Recently Richard Bolsin, the General Secretary, e-mailed WEA tutors encouraging them to response individually to the DIUS consultation on Informal Learning. In the same e-mail they were invited to register with the WEA's Tutor Network. A number did and, with the Ofsted visit imminent, I asked them if they'd have a chance to give their views on five questions:
1. How
do you identify your students' level of knowledge or skills when you start
teaching them? How
do you manage a class where people are working at different levels or speeds?
“Initial Assessment combined with
discussion about previous positive/negative experience of the subject,
often going back to recollections from schooldays. I have found
that students often relish this chance for reflection. This is
then built on in subsequent sessions. Using exemplars of students
work can benefit the class as a whole and specifically can give
experienced students and newcomers a sense of achievement and a
boost in confidence.”
“I do initial assessment through identifying 'starting points' via
learner record forms at start of course; also (branch courses) via 'starter'
group activities such as shared whole group 'pool of knowledge' discussion or
starter quiz, Q&A session along lines of 'how many people have done/are
already familiar with x' and show of hands; and through small group activities
early on designed to reveal existing levels of skills and knowledge. For
accredited (targeted) courses such as Helping in Schools etc there is also
usually a specific pre-course assessment task such as a piece of free writing
which can be used to assess current level of working (where there is a literacy
gateway requirement in particular, rather like SfL courses) and where
appropriate, prior knowledge or experience. In accredited courses there's also
usually some kind of individual learning plan which covers initial assessment
issues and can be added to formatively as a course progresses.”
“Tried and tested ways I've used to develop learner knowledge and skills:
- starting where they are and
listening to where they hope to get to - then tailoring the course (where
non-accredited) to learner needs and interests.
- for accredited courses in
particular, monitor rigorously to ensure learner is working at the appropriate
level which will stretch them but not overwhelm.
- for all courses, offer variety of
method and activity so that all learners will find something to latch onto that
meets their preferred way of learning
- include small group activities for
some of the time so that all learners have a chance to develop their ideas and
skills actively rather than just by listening
Example: I teach a social history
course and topics can be tailored to group interests. Learners are encouraged
to bring in artefacts to show - I then develop their critical skills by using
artefacts as a starting point for interactive evidence-based group analysis.
“We do very practical activities I
ask questions during or after the activity about what they are getting from it
and the skills they are using - we then transfer this the to skills the
children could be developing and how these could be enhance I then build on
what they have already identified.”
How do you manage a class where
people are working at different levels or speeds?
“- value and encourage all learner
contributions not just from the knowledgeable - avoid setting up any kind of
visible 'ability hierarchy' within a classroom. Avoid reviving memories of
school-based hierarchy of ability!
- ensure tutorial discussion of
coursework is done in a way that maintains confidentiality about the work of
individuals
- assertively manage the very able
individual who may want to dominate; there's one in every class. Give them a
challenging task to get on with.
- attend to groupings within
classroom small group activities (sometimes put similar abilities together,
sometimes mix up abilities, depending on type of activity and desired outcome;
sometimes able learners will need to work together, other times it's better to
mix groupings)
- encourage peer support where
appropriate
- provide specific individualised
support at all levels - not just those who are struggling. Able learners may
need individualised extension work within and beyond the classroom, such as
reading lists, options for independent research, options to make a presentation
to the group or lead a discussion activity etc. 'middle ability' learners can
get overlooked - attend to them as individuals and check they too are working
in ways that suit them.”
“I try to use
open activities that enable me to observe the learners doing a variety of tasks
and demonstrating their level of skill or knowledge, rather than just working
through diagnostic worksheets (which can be boring and off-putting at the start
of a course). I also spend time asking the learners about their self-knowledge,
because many suffer from very low confidence.”
“I try to use collaborative learning techniques where possible, so
that learners support each other, learn from each other and feel it is safe to
make mistakes. I am continuing to explore techniques for differentiation, but I
have found using mini-whiteboards, with open and directed questioning, a very
helpful method. In literacy I have found that focusing on learners' writing
skills can help them to choose what level and speed to work at. Having a learning
assistant is also very useful in helping people to work at different
levels/speeds.”
2. What aspect of your subject do students find most challenging?
“Actually being creative!”
“Social History: they often initially find critical
analysis of historical/social evidence very challenging, factual content
much easier.
English literature: as above; literary analysis
is a challenging task for most learners. They do warm up to it after a while though! But it's a difficult aspect to embed
initially.
Schools & Parenting: Accredited courses such as HIS:
many parents struggle not academically but with time management and
organisation of coursework -
juggling the requirements of assessed coursework with home/work/family is a
major challenge for them all. Some find the detailed work on the curriculum
very intense and hard to absorb. On non accredited courses such as Practical
Parent Helpers, many learners find it very difficult to see the wider
educational picture beyond 'me and my child'.
Teacher training: Time management is a challenge for most tutors studying on
7407/PTTLLS, as is struggling with educational jargon but the one thing
that comes up over and over is that WEA tutors who have come from an academic
background tend to really struggle with writing and organising their work in
the very different context and conventions of City & Guilds; a very common
difficulty in this context.”
“This is a strange one on the first
course I taught the first day we were making play dough - a very messy activity
- one of my students announced that she had a recognised condition, which the
name escapes me but is totally irrelevant what it is called, which
makes being dirty/messy/untidy very difficult and unpleasant for her - anyway
she has overcome this and has returned for a second course.
I have another student who can't
talk in groups - so she chooses a partner and indicates if she is ready to
speak out.”
“In numeracy the problems are often related to their literacy
skills, so they have difficulty interpreting 'word problems'. For example if
they know whether they have to add or subtract, they can do it, but they can't
always tell from the wording of the problem. The other main difficulty is to do
with estimating or having a sense of what would be a 'reasonable answer'. This
is partly to do with a general lack of confidence with numbers and sometimes to
do with how they were taught in school.
In literacy,
most of the learners have basic reading and writing skills but are not
confident about expressing their ideas clearly in writing. They often struggle
to interpret non-literal texts or opinion pieces. They also find it hard to
learn grammar and spelling, particularly where it does not correspond to the
way that they speak.”
3. What difference do you think your course makes to individual students
lives? Can you give an example?
“The experience of learning and
being in a supportive learning environment. Students take their informal
learning very seriously...always reluctant to have to miss a session and keen
to catch up on missed work. One student has insisted her hospital
appointment be at a certain time in order not to miss her class. I then
received a verbal message via the student from a member of the hospital
staff to say what a good job we tutors do in keeping the older learners minds
and faculties working!”
“It definitely changed lives. Many
spoke about using their brains, growing confident about learning, and are
likely to apply to be teaching assistants in the future.”
“Improving their literacy and numeracy skills helps to improve
their self-confidence and open up new possibilities in their lives. One of the
learners has used the qualifications she gained through the courses to start
working as a learning assistant. Others have started to talk about going on to
college or applying for jobs.”
4. Does
the WEA make a difference to
people and communities? Can you give an example? Is it any different to other
education providers?
"The WEA
provides a sense of community beyond work.”
“A local school in Hertfordshire recently
was seeking to improve its (at that time rather limited) involvement of parent
volunteers. After running a Practical Parent Helpers course, the school now has
a core team of at least 4 regular parent classroom helpers, and is thinking
through ways to support these parents as an identified voluntary team. We hope
to run other courses at the school which is likely to 'grow' the volunteer team
even further. The school staff are delighted with outcomes so far both for
individual parents and the wider benefit to the school community.
Different from other providers; we
were able to tailor course delivery times to local needs, and content (to some
extent) to interests of group. We came to them rather than students having to
attend e.g. college - this enabled parents of young children to access relevant
study. Some of these parents are now amongst those working as classroom
volunteers. We offer a more flexible approach than many other providers and
this I think is one of our great strengths.”
“I think it depends on the target
group of the provider for example WEA
seems to do courses that other people don't and they are general interest
groups e.g. people have an interest in something and go to the WEA
and learn more about it.”
“Both these courses were set in
local communities with easily accessible facilities. The schools involved were
local primary schools. This is a strength of WEAcourses, that the learners are part of the community.”
5 What does the WEAmean to
you? What's the best about it? What needs to improve or change?
“I like its flexibility - the
opportunities it offers me as an experienced tutor for interesting and
challenging work - the opportunities to work developmentally at the cutting
edge of provision where I can work on new
projects and courses - I also like
working sessionally which suits my personal circumstances.”
“I love the students I have met so
far because they are very enthusiastic and really seem to get something from
the course - they come back the following week and tell you want they
have done and how their children have responded and the are very keen to share
experiences.”
"The WEA has a tradition of responding to the learners' needs and adapting courses to
suit them. The best thing is its flexibility and its openness. I've had two
observations as a new tutor, one for this course and one for a literature
course that I teach, and both were handled professionally. I in no sense felt I
was being inspected. I know that many tutors complain about the paperwork and I
thought that having to complete an excel spreadsheet as well as the register
was a bit of overkill.”
“I've only been
working for the WEA
for a couple
of years, so this is hard to answer. I like the inclusiveness of the WEA
and the focus on giving people a second chance
at learning. It is very learner-centred and less focused on exam results than
colleges. It is supportive for those learners who want to take exams, but
recognises that not everyone does, and that there are other ways to demonstrate
learning. I think it has to be careful not to lose this and start focusing too
heavily on qualifications, at the expense of learner needs. I would also like
to know more about what other tutors in my subject areas are doing, within the WEA
, in terms of teaching ideas and techniques.”
You can click here to see them all: Download tutor_network_responses_to_email.doc)
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