study and I have got a learner in my class that is unable to read confidently. Or make sense of lengthy texts, I could turn this into a group work task, so they can speak about their findings or what they understand of the situation.

At the beginning of my lessons I am quite a fan of asking for a recap on the previous lesson to gain an idea on whether my learners have remembered what they were taught previously. This feedback is not only beneficial for the learners- reminding them of what they have learnt, but it’s also a good indication as a teacher to see who understood, or if there are any questions that the learners have.  We have informal in-session feedback discussions also, for my benefit to clarify whether everybody understands what we are learning. And to further support if necessary. Not only does this help me find out if my teaching is effective, but it also helps with inclusion of all in the class.

When I do a question and answer (Q&A) segment of my lesson I like to encourage my learners to not only answer questions that I am asking them on what they’ve learnt so far, but also for them to ask me questions, so they can make sure they understand the topic. I also like the near the end of the session to allow for the learners to write on a post-it note what they understand and what they may want more information or clarity on. This is another way of allowing learners to provide feedback to keep all learners included.

At the end of my lesson before we leave, it is important for  me to praise my learners on their input in the lesson. I save the praise for the end because I feel that it helps to motivate my learners to exhibit this kind of behaviour again and ‘It is encouraging in that it recognises successes, but outlines ways of achieving a higher standard in the future. (Petty, 2009)

4.1 Explain why it is important to promote behaviour and respect for others

Working in this profession, opens your eyes to how diversified our society is. There are large groups of individuals from diverse backgrounds, cultures, beliefs and experiences. And then there are also people with diverse needs, educational or otherwise. One responsibility of a teacher is to ensure learners and colleagues are in a safe environment. By promoting the policies of the establishment, and legislations, such as the Equality Act (2010), which are a requirement of the profession and you can influence your learners to have an open mind and have respect for each other. It is always important to establish rules from the beginning, so all in the establishment know the policies that will not be tolerated in the establishment. Most schools carry a behaviour policy which indicates the behaviours that are expected and those that will not be tolerated, a zero tolerance for bullying

You are not only expected to teach the learners, you must be a role model to your learners, in every situation. They must see you actively behaving correctly and as the school would desire. Going from your physical presentation to your language and body language. Young learners are always being moulded into their adult selves and are easily influence. The best way is to be a walking example.

All learners need to feel safe and respected, irrespective of any of their protected characteristics. We promote whistle blowing amongst learners, so they feel it is good nature to speak out and discuss with their peers or teachers if they believe any behaviour they witness is unfair or incorrect.

At secondary level education, we are getting learners ready to move on into the workplace. So, we must teach them how they are to behave around people from a range of diverse backgrounds. According to Gravells (2012) it is important to ask students to provide feedback to their peers, without mocking, ridiculing or passing personal remarks. It is important for learners to know why it is important to respect eachother.

If witnessing  inappropriate behaviour a teachers’ responsibility is to make sure those offending are dealt with accordingly, so any witnesses to the event know of the sanctions should they do something against the good behaviour policy.

4.2 Explain ways to promote equality and value diversity

According to the Equality Act (2010) it is unlawful to discriminate against any individual by treating them unfairly because of any of the ‘protected characteristics’. Protected characteristics refer to any of the personal characteristics of any individual, including gender, race, disability, religion or belief, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, pregnancy or maternity.

As a teacher it is my responsibility to ensure that I promote equality and diversity among all my students. Some of my learners may have different physical needs which I would to accommodate for. If I have learners that are struggling with accessibility I would need to provide additional resources, so they have an equal opportunity to achieve the same as their peers.

The multiculturalism in today’s schools, especially in London means that you need to be aware of difference and need to get ‘students to value cultures different from their own… if a teacher or course ignores the multicultural nature of society, it can unwittingly send a message that is acceptable to be indifferent to, and ignorant of, other cultures’ (Petty, 2009).

If I have a student with English as their second language (EAL), I would buddy them up with one of their classmates who is maybe also fluent in their first language, so they can help them to understand what they’re being taught. Almost working in the place of a translator, and not only does the EAL student stay included in the class but also peer working is taking place, whereby they can find out whether they are producing

Having similar interests is an approach you could use to gather your students to do something in the community. Such as a ‘medical camp’ where all could help others. Where race, religion and region among each other is not considered.

4.3 Establish and sustain a safe, inclusive learning environment

In a classroom there is always room for risk, it is another requirement to ensure the environment in which the students are in, is kept risk-free, unless the lesson you are teaching has risks of its own, like science or food technology for example.

Health and Safety Act (1974), covers the safety of students, staff and visitors in any institution and is the responsibility of the senior staff. But there are also requirements that are not covered by the H&S Act, but are covered by other authorities, for example, promoting the welfare and well-being of pupils, behaviour and discipline of pupils, criminal record checks of staff, waste and pollution control.

There must be regular risk assessments carried out on equipment to make sure they are being properly maintained.

As a teacher you need to model the behaviour you would like your students to display. Teachers must be role models at all times, behaving inappropriately, speaking out of line or witnessed being disrespectful are not tolerated.  This influences development of appropriate acceptable behaviour of the learners

To establish an inclusive environment there needs to be provisions made for all students, this would include students that may have physical impairments and educational difficulties. After building up a relationship with my learners, I’d have knowledge of any of the additional support that would have been discovered in their initial assessments

Challenging behaviours in the classroom should be extinguished as soon as possible. It would be my responsibility to have a quiet discussion, first with the student if there are any underlying factors that are causing their behaviour and if this route can not find a cause or cure, then I’d ask for assistance from a

5.1 Analyse the effectiveness of teaching and learning approaches used in own area of specialism in relation to meeting the individual needs of learners

At the beginning of my lessons I always begin with an introduction, to the lesson objectives and what I hope the learners will learn by the end of the session. I’m also in favour of doing a very brief recap of the previous session to evaluate if my learners not only remember, but more importantly understand what they have learnt previously or if I need to do any further work with them on any topic. I like to continually assess the learning process by observing their behaviours and body language through the lesson. I ask questions as well as answer any questions the class have. Having this structure through my lessons I find that both myself and the learners are constantly evaluating our position.

The scheme of work is set up with the course details and the lesson plan indicates what the learners will learn in that lesson, however there may be parts of the subject that have not been covered in the requirements of the course, but a learner may have experienced it elsewhere and want to ask questions about it. It is always beneficial as the teacher to be knowledgeable about the subject that you are teaching. If you are presented with a question you are unsure of, you can you can give an answer or, you could set your learners a home-task to find out what the answer is, and present it to the class in the next session.

While on placement I get the opportunity to constantly learn what the role of a teacher really is, and the support of a mentor to discuss the weakness of my practice, and the some of the positive things I experience.

I find using text books and written work in the morning is more productive than in the afternoon as learners are much less interested. It is more effective to do something a little less static to keep them motivated. During a lesson, once I finish on a sub-section of the lesson, I find it is good practice to ask the learners a few recap questions to confirm if they understand what I am teaching, and this is a good opportunity for us to have a group discussion.

It is always beneficial to use different methods of learning, that keep the students engaged. ’…students learn more when they participate in the process of learning, whether it’s through discussion, practice, review or application.’ (Grunert, 1997) Especially when they attract the attention of different style learners. Knowing the needs of all learners helps you to differentiate when completing lesson plans.

I find from experience that if you have learners in you class you must have them engaged in their learning, but firstly they need to be interested in your teaching. You need to establish positive student relationships.

5.2 Analyse benefits and limitations of communication methods and media used in own area of specialism

Communication is used in everyday life to exchange information from one to another.  ‘Communication is paramount in education, whether it is teacher to learner, learner to learner, teacher to teacher, teacher to parent. Communication is needed to make sure learners are successful’ (Andrade, 2015)

There are different modes of communication that can be used in education to effectively teach. As with everything, there are benefits and limitations to all.

 Verbal Communication

When a teacher stands in front of a class and discusses a topic they can get through a lot of information in a short space of time, but there is a possibility that there is someone that doesn’t understand or unable to keep up with taking in all the information teacher is talking about or the teacher stands talking in front of the class for too long, which could lose the interest of the learners. However, this also helps develop the listening skills of the learners. And unless the teacher is asking questions throughout it is difficult to monitor learners progress or understanding.

Using question time in class can be very effective in finding out the progress of your learners understanding of a subject. Using a combination of open and closed questions helps with this. Closed questions can produce a brief, often one-word answer, simply a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ and are usually easier to answer. An open question allows for more information in its response. It can be more time-consuming and detailed however it allows the learner to express their true thoughts on a subject.

Media

Media includes the use of images and written material. Imagery attracts the attention of visual learners. These visual learners may be able to convert images into actual information, or information that can remember. While text attracts the interest of the learner that is more accepting of written work or reading information.

A learner can read through documents or case-studies to reach their own conclusions or while having a discussion in peer-to-peer or group conversations

Media can also be used to attract the attention of the visual learner. You can have simple presentation of complex information, such as a graph or diagrams. Not only to transfer the information to the learner but also so they can make a mental note of the information, if they receive it in a particular way. A limitation is the fact that creating the visual graphs and diagrams could be time consuming. Images and diagrams can also strengthen information that is communicated verbally.

A limitation of this is the high cost of producing media for a class of learners. It may not be in the budget of the school to print many copies for every member of a class in colour, where the colour makes the information more effective.

ICT

When using Information Communication Technology (ICT) learners are given the freedom to explore their creativity. Producing a one-off piece of work while learning their topic. They can add images or videos and use auditory additions.

Use of ICT gives a more student-centred feel to the lesson, learners feel more control over what they learn. Using ICT not only to create work, but to research information on a topic in lesson. Or if given some homework they can use ICT to go and retrieve the information they need.

PowerPoint presentations can be used in my delivery of a lesson. They can have images and diagrams for the learner to interpret or help make it less complex to understand.

As long as there is electric then the availability of ICT is anytime and anywhere.

5.3 Analyse the effectiveness of resources used in of specialism in relation to meeting the individual needs of learners

For my learners to access any work I give them I could load it on to the school dashboard where all the information is ready and available for them to work from should they need to access it out of school hours.  In this same place there is a portable library where they can access books and learning materials affiliated with the school. I am able to share resources with them in electronically

The text books that we use for the subject are given to the learners for the duration of the course so when we cover something in the class, they are able to go home with the book, which means they have access to it at any time.

When I create PowerPoint presentations I attempt to put enough imagery which is stimulating and memorable with different colours. Some slides would be full of texts, some I would put a mixture with images and text and then I would have slides that have just images, which we could decide together what they stand for. We would use it as an icon, to associate it with a meaning. I also borrow video clips from the internet, so the learners can have a visual representation to refer to. These videos also appeal to my learners that are visually stimulated or slightly illiterate. However, as described by Jackson (2015) the use of PowerPoint slides for a whole lesson is not advised, and I wouldn’t suggest it was good practice, as it can be tedious and can in fact lose your learners concentration, especially if it is just reiterating what it is written on the board. PowerPoints should be used primarily for leading onto the topic of discussion.

The use of video, can break up the tedious task of sharing slides full of information, it creates interest and is a good way to entertain the learners while raising thought and discussion on an issue. I would always make sure I have prepared some questions to ask the learners, either verbal or written to keep their attention after the video and have summative discussion as a group about what was happening.

5.4 Use inclusive teaching and learning approaches and resources, including technologies to meet the individual needs of learners

In a classroom there is a variety of learners that I need to accommodate for, but I also make sure that I am inclusive of all members in the classroom. When I do use different teaching styles I make sure I use different materials to keep my learners interested.  Using technologies, I can attend to all learning styles, print-outs, videos and audio products can be created. Also, my learners are able to access content at a time that is convenient to them. They may need to remember something quickly and access the system which we save all the work on.

When completing my lesson plan, I attempt to plan in differentiated tasks. While making sure all of my topic is covered as necessary and follows close to the syllabus I try to keep the lessons as enjoyable as possible. While giving my learners their tasks, I also let them take control over their learning, I often give my learners the opportunity to give their own feedback on the work we’re going through.

Using ICT allows for learners to work at their own pace in a way that suits them, while also developing their ICT skills

When we finish covering a topic I allow my learners the opportunity to use their skills in ICT to create a PowerPoint presentation to present back to the class on another occasion. Its evident that my learners enjoyed this task as they went away, and all presented quite outstanding work.

Groupwork allows for mixed ability and mixed background learners come together and collaborate their skills to create a piece of work together. It could be to record a short film or something spoken and recorded to be listened to in the future. The only limitation to this type of work is how relevant it would be to the course.

To use ICT in my lessons, I could create an interactive worksheet that can be accessed by all members of the class at their own leisure in their own time. Not only does this allow for leisurely activity, it also encourages learners to have some independence and responsibility over their learning. This helps a teacher identify what they can spend more time on. ‘it increases motivation. The coaching involved encourages students to take responsibility for their learning; it challenges passive attitudes to learning and it teaches the active learner’s coping strategies and mindset. (Petty, 2009)

5.5 Demonstrate ways to promote equality and value diversity in own teaching

Equality Act (2010), ensures that individuals are treated fairly and equal. And are not discriminated against any of their ‘protected characteristics’ Diversity promotes the recognising, respecting and valuing peoples’ differences to promote an inclusive environment. An inclusive environment my teaching methods would need to suit every individual learner’s needs and be beneficial to all.

Equality in education is not only about treating everybody equally but also giving everybody the same opportunity to achieve the same as their able peers. I need to make sure my learners understand what I am saying and use proper and appropriate language and make sure my language will not perceived as discriminatory or offensive.

I would need to check if all resources and equipment can be accessed by all in my class.

I encourage a mixed ability class where I have able children and children with Special Educational Needs together, maybe additional support will be offered to them to keep them in the mainstream school body. They too will be exposed to different teaching styles like everybody else, however there may be adaptations.

By monitoring students progress through my course I can identify whether I need to make any adaptations to my lessons or teaching approach

In my classroom I would explicitly state that there shouldn’t be any disrespect or discrimination against anybody. I would make it a point to identify openly if someone has been offensive to anybody. Without using names, I would explain the situation and discuss as a class my findings. And try to reinstate the true behaviour that should be displayed.

5.6 Adapt teaching and learning approaches and resources, including technologies to meet the individual needs of learners

When teaching a class of mixed abilities it is important that I can adapt my teaching approach to meet the individual needs of learners. And while it is a task to maintain the focus of all learners, it is also important for me to use different forms of media to keep their attention.

‘A variety of student activity is vital to maintain concentration. The diagram below shows the concentration of a student during a one-hour lesson.’

(Petty, 2009)

As displayed in the diagram it is important to give your learners tasks that last for not too much longer then 20-25 minutes In the active tasks, its beneficial to use a different

A learner with dyslexia can use headphones to hear the text that is on the paper in front of them, however all learners will also be supplied with learning apparatus as this way none of my learners feel excluded or different from everybody else. ‘Technology can similarly support students with dyscalculia, the use of a handheld calculator can help students who have difficulties writing numbers in the right sequence’ (Jonassen, 1996)

As earlier mentioned I would use a platform where I could save any of the presentations I use in the lesson for my learners to extend their access to class content beyond the class time which gives some learners that additional time for them to process the information

In my presentations I could highlight certain pieces of the text so learners can concentrate on a particular piece of information that I am trying to get through to them, especially if I am trying to get them to really focus and

5.7 Communicate with learners and learning professionals to meet individual learning needs

6.1 Explain the purposes and types of assessment used in education and training

When I teach the only way of knowing whether I am doing my job properly is by assessing my learners’ ability to retain of the information we have spent time going through. The purpose and method of assessment can vary for a number of reasons. It doesn’t have to always be a formal assessment and can be informal and quick at the beginning or the end of a lesson.

Before learners enter a new course or program, as a teacher, I have no clue what their abilities are. I would need to carry out an initial or diagnostic assessment for me to establish what the expectations are of the learners and we can together work on negotiating their learning goals, this would need to be carried just out before the commencement of the course. By doing this assessment I can find out, apart from teaching the course requirements if there are any other needs that they may display.

Formative assessment can help to evaluate the progress of the learning experience. While teaching it is always a good idea to ask if the learners are receiving the information correctly and if they need to be assisted with their learning in any way. Whether it be external support or something I could do as a teacher to help them, either understand or find useful ways of retaining the information. Formative assessment, if used effectively, can provide teachers and their students with the information they need to move forward (Heritage, 2007) and they can find if there are ways in which they can support or assist their leaners with any further learning.

In some cases, to achieve a qualification or a certificate in a program you must pass a certain amount of credits, which are the awarding bodies requirements to pass. In order to achieve these, you have to get through the summative assessment. The summative assessment happens at the end of the course or program. It demonstrates the level of understanding. It gives learners the opportunity to apply theoretical concepts to a practical environment. When carrying out a summative assessment I can, with my learners go through the lesson objectives I set at the beginning to check if we’ve met them or not, this also gives me a chance to make note of whether the teaching has been effective.

There are a variety of ways in which you carry out a course assessment. A different type of assessment may need to be used to assess a different skill. A written examination could asses the literacy of a learner and their abilities to put their knowledge to paper. Whether the skills and/or knowledge can be repeated after some time. However, it may not be a good indication of actual skills if writing is not the learners preferred assessment method.

With many courses you are asked to accumulate a portfolio of your findings, experiences and evidences, both formal and informal. Critical thinking skills, creative assessment, selectivity and reflective analysis is used. Portfolios can also track how a learner has improved or the progress throughout the course. It can also track the teaching ability of a teacher. A portfolio is always the responsibility of the learner, but it can be accumulated with the help of teachers and peers. It can be used to showcase the work of all types of learners and learning competencies. Learners know the expectations of the work that should be in their portfolio. Teachers are able to come to a conclusion about learners’ abilities and skills. And provides plenty opportunity for learners to communicate with their teachers.