I think it is really important to imbed functional skills in our lessons, but some elements are much easier to include than others. It can be done through feedback activities on the smartboard or research tasks using the computer, and literacy through reading and research tasks, or developing a personal subject dictionary. However, I find including anything more than very basic numeracy really difficult. Do any of you have any strategies you use that might be helpful?
Thanks, looking forward to your suggestions.
I have been looking at Gravells and she suggests that a good way of embeding it is with subtle activities, so they are not aware they are learning these skills. She has an example of calculating weights and ingredient cost in cookery. I still find it difficult to see how I can incorporate this in archaeology, but I think perhaps one way is including more time lines.
ReplyDeleteI have just thought, I did a scaled drawing activity with my students that went really well. to practice archaeological recording techniques I got them to do a scaled drawing of the classroom at 1:20, they were really good at it by the end.
I personally find maths the hardest functional skill to find ways of embedding.
ReplyDeleteI would really like more info on your scaled drawing activity Rebecca. I have a great opportunity to embed maths by looking at scale ground plans of theatres with a set marked on them. In the theatre there is a process called a mark up where you mark out a scale representation of the set on a rehearsal room floor. I have tried this process with my students but have always struggled with the initial explanation of scale. How do you begin to introduce it to them?
I also found a way to introduce them to ratio when we were doing a prop making session using ingredients for salt dough.
A good place to start when looking at the minimum core is the qualification we use in college - Edexcel Functional Skills.
ReplyDeleteBelow is the link to the webpage:
http://pearsonwbl.edexcel.com/quals/func-skills/Pages/default.aspx
If you click on level 1-2 (English or Maths) you can see the specification for the course. When you start looking at the assessment criteria and coverage and range it makes it easier to look at the skills the learners are actually using.
For instance, in Maths there are 3 sections representing, analysing and interpreting. Below that it gives details as to the processes the learner needs to be using, for example, "Learners decide on the methods, operations and tools, including ICT, to use in a situation". By developing resources and activities that require our learners to use this skills and processes, we can embed functional skills without using the obvious.
An example for English could be one of the speaking, listening and communication assessment criteria "Make relevant and extended contributions to discussions, allowing for and responding to others’ input". Encouraging learners and including activities such as discussions and debates also embed the skills required in Functional Skills.
My best advice re: maths,
a) start to identify where you are using maths in your job/ specialism, really notice when you are using the skills
b) refresh your own knowledge of maths.
I have found it easier to embed Maths into English and have been confident in delivering Maths lessons since I have refreshed my own knowledge. If you are not confident in your own maths ability it sets a barrier to learning before the learners even get involved, and your attitude towards the subject will also have an impact on theirs. I have lots of resources and links to revision materials for maths, so please let me know if there is anything I can provide that might help!
BKSB under the tutor mode has lots of paper based and interactive resources too, these explain how to do something then gives you sets of questions to answer. Answer booklets/ instant marking are available on there too. I might set up a separate post to upload some more maths ideas, do you think this would be helpful?
Finally, below is a link to a worksheet maker:
http://www.worksheetworks.com/
I find this website to be great for making word searches and cross words for you, all you have to do is input the words/clues. A quick and easy starter activity that is using literacy skills and improving spelling. There are other subjects available and can be altered to UK paper size, spelling and units.
This might be a little niche, but I'm going to be using Monopoly.
ReplyDeleteI have to teach inequality and poverty as part of the Further Issues in Sociology and have managed to get my department to buy 4 Monopoly boards.
The plan is to set the students up to play Monopoly, along the usual Monopoly rules, however there will be one small difference. One play (perhaps out of 5) will begin with a very large amount of money. Other players will start with much, much less. This helps the students to understand class and societal inequality.
Maths comes in subtly, with students having to count and calculate rents, purchases etc.
My thought would be to try and see if you can embed fun and novel ways of learning into teaching so that functional skills is not 'forced'.
With archeology you could simply compare to periods of time and ask students how many years difference there is. It's simple, certainly not forced, and despite being taught a functional skill, they will probably not notice. Beyond that, dig budgeting? Dating? Breadth, depth and width of a dig site?
Only just seen the request for more information on the scaled drawing activity. I do it wit a hand out esplaining the role of scaled drawing in archaeology and that archaeologists draw plans at 1:20, and explain what that represents: 1 small square on the paper is 20 cm on the ground. I give them 2 measuring tapes and squared clip board and tracing paper and let them get on with it. I will send you all a copy of the worksheet which explains better.
ReplyDeleteThanks for that Rebecca. Finding more opportunities to embed more maths into my lessons is certainly a development point for me at the moment.
ReplyDeleteI wondered if some of the activities I do using my teaching resources cover any aspects of ICT functional skills? We use a lighting desk and accompanying software to control the theatrical lighting in the hall and the drama studio. Students must have a good knowledge of this to be able to control the intelligent fixtures.
With regards to literacy I feel I can embed literacy within my sessions fairly effectively, and usually without a great deal of acknowledgement from myself but I have been thinking that perhaps if I gave more emphasis that I am embedding functional skills within my course it might support learners regarding skills and employability, they may participate and engage more within their functional skills workshops and functional skills lessons. As well as their engagement they may also have appreciation for the basic life skills we are passing on through our own minimum core abilities.
Finally can anyone recommend any more useful website regarding functional skills? I had a look around today and couldn’t find much.
thanks
Hi Sarah,
ReplyDeleteI found these at the bottom of an article in Teaching Times.
Useful resources:
•There is a wealth of support available to learning providers to help them integrate functional skills into their teaching. The Functional Skills Support Programme is available through National Strategies for Schools and the Learning and Skills Improvement Service (LSIS). A comprehensive, free-of-charge package is available, which focuses on continuing professional development at regional and local level to support providers as they prepare to teach functional skills. The support covers the teaching and learning of functional skills in a variety of contexts, and is available at: www. nationalstrategiescpd.co.uk and excellence.qia.org.uk/functionalskills.
•The DCSF produces a newsletter containing updates and specific dates for the whole support packages on functional skills and Diploma lines of learning - sign up at www. dcsf.gov.uk/14-19/ - ‘Newsletters’.
• The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) produce a functional skills bulletin providing up to date information on functional skills development – you can register for the bulletin at www. qca.org.uk/functionalskills
•Information for teachers on all of the 14-19 education changes is available at www. dcsf.gov.uk/14-19/
How Im embedding Functional Skills at the mo, is getting my students to complete a cartoon.
ReplyDeleteHere is the question:- An airplane (A 747) is fully loaded with fuel, it takes off with 200 passengers with an average weight of 70Kg. They eat vegtable musaka for lunch and Ice cream. Some of the passengers are naughty and ping elastic bands around the cabin of the aircraft. The journey takes 5 hours.
Draw a cartoon showing all the Potential energy and kinitic energy, where you can do the maths, showing how much fuel would be used to transport the airplane and passengers to the final destination, work out how much fuel would be left.
I gave them a word list to include i.e. Potential mechanical energy, potential chemical energy, etc, etc.
This task was done over four lessons and the feedback from the students was bill, I am showing one of the cartoons drawn in our presentation as a hand out on how we can assess learning.
So proud of the group for beating this physics challenge.
rach
Embedding maths & English, currently the SPSS package is available in loads of classrooms, anyone wanting to spend a tutorial looking around the package needs to go into the MIS system and see if a room with the computer package is free. Ive been speaking to the IT department alot as well and intergrating some of the IT the students are covering in those lessons into my own, so i.e. if they are learning about spead sheets then geting them to created one on a different subject area incorporates a connection between lessons.
ReplyDeleteAs you can probably tell I am new to blogging, so putting things in the wrong place!! A web site I have just found that looks good. Supposed to have a starter kit for teaching functional skills etc. http://www.excellencegateway.org.uk/node/20280
ReplyDeleteControversially speaking, how important do you think it is to embed core skills when the course you are delivering requires core qualifications for entry? For example, students on a university degree will have needed a minimum C grade in Maths and English GCSE to enter onto the course in the first place.
ReplyDeleteI can see direct value in embedding level 1 and 2 core skills when teaching levels 1-3, but what value does it add to include this in levels 4, 5 and 6 degree teaching?
My method so far has been to draw on elements of core English to discuss transferable and employability skills. For example, the ability to summarise text and present to others. However, it often seems 'forced' and mildly patronising to consider embedding mental arithmetic into a theory lecture.
I think it is still essential to embed the skills where entry requirements are C or above because it is about skills for life, these skills adapt, change and develop over time. It does not need (in my opinion) to be as obvious as mental arthimetic in a theory lecture, sometimes I take a class poll and ask L3 learners to record the answers on a graph for an example. I think social sciences uses a lot of maths within statistical analysis etc and the interpretation and analysis of those rely on fundamental basic skills - the minimum core. The way you are using transferable skills to embed English is great and from my recent experience of a HE course as a learner I found I did at times need minimum core refreshers, especially if you have adult learners in the class as it may have been a long time since they have effectively utilised those skills even if they have that "lucky C" grade from GCSE or equivalent.
DeleteI think it is important to embed core skills in all courses as students skills always benefit from improvement - I know mine are constantly improving. In my experience the students on degree have the GCSE qualification but their disscussive and communication skills are weak. These are however key FS elements, so are becoming more of a central area in my first year lessons.
ReplyDeleteVicky Duckworth makes an interesting link, which I had failed to make, but is probably obvious. She links FS to initial and diagnostic assessment. The role FS can play initially in ensuring students are on the correct course, and enabling learning programmes to be tailored to meet the needs of the individuals (How to be a brilliant FE Teacher, Routledge, 2014).
Ann Gravells is also interesting, stating 'wherever possible, you should try and improve the literacy, language and numeracy skills of your students. She also makes clear the role of FS to enable students to function effectively and confidently through work and life. (Preparing to teach in the lifelong learning sector, SAGE, 2012)
Going back to the scaled drawing activity I mentioned, on reflection it is areally good template I can build on for embedding numeracy into the lessons. Doing a hands-on activity has shown that it is a really good way to meet the core skill requirement 'use strategies to make sense of a situation requiring the application of numeracy'.
ReplyDelete“The minimum core document details the knowledge, understanding and personal skills in English, Mathematics and ICT that teachers need to undertake their professional role” (LLUK, 2007, p.2)
ReplyDeleteTeachers have a responsibility for their own minimum core knowledge and skills and need to reinforce this with learners.
Within Domain B of New Professional Standards for Teachers, Tutors and Trainers in the Lifelong Learning Sector states;
“BP 3.4 Evaluate and improve own communication skills to maximise effective communication and overcome identifiable barriers to communication.” (LLUK, , p.6)
This is an example of developing our own minimum core and how it relates to the skill development of our learners. As discussed in the quote there is a link between a lack of minimum core skills can be a barrier to learning and result in behaviour disruptions in the classroom context. As a teacher it is paramount to provide opportunities where learners can develop skills in the aim to reduce or remove these barriers.