Ptlls Level 3 Unit 6

The most common, and general procedure to be covered within any area of teaching is Fire Safety. This will be relevant to my own practice, whether I specialise in running workshops on environmental sustainability, tree planting, organic plot conversion and farming, low carbon cookery, assisting behavioural change in energy usage, or within an organic food production and soil science context. All the afore-mentioned areas are my current specialisms. I also intend to teach out of doors, via community regeneration projects, such as brownfields conversion growing schemes.

A working example of this is Didsbury Dinners Charity, Barlow Moor Road Community Gardening project, which I currently volunteer at. The Fire Drill procedures could be included as part of the student induction, and delivered as a Ground Rule, in autocratic teaching style. This will facilitate the understanding and discussion of the importance of these set safety measures, and how and when to proceed in the event of a drill, or fire. I will ensure that there is also a Risk Assessment conducted for every room, and/or outdoor venue that I teach in.

All potential hazards would be analysed. The reason to incorporate health and safety procedures into the student Ground Rules, and Induction Process, is to lay out these measures, from the beginning of the course. As a teacher, it is my responsibility, and duty of care, to inform all students of the potential hazards of a venue, and or equipment; as well as the correct use of/ and expected use of equipment being employed during the sessions. For example within organic food production, correct use of spades, shovel, rotivation machinery, are all paramount, to avoid accident or injury.

Equality Act 2010 In essence this act has been put in place to ensure that the Laws surrounding Equality are both streamlined, simplified and therefore made more accessible for everyone. The revised legislation highlights the fact that learners are all “different” but all should have the same opportunities, rights and access to learning. Conversely, the previous Equality Act emphasised that “everyone is the same” and should have access to the same opportunities.

Hence the revision places emphasis on the importance of valuing ‘differences’ and this encompasses all areas of learning, so no matter what the age of the learner, the background curriculum or any other variables, the Act promotes respect for diversity and equal opportunities for all. In context of teaching, a teacher is defined as experiencing diversity if 2 or more learners are under their supervision. The main points covered in the Act are summarised on Gov. Uk as the following: “The Equality Act 2010 legally protects people from discrimination in the workplace and in wider society.

It replaced previous anti-discrimination laws with a single Act, making the law easier to understand and strengthening protection in some situations. It sets out the different ways in which it’s unlawful to treat someone. ” Source: http://www. legislation. gov. uk/ukpga/2010/15/contents [accessed 15/04/2013] The Act encompasses both direct, and indirect discrimination. “

[indirect discrimination] = discrimination by means of rules, regulations or procedures that may appear to be neutral, but which actually discriminate against certain groups of people. ” Source: http://www. ollinsdictionary. com/dictionary/english/indirect-discrimination [accessed 15/04/2013] Other key areas covered by the Equality Act 2010, are Victimisation and Harassment, as well as failure to make appropriate reasonable adjustments to the needs of students. A working example of the latter is, causing the exclusion of a student with a disability, by operating a class session which inhibits or prevents them from physically or mentally participating; as a digging exercise could inhibit a wheelchair user who wouldn’t have access to this activity due to their physical mobility limitations.

The 9 characteristics that this Act Protects are: Age, Gender Reassignment, Pregnancy, Maternity, Race, Religion or Belief, Gender, and Sexual Orientation. In any instance, the role and responsibility of teacher, with regards to this regulation, is to always aim to make lessons as inclusive as possible, with recourse to all learners having fair and equal capacity to take full part in the lesson, and absorb the content as easily as possible.

Any incidents of harassment or discrimination must be immediately addressed and reported, (as should be made clear within the learner’s induction and ground rules) as a policy that learners adhere to, or face disqualification from the course, and perhaps expulsion from the institute of study. If, in the incident that a student reported abuse, it would be necessary to disclose this to third party, in order to attain help for the student. It would be pertinent to remember, any working practice introduced, must take into account the needs and capabilities of the class as whole, as evinced earlier within the example of a wheelchair user.

Where possible students should never be excluded from activities on any grounds. Review all equipment needs, and resources required by the class. It will also be essential to have a discussion about extra support, and any learning aids, if these have been requested, or are required. Safeguarding “Safeguarding is a term used to denote the duties and responsibilities that those providing a health, social or education service have to carry out/perform to protect Individuals from harm. ”

This comprises essential elements of learning, which apply to adult learners as well as to children. It connotes that regardless of the background and circumstances of the learner, they are entitled to the support that they need in order to facilitate healthy, happy, enjoyable learning experience; as well as to make a positive contribution, and to achieve economic wellbeing. After the abuse, and death of Victoria Climbie, a Government Review put in place new structures to cover children, and young adults up to the age of 19 (and 24 years of age for adults with learning disabilities.

These are the 5 main outcomes which a teacher should strive to provide for the best possible learning experience, and which teachers are measured against: 1) Positive Learning Environment 2) Ground Rules established and to be followed/ i. e. Be a Role Model for your Learners 3) Inclusive Sessions- everyone should be able to contribute, to be involved with the sessions, and to achieve a successful learning outcome. 4) Learners should be seen as individuals, and praised for contributions as well as guided to achieve. ) Structure, Plan, Deliver programmes and sessions that will be enjoyable for learners- this pertains to including different ways of communicating information – i. e. through reading/writing, audio, visual and kinaesthetic to cater for all learning styles within an average group;

With the end result of facilitating the highest uptake of information that has been delivered, and improving learners retention rates, by consolidating understanding through activities and not just passive learning arrangements. The Definition of Safeguarding as according to Ofsted/ and the Children Act 2004 can be summarised as: protecting children and young people from maltreatment

• preventing impairment of children and young people’s health or development
• ensuring that children and young people are growing up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care
• undertaking that role so as to enable those children and young people to have optimum life chances and to enter adulthood successfully.

The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006, also deals with protecting vulnerable individuals who are adults. This includes anyone who is over 18 and may not, for differing reasons, be able or capable, of taking care of themselves. This may be because they have a mental health problem, a disability, a sensory impairment, are old and frail, or have some form of illness. ” “The reporting, to trusted staff, of abuse that occurs outside of the training and learning environment, is not uncommon. Education and training providers need to be prepared to deal with all aspects of creating a safer environment. Safer Practice, Safer Learning offers guidelines to education and training providers on producing supporting policies and procedures, as well as suggestions for raising awareness of abuse with strategies to deal with it among staff and learners… ”

There are 8 principles which are key to remember, (but only 7 out of these 8 really applies to teachers) These are: “This is a brief simplified summary of the main principles of the UK Data Protection Act

1. If you collect data about people for one reason, you can not use it for a different reason;
2. You can not give people’s data to other people or organizations unless they agree;
3. People have the right to look at data that any organizations store about them;
4. You can not keep the data for longer than you need to and it must be kept up to date; You cannot send the data to places outside of the European Union.
5. Most organizations that store data about people have to register with the Information Commissioner’s Office;
6. If you store data about people you must make sure that it is secure and well protected;

If an organization has data about you that is wrong, then you have a right to ask them to change it. Please note that this summary leaves out a lot of detail. The newest version of the DPA was released in 1998. ” Source: http://simple. wikipedia. rg/wiki/Data_Protection_Act [accessed 14/04/2013] It’s important to remember that as a teacher you will be in receipt of sensitive data and – “sensitive data” refers to race, ethnicity, religion, trade union status, health, sex life or criminal record disclosure. Ways to proceed as a teacher, with regards the handling of, and safe practice with such data include; Once all information required for registering new candidates has been collated, it must be stored centrally, locked away, or shredded to destroy the data. As a teacher you must first ask permission from your learners, before you utilise any of their data in order to make contact with them, or their families. If they agree, and give permission it is then legally acceptable to make contact. 3) All electronic data, which includes any image or sound files, is covered under Data Protection and Copyright Patents Act. Be sure to understand who is allowed by Law to see requested data, before disclosing it upon request of the data owner, or to third parties. This applies to marks, grades, learners work, and registers.

You have a duty of care, as a teacher, to protect your learner’s data, from unverified viewers, and abuse. At this stage, the third parties included in this may even entail Awarding Organisations, (as such, the Learner needs to be made fully aware from the outset, that certain bodies such as the Skills Funding Agency, in this example, will need access to their sensitive data). 5) All feedback sessions which include any private disclosures of sensitive information can and should be conducted in relative privacy.

The content of these discussions will always be held in confidentiality between the educational facilitator and the learner. 6) It’s vital to protect all electronic data with a password, and codes for any shared users on the laptop also- in order to control and manage who sees the data. 7) It’s important to remember that under the Freedom of Information Act learners can request to see all data held on them. Copyright Designs and Patents Act “The Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 (c. 48), also known as the CDPA, is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which received Royal Assent on 15 November 1988.

It reformulates almost completely the statutory basis of copyright law (including performing rights) in the United Kingdom, which had, until then, been governed by the Copyright Act 1956 (c. 74). It also creates an unregistered design right, and contains a number of modifications to the law of the United Kingdom on Registered Designs and patents. Essentially, the 1988 Act and amendment establishes that copyright in most works lasts until 70 years after the death of the creator if known, otherwise 70 years after the work was created or published (fifty years for computer-generated works). ” Source: http://en. ikipedia. org/wiki/Copyright,_Designs_and_Patents_Act_1988 [accessed 14/04/2013] Source: http://www. legislation. gov. uk/ukpga/1988/48/contents [accessed 14/04/2013] The Copyright Act covers a broad spectrum of authored material, from literary works, musical works, artistic works, sound recordings, broadcasts, dramatic works, musical compositions, dance choreography and layouts. The fundamental purpose of the Act is to protect the creator’s rights for copying; distributing; renting or lending copies to the public; communication to the public by electronic submitting, adapting; and performing in public.

In the context of teaching one needs to be aware of the following potential scenarios where copyright infringement, and therefore illegalities could crop up: 1) Photocopying material for the purpose of handouts for the class. 2) Utilisation of excerpts from text, by both teacher, and student. To avoid the first scenario becoming an issue, always check up on the organisation, or publication in question’s unique copyright strictures. They may well have a loophole which allows dissemination of photocopied material within a monitored and controlled educational institution. The second scenario is a little more difficult to police.

The main rules of thumb are that all quotations, extracts, and utilisation of source material should always be fully annotated with Harvard Reference to the author, publisher, date of publishing. By giving a full accreditation to the source, the information has not been plagiarized, or misrepresented. Learners need to be made aware of the consequences of plagiarism- that they stand to be removed from their course, via a process of disqualification and expulsion- if they plagiarize any material. This includes material written by fellow students. A full definition of plagiarism would need to be covered at the course induction stage.

The legal definition of Design is defined by the Registered Designs Act of 1949, Section 1, Part 2, as: “the appearance of the whole or part of a product resulting from the features of, in particular, the lines, contours, colours, shape, texture or materials of the product or its ornamentation”. The “product” you have designed can be anything such as an industrial or handicraft item (other than a computer program), and, in particular, can include things like packaging, get-up, graphic symbols, typography typefaces, and parts of products intended to be assembled into a more complex product. Source: http://www. ipo. gov. uk/types/design/d-applying/d-before/d-require/d-require-legal. htm [accessed 14/04/2013] The Intellectual Property Office also advise that ‘designs’ do not and cannot comprise wording alone, unless that wording has some form of artistic stylisation, and nor can they be “represented by showing [us] architectural plans and technical drawings which obscure the true appearance of the product. Similarly, we do not want to see views of a product with diagrams trying to explain how the product works (this is more likely to be a patent)… It is vital to follow some fundamental checks, as a teacher: – Always check with the organisation in question, what kind of copyright license they operate. This prevents problems with regards to reproducing photocopied materials for class handouts, crib notes, and even reproduction of a play through student performance. – Purchased software is usable via the regulations under it’s copyright. i. e. When buying a software program, you own the right to use, but not to copy or circulate copied versions of it. Case in point: Adobe Photoshop.

Open source alternative programs can be used for the purposes of student access instead. Examples of which can be sourced below, but I believe the leading current open source alternative to Photoshop is GIMP (http://www. gimp. org/). For further resources: http://www. tripwiremagazine. com/2011/04/10-best-free-or-open-source-photoshop-alternative-software. html [accessed 14/04/2013] – Another pertinent point to note is that certain material can be used for educational purposes, but within an appropriate setting, and at an appropriate time.

Some work can be used for educational purposes – has to be at an appropriate time and setting – Copyright Legislation of each individual source material used, must always be checked before being incorporated into any lesson plan, or curriculum. Education and Skills Act In 2008 the Education and Skills Act was passed to raise the age of leaving education beyond the current statutory age of 16, to 18 years old by 2015. The requirement to remain in education and training implements the recommendations of the Leitch Review on adult skills. The Bill contains measures to encourage more young people to participate in learning post-16 and to achieve higher levels of skill and qualification. The Government proposals go beyond the current aspiration so that by 2013, all 17 year olds, and by 2015, all 18 year olds, are participating in some form of education or training.

” Source: http://services. parliament. uk/bills/2007-08/educationandskills. html [accessed 14/04/2013] Key Points Raised: Raises the age young people stay in education or training, with a duty on young people to participate and on parents to assist their children to participate
Sets out duties on employers to release young people for the equivalent of one day a week to undertake training elsewhere (where the employer does not provide their own training) Introduces a duty on local authorities to ensure that young people participate and to provide the support service currently known as Connexions Requires local authorities to assess the education and training needs of young people aged 16-19 with special educational needs Requires the Learning and Skills Council to secure the proper provision of courses for learners over the age of 19. Source:https://www. education. gov. uk/publications/standard/publicationDetail/Page1/DCSF-215709276 [accessed 14/04/2013] The Bill makes a number of other changes to support the raising of the education and training participation age, including changes for Connexions, Learning and Skills Council and local authorities.

An overview of these includes: -Local Education Authorities are gradually replacing ‘Connexions’ (a UK Governmental Support Centre for people aged 13-19 years of age, and up to 25 years for those with learning disabilities, giving further education and careers guidance) -LEA’s now have a duty to facilitate support and assistance to enable young people to stay in education or training (A point that needs further and accurate elucidation) -LEA’s now have a duty to arrange assessments of students with Special Educational Needs (SEN) during their last year of schooling, in order to facilitate progression into (post 16 years of age) Higher Education or training. Further responsibilities of LEA’s now include: -Ensuring young adults are supplied with excellent education and training, to mobilise preparation for NVQ/Apprenticeships/Work, including full grounding and explanation of how these qualifications will benefit the learners.

Attendance Monitoring- to ensure absences are minimised; all absences are reported to designated representative. -Students will be given a choice of how they maintain their higher education and learning pathway (until the revised age of 18 years) – The choice comprises the following HE and Training pathways: Full time Education (i. e. Sixth Form, College) ii) Full time Training (i. e. n apprenticeship programme, or industrial placement apprenticeship for example Administrator) iii) Part time Training (Accredited Qualification) – Within a Full time occupation/ or alongside an occupation of more than 20 hours per week iv) Part time Education – Within a full time occupation/ or alongside an occupation of more than 20 hours per week (The inclusion of the 20+ hours of occupation allowance alongside part time learning, is stipulated/ advised as being an appropriate source of paid work, meaning that the job would ideally link in with and complement the individuals chosen part time HE learning) – Key Considerations for H. E. teachers responsibilities, under the changes to the Education and Skills Act -The variation of student learning styles needs to be carefully factored into lesson structure.

Students will vary in their response to lessons, but by providing a range of teaching materials, more students are guaranteed to be fully immersed in the lesson/ to feel able to absorb given information. This includes using differentiated learning where appropriate. For example the provision of varied teaching materials (hand-outs, projector slides, visuals such as flip chart diagrams, class participation in, for example group discussion, or practical demonstrations) see V. A. R. K. Learning styles for reminder. – The amount of time available to students will vary, and paid working commitments need to be taken into account if teaching a part time syllabus to 20+ hour employed students. Homework time frame expectations, and learning targets, will need to be realistically structured around the schedule of the part-time student. As an FE teacher, the discussion of progression routes into Further Education/ and/ or into chosen career paths, need to be incorporated into your own program planning, i. e. the beginning and the end of a course ought to mention these points, with room for in depth discussion, and (student’s) self-led exploration of avenues, via teacher’s provision of research material, helpful careers links/books/LEA contact details, for students prior to finishing their higher education. -Employability options can be explored, practical advice regarding routes into certain career choices which may not be immediately accessible to the average 17-18 year old leaving H. E. , and therefore a clear path to employment needs planning. Code of Professional Practice – Summary of the phrase: “Code of Practice”

These comprise written guidelines issued by a professional body or professional association to its members, to help them comply with its ethical standards. Within the field of teaching, the Code of Professional Practice is issued by the Institute for Learning; which details guidelines of how to administer the role of teacher in the Lifelong Learning Sector, and the behavioural expectations as per the profession. This code of practice was introduced in April 2008: “The Code was developed by the profession for the profession and it outlines the behaviours expected of members – for the benefit of learners, employers, the profession and the wider community.

1. Integrity
2. Respect
3. Care
4. Practice
5. Disclosure
6. Responsibility”

Source: http://www. ifl. ac. k/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/23836/Code-of-Professional-Practice-on-letterhead. pdf [accessed 14/04/2013] Primary points to be detailed include: -The importance of behavioural integrity as integral to teaching practice -Professional integrity highlights valuing own work, and the work of colleagues, as well as maintaining the reputation of others/and the institution -Professional responsibilities should be met, according to each institute’s professional values -Use reasonable judgement when discharging responsibilities to others (colleagues/learners) as a responsibility of care to general public, learners, colleagues et al must be maintained. Respect the rights of learners and colleagues in accordance with relevant legislation, as well as guidelines meted by the IfL -Ensure that all learners and colleagues rights are respected, are seen and treated with respect as individuals – Act in a manner which recognizes diversity as an asset, and does not discriminate on any grounds – Have an up to date CRB Check -Keep own Continuous Personal Development or CPD Record current, as well as keeping up to date on the Vocational level -Examples include:

• Reading relevant journal articles or reviewing books
• Training courses or formal development or study
• Peer review, mentoring or shadowing Online learning including engagement in discussion forums and blogs

Viewing and reviewing television programmes, documentaries and the internet -The window for declaring CPD is between 1 June and 31 August each year -Your record will need to show that you have spent at least 30 hours each year (or pro-rata if you are a part-time teacher or trainer, with a minimum of 6 hours per year) on professional development. This needs to be declared to IfL by 31 August every year. -Provision of duty of care to learners – Be sure to be as approachable/fair/reasonable and honest as possible to encourage excellent teacher-learner relationship. -Responsibility for own actions- maintain at all times, via conduct in work and in personal life -Report any incidents of criminality Role Modelling, remember that you are the role model of your students, so set the best possible example through professional guideline adherence and respectful teaching practice – Maintain your obligation to Learners, employers, and the profession; always exercise reasonable judgement, and follow duty of care guidelines as listed in safeguarding notes Source:http://www. ifl. ac. uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/23836/Code-of-Professional-Practice-on-letterhead. pdf [accessed 14/04/2013] The Further Education Teachers Qualifications Regulations -The Further Education Teachers’ Qualifications (England) Regulations 2007 stipulates that: all new teachers are required to hold or acquire one of the following awards or their equivalents: Teaching qualifications needed for FE

Since September 2007 all new teachers entering the further education sector in England and Wales have to undergo the following initial teacher training (ITT) to become a licensed practitioner: “Preparing to Teach in the Lifelong Learning sector (PTLLS) A short, introductory course to the teaching strategies in further education and is the equivalent of an introduction to teaching course. PTLLS consists of 30 hours’ delivery plus 30 hours of self-directed learning. This will be a level 3 or 4 qualification and must be completed within 12 months of taking up a teaching post. After you’ve completed the PTLLS you then need to take further qualifications (see below for details), depending on whether you’re aiming to qualify as a ‘full’ or ‘associate’ teacher. Certificate in Teaching in the Lifelong Sector (CTLLS) CTLLS, (known as ‘kettles’).

This level 3 or 4 qualification should be taken once you’ve completed the PTLLS, and must be completed within five years of taking up a teaching post. This will qualify you to become an associate teacher. As an associate teacher you would have fewer teaching responsibilities than a full teacher Diploma in Teaching in the Lifelong Learning Sector (DTLLS) DTLLS (known as ‘detols’) . This is the minimum qualification you need to work as a ‘full’ teacher in FE and it allows you to apply for Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills (QTLS) status. You either get the Diploma or you go down the PGCE/Cert Ed in Further Education route. The qualifications are awarded by City & Guilds, OCR and a number of universities.

You can find full details of qualifications and training providers on the Talent website. The Cert Ed or PGCE within the FE sector route Alternatively you can undertake one of the higher education level 5 programmes, which combine the content of these qualifications into one package and may be called Cert Ed or PGCE within the FE sector. Teachers choose between the diploma, which is a teaching qualification, equal to the PGCE/Cert Ed, or the certificate, depending on their role. Skills for Life qualifications Lecturers employed to teach Essential Skills under the Skills for Life agenda must work towards or hold a specialist Skills for Life qualification in:

1. Literacy
2. Numeracy
3. English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL)

These specialist certificates in literacy, numeracy and ESOL may be taken through part-time study. (Find out more about becoming a Skills for Life teacher, via excellencegateway online). Recognising other teaching or training qualifications: If you’ve done a training qualification in the past you may be given some credit for this against the new qualifications. You can use the Tariff of ITT Qualifications tool to help map your existing qualifications against those now needed in FE. Joining FE industry bodies: You have to register with the Institute for Learning (IfL) if you teach in the FE and skills sector and deliver Learning Skills Council (LSC)-funded provision.

I would begin this by first assimilating the individual needs of my learners via diagnostic learning styles questionnaires (for example conducting a VARK questionnaire and potentially applying other learning styles tests. )
I would offer learners varied teaching and assessment options, where possible/appropriate, in order to promote equal opportunities for all learners. An example of this might be the assessment weighting being tailored to the strengths of a dyslexic student, so they could be assessed on a higher percentile of practical sessions and have less written coursework to do, as long as the subject delivery has been successful in the holistic context, and the student has demonstrated aptitude in both learning modes. Learners will come to the course with different backgrounds and experiences, which in turn may influence their individual needs (see Maslow’s Pyramid for working example of potential scenarios)

• It is vitally important not to exclude anyone directly or indirectly.
• Check Learning- by asking learners meaningful questions in order to gain knowledge of learner’s understanding.
• It is my role to respect and recognise the differing needs of my learners, and to provide learning solutions to meet those needs, to the best of my professional ability.
• It is key to be aware of my body language and how that may provide potential barriers for students, if my non verbal signs are closed or negative, i. e. crossed arms.
• Be conscious at all times of the message I am transmitting to learners via body language, and aim to have approachable and inclusive body language.
• By learning everyone’s name in the group I will be promoting inclusion, because this personalises the group interactions
• Maintaining an open minded, non judgemental approach is a vital part of facilitating inclusion within a learning environment
• Create a positive learning environment through recognition and acceptance of all issues, and facilitating for the needs of diverse learning backgrounds
• All learners need to feel heard, so it is important to ensure that everyone has the chance to contribute in class.

Promoting Equality and Valuing Diversity

One of the leading responsibilities of a teacher is to promote a positive culture of Equality within learning sessions. This not only maximises the opportunity for all learners to feel safe, secure, and welcomed, but it guarantees better levels of lesson attendance and active participation
Conduct self-reviews frequently; Challenging my own values and belief systems can ensure that I do not knowingly or otherwise project personal views onto my learners, as this could impact negatively on their learning experience.

Favouritism is completely unacceptable and in the arena of teaching it would be very destructive. Cultural sensibilities must be taken into account when planning sessions, and diplomacy should be exercised if conducting work or discussion which might challenge cultural or religious beliefs; a working example would be the careful selection of language that will not offend or embarrass learners.
Never indulge the minority of the group at the expense of the majority of the group

All learners must be treated with due respect and dignity by myself, as teacher, and collectively within their own interactions.
Ensure that the activities and assessments being used are correctly pitched so learners are not alienated by too higher level content, nor insulted by too oversimplified-content. It’s not just what you say, but how you say it. Be courteous of all participating groups so as not to cause offence.

Always aim to be flexible, understanding and adaptive; For example if a learner could not follow an aurally delivered lesson then cater the session delivery to meet the needs of the individual learner, as well as the whole group, where practical and possible. In this instance, providing visuals to compliment the spoken part of the session would help give the learner an equal chance of understanding the session.

Understanding Differences

Strategies to enable the understanding of learner differences include the application of individual and continual assessments.

By recording learner progression in this way, problems can be cited and resolved far more quickly.
In the incidence of learners with disability, appropriate allowances must be made. An example of this would be a that of a learner with CFS. They would require rest stops of up to 15 minutes, within an examination scenario. This would be to accommodate symptoms of the condition, while not compromising their exam performance.

Promote an atmosphere of inclusion, by being a non-judgemental facilitator of learning. Always remember that it is ‘not your job to pass judgement, but to pass students’.

Ask the right kind of questions; Check on students learning by asking them meaningful questions, in order to gain insight and understanding. The way in which the learning styles of the group are managed is key in terms of a balanced delivery. Consciously planning in a good mix of visual, auditory, reading, and kinesthetic learning delivery into each session will strike this balance.
Remember that when it comes to adjustments and understanding of individual learner needs, it is the learner themselves who are the expert. Engage with them about their requirements. Identifying and Meeting Learner Needs

It is fundamental to remember that all learners will have different and varying needs.

Learner’s needs will span a wide spectrum which can be functionally divided into three overarching groups: -Physical Needs -Emotional/ Group/ Social Needs -Knowledge/skills/functional skills An integral part of my responsibility as teacher will be to identify and meet these needs through a combination theoretic applications such as Teaching Cycle Methodology, i. e. -Good and effective teaching to meet learners needs requires initial, and ongoing planning, preparation, assessment and evaluation. -The Teaching and Learning Cycle supports the implementation of this process -There is no start or finish to this process, as it forms a continuous cycle, and therefore all the stages of teaching must be addressed for the learning process to be effective.

Identification of Needs forms the first part of the teaching cycle, followed by Planning Learning in Response to those Needs (i. e. chemes of work, session plans and resources, as well as tailored sessions, towards fulfilling identified needs and learning styles), Enabling Learning via appropriate teaching and learning approaches, utilisation of resources, presentations, handouts, activities, and supporting learners, Assessing Learning, checking performance and knowledge, and ministering feedback, Quality Assurance and Evaluation of learners and the programme itself, as well as of own practice, Continuous Personal Development and external requirements such as that of examining bodies. Explain Own Role and Responsibilities in Lifelong Learning AC 1. 3 Potential Responsibilities of a Teacher Marketer

Defined by Free Online Dictionary as: “marketer; noun: seller, agent, retailer, promoter, vendor, purveyor” -As a Teacher you may be called upon to literally sell your subject -You may be responsible for advertising the course you are running -This Would Include making the Press releases, leaflets, syllabus summaries -Attending Meetings/ Job/ Education Fares – Provide Clear Introduction to the course -Include All Key Factors involved in the Syllabus -Summarise Qualifications/Potential Career Pathways -Produce Marketing Materials, Including Course Adverts, Press Releases, Course Literature, Syllabus Summary, Profile and Course Schedule, Who the Course is Open to- i. e.

At my current qualified level I would be focussing on developing and delivering practice and theory based workshops within my specialisms which include sustainable farming, organic food production, cookery, and behavioural change in a consumer and energy context. I hope to implement these qualifications via a Community Development and Regeneration Role. Within my own practice key roles and responsibilities would include Planning and Preparation; A generic heading, for what can be broken down into numerous, specific responsibilities as follows: Commissioner, Marketer, Facilitator This covers a wide umbrella of responsibilities. Because Sustainability is still a relatively new and burgeoning subject area, with many offshoots and related specialisms, I may be called upon to take part in the commissioning of the course specialism I may be teaching.

This would involve authorizing the production and design of the course, as well as facilitating it’s structure and overseeing the delivery of the syllabus. My responsibilities may extend further to the marketing, organisation and publicizing of the course, which would also entail economic factors such as the budget for the course. There would be a likelihood, that as course facilitator I would be called upon to account for all course expenditure and plan costings procedures in order to allow the course to keep within designated budget. Administrator, Accountant. Expert. Researcher Administrative tasks would preclude meeting the requirements of the institution (e. g. orking to set deadlines with regards to learner feedback, assessments, marking, and completion of all required documentation) as well as administering to keep the delivery of the syllabus on track, as well as dealing with awarding bodies. Other general responsibilities within my role as a teacher of Sustainability would include constant updating of subject knowledge, which is very far reaching within this subject area. Legislation, personal and professional development courses, studying and researching internet and written materials, would all be part of my role. Currently within my Personal Development Plan, I aim to undertake and complete a 100 hour multimedia online learning course facilitated by UNESCO;http://www. unesco. org/education/tlsf/index. tml [accessed 14/04/2013] As a teacher, my main responsibilities also entail careful and thorough planning of all Learner Outcomes, as well as a thorough understanding of Learning Styles (VARK). Publisher/Designer/Artist/Creator/IT Technician The preparation of learning resources and collating of materials form a large part of teaching responsibilities across the board. Within my specialism, I would be required to present learners with relevant handouts and crib notes to support, and consolidate learning from each session, as well as finding creative ways to deliver lessons to include all learning styles. Much of the session content would also be practical which would call upon careful choreography as well as H&S considerations.

Interpretation of large amounts of educational material and data, and formulating into documents of my own wording, will comprise a large part of my responsibilities as a teacher, and therefore require editorial skills, creativity and publishing ability. IT Technician/ Advisor Assuring students who are not confident within the use of IT and technical equipment, would be another pivotal part of my role. I would need to be capable of effectively operating equipment such as digital whiteboards, OHP’s and Apple Mac Suites. It would fall to me to ensure that all equipment is working before each session, and to be able to sort any technical faults, as well as identifying potential health and safety hazards.

Before each session I would conduct a full risk assessment aiming to ‘see with new eyes’, in order to identify any potential hazards as they may present themselves within each venue. Also, advisor to students in how to complete pre course assessments, qualifications, before and after strategies for learning and employment (links to I. A. G. , but for adult learners as opposed to HE Leavers: http://www. nfer. ac. uk/nfer/publications/LIAG01/LIAG01. pdf) [accessed 14/04/2013] A pivotal part of my role as teacher is to Deliver: This entails many key areas of responsibility, necessary to the delivery of the course; Examples of these skills can be divided into named roles, as was previously demonstrated within the planning and preparation responsibility area of my specialism (as seen above)

In order to effectively deliver the course content to my learners, I will be required to demonstrate aptitude within all of the following roles: Orator, Presenter, Communicator, Instructor, Tutor, Trainer, Facilitator, Consultant, Demonstrator, Motivator, Public Speaker. The essential qualities I would need to embody as a deliverer of information, via verbal (and other teaching methods) would include the capacity to communicate clearly, clear word annunciation, correct pronunciation, positive body language, variable intonation, rhetorical questions (and other attention holding skills) positive non verbal communication- especially body language, and a display of enthusiasm, and passion about my subject. The provision of clear, and confidently presented information is key to unlocking the learner’s own enthusiasm about the subject. Flexibility, Adaptability, Comedy

These areas of personality need to be flexed if the delivery of prolonged and extensive lectures, and sessions, can be weathered and absorbed well by your learners. Address varied learning styles, and try to adapt each session if necessary in accordance to spontaneous nature of delivering sessions to adult learners. Expert/Leader/Role Model/ Mentor/ Counsellor/Manager/ChairPerson/Mediator/Advisor/ Coach Dissemination of knowledge needs to come from a secure knowledge base of expertise in chosen subject, maintained by frequent updates and self directed research. This is the work of an ‘expert’ as well as a teacher- the two roles are inseparable.

In order to maintain confidence and enthusiasm in delivering your subject you must maintain expert levels of knowledge, to satisfy the questions your learners may fire at you but also to retain their respect, as they may well regard you as the ultimate authority on their subject of study. A professional appearance is also part of maintaining your learner’s respect, and adds to the overall impression of authority which is key to building natural learner-teacher boundaries. The facilitation and management of a group entails supporting students, as well as operating excellent time management and organisational skills which would also provide strong role modelling for the class.

In order to be a good people manager, my teaching style would need to be varied in accordance with the varying needs of the demographic of my learners. I would also be required to establish a set of Ground Rules in order to make sure all learners knew where they stood with regard to general conduct, and expectations of respect and social standards. Issuing clear instructions, and providing all the learning resources necessary for students to progress, all from the basis of good managerial, mentoring and coaching skills. Ensuring learners perform to their personal best, and attain optimum knowledge retention is crucial to fulfilling the role of teacher.

Effective Resourcer/ Observer/Judge/Administrator/Fire Warden/health and Safety Equal Opportunities Officer The effective use of learning resources would entail, for example, the provision of key handouts, annotated diagrams, etc, as per relevance to course; any additional reading materials as recommended for the syllabus could be shared online as e-handouts, in ready to print pdf formats, as book lists, and ordered into the institution’s library in advance of the course- so that learners could borrow relevant texts, rather than rely on internet and given handouts. Carry out regular learning checks, to sample the progress and understanding of your learners. If you feel that they are not keeping up with the syllabus, facilitate support or reflection session to identify the issues, this could be as simple as providing a one on one/ five minute chat/ brainstorm/ about ways to solve their current issues and to clarify any questions they might have.

This is an example of your role as observer, capable of making informed judgements regarding the needs of individual learners. Completion of all required paperwork on daily basis, along with fulfilling pre planned session guidelines, forms another essential responsibility within the role of teacher. The importance of providing a positive learning environment and challenging any negative behaviour is key to being a facilitator of learning, as learners will not flourish in an unsafe learning environment. Operate and uphold equal opportunities within the sessions, ensuring every learner is listened to and accommodated, respected for their differences and that all learners are given equal facility to learn.

Fire drills and procedures, must be set down at the start of the course as part of the Ground Rules. The third and Final Roles and Responsibilities Category, encompassed by Teaching in my specialism is that of Assessment and Evaluation; To Assess and Evaluate my learners work I would need to inhabit the following roles: Examiner/Marker/Judge/ Critic/Assessor As a tutor in the broad field of Sustainability, marking and grading entails the qualities of objectivity, good judgement, fairness and observant adherence to examination criteria. In addition to this I would be required to be an expert within my examination field which would entail impartial critical appraisal, and a thorough syllabus and marking criteria knowledge.

In order to further my learner’s performance and subject knowledge I would need to set and review targets on a frequent basis of intervals, but also be capable of active and effective listening when it comes to reviewing my learners own reflections on their performance. Prompt and effectual administration forms a pivotal element of the teaching role, as I would need to mark and return work promptly, as well as completing required paperwork on a general basis. Diplomatic delivery of feedback for learners is vital, as too harsh a critique of performance may dent confidence and inhibit learning. Counselling the learner in ways to improve their grades, or knowledge uptake is integral with regards to the assessment and examination process. Clear and constructive feedback, with encouraging but honest appraisals are key to inspiring learner progression and performance improvement.

The collation of marks and reports, into statistics will also be a key responsibility within my own practice, as will the evaluation and appraisal of results, via effectual and balanced reflection also forms a crucial part of the teaching role. Explain own role and responsibilities in identifying and meeting the needs of Learners (AC 1. 4) Within my own proposed role, I will be responsible for identifying and meeting the needs of all the learners under my stewardship. As a workshop tutor I expect to be undertaking predominantly practical learning sessions, with built in theory to support the practice. These will be delivered in potentially numerous venues, dependant on organic site stipulations (Soil Association Approved Sites for student growers etc), health and safety considerations, and the institution’s available facilities. I have a duty of care to my learners to implement ground rules including health and safety procedures which are crucial to ensuring hazard prevention is factored in to each session – My role as a tutor in the field of sustainable practice, whether in cookery, organic food production, or energy management, will be to deliver varied and well structured lessons – I will need to tailor each session according to the learning styles identified within the group, at induction -I will need to operate a fully reflective practice, via sustained assessments, continuous monitoring of learner progression, reportage, and critique tutorials held to allow learners time to self reflect and address issues, and barriers. -I will ensure that I acknowledge and address any personal history in learner backgrounds which may present barriers to learning progression – Signposting learners to relevant sources of help and information posts such as Information, Advice and Guidance providers which are a key gateway for lifelong learners. I may well be running workshops within charity or regeneration and community development contexts, so it is vital to be up to speed on the policies of each individual institution, NGO or Project Body, including funders, and investors, in order to be aware of any bureaucratic implications -Learners will come from all walks of life, and will have their particular quirks and life skills, which I need to be aware of and tailor my approach to -Provision of additional encouragement and support for learners with difficulties in their past (that they may have confidentially disclosed) -Refer back to Safeguarding Literature as relevant to learners with mental health or domestic abuse or traumatic experience in their personal history disclosure -My responsibility as a teacher is to impose professional boundaries, even though I will be working in a more casual and less institutional venue for many of the proposed workshop deliveries. It is important to maintain professional distance. -While individual learners may need specialist assistance, it is important not to alienate the rest of the learners as already delineated; “the majority” might suffer while the “minority” dominates the session because of their need for additional explanations or attention. This is okay on occasion but if recurring it could lead to resentment among the group, which could at worst cause a breakdown of learning environment, relationships and learning outcomes. Any learners with specific or continuous needs, can be allocated a support tutor n accordance with the institution’ in question and policies therein, or a Skills for Life (LLN support tutor) expert assistant to aid them in following the session, while not holding back the rest of the group. AC 1. 4 Learners’ Needs: These can be summarised to encompass three main areas: -Physical Needs, general or specific -Refreshments/Water accessible and available for free -Male and Female Lavatory Facilities, with disabled access -Transportation to learning venue/ subsidised transport access might be required -Facilitation of Disabled Student Requirements/ Accessibility Issues -Course Running Times:Provision of Reasonable Hours -How to meet these needs Purchase and provision of a Water Cooler, as built into the course budget, and/or access to kitchen facilities -Provision of full general and disabled access to Male and Female Lavatories, in accordance with health and safety policy of the Learning Institute in question -Facilitate Information on Subsidised Transport, Signpost learners to appropriate advisory bodies, or access to learning funded support. Provide Local Public Transport timetables for learners, and Site Maps so that all can find their way to venue -Negotiate the best possible course running times, during the commissioning phase of the programme, and have some flexibility for revision of these times if necessary.

Knowledge and Skills, specialist or generic, and Functional Skills: -Adult learners come with their own (often extensive) learning history, many will have accrued Life Skills within their variant backgrounds – Information Technology Skills -English Language and General Literacy -Numeracy -Impaired Functional Skills, perhaps due to Learning Disability or Trauma How to meet these needs: -Acknowledge and understand diversity of backgrounds and life experience -Conduct diagnostic assessments of literacy and numeracy at during induction -VARK Learning Styles Questionnaires can be used to assimilate general learner skills information -Build in time, within programme, for a learner to improve key skills such as IT literacy or English, to allow the learner to fully understand course content.

This can happen via provision of complimentary classes/ extra tuition periods -Be understanding and aware of learner backgrounds, and how past negative learning experiences may have impacted upon their educational development -Be aware that ill health may have also impacted upon the learner, and that they may require closer stewardship and support than some other learners -Learners with a range of life skills can be buddied up with less confident or experienced learners, in a peer mentoring arrangement -Group, social or emotional needs -Personal Circumstances/ Domestic Situation -Understanding Learner’s Backgrounds -Commitment to carrying out cultural and Religious Practice which may impact upon learning commitments -Group Integration -Social Dynamics and Power Balance -Managing relationships within Group setting -Behavioural Difficulties as result of past trauma, or mental health issues such as depression -Management of abilities How to meet these needs: Facilitate signposting for adult learning support centres such as Next Steps, Professional Counsellors, Citizens of Advice Bureau, Information Advice and Guidance, or even Job Centre Plus referrals if the learner is unsure what qualifications are relevant for their career path -Initiate conversation with the learners, asking key questions in order to best understand each personal circumstance (this can be carried out casually, or on a one to one basis, dependant on individual’s needs) -Allay any learners concerns regarding religious practice by building it into each session, for example, provision of washing facilities and prayer room (these could simply be a WC and a vacant classroom space, set aside) and factoring in time out for those learners to complete practices. Group integration is key to creating a positive learning environment and can be achieved and maintained by icebreakers such as class formulation of ground rules and frequent team building exercises -Social dynamics and power balance can be dealt with by applying initial ground rules, reviewing behaviour, and challenging negative behaviour; group management via the separation of collusive sub groups into new groups, to encourage well integrated and supportive learning environs -Utilise observational monitoring skills to check group is functioning well -Note well that all members of a group need to feel valued and needed on some level, and to reassure your learners of their worth feedback sessions must be facilitated as well as praise and rewards- even a comment such as “thank you” or “great contribution. ” Unit 1 Learning Outcome 2 (AC 2. 1) Understand the Relationships between Teachers and other Professionals in Lifelong Learning Relationships Between Teachers and Other Professionals Explain the boundaries between the teaching role and other professional roles (AC 2. 1)

As a teacher I have the responsibility to uphold professionalism within all of my working relationships and interactions, and as such to be aware of the boundaries of my role. To work within the appropriate limits of my role, and to avoid over-personalising connections with learners is absolutely critical to the success or failure of my role as teacher. In order to maintain healthy working relationships, and delineate the boundaries necessary to establishing these, I have to be in control of my full faculties and aware of dynamics between myself and my learners as they inevitably evolve. By remaining fair and level in my approach to all learners I will demonstrate no favouritism, and ensure that no single learner receives more support than another. In incidences of individual learning needs being greater, pecialized, or problematic, teaching assistants or support tutors can step in to fill the breach and prevent the class as a whole from losing out because of unevenly weighted attention on a single individual. All learners will demand different levels of input and attention, it is my job to create and maintain clear boundaries in the metering out of this. Appropriate contact with learners, either via telephone, email, post, or on a one to one basis’ entails a high level of professionalism. It is down to my judgement call, whether I deem it relevant to email or telephone a student because of absence. In most instances this is fine, but frequent calls could be considered harassment or suspect.

It is pertinent to remember that as a teacher, I can never be alone with a student as in the worst case scenario, any accusations of abuse would be undefendable if a teacher has spent any time outside of normal class hours, without prior formal arrangement and the presence of an official moderator. In this vein, I would never distribute any if my personal contact details to any learners, but would instead give out only my work email, and the department telephone number, if needed. The boundary between friend and teacher ought to be kept clear, and in this instance, even taking a lunch break with learners might be considered over-friendly and to be a blurring of the role of professional and friend. Use of expletives, curses, colloquialisms, and blasphemous language would all be considered very bad practice for a teacher, as would any kind of inappropriate physical contact with learners.

While boundaries are referred to in relation to the teacher-student dynamic they can also refer to administrative boundaries and constraints which also form part of the educational landscape for all professionals. Examples of these include financial limitations, due to lack of available funding and or appropriate resources, as well as the volume of paperwork needed to be completed by teachers, on a consistent basis. If I were making a referral for my learner, for example, I would keep them constantly apprised of the process, and explain the Learner’s right to information (The Freedom of Information Act, and Data Protection Act being referenced if necessary) and to privacy. There is a clear line between personal involvement and professional involvement in an incidence where a learner might be in need of referrals.

It is my job to keep to that boundary, and what I put in place for the learner will be aiming to assist them in achieving their qualification, and it is within my remit to liaise and negotiate with third parties (referral contacts) on the learner’s behalf. Below are two list of the proposed types of Professionals that I may work with, both internally and externally, as an individual tutor: Internally I might work with: Administration Department Staff Health and Safety Manager Colleagues OFSTED Student Finance Department Staff Admissions Department Staff Counselling Staff Dean of the School Head of Department The Learner Externally I might work with: The learner Training Providers Charities NGO’s Project Managers and Consultants Council Representatives Community Groups

Volunteers Families Refugees/ Dispossessed Individuals Faculty of Education of variant Institutions of Learning Defra (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) The Soil Association iFOAM (international Federation of Organic Agriculture Movement) Points of referral to meet the needs of learners (AC 2. 2) ‘It is important to recognise the different needs of your potential learners and how to make the most of the resources available to you to help address those needs. There are possible sources of referral within an organisation but also through negotiation with other agencies’. [Workbook] Situation Example 1: Vulnerably Housed Learner

Possible/Potential Needs: -Temporary Accommodation or Long Term accommodation -Emergency Financial support for basic living commodities such as food, and clothing -Advice and Support Where to Refer Learners: -Citizens of Advice Bureau (although these are now dwindling due to funding cuts) -Riverside- Avon House: Assessment and support for vulnerable adults needing support. The service assesses those thought to be vulnerable and who may be finding it difficult to sustain a tenancy. Support levels are negotiated and planned according to the identified needs. Self or agency referral – contact support staff 0161 277 5518 http://www. riverside. org. k/north_west/manchester_and_lancashire/find_a_home/supported_housing/find_a_scheme/manchester. aspx -Local Council Authorities, who may also provide housing benefits https://www. gov. uk/emergency-housing-if-homeless Supporting People – lists all Manchester City Council Housing Related Support, and also has a link to a national directory of services. (basically nearly everything you probably need to know to do with housing/hostels etc) Shelter provides advice on homelessness and has a local advice centre at: Manchester Greater Manchester Housing Aid Centre Ground Floor Victoria House 5 Samuel Ogden Street Manchester M1 7AX 0345 515 1640 Open: 9. 00 am – 5. 30 pm

Shelter’s free housing advice help line: 0808 800 4444 (Mon – Fri: 8. 00 am – 8. 00 pm; Sat – Sun: 8. 00 am -5. 00 pm) http://www. shelter. org. uk/ The Manchester Foyer can provide accommodation for vulnerable young people, and advice on welfare rights, housing and benefits. The Manchester Foyer 61 Booth Street West Manchester M15 6PP 0161 276 1000 http://www. svha. co. uk/ foyer. admin@svha. co. uk Barnardos Manchester Leaving Care Service 36 Monton Street Moss Side Manchester M14 4LT http://www. barnardos. org. uk/leavingcaremanchester 0161 226 6722 Barnardos Leaving Care The City Centre Project can help finding housing for young people who are homeless or have run away from home.

Care Concern Loss & Bereavement Counselling Services Manchester, Greater Manchester M8 4JY? 0161 796 0807 Non-Profit Organization -Bereavement Counselling Services Online http://www. thebcsonline. co. uk/html/ourservices. html -Neighbourhood Bereavement Support Group 119 Long St Middleton Manchester, Greater Manchester M24 6DL? 0161 654 7806 Non-Profit Organization -Oldham Bereavement Support Service, Registered Charity http://oldhambereavement. webs. com/ -Self Help Services Mental Health Charity 339 Stretford Rd Manchester Greater Manchester M15 4ZY? 0161 226 3871 Summarise Own Responsibilities in Relation to Other Professionals (AC 2. 3)

I intend to become a tutor within the broad field of Sustainability, which will be inclusive of tutoring adult learners in organic food production, (for example, how to set up kitchen gardens, basic organic growing techniques, and soil science) as well as cookery lessons in preparation of low carbon food (which I will be teaching to a group of adult learners as a volunteer via Didsbury Dinners Charity later this year) and also energy literacy, focussing on behavioural change assistance in relation to energy consumption. I anticipate that I will be teaching in community settings, within both the voluntary and the corporate sector; and potentially within social enterprise contexts. I will need to be mindful of, and adhere to all the relevant rules and regulations set down, in accordance to my professional practice as a teacher of adults, and these are made clear by the IfL [Institute for Learning], which oversees and administers for the Lifelong Learning Sector. Link to the IfL Codes of Professional Practice page for Reference: http://www. ifl. ac. uk/membership/professional-standards/code-of-professional-practice] During my practice as a tutor I will be mostly running lessons within a workshop context. Many of these may take place in an out of doors environment, and many will take place in venues such as community centres, for example the Minehead Resource Centre, and Westcroft Community Centre where I will be undertaking the role of Community Cookery Champion and working with a team of eleven other volunteer Low Carbon Cookery Teachers, to tutor groups of up to 20 adult learners in two hour teaching sessions.

Apart from fulfilling the upcoming role of voluntary teacher, I hope to become a freelance sustainability educator and workshop provider within charity and corporate sectors. I will need to be aware of, and up to date with all legislation that will impact upon my practice as a tutor, for example the Education and Skills Act (2008). Because of the breadth of sectors that I may be working within I will come into contact with many other professionals and partners during my time as a teacher in the lifelong learning sector. These professionals will be both encountered through internal environs such as within the sector that will employ me, and externally via partner organisations, regulatory bodies such as exam boards for example.

In summary of the internal professionals with whom I may work, these could be inclusive of: other teachers, health and safety officers, administrators, learners, charity directors and staff members, charity volunteers, counsellors, Council Employees, Social workers, Office managers, CEO’s, Directors, Office managers, and Project Managers. Dependant upon the context of the training workshops I may run, the external professionals I may interact with could vary quite widely. I anticipate that these will include: Community Groups, NGOs, LEAs, Voluntary Sector Organisations, and other Training Providers, Institute of Leadership and Management, as well as External Verifiers and Examination Bodies, for example City & Guilds, as well as regulatory bodies within the organic food production and practice sector including iFoam and The Soil Association.

In the instance where I may be required to make a referral my main objective is to clearly signpost the learner to the necessary sources of information and support for their on-going learning, and, or, to resolve their query with relevant answers. An example scenario may be that a learner has already completed a City & Guilds Level 2 Qualification in Horticulture. In this case it would be my job to forward them onto the next stage for their learning, as they would already be qualified to the equivalent skill set being covered in my proposed workshop syllabus. I would ensure that I kept the learner fully apprised of what I was doing, and give them updates regarding the progress of my signposting and negotiations with necessary external contacts and FE organisations.

It would be pertinent to remind the learner that my role is as a channel to support them finding the next level of training, or putting them in touch with the correct organisations to facilitate further learning, but that I would not be able to do more than liaise and negotiate on their behalf. For example if I set a meeting for the Learner with an Apprenticeship Scheme Holder, or Training Provider, that would be the extent to which I could facilitate the referral. Any further involvement would be beyond the line of my duty as a teacher, and could be conceived as unprofessional, for example, I couldn’t chaperone the learner to a meeting to make sure that they found the venue and arrived in a timely manner, but I could supply them with the venue’s contact details and print off a google map documenting of the route to venue for them.

If I was in doubt about signposting then I would refer the learner to a more general but specialized support network such as Next Step Guidance for advice on training skills and career development, or a local IAG provider (Information, Advice and Guidance) which may be located via the Local Education Authority or even a Local Library. The Learning and Skills Improvement Service- Excellence Gateway- provide some general information which is a good summary and point of reference if one is unsure how best to refer and can be found on the following link: http://www. excellencegateway. org. uk/node/17590 During the process of a learner referral I would always need to remind the learner of their right to information and of the Freedom of Information Act and Data Protection Act: ttp://www. legislation. gov. uk/ukpga/2000/36/contents http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Data_Protection_Act_1998 These entail the most important points regarding the dissemination and use of their personal information, as I would be liaising with external professional parties in order to negotiate further training or signposting for the learner in question, and would therefore need to make them aware I would be sharing some of their details with relevant bodies. Due to the nature of referrals it is fundamental for me to respect the learners right to privacy and if they wished for certain information to be undisclosed I would have to honour that wish.

As a self-employed individual working in a freelance capacity it would be absolutely crucial for me to keep to the highest standards within stipulated professional conduct guidelines (not just because of legalities, but based on the consequences of professional reputation and learner safety as crucial points of my practice) which would include adhering to vigilant health and safety procedures, and I would have to impose my own guidelines if working outside of an organisation venue, for example on a plot of community gardens land. It would be my responsibility to contact local authorities responsible for the upkeep of the land and make sure that it was fit for use, and to look into obtaining a Public Liability Licence as this would be an essential insurance hold, as a teacher under these circumstances.

Other key responsibilities relating to my professional interactions entail personal demeanour, for example being as helpful and well-mannered as possible, and keeping a professional composure, even under testing or difficult circumstances. It is also vital not to give my personal opinions on things, but keep my statements professional and neutral, as being implicated in gossip, or discussion about other peers which I might be working with, could compromise their privacy and be deemed unsupportive and undermining, as well as unprofessional. As with any discussion about learners, the same rules of diplomatic and professional opinion giving apply.

Similarly, keeping up to date records will form a very important part of my professional practice which would impact upon my credibility and reputation amongst other professionals if I was not maintaining these. Appropriate records which would be fundamental to maintain include a Continuing Professional Development portfolio, and declare this through REfLECT via IfL on an annual basis (minimum of 30 hours CPD completed). Also to keep written records on learners progress, including the lesson plan and reflective log, copies of any assignments and making clear records of any issues that may have been raised during the lesson, in addition to my own PDP (Professional Development Plan) portfolio which would need to maintained for my own use, as well as proof of good professional practice. Learning Outcome 3:

In order to promote appropriate behaviour from your learners it is crucial to give them constructive feedback that will motivate them, and support their learning. The following list includes the key criteria for promoting appropriate behaviour amongst your learners:

• Ground Rules
• Learners Agreement
• Group Activity/ Bonding Exercise/ Ice Breaker

Group Dynamics /Power Struggles Tackle through responding to any character related issues, for example, certain personalities will not want to work together/similarly peer pressure can cause problems. Quash this by mixing up groups in different team building exercises

• Educational Psychology Pointers-
• NB Kolb’s Learning Cycle-

Peer Mentoring- Buddy System; this can facilitate a more natural and unpressurized positive behavioural response from learners, through for example being paired with another learner who may complement and support their own learning style.
Manage Group Work- i. e. plit up disruptive groups/ and manage any personality clashes to by not forcing certain individuals to work together.

Aim to create an Inclusive, friendly, positive learning environment. This can be venue dependant but small things help, for example eye contact with your learners upon arrival, welcoming them with a hello.
Group cohesion is vital if the group are to perform to the best of all their abilities (see Tuckman’s Stages of Group Development) certain patterns are inevitable as the group progresses, but positive behavioural responses can be encouraged by making learning as group-focussed as possible for the first sessions. This will generate a good team spirit.

Engage in Peer Activities

Cover the meaning and regulations of Equality and Diversity via Learner Induction- this can be incorporated as an exercise/or task which might highlight how differently everyone approaches the same things.

Structured Lesson Plans are VITAL- they form the common thread that ties the lesson together

Don’t try to introduce group work too soon- it may make the learners uncomfortable, and if they are unhappy negative changes in their behaviour may well result, and a reduced uptake of information would occur among learners. Never be a “Talking Head”- don’t let learners get left behind. Keep technical information in Plain English. Effective Communication will inspire learners to concentrate.
Learning Styles- Consider ways of keeping the differing group’ learning styles all occupied. Some examples could include giving handouts (reading) utilising flipchart/whiteboard/electronic blackboard/projector (visual), create an activity for learners to participate in to consolidate learning from the session, (Kinaesthetic), play Internet Talks/ Radio Shows (Audio).

Rewards- these can be just as simple as a thank you for a student’s contribution, but could involve physical rewards like cake treat days, or a stationary raffle etc. Rewards & Consequences- ensure learners become capable of following instruction, whilst realising the benefits, both short term through praise from teacher, and class, as well as future career rewards. Remind learners of this. Always Build Learners Confidence- acknowledge and thank them for their contributions One to One, this is an appropriate method for dealing with any serious issues that might be confidential, and also a way of confronting and dealing with bad behaviour Always try to Present a Learner With Options, if they are not participating in the class for whatever reason, ensure that they know the score. They are free to leave, or they can stay if they agree to abide by the ground rules. Implement Actions Forthwith- if a threat is made, or a boundary crossed, this needs to met with the appropriate response, or learner will not respect my authority as their teacher.

Open, Relaxed Body Language- try not to close your self down, via arm crossing, slouching, hunching, rolling inwards of shoulders
How you present what you are hoping to convey (intention versus perception) could be eing perceived totally differently from your intended

• message- if the mode of delivery is not effective. e. g. folded arms creating a barrier between you and the class
• Using Learner Names- key point, this form of address is personal and inclusive
• Praise and acknowledgement (verbal) always be aware of how much all learners need this affirmation, no matter what their age, or apparent confidence level.

Teaching is about Deadlines and meeting Task Priorities. If you cannot deliver your own targets on time, the learning your whole class is compromised. Research, Background Reading and Sources for Unit One: Research: Source of Evidence and Date Accessed: ttp://www. tes. co. uk/article. aspx? storycode=6175365 Tes Connect website Page

Reference:

1. Qualifications needed to work in higher education Accessed 14/04/13 http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Institute_for_Learning Accessed 13/04/13 http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Connexions_(agency)
2. Accessed 12/04/13 http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Education_Act
3. Accessed 11/04/13 http://www. publications. parliament. uk/pa/cm200708/cmbills/164/2008164. pdf Accessed 12/04/13 https://www. education. gov. uk/publications/eOrderingDownload/DelegatedPowers-supportingdocuments. pdf
4. Accessed 12/04/13 http://www. mjsol. co. uk/library/statutes/education-skills-act-2008/ Accessed