Planning and Enabling Learning.

PLANNING AND ENABLING LEARNING.

Initial assessment usually takes place before a student starts a course.   Gravells (2007, p.75) states that the purpose of this is to “ensure they are on the right path”.   Depending on the course or subject, students may need to have prior knowledge or experience.   Students may also need a certain level of numeracy and or literacy.   An initial assessment ensures that students have the ability to complete the course;   it also provides the tutor with information which will enable them to plan future learning.
Minton (2005, p.50) describes the initial assessment as “the critical starting point of a process of building up a spirit of trust between students and teacher”.   It is also important for identifying students’ needs for any additional learning support, such as basic literacy.
It is important to share and agree learning goals with your students.   Minton (2005) suggests that students need to know what they are setting out to learn and what you are planning to teach, and these should be the same.   Clearly defined   goals have numerous benefits including the more willing students are to engage in learning activities and contribute to the group,   the greater the learning that takes place, the teacher can choose appropriate teaching learning strategies, materials and methods, and it’s easier for students and teachers to evaluate progress.
There are three different styles of learning, aural, visual and kinaesthetic.   Gravells (2007) explains that most people learn form a combination of these three. By finding out how your students learn, it enables you to plan your sessions to deliver effective learning.
The use of different delivery methods will depend somewhat on the subject you are delivering. Delivery can be formal, such as a lecture or informal in the style of a discussion, or a mixture of both.   Methods may be divided into four categories, presentation, participatory, discovery and evaluator (Appendix 1).   Choosing a variety...