Planning & Enabling Learning Ctlls Unit 2

When approaching this assignment, I wanted to remain aware of the particular needs of my role. As it has been necessary to be selective about the areas that were to be focused upon in these very wide-ranging topics, I have chosen to research and write about those areas that are relevant and appropriate to the work that I am doing, in order to improve my practice. This has meant that some areas that I would like to have learnt more about have been sadly neglected. I do, however, take comfort from the fact that the skills I have learned pertaining to research around the subjects will come in useful for filling in the gaps in my knowledge as I continue to develop professionally.

Negotiating With Learners

  My role as a study-skills workshop presenter involves going into different settings and working with learners for a day or perhaps half a day. Usually, I will be meeting these learners for the first time and in a place that is unfamiliar to me, or that I haven’t been to since the year before. In these circumstances, it is unlikely to be appropriate for me to conduct an induction. That responsibility is more likely to fall on the venue that has booked my workshop. I am much more likely to find myself in a position where I need to use tools such as Ice-Breakers. The workshops work best when they are lively and for this to happen, it is important for all the participants to feel relaxed and able to express themselves. It is also important to develop a good rapport between myself and the learners, even though I am a stranger at the beginning of the day. It is also important for the same reason that I negotiate ground rules with my learners and find out as much as I can about their skills and achievements so far, as well as to ascertain what it is they are hoping to learn from the study-skills workshop. I encourage my learners to take responsibility for their own learning and progress beyond the workshop. I am only there for the day, so it is important that I...