Communication and Learners Essay Example for Free

Communication and Learners Es polariateMuch of my research was carried step forward online and I pack implicated my written research n whizzs and sources. Teacher net (2010) says Adopting an come out to your statement which draws on research and evidence should help you in reviewing and developing your practice. With this in mind I reckoned Maslows Hierarchy of ask motivational impersonate which we often refer to in teaching, although the original model was designed as a business motivational as well asl.Maslow claims that necessarily 1-4 argon deficiency motivators and are generally satisfied in clubho subprogram when the previous need is fully or p artistryially satisfied (Businessballs, 2010). If the lower level needs of the model are met then I tummy begin to help the disciple gain the top level and realise their own potential however, in as authentic to help others reach this level I moldiness premiere achieve this myself, by researching I am furthering my own knowledge and developing myself on an on-going basis.1a Negotiating With Learners 753 intelligence informationsGravells and Simpson assert that sign judicial decision of you prentices skills, knowledge and preferred attainment entitles should fall place before you begin teaching the computer programme content. (Gravells Simpson, 2010, P17). Here they are saying before the program content, so an initial assessment is valid even if it is at the beginning of the school term itself. I do however slightly dis watch with the necessity to eternally know the learners preferred scholarship style from the outset. If we accept that learners are several(predicate) then we must accept that we exit be teaching learners during each posing with differing learning styles, and must therefore accommo image those differing styles. I usually do not endure chance to assess my learners for learning styles before a session so I must countervail using a progressive style of assess ment, this en able-bodieds me to adjust my teaching methods and styles to suit and include my learners. It is therefore not so historic to know what the learning style of an single from the initial assessment but, it can assessed as the teaching progresses.Learners enter the learning environment with varying needs and expectations it is my responsibleness as the teacher/tutor, through and through processes such as initial assessment, to ensure that the learner is on the correct path/course or at the right level. Failing this then I should be able to help the learner conduct a more appropriate path. According to Walklin It is important to assess all multitude markking get at to education and training opportunities, the purpose being to help them to plan their future education and training programme. Initial assessment helps the provider and the learner sort out what it is they wish to achieve, (Walklin, 1993, p.290). The initial assessment is a way of evaluating what the learn er bequeath need to achieve the goals set and indeed a way of conniption future goals with the learner. I guard slowly experienced this myself when an experienced teacher found that I was in fact following(a) an unsuitable path, he was then able to change the course I had use for, to a more suitable and achievable course.Having an understanding of a learners previous experience is likewise practiced to the teacher, I myself train professional drivers who often have some(prenominal) years experience deep down the indus assay. use a short pre-session initial assessment which consists of an in homunculusal one to one chat and note taking, and aggroup introductory sessions allows me to make a connection with these more experienced learners, who often feel disgruntled by the process of having to train inwardly an industry they feel they already know. It is important then to be certain that experience result affect learning and that it may have a positive or contradict infl uence.After an initial assessment I can ascertain what the learners knowledge and skills will be to date and a learning action plan can be completed, this plan is specific to each individual leaner to ensure their needs as a learner are met. A tutor should pretermit time with each individual learner and rack up learning goals and further actions. hike actions may include additional help that may be needed, for a savant with learning disabilities for example.Once the learners needs have been identified and agreed the trainer would focus on the teacher/training cycle, Kolb (1984) which is made up of the following 5 testifys, keeping in mind that this is an ongoing cycle.* Identify needs and planning* Designing* Facilitating/ generate* Assessing* EvaluatingFurther actions that should be agreed prior to the course commencing is the establishment of ground rules. Ground rules are commonly referred to as, the minimum necessary conditions for getting learning work done in the class. (Atherton, J S 2009). I agree with Atherton here and would add that, establishing ground rules in a learning group can also be negotiated between the learners and the teacher. WestOne (2010) discusses various strategies for negotiating with learners, it suggests that It can often be upshotive to glide by learners some responsibility for rules, such as what time breaks and dinner is pick outn, these small items of negotiation will give learners a brain of control within the environment and encourage them to take part in the learning process as they will begin to have shared ownership of it. I would say though that to give too much away to learners may lead to a loss of control for the teacher, one must eternally consider the fine balance here.I looked at a comp whatever called Novadata, they provide training connatural to mine but also have a larger portfolio of courses. Their main initial assessment is carried out over the telephone or via an online internet form. While I will consider the option of the online form in the future I do think it may be a little electroneutral and I would have doubts about getting the right quality of schooling, telephone based initial assessment is however a possibility that would allow me to connect with learners better.1b Inclusive Learning 748 wordsGravels Simpson discuss comprehensive learning and suggest that inclusive learning is about recognising that each of your learners is variant from other learners in many ways, and you should plan your teaching and learning sessions to enable all of your learners to take part. (Gravells Simpson, 2010, P25). There are various methods to ensure this, we can for instance use different teaching methods to appeal to the different learning styles, for instance VAK or VARK(Visual, aural, reader and kinaesthetic), kinaesthetic learners prefer to touch whilst visual learners will prefer to square off demonstrations and, aural learners will be more attuned to a discussion while readers prefer the written word. In all of these cases it should be noted that any given learner may have a taste for learning but will to differing degrees have traits of all styles. I use this as the basis for any planning but keep myself aware that it is just that, a basis or starting point for a flexible plan.It is once we begin to understand that learners are individuals with varying needs that we realise that relying on the VAK descriptions alone is inadequate in order to be inclusive. Inclusion UWE states The aim is not for students to simply take part in further education but to be actively included and fully act in their learning (2008). It may be that a particular learner is a kinaesthetic learner but for one reason or another cannot take part in an exercise. In order to agree with the UWE line of reasoning I had to recently change the way I carried out a pragmatic exercise as one of my learners could not look at a small computer inter for very long, by pairing him wi th another learner and allowing them to use a projector connected to the computer they were able to complete the exercise together thus ensuring inclusivity.But inclusivity goes further than just planning sessions and resources. Huddleston and Unwin discuss how teachers must no longer be concerned with their own subject and transmitting knowledge but, as managers of learning, teachers will need to seek the help and support of other professionals in their college, including non-teaching staff. (Huddleston and Unwin,1997, P117). While I do agree in principle with what they are saying, for example, a student with problems of childcare can easily be helped by being pointed toward crche facilities within the learning establishment, I would also have to point out that it is important to facilitate a solution rather than be the solution. I think a teacher must maintain a certain distance from the student, so it is better to offer information on enamour subsidies than to offer a lift.Anoth er example of how we can be flexible to promote inclusion recently happened to me, When I arrived at a site to carry out training many of the delegates found that in order to start for their working shift the following day, they would have to finish 45 minutes early, as the requirements for the training to be completed meant they had to carry out a full 7 hours of training I could not legally cut the course short. We then came to an arrangement whereby tea breaks would be taken as we carried out practical exercises thus allowing for the full session to take place. By making this small version I was able to cater to the individual needs of a few of the learners which again placed them in a position where they did not have to worry about working the following day and, could expect the learning process.Preparing to Teach Inclusively states There are many issues to consider when identifying a students needs, but it is important to call up that they may fluctuate from day to day. As t he course progresses, try to review with students whether you are meeting their needs. (2006). Students needs do change constantly, it may be that a bus service is delayed and a function of students will be late by 10 minutes or another may have employment difficulties, while it is not the job of the teacher to fix these problems, it is the responsibility of the teacher to make cooking for them and to suggest agencies or information that can help. A solution can be as elemental as asking another learner to take extra copies of handouts and pass them on, whatever the action, the aim is always to enable the student to return to a successful learning environment.1c Integrating practicable Skills 557 wordsQCDA says that Functional skills are practical skills in English, information and communication technology (ICT) and mathematics. They allow individuals to work confidently, setively and on an individual basis in life (2010). Functional Skills are often given different names s uch as Key Skills or Minimum Core, but they all amount to the same thing, the basic desegregation of Maths, English and Information Communication Technology.Petty states The alternative to integrating key skills is to teach them separately. The problem with this approach is that students tend to see them as an irksome irrelevance to their main course of study.(G Petty, 2009, P538) Whilst I agree with his point and I agree with the methods and reasons for teaching Functional Skills in this way, I also believe that this statement pays little attention to those of us who would thrive in a situation where those key skills are taught separately, people such as myself, I trained as a chef when I was young, attached to this course I did a CG in communicating and in computer programming. I enjoyed having a separate learning session for this and was able to gain another certificate to be proud of in conclusion I would say that this is again an area where we can see how people differ in so many ways.Gravells and Simpson state that As a teacher, you should be able to demonstrate your own competence in the areas of literacy, language, numeracy and ICT. (Gravells Simpson, 2010, P59). As a teacher I believe it is important to have a good understanding of Functional skills, spell and maths mistakes within a handout or presentation will be transferred to learners, why should they not believe you if you are the teacher. To this end it is important as a teacher to continually give love to improving my own Functional skill on an ongoing basis.The embedding of these skills within a teaching session is not difficult but should be given careful consideration at all times, for instance, I recently had a learner who was dyslexic, I try where possible to provide printed material on different coloured papers as this can often help people with this condition. It turned out that this was the first time this particular learner had come across this aid to version, so instead of just i gnoring the reading exercise he became interested enough to ask about further help. I was able to give him a contact at Learndirect. This particular learner now has the confidence to learn to read and salve at higher standards than he thought possible. It is this gaining of confidence and belief in oneself that will cause the carriage change that is causative to learning.In order to integrate Functional Skills into any given session you could consider exercises such as multiple choice quizzes for reading, discussion sessions for language skills. By adding in maths questions to a PowerPoint presentation you can elicit answers from learners, by watching the reaction of other learners it is often possible to see if anyone is struggling with these concepts thus allowing you to go over the question in more detail until you are sure the learner has grasped it. ICT can be integrated in just as many ways, for instance asking learners to find and print a particular style of picture for th e next session.1d Communication 677 words but out of interest I typed into a leading search engine communicative non-verbal communication, within the first five listings I found the following (MinorityCareerNet, 2010) Nonverbal CommunicationAccording to A. Barbour, author of Louder Than delivery Nonverbal Communication, the total impact of a depicted object breaks down like this 7 percent verbal (words) 38 percent vocal (volume, pitch, rhythm, etc)55 percent body movements (mostly facial expressions)This is a misquote that can be found time after time in books, on websites, and more worryingly within training courses. In fact, this statement is based on the work of Professor Albert Mehrabian in the mid to late 1900s. The research actually concentrated on the communication of feelings and attitudes, it has since been misquoted to define all types of communication. It is somewhat ironic that his message has been so misused and misunderstood.I raise the point of this because I am guilty of using it in the incorrect context, assuming that because those that have taught me use it, then it must be so. It really does not upshot how I contort my face wave my arms in front of learners, unless I explain verbally or with written instructions very few of them will understand what I am try to communicate.Different people respond to different forms of communication, when we teach we give consideration to the varying types of learners, Visual, Aural, Readers, Kinaesthetic (VARK), we try to design our lessons to include all of the styles. I asked myself the question, Why do people learn in these different ways? My research results led me to investigate a condition known as synaesthesia, in which one sensory input produces unexpected results for example, a synaesthete may see the colour red when they see the upshot 2 and blue if they see number 3, in some cases sound caused a visual effect for the synaesthete. It occurred to me that this may go some way to explain why one person responds better when information is given in a verbal format, another responds better if it is visual and so on.The connections between these different sensory areas of the brain mean that we all have our own unique way of perceiving what is being taught or communicated (please refer to my micro teach for more information). For me the advantage of this seemingly odd line of research had the effect of allowing me to empathise with learners of different styles and gave me meaningful reason to consider how I communicate to learners with differing learning styles.Communication is the art of successfully sharing meaningful information with people by means of an interchange of experience. The important word is successfully, which implied that a desired behaviour change results when the receiver takes the message (Walklin, 1993, p.164). I think what Walklin is arduous to tell us is that it is not enough to communicate the instructions, it is also important to deliver praise or constructive criticism in order to encourage and guide the learner into new discovery, if you ask the learner to complete a task a feeling of accomplishment will encourage behaviour conducive to further learning. This is important to me when teaching as my own learners can often be hostile to the learning process, feeling it has been imposed upon them. It is also important to listen to the students, if you set tasks that are above the students current abilities then you are likely to create a barrier to communication whereby the student will close in on themselves not wishing to admit they cannot continue and the learning process will cease.Achieving two way communications with our students is not straightforward. Barriers can often present themselves. It is crucial that a teacher can identify barriers and help students overcome them. Petty (2009) suggests that inappropriate level of work, jargon, vocabulary and other use of language, environmental factors, fear of failure and an in approachable teacher can be barriers to students learning experience. Whilst I agree in principle to this, I also believe that introducing new vocabulary and language usage is essential to the students further development.ATHERTON J S (2010) Learning and Teaching Ground rules for the class (Online) functional http//www.learningandteaching.info/teaching/ground_rules.htm (Accessed 03 January 2011)Anne Gravells and Susan Simpson (2010) Planning and Enabling Learning (2nd Edition), Learning MattersBusinessballs (2011) Maslows Hierarchy of Needs, (Online), Available http//www.businessballs.com/maslow.htm , (Accessed 15 February 2011)Inclusion Further Education (2008)(Online) Available http//inclusion.uwe.ac.uk/csie/tmlnsn.htm (Accessed 10 January 2011).Minority Career Network Inc. (2011) Non Verbal Communication, (Online), Available http//www.minoritycareernet.com/newsltrs/95q3nonver.html , (Accessed 15 February 2011) broadcast University (2006) Preparing to Teach Inclusively (Online), Available http//www.open.ac.uk/inclusiveteaching/pages/inclusive-teaching/preparing-to-teach-inclusively.php (Accessed 20th January 2011)Prue Huddleston and Lorna Unwin (1997) Teaching and Learning in Further Education (2nd Edition), Routledge Farmer.Petty G (2009) Teaching Today (4th Edition), Nelson Thornes.QCDA (2010) Introduction to Functional Skills (Online),Available http//www.qcda.gov.uk/qualifications/30.aspx, (Accessed 11 January 2011).Teachernet (2010) (online),Availablehttp//www.teachernet.gov.uk/research/Learning_about_research/ (Accessed December 15 2010), (Note-now removed) Walklin, A. (1993) Teaching and Learning in Further and Adult Education. Cheltenham Stanley Thornes (publishers) Ltd. West One (2010) How to negotiate learning (Online)Available http//www.westone.wa.gov.au/toolbox8/taa/elearn/toolbox/resources/e_space/e_sources/quickguides/interaction/negotiating/howto.htm (Accessed 03 January 2010)