PROFESSIONAL DISCUSSION

PROFESSIONAL DISCUSSION What is Professional Discussion? When would you use it?

PROFESSIONAL DISCUSSION - 1 Is an in-depth, two-way conversation between the assessor and the candidate It is a good method to use when you are assessing complex tasks

PROFESSIONAL DISCUSSION – 2* There are no hard and fast rules for conducting a Professional Discussion: much depends on how you respond to what your candidate says and your skill in moving the discussion forward However, such discussions work best when you both know what you will be discussing and when the candidate has had enough time to prepare and so feels relaxed about talking to you

PLANNING THE DISCUSSION - 1 90% of a successful professional discussion is down to preparing and training the candidate and the assessor Question How would you Plan for a Professional Discussion

PLANNING THE DISCUSSION - 2 Before carrying out a professional discussion you will need to plan it so that the candidate agrees with the timing of it and what you both want to achieve This stage is crucial and requires time and effort from both assessor and candidate

PLANNING THE DISCUSSION - 3 The assessor needs to plan with the candidate what they will be talking about and identify anything they need to bring with them to support their claim of competence

PLANNING THE DISCUSSION - 4 ASSESSOR Have I checked the standards and assessment strategy to ensure that: Professional discussion is an appropriate method to use Am I sure this candidate is ready to be assessed Have we agreed a time and place to meet

PLANNING THE DISCUSSION – 5* CANDIDATE Do I know the topics I will be expected to discuss and how these relate to the standards Do I know what products or examples of my work I need to bring with me to the discussion Do I have enough time to prepare Am I confident about taking part in a professional discussion

DURING THE DISCUSSION What would you be doing during the discussion?

DURING THE DISCUSSION - 1 Put your candidate at ease For most candidates professional discussion is something of an ordeal. They may be very good at their jobs but not confident about talking to an assessor. Talk to your candidate beforehand about what to expect

DURING THE DISCUSSION - 2 Lay ground rules and explain them before you start You should explain to them that – it’s OK to ask questions if they lose the thread You will be making notes, but this isn’t a reflection on them – it’s your aide-memoir You may use recording equipment Make sure they stick to their real experiences and not just talk theory You will stop them when we have covered the topic in enough depth

DURING THE DISCUSSION - 3 Encourage, focus and move on Your job is to keep up the pace of the discussion and to steer it where necessary This means encouraging your candidate to keep talking when they are on the right track Keep them focused on the standards and move them on when they have covered the topic in enough depth

DURING THE DISCUSSION - 4 To encourage them: Use active listening skills such as nodding or saying “Tell me more” To move them on: Use specific questions – “I’d like you to talk about …..

DURING THE DISCUSSION - 5 Don’t be afraid to interrupt if they wander off the point – But remember to be holistic in outlook. Say something like “Can I interrupt you” and follow it with a specific question.

DURING THE DISCUSSION - 6 Identify further opportunities Be holistic Bring it to a close

DURING THE DISCUSSION – 7* Record it on an appropriate proforma Or record it on tape Remember if you record it you must reference the tape so IVs and EVs know where to access specific evidence

AFTER THE DISCUSSION - 1 After you’ve finished your candidate will want to know how well they have done and it’s your job to provide appropriate feedback

AFTER THE DISCUSSION –2* Agree on what the candidate needs to do next, such as: Provide further evidence Identify and arrange to speak to potential witnesses if you want further corroboration (Supporting Evidence) Arrange to observe the candidate if necessary Record these a action points and agree them with the candidates, along with timescales