MFL & INCLUSION

WORKSHOP 5

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MEETING LEARNING NEEDS

Earlier workshops have suggested ways in which foreign language teachers, with the assistance of support staff can begin to identify and make better provision for the individual learning needs manifested by pupils in their class. But how can we possibly cater for all the individual needs identified? And what about the other pupils in the class? To teach up to 30 individual lessons is not humanly possible - 'that way lies madness'.

Our salvation lies in the fact that there are many needs which are shared by all learners. By being aware of what these commonly shared needs are, and by developing approaches that take them into account, we can provide a learning environment that meets a broader spectrum of general needs, leaving fewer needs to be catered for individually.

This workshop looks at the needs all learners share and suggests a framework for auditing professional practice. Teachers following this procedure can identify areas of their current practice that might benefit from some additional attention.

TASK 1: Read and reflect

KEY NEEDS OF ALL LEARNERS

Mary Simpson* and Jenny Ure, in their study of differentiation in Scottish secondary schools some years ago (see below) concluded that there is no one strategy which is in itself more effective than any other. The key to success, they found, is the extent to which the strategies used enable teachers to be responsive to the needs of individual learners. If teachers do not respond to individual needs, or are unsure how to create the conditions which allow them to do so, no strategy will be very effective. If teachers acknowledge the needs and finds ways of meeting them that they and their pupils are comfortable with, success is likely to follow. Teachers' range of strategies may be wide, or it may be limited. The wider the range of strategies teachers can employ, the more likely they are to be able to meet the needs of a wide range of learners.

Simpson and Ure point out that all pupils share certain learning needs. Their list of key requirements for successful learning, reproduced below, apply to all learners. Note how well these chime with the four capacities of A Curriculum for Excellence (ACE) and with the approaches associated with the Assessment is for Learning (AifL) programme.

Learners have shared needs associated with the following:

the curriculum - the need to be given appropriate levels of work; to know about what is to be learned; to be set realistic, short term targets; to have support in the acquisition of component or pre-requisite skills; etc.

cognition - the need to have explanations which are comprehensible; to have misunderstandings and misconceptions identified and rectified; to be given 'conceptual scaffolding' which will enable the organisation of detail or the elaboration of abstract concepts; to have available such strategies as concept-mapping, to assist in the development of understanding; etc.

the management of learning - the need to have support in the self-pacing or management of work; to be assisted in understanding how to work profitably in groups or teams; to be able to identify strategies for problem-solving/tackling exam questions/taking notes/highlighting key points/revising etc; to develop a strategy for asking for assistance with problems; etc.

motivational factors - the need to be motivated to learn; to expect success and progression in learning; to be confident; to expect problems to be capable of resolution; to have high but attainable goals; to recognise purpose in the learning process; to value the skills and knowledge acquired in school and to have an expectancy that these are a springboard for future learning; etc.

personal factors - the need to have idiosyncratic personal issues taken note of, eg times of crisis or stress; to have personal circumstances taken into account, eg lack of facilities for doing homework, lack of parental support or encouragement; to have assistance with improving personal and inter-personal skills; low self-esteem etc; to have help in dealing with peer group pressure etc.

Simpson, M. and Ure, J. What's the Difference? A study of differentiation in Scottish secondary schools.
Northern College Publications, 1994 (page 85)

* Professor Mary Simpson ws until 2005 Chair in Classroom Learning in the University of Edinburgh School of Education
 

TASK 2: Auditing current practice

Use Simpson and Ure's list of shared needs from Task 1 to review your own classroom practice. On the grid, use the boxes on the right to indicate the extent to which your current practice recognises and takes account of each need, or whether this is an area that you could develop. Use the last box to record any additional factors you have identified in your reflections, or ones which may be specific to the group of learners you are targeting.
 

TASK 3: Devlopment planning

Use the audit from Task 2 to identify and highlight a limited number of development targets which you feel you could begin to tackle right away with your target groups. Enter these on a copy of the Action Plan together with timescales and responsibilities. The Action Plan can be reviewed later to evaluate the developments you decide to implement. Devise your own document, or download one of the formulas here:
 

In conclusion...

Identifying and responding to individual needs is a retrospective process; that is, it helps teachers to identify and respond effectively to specific individual difficulties once they have arisen. Ideally, however, inclusive teaching ideally means developing approaches which minimise the chances of problems developing in the first place. Teachers who develop approaches that are sufficiently broad and flexible are able to anticipate a wider range of learning needs, and so the need for special measures for individual pupils should decrease.

The process described in this workshop is designed to help teachers to be proactive. It provides a means to review the sort of needs all learners share and to provide a framework for auditing current practice. This allows a teacher to identify what he/she already does well and to prioritise the changes he/she may need to make.

It is important to note that, although the developments suggested in Workshop 5 focus on the needs of all learners, teachers still need to watch out for individual needs that may arise as a result of new steps being taken (e.g. a learner who finds it difficult to work in groups; a gifted learner who is used to being spoon fed, etc.) Developing a capacity to use BOTH of these approaches will ensure that learners of all abilities have the best chance possible of becoming successful and enthusiastic language learners.

NOTE: This workshop now forms part of Maximising Potential, an online programme of Professional Development for MFL teachers and Departments. To view the workshop in context go to: http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/maximisingpotential/

This page last updated: 19.7.08

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