Welsh Assembly Government

1. Routes for Learning Welsh Assembly Government

2. Outline • Context in Wales • Why was Routes for Learning developed? • Why was a different assessment model used for learners with complex needs? • What does the Routes for Learning pack contain? • How should the RfL materials be used? • How can we further develop thinking skills for this group of learners?

3. The Context in Wales • UN Convention on the Rights of the Child • Equal Opportunities • Inclusion • Revised Curriculum Framework & skills framework • Revised Inclusive Assessment Framework

4. Why was Routes for Learning developed? • Feedback from curriculum monitoring 2001 • Drive for inclusion • Lack of training opportunities for teachers • Age profile of trained staff

5. Why was a different assessment model used for learners with complex needs? • “Best fit” level descriptions too broad • Progress not linear/hierarchical • Need to focus on the learner – not small steps developed from assessment criteria

6. Routes for Learning aims to: Provide a holistic view of learners and take account of the fact that early learning cannot be compartmentalised Allow for the idiosyncratic learning of these young people who may due to physical sensory difficulties take a range of learning pathways (including lateral/wider progress) Show subtle progress in key areas of early learning – communication, social interaction, cognitive

7. Routes for Learning aims to ….. Reflect the importance of relationships, support the involvement of parents/families & multi agency approaches Support effective learner centred planning with a focus on the learning process and appropriate “challenge” Support staff to find evidence of understanding & development to inform accurate judgements & promote consistency Include the best of behavioural & interactive approaches

8. Routes for Learning • Route Map poster • Assessment Booklet • Guidance Booklet • DVD • CD Rom • Examples sheet

10. Contents of Routes guidance • Approaches to teaching • Curriculum design • Cognitive development • Overcoming barriers to learning • Communication skills • Assessment practice

11. Scanned image of Assessment booklet page 8

12. Scanned image of Assessment booklet page 8

13. How should RfL be used? • Observation – familiar setting/staff • Work through all steps • Video/record responses and background information • Use information to inform planning of next steps (assessment for learning)

14. In Wales …… “Developing thinking can be defined as developing patterns of thinking that help learners acquire deeper understanding and enable them to explore and make sense of their world. It refers to processes of thinking that we in Wales have defined as plan, develop and reflect . These processes enable learners to plan their work, to think creatively and critically and reflect on their learning, making links within and outside school. and they need to be firmly embedded into the experience of learners across all their learning.”

15. Thinking Skills Grid: Examples

16. Routes for Learning Thinking Skills Grid

17. Routes for Learning Thinking Skills Grid

18. Thinking Skills for Learners with PMD • Can we recognise the beginnings of thinking in the very early stages of development? • What steps in Routes for Learning can we build on ? • increasing attention, making sense of information in different ways, increasing ability to remember • recognising patterns, anticipating, making connections – cause & effect • comparing, making choices • developing understanding of symbolic meaning • transfering learning

20. Progressionin learning about cause and effect An accidental action causes an interesting sensation (19) The action is repeated automatically at first (21) The action continues to be repeated but with growing intention (23) There is awareness that a single action will cause the sensation (26)

21. Contingency responding • “The learner realises that performing a particular action causes an effect but has not yet made the 1:1 association • (ie. One switch press = • one response)”

23. Contingency awareness “The learner knows that one action will cause one particular response to happen”

24. Routes for Learning Development Group • Jean Ware University of Wales, Bangor • Phil Martin Ysgol Crug Glas Swansea • Wendy Jones Ysgol Heulfan Wrexham • Lynn Alton Ysgol Maeshyfryd Flintshire • Pauline Loftus Ysgol Pendalar Gwynedd

25. Routes on the web • http://wales.gov.uk/topics/educationandskills/?lang=en go to curriculum & assessment, primary/secondary then whole school/additional needs guidance • For more information contact verity@european-agency.org