SpLD Unit 1 Discussion (Jan 09 Cohort)

I just wanted to clarify - is the 1000 words for each task or for all 6 tasks in unit one together? Can we put some of our work in our folder for advice and guidance before the due date - 20th march? Also will we have to email you to ask you to look into our folder?
Thanks Stacey

Stacey, Thanks for getting the thread going!
Let me try to clarify
The Handbook refers to Unit 1: Introduction and Orientation (page 10) and Unit 1 The Audit and Analysis Section (page 16) It might be easier to think of them as 1a: Introduction and Orientation and 1b: The Audit and Analysis Section.
Lets concentrate on Unit 1a: Intro and Orientation first:
This section should be 1000 words or equivalent
The key aim for this section is for you to get to understand your subject area better using the advice in the handbook (page 10 - 15) There are suggestions for what you can do for this section. These activities are intended to help you to start to bring together a portfolio of knowledge and are intended to help you to focus more on 1b: the Audit and Analysis Section (page 16 of handbook). As I mentioned previously, I would suggest that you really try to keep within the 1000 word suggestion (or equivalent) for these activities - and make sure that in this first part that you don't start writing up what is required from the Tasks in 1b the Needs and Analsysis section. If you use an alternative format these can be uploaded within your on-line folder but please provide a coverpage /contents list referring to what you have done.

The next part of your portfolio is 1b: The Audit and Analysis Section (page 16 of handbook)
This section should be appoximately 2000 words (for the whole of this section i.e. all of the tasks below) or equivalent (please bring this together in one whole body of work (e.g. a complete Word document). Some of the Tasks require you to collect evidence such as C.V., shool handbooks etc - I would suggest you refer to these in the main body of your written work and place the documents in your appendices - making sure you cross reference

A format for 1b: Audit and Analysis section is suggested on page 19 of the handbook. For clarity I would suggest that the format should read as follows:

A suggested formate for your portfolio might be:

1. Cover page: Contents Page

2. Overview Summary

3. Audit of Provision

    Task 1 (details of each task are provided on pages 20-24 of handbook)

    Task 2

    Task 3

    Task 4

    Task 5

    Task 6

Appendices

The list of documents/resources that you wish to put in your appendices could also be listed in the same order under the Task Headings if your wish. Make sure you cross reference within your writing to any documents you place in your Appendices (e.g. Please See Appendix A) The Appendices can be uploaded as separate documents in your online folders but please make sure they are clearly cross referenced in the Appendix list. The APpendices do not form part of the word count.

We don't want to be totally prescriptive about this, but this is one suggested format.
We will provide feedback for Unit 1a and 1b when you submit the work, but if you have any questions meantime please post them here on the discussion thread.
Hope this helps
Pauline
 

Dear All, May I remind you to look at Ruth's powerpoint presentation on 'Portfolio Building' which offers some excellent information to get you going with your Portfolios
All the best
Pauline

Will get going on this I also have located Ruth's power point on portfilo building. Will comment Soon
Hya

Does anyone live in North West London and is keen to get together to discuss some of the topics? I am keen to organise some sort of group?

Stacey, I have just replied on the other thread that I think it is an excellent idea to work in groups, but as this is a distance learning course perhaps you could work using email or the discussion boards - if you would like me to set up some group discussions let me know and I will check that I can do this on this section of the website.
All the best
Pauline

I will welcome the email discussions I got on to Oasisplus only today there seem to ba asection that seem to be like MSN chat room. may be we can talk. But it may not be a good idea as ai am asleep when you are having breakfast. so Email will have to do. Some one said about oasisplus has lectures etc but I went in and got nothing like that. Can someone tell me. Please Pauline I called and found no school that has introduced inclusion to date I need your advice as I stated in the email Thanks

Is there any other discussion I am suppose to be part of? Hyacinth

Hyacinth,
Regarding OasisPlus - you should be able to access the English Language and Learning Support site on Oasisplus - where there are many useful sections on academic writing. For students attending the university for lectures the lectures notes are sometimes placed on Oasisplus - but our course uses this site instead.
With regard to your second point, I have sent you an email suggesting you look at inclusive practice in the UK and make recommendations for your own school in St Thomas. I have provided some links to useful websites, etc.
Have you received the email?
Regards
Pauline

I am pleased with your email. I have been reading. I have been making some local inquiries and have been getting help. I am not as lost but still have not found my way yet.LOL But like Dawn I feel I need some !!!! not sure what With God's help and all of you we will get there together.

I have seen where we are now in groups great, but one must remember that these are not face to face groups. may be I see Oasisplus have a chat room not sure how to use it. or we can skype? I am in the group with Stacy Sandra Nicole are you all living in the UK? I am in America's Caribbean. A Caribbean Island that is American.
Looking forward to hearing how we will /can communicate Hya my email address is b55mrh@gmail.com Hya

Hi everyone, I am Nicole from Bermuda. I am joining this cohort late, so I am still navigating around midwheb and am probably much farther behind than most in terms of thought process! Hyacinth - as I am from Bermuda (island in the atlantic ocean - atlantic time, we are probably in the same time zone (or at least closer than those group members living in the UK). My email is NPanchaud@saltus.bm if you want to email me. Which island are you from?
Nicole

Stacey, I live in North East London and I too am very keen to be part of a group that meets up every once and a while. Perhaps we could agree to make notes of the discussions that we have and then make them available to others who are unable to attend? I feel that I am struggling to get to grips with this course and the lack of face to face human contact is a significant contributing factor. I look forward to hearing from you. Dawn

here is my email stacey.sinclair@hotmail.co.uk email me and we can try make a time to meet!

Hi Stacey, I live in Watford and although I am part of the other group I would love to meet occasionally to discuss things. I hope you do not mind. I will drop you a line on your email.
Halina

I am just checking that I am doing the correct thing. Before actually able to start task one - do we have to find something in our school where we think there is a need for something and then go from there. I'm not always entirely sure I understand what each task is actually asking us to do.
also I found the introduction difficult to limit to 1 000 words. Is the marking very strict regarding number of words.
Thanks

Dear Stacey,
Yes you are doing the correct thing. Task 4 on page 21 of the handbook asks you to create an analysis of your school's improvement needs using existing documents to justify your focus on aspects of SpLD and Inclusive provision. These should be set within a national context (as per Task 5) YOu also need to consider your own personal development needs (Task 6). Then as you say go on from there!
Whilst the marking is not exactly strict, I would recommend that you try to keep near to the recommended word limit as we don't want you working more than you have to!
Regards
Pauline

Pauline

Thanks for this explanation It helps Hya

I need to clarify that I ma doing the correct things.
task one - I have made the need , a need that the school needs- not my own personal need. is that correct?
next in the handbook there are two tasks 2- one on pag 20 evidence of needs and one on pg 22 construct a biography. If they are two separate needs it seems that there are 8 tasks (as 23 has task 7 on it) not 6. Please can you clarify.
Also - is the audit of provision - an audit of what the school already has in place?
Sorry for all the questions it just gets confusing when they are asking for schools needs etc and when they want personal information.
Thanks

Stacey, I have just responded to your email going through each of your points, but for the purpose of clarity for others I will also respond here. For task one it would be useful to identify your personal needs in relation to the school need that you have identified i.e. what your needs are in being able to conduct the programme you intend to carry out and in fact what skills, experience, knowledge you can bring to your work also - you may have already done this though in other tasks - just as long as this is covered in the Unit
Task 2 on page 20 is more gathering of documents for say putting the Appendices (cross referenced in the main body of your work). The autobiography could be part of the gathering of evidence in the Task 2 (page 20) but this could form part of the main body of your submission and you can be more reflective in this. However, you may chose to provide this in an alternative format. Yes, The audit of provision in Task 7 is on what is arleady in place at the school with a focus on why you have come to the decision of your chosen area.
I hope this helps - do come back and ask further questions, if I have not fully answered your queries.
Pauline

can you use the swot grid for all of these three tasks?

I think that the SWOT analysis is where you should be thinking about yourself, but perhaps focussing on how your strengths weaknesses opps and threats relate to your particular area of interest or needs from the other tasks
As stated in the handbook - it is important to show how these needs and expectations (identified in your SWOT) are developed into learning needs and goals you set yourself. YOu may separate thse into knowledge and skills.
All the best
Pauline
Pauline

Hi Pauline, I am not sure how to formulate my responce to 'Construct a professional autobiagraphy'? As it is about m prefessional life can I refer to 'I found issues......My difficulties were....'. My other question concerns itself with the amount of information I am including and the quality,(basically am I waffling?) especially in the audit of provision section.

Please advise after you looked on the work so far, which is in my folder.
Thank you. Halina

Yes Halina, we want a reflective analysis of your profossional experiences so this sounds good. If you try to keep to the word count of 1000 for the first part of Unit 1 and 2000 for the second part - this should provide you with a framework in which to make sure you do not waffle!! Try to remember the essential element of level 4 work is critical analysis.
We will provide feedback on submissions after 20th March
Pauline

Hi, Pauline. I am comming to the end of the 'Audit and Analysis' essay and panic is setting in!
Do I need to attach the CATs and Midysis data I mentioned or the school tests on spelling, reading tests, the Inspection report or the various research materials I have used or do I just mention them as a bibliography?
Do I also have to attach the school SpLD policy?

Although I have followed the TASKS more or less, some of the information may be scattered between the tasks, how would you like me to mark/reference these?
Is task 7 part of this essay too?

I am just trying to be thorough. Halina nice but simple.

Dear Halina,
well done on getting towards the end of the Audit and Analysis section - please try not to panic though! What I would suggest for submission on line is that you set up a Unit 1 folder and in that have a file for the mainbody of your essay with the Bibliography at the end, and another file for your Appendices. It is up to you whether you then put your additional documents and research in the Appendices or just refer to them in the text and then in your Bibliography. If you feel that there is something that we need to see (say to clarify a point that your are making or to demonstrate evidence) then put the documents in the Appendices. I do feel though that you should not worry about putting too much in Appendices. Please make sure that you cross reference at any mention of documents in the mainbody with what you are placing in your Appendices
Yes Task 7 is part of Unit 1. Don't worry to much about scattering some of the information too much (I guess this is inevitable to a certain extent)as long as you have structured what you have done clearly and logically with headings etc it should be fine.
Good luck
Pauline

Dear Pauline,

I have been fiddling, adding, moving information here and there.....but enough is enough. Unit 1, Introduction and Orientation plus Audit and Analysis is in my forlder, completed. I have done Bibliography for the Audit essay and a seperate Appandisis sheet. Should you want some more in the Apendisis I hope you will let me know. Fingers crossed.

Halina

Hi Pauline,
I am planning a visit to trent Park sometime this week if possible or next week.
If you are on site would it be possible to say hello to you or Ruth?

Halina