Welsh Assembly Government Routes for Learning

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?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Scanned image of Assessment booklet page 8

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)

“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.” In Wales ……

Plan Asking Questions Ask why, what, how, where, when? etc Ask questions related to context and listen before asking further questions. Identify the problem and set the questions to resolve it. Activating prior skills, knowledge and understanding Show awareness of personal needs and skills. Identify and make links with prior skills and knowledge related to context. Build on existing skills, knowledge and understanding required for the task. Gathering information Choose from given options where to find information and ideas. Suggest where to find information and ideas related to context. Evaluate options. Determining the process/ method and strategy Choose from given options what to do and how to do it. Plan, with support, the process/method to be used. Take account of possible problems when justifying why the strategy(ies) is to be used. Thinking Skills Grid: Examples

Routes LinkIntermediate Step 1 st column of thinking skills grid 2 nd column of thinking skills grid Asking Questions Routes box 25 ‘Changes behaviour in response to interesting event nearby’ Uses word/ signs which imply a question e.g. ‘swimming’ or ‘mummy’. (We may need to use contextual knowledge to understand the question & this may not be clear e.g. Is it when’s mummy coming? Or where’s mummy? ) Ask, what, where, when (why? how?) Ask questions related to context and listen before asking further questions Routes for Learning Thinking Skills Grid

Routes LinkIntermediate Step1 st column of thinking skills grid 2 nd column of thinking skills grid Gathering information Routes box 27 Intentional exploration of the environment Actively/systematically explores objects using range of strategies - e.g. given different unfamiliar objects on different occasions does the learner demonstrate use of a range of strategies in a systematic way? Chooses from given options where to find information and ideas Suggest where to find information and ideas related to context Routes for Learning Thinking Skills Grid

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 Thinking Skills for Learners with PMD

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) Progression in learning about cause and effect

“ 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)” Contingency responding

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

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

Routes on the web ls/?lang=en go to curriculum & assessment, primary/secondary then whole school/additional needs guidancehttp://wales.gov.uk/topics/educationandskil ls/?lang=en For more information contact