Welcome to the West Midlands Region -17th February 2011

"More than Courses" - Using alternative CPD to Develop Skills and Practice

Enhancement of Learning Support

Enhancement of Learning SupportAims for the day

Welcome

Review alternative CPD resources and share experiences of using them

Develop skills and confidence in using technology to support practice and promote learner independence – JISC TechDis

View the online CPD profiling tool, linked to the national occupational standards, from the South East Region.

Listen to a group of learners from Derwen and WNSC talk about their learner mentoring scheme

Network and share experiences

Provide a brief update on the other regional project work, and details of the national conferences

But first...........

Enhancement of Learning Support

Caption Competition!

And the winner is.............

West Midlands Regional event

Enhancement of Learning SupportReminder – why are we here?

How does what we are doing fit with the overall project?

The initial research indicated that a lot of training for LSAs focuses on compliance

Very little is targeted specifically at the “real job”

When asked what training they had found useful, LSAs indicated alternative forms of CPD but...........

Typically these were available at induction, but did not continue beyond

Feedback from managers provided a very similar picture

West Midlands Region

Enhancement of Learning SupportBackground to project

In the West Midlands, we were charged with:

Collating, developing and publishing guidance and protocols on alternative approaches to CPD such as shadowing, mentoring and buddying.

Enhancement of Learning Support

So what did we do?

•Input on “reflection”, because we think in order to

develop, you need to reflect

•Innovative ways to use technology – memory stick

•Developed draft resources for mentoring ,

shadowing, “Learn and Share” and buddying

•Created a video for those of you who couldn’t

attendIn a minute, we will be breaking into groups to talk about what you’ve been doing and to share views and experiences of the draft resources and tools.

Enhancement of Learning SupportWhat else has been happening?

Involving learners in their own support

South West and North West – developing resources and approaches to enable learners to be involved in managing and directing their own support

• Trialled 5 resources in the NW –including an Inclusive risk assessment (pre entry learners), a working styles assessment, My study bar (learners with visual impairment), Catching Confidence, a tool designed to involve learners in self assessment and a BSL glossary for Pre Access course for hearing impaired and deaf learners.

• Learner Reference group has provided detailed feedback and recommendations.

• For example, for the inclusive risk assessment ........

Cubicles Lockers

Crawl

Breaststroke

Slippery floor

Crawl

Dive

Swimming

Langlearn SLT Serviceswww.langlearn.co.ukArden College

Swimming concept sheet

Float

Langlearn SLT Serviceswww.langlearn.co.ukArden College

Swimming timeline

Get off bus (in car park)

Put items in locker

Get changed

Pay money

Walk to swimming baths

1

Get locker fob

Shower

Langlearn SLT Serviceswww.langlearn.co.ukArden College

Swimming timeline

Get into pool

Get out of pool

Swim

2

Keeping Safe Going Swimming

Risk Assessment

1

Dangers

Where

Paying money

Name……………………………………………… Date………………………………

Unit……………………………………………………………………………… worked with me to fill this in

Safeactions

Getting locker fob

Walking to the swimming baths

Getting off the bus

DangersWhere Safeactions

Swimming

Getting out of pool

Showering

Getting in pool

2

Putting items in locker

Getting changed

Keeping Safe Going Swimming

Risk Assessment

1

Dangers

Where

Paying money

Name……………………………………………… Date………………………………

Unit……………………………………………………………………………… worked with me

to fill this inSafe

actions

Walking to the swimming baths

Getting off the busbeing hit by a car

slipping

losing money

Walk slowly

Stay with staff

Keep wallet/purse in pocket

1. Some learners found it difficult to concentrate on the task

2. Too many steps to work through

3. Did not recognise the symbols

4. Too many symbols to choose from

5. Needs to be person centred

1. Select one activity at a time (cut the timeline into individual strips). Concentrate on 1 sequential step at a time

2. Cut the time line in to strips. Concentrate on 1 sequential step at a time. Progression activity – support the learner to build the steps in the correct sequence of planned activities. Build steps up a bit at a time.

3. Use symbols learner recognises. 4. Only provide a limited number of

choices that you know the learner is able to choose from. Slowly build up the choices.

5. Get the learner to choose their own symbols, pictures etc that they recognise. Produce own choice boards and timelines.

Feedback from learners:

Feedback Recommendations

Enhancement of Learning SupportLondon – Audit Tool

Indicator 1: The organisation has clear policies outlining the roles and responsibilities of Learning Support Assistants

“Do the job descriptions reflect a balance of LSAs’ responsibilities: support to teachers, the curriculum, learners and the organisation?”

Does the organisation’s staff development plan target the needs of teachers and managers in understanding their role in co-ordinating the contributions of LSAs?

Enhancement of Learning SupportLondon- Audit tool

Indicator 2.1: Managers’ and teachers’ management strategies provide clear guidance as to how LSAs should work in their sessions

Is the LSA’s contribution included in session plans and individual learning plans?

Do teachers manage their teaching so that all learners receive direct teacher attention, when they are working individually or in small groups, as well as input from LSAs

Enhancement of Learning SupportEast Midlands

Working together for organisational development

Customised programme derived entirely from LSAs' and teachers' identified needs

The value of developing a shared agenda for the training

LSAs undertake student shadowing exercise to help shape the course content

Outcomes from shadowing observations used to identify development areas

Innovative use of memo to support exchange of views

Main aim - to foster an atmosphere of trust and mutual respect in which LSAs and tutors felt free to exchange their personal views and experiences.

Working together for organisational development

Enhancement of Learning SupportEast Midlands

To my classroom partner What I think works really well about our work together is

To the leadership team The best thing about working in the service is………………. I would be really pleased if ..............................

Enhancement of Learning Support

Other project related activity includes

A web portal to host all information of relevance and interest to LSAs

A professional development network across the Doncaster and South Yorkshire region

A report on the effective management of learning support – West of England College

To find out more or contribute go to http://www.natspec.org.uk/enhancement-of-learning-support.html

And come to the national conference!

Enhancement of Learning Support

National Conference – March 15th

Involving learners in their own support

JISC TechDis and Promoting independent learning through technology

Principal’s perspective- from two grade 1 colleges

Unpicking the velcro

“Going local – creating and managing local training networks”3

“Where to next? LSA career structure and progression pathways”

Learner Voice

The Green Paper

And us!!! To book go to..........

http://www.lsis.org.uk/Services/Events/Pages/EffectiveLearningSupport;thekeytoqualityandsuccess150311.aspx