The First Session
1. The First Session
The first session of any course is one of the most important and you should try to make this a rewarding experience for all learners. Make sure you have planned sufficient time to cover everything. The first session is especially important in making sure that the learners are on the right course for them, and you are aware of their individual needs and starting points to promote successful outcomes.
You should aim to include:
- An
opportunity for learners to get to know one another and begin to
gel as a group. This may be
combined with an initial assessment of the learners. This is often referred to as Ice
Breakers.
- Information
on Health and Safety including emergency evacuation, assembly
points, location of telephones and accident reporting. Also include any subject related safety information
necessary at this stage of the course.
- Collectively
draw up/establish ground rules (group rules) linking this to British
Values
- An
explanation of roles and responsibilities in relation to safeguarding
and Prevent
- An
explanation of what learners should do if they need to miss a class e.g.
provide contact phone numbers/email address. Ask them to let you know the week before
if possible.
- An
outline of the course content / curriculum plan / teaching and
learning strategies.
- Initial
assessment of the starting point of each
learner (if applicable at this stage). You should use HL16a to record your findings, and HL16c to assess learners against the course objectives
- Assumptions
you will make about learners’ prior knowledge, existing skills, etc. Be as precise as you can here. A quick chat at the end with anyone who
is at a different starting point should enable you both to make a
judgement about what might be possible.
- An
indication of approximate time commitment outside of the classroom (workload)
e.g. practice/preparation/homework
- A
brief outline of how you will assess learners during the course at
the start, during, and at the end – all learners want feedback on their
progress - and explain what the final assessment involves (if applicable). If you are delivering an accredited course then your need to explain the formal assessment processes, including quality assurance activity.
- Some
idea of other programmes the course will equip them to progress to.
- And finally – an introductory activity related to the course, so that learners feel that they have actually learned something - and want to come back next week for some more!