Learning and Skills Council Skills for Life Quality Initiative 2005-06

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Learning and Skills CouncilSkills for Life
Quality Initiative 2005-06

• Embedding Literacy, Language and Numeracy for
  Leaders and Managers

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Purpose

• To raise managers awareness of the potential
  organisational benefits for developing embedded
  literacy, language and numeracy.

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Learning Outcomes

• By the end of this training participants will be
  able to
• plan a model of embedding suitable for their
  vocational area
• identify ways to overcome barriers
• identify critical success factors for effective
  embedding
• understand LSC funding for embedding
• recognise how the process of embedding LLN
  supports the Common Inspection Framework
• reflect on their own practice and plan for the
  future

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Defining Embedded Learning

• Embedded teaching and learning combines the
  development of literacy,language and numeracy
  with vocational and other skills.
• The skills acquired provide learners with the
  confidence, competence and motivation necessary
  for them to succeed in qualifications, in life
  and at work. (DfES, 2004)

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Contextualised Learning and Embedding
Contextualised Learning Embedded Learning
LLN base Context base
find context find LLN
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Contextualised or Embedded?

• Teacher is developing hairdressing students
  numeracy skills in adding decimal numbers
  (N2/L1.5)
• To make this more realistic, she suggests they
  imagine they are working in a hairdressing salon
  and taking payments from clients
• Adapted from NW Skills for Life Teaching Toolkit

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Contextualised or Embedded?

• Teacher is developing hairdressing students
  skills for working on reception. Needs to ensure
  they can handle payments from clients (G4.4)
• To do this, works on developing their numeracy
  skills of adding and subtracting sums of money
  using decimal notation (MSS1/E3.1)
• Adapted from NW Skills for Life Teaching Toolkit

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Does it matter?

• Does embedded learning feel different to the
  hairdressing students? How?
• What are the implications for planning
• courses
• staff
• rooms
• What matters most? The learner gains the LLN
  skills they need to succeed in their vocational
  course

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Why embed?

• Learners prefer it
• more motivated
• find learning easier in work context
• Staff may prefer sharing planning and/or teaching
• SfL staff learn how vocational subject taught,
  find learners more engaged
• vocational staff learn strategies for teaching
  learners with LLN needs
• Organisation
• may be able to draw down more funding
• may find retention and achievement rates improve
  because collaborative teacher teams improve
  quality

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If models vary, does it matter which we use?

• Research has been undertaken by the NRDC to
  gather evidence about the characteristics of
  embedded LLN
• Seven ethnographic case studies from across a
  variety of vocational areas
• Key findings should be taken into account when
  planning embedding

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Defining Non-embedded Provision

• approaches to vocational skills and LLN are not
  integrated
• the teaching of vocational subject and of LLN
  takes place at different times and the LLN
  teaching takes the form of generic support rather
  than being based in the vocational area and
  programme
• Helen Casey NRDC 2005

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Embedded or Integrated Model
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Embedded or Integrated Model

• Literacy, language and numeracy (LLN) are fully
  integrated into the learning and into the
  activities, being interwoven with the subject
• LLN are delivered through the activities and
  integral to them
• Learners may have one ILP combining both sets of
  learning outcomes
• Course delivery may vary

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Defining the Range of Embedded Provision

• Dual Skills Teaching
• Integrated Team Teaching
• Linked (or Contextualised) Teaching
• Other forms of active collaboration between two
  or more teachers who are supporting learners
  progress towards their vocational goals,
  including their LLN support
• Helen Casey NRDC 2005

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Models Indicative not Prescriptive

• The model of delivery will depend on
• the learners needs
• the course requirements
• staff skills and experience
• management and organisational structures
• availability of resources rooms and equipment
  as well as funding and staff

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Case Studies Emerging ThemesLearner Motivation

• Important for learner motivation that
• LLN part of professional identity for learners
• learners value LLN as integral to learning the
  job they aspire to
• empathy and respect in the teacher / learner
  relationship
• Adapted from Research Summary 24 Embedded
  teaching and learning of adult literacy, numeracy
  and ESOL Seven case studies of embedded
  provision NRDC/DfES 2005

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Case Studies Emerging Themes The Organisation of
Learning

• Good teaching skills and good relationships
  between vocational and LLN teacher(s) more
  important than model
• However, directly linking LLN to a practical
  task, with support for LLN needs provided at the
  time of the practical task, is particularly
  effective
• Is a place for LLN-specific classroom work but it
  needs to be integral and linked
• Adapted from Research Summary 24 Embedded
  teaching and learning of adult literacy,
  numeracy and ESOL Seven case studies of
  embedded provision NRDC/DfES 2005

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Case Studies Emerging ThemesTeaching

• Important that teachers
• make explicit the value of LLN in relation to
  learners aspirations
• demonstrate how aspects of LLN form integral
  parts of the professional working practices of
  different occupations (preferably early in
  course)
• Adapted from Research Summary 24 Embedded
  teaching and learning of adult literacy,
  numeracy and ESOL Seven case studies of
  embedded provision NRDC/DfES 2005

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Case Studies Emerging ThemesSuccessful Teaching
Teams

• Vocational teachers have a natural legitimacy and
  represent the role to which the learners aspire
• LLN teachers may feel they have less control of
  the curriculum and of how it is taught
• Both areas of expertise need to be acknowledged
• They can learn from each other if they
  collaborate
• Adapted from Research Summary 24 Embedded
  teaching and learning of adult literacy, numeracy
  and ESOL Seven case studies of embedded
  provision NRDC/DfES 2005

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Case Studies Emerging ThemesSuccessful Teaching
Teams (continued)

• Successful teacher teams
• have expertise between them in the vocational
  subject and in the LLN needed
• know their own strengths and weaknesses
• are strongly motivated
• are willing to learn from each other
• are timetabled to work and plan together

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Implications for Management

• Need for vocational and LLN teachers to genuinely
  plan and work together
• sharing responsibility for the course
• sharing flexible approaches to developing
  learners LLN and vocational skills
• sharing creation of new resources
• possibly team teaching
• Creates challenges around
• timetabling staffs teaching and planning time
• timetabling accommodation
• CPD to up-skill LLN and vocational staff
• funding the above
• Adapted from Research Summary 24 Embedded
  teaching and learning of adult literacy, numeracy
  and ESOL Seven case studies of embedded
  provision NRDC/DfES 2005

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Quality Issues

• Our work so far indicates that, although many
  practitioners are aware of the Skills for Life
  Strategy, they are not always sure how it applies
  to them. Many occupational specialists do not
  understand that addressing individual learning
  needs is their responsibility. There are still
  too many people who are saying this does not
  apply to us
• Pat Higgenbottom, ALI Inspection Manager

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Quality Issues

• Basic and Key Skills are everybodys
  responsibility and will be inspected as such.
• . . . Inspectors report on key and basic skills
  within practically every vocational area under
  the heading of teaching and learning. This
  convinces me that the ownership of basic and key
  skills must lie within the vocational areas.
• from the Integrating Key Skills, Literacy and
  Numeracy Good Practice Guide, DFES/LSDA KSSP
  www.keyskillssupport.net

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Review outcomes with reference to Learner Profile
Analysis
The Whole Organisation Approach to Quality
Improvement taken from IAG presentation by
Helen Casey 2005
Change
R E T E N T I O N
Q U A L I T Y I M P R O V E M E N T P L A N
Programme Type
Curriculum
L E A R N E R P R O F I L E
Partners
Local Needs Analysis Including. Benchmarking LSC
and other Data College/Provider profile
A C H I E V E M E N T
Funding MIS
Inspection
Human Resources
Strategy
Implementation
Teaching Learning
Teaching Materials
Self-Assessment
SMT Input
Assessment Qualifications
P R O G R E S S I O N
CPD
Policies Procedures
Quality Assurance
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Which level of speaking and listening skills do
our learners need?
Speaking and Listening Levels for 40 Level 1 Standards Speaking and Listening Levels for 40 Level 2 Standards
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Which level of reading skills do our learners
need?
Reading Levels for 40 Level 1 Standards Reading Levels for 40 Level 2 Standards
L2 46
L2 61
L1 52
E3 2
E3 1
L1 38
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Which level of writing skills do our learners
need?
Writing Levels for 40 Level 1 Standards Writing Levels for 40 Level 2 Standards
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Which level of numeracy skills do our learners
need?
Numeracy Levels for 40 Level 1 Standards Numeracy Levels for 40 Level 2 Standards
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Case Studies Emerging ThemesThe Process of
Embedding

• Embedding is not just about interlinking
  different curricula
• Mapping the literacy, language and numeracy
  curricula is only a starting point
• Staff need to consider how LLN are used for the
  particular job
• They need to plan teaching methods to take
  account of both situated and transferable
  skills
• They need to devise suitable resources
• Adapted from Research Summary 24 Embedded
  teaching and learning of adult literacy,
  numeracy and ESOL Seven case studies of
  embedded provision NRDC/DfES 2005

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Raising Standards

• The teaching of specific vocational or other
  skills must include explicit teaching, where
  appropriate, of the relevant literacy, numeracy
  and language skills required to support them.
• If this skills development is not tackled, then
  there is a very real danger that learners
  vocational or other skills will be insecure, and
  that skills will not be transferable.
• From Raising Standards A Contextual Guide to
  Support Success in Literacy, Numeracy and ESOL
  Provision Embedded Learning DfES

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Need Detailed Schemes of Work and Lesson Plans

• Successful embedded learning will have clear
  mapping of literacy, numeracy and language skills
  against both vocational course and other course
  requirements.
• From Raising Standards A Contextual Guide to
  Support Success in Literacy, Numeracy and ESOL
  Provision Embedded Learning, DfES
• In effective practice, schemes of work are
  appropriately detailed and link to the core
  curricula for literacy and numeracy.
• ALI/OfSTED

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Skills for Life Qualifications

• Adult Learner Supporters need L2 Certificate for
  Adult Learner Support (are LLN options)
• Subject Support Workers need L3 Certificate in
  Adult Literacy/Numeracy/ESOL Subject Support
• Teachers/Subject Specialists need L4 Certificate
  for Adult Literacy/Numeracy/ESOL Subject
  Specialists
• See LLUK website www.lifelonglearninguk.org
• and helpline 020 7936 5798 for information.
• Also Talent website www.talent.ac.uk for FAQs

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Direction of Developments?

• Do you develop vocational teachers,multi-skilled
  in vocational area and LLN
• or
• Develop collaborative, integrated teams with
  complementary expertise who plan and teach
  together?

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Implications for CPD

• Vocational teachers/trainers
• Increase awareness of LLN issues
• Use teaching methods appropriate to learners LLN
  needs
• Build strategies for working collaboratively with
  LLN specialist colleagues and learning support
  staff
• Skills for Life specialist teachers/tutors
• Research how LLN are used in the particular
  vocational training/employment situation
• Build LLN development around the structure of the
  vocational programme
• Build strategies for working collaboratively with
  vocational and learning support colleagues
• Helen Casey NRDC 2005

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Simplifying Resources

• Vocational tutors are sometimes unaware of just
  how difficult some of their texts are for their
  students.
• from the Integrating Key Skills, Literacy and
  Numeracy Good Practice Guide, DFES/LSDA KSSP
  www.keyskillssupport.net
• Literacy teachers can help vocational colleagues
  simplify the wording on resources and assignments

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Successful Teaching

• Teachers in an effective embedded learning
  context
• set tasks that are within the capabilities of
  learners, but that give opportunities for real
  development of skills tasks that combine
  literacy, numeracy and language and vocational or
  other course objectives.
• In effective practice
• Learners have access to a good range of
  high-quality embedded learning materials that
  support their literacy, numeracy and language
  needs as well as their vocational or other
  learning needs.
• From Raising Standards A Contextual Guide to
  Support Success in Literacy, Numeracy and ESOL
  Provision Embedded Learning DfES

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