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:

1. 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.
   

2. 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. 
   

3. Collectively draw up/establish ground rules (group rules) linking this to British Values
   

4. An explanation of roles and responsibilities in relation to safeguarding and Prevent
   

5. 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.  
   

6. An outline of the course content / curriculum plan / teaching and learning strategies. 
   

7. 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
   
   
8. 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.
   

9. An indication of approximate time commitment outside of the classroom (workload) e.g. practice/preparation/homework
   

10. 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.
    

11. Some idea of other programmes the course will equip them to progress to.
    

12. 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!

Please complete the Learner Induction Checklist to confirm that you have covered all necessary items. It can be found HERE

1.1. Setting of Ground Rules

It is good practice to have an agreement with your class as to what are expected in relation to behaviours.  This is a good way to link to British values.

If you write these up on a piece of flipchart paper you can keep and re-display each session.

Ground rules can relate to

1)    Attendance

2)    Treatment of each other (BV)

3)    Health and safety (BV rule of law)

4)    Safeguarding – confidentiality (BV + Prevent)

2. Initial Assessment

An outstanding tutor uses initial assessment to negotiate and effectively plan individual and group learning and assessment.  Challenging tasks are set that are highly personalised for each learner according to their ability and needs.

An outstanding tutor ensures there is highly effective identification of individual learning needs.  They provide excellent learner support.  The materials and learning resources are carefully selected, and the session is skilfully planned and delivered to meet a variety of individual needs, styles and a wide ability range.  The tutor sets high expectations that challenge and stretch all learners. 

Initial assessment;

• Establishes the existing skill and knowledge levels of learners
• May establish how each learner learns
• Introduces learners to some of the skills and knowledge they will need to acquire on the programme
• Provides information to help tutors plan the programme
• Can be a fun way of getting learners used to assessment without it being too intimidating
  

Well-planned and executed initial assessment is integral to the induction process.  This may commence at the enrolment stage with a pre-course questionnaire to establish learners’ interests, experience and motivation.  It may be part of the “getting to know you” activity in induction.

It is important, however, that there is also

• some form of skill/knowledge assessment which can be validated by the tutor

• discussion with individual learners about what they can do and want to be able to do
  

Methods of initial assessment

• Discussion
• All about you form
• HL16c – Learner Plan
• Skill scan
• Questionnaire
  

You might decide to create a simple form for learners to complete as they arrive.  Remember to stress the confidentiality of any information provided and how it will be used e.g. 

3. Teaching and Learning Activities

You will be aware of a whole range of teaching and learning activities to keep you and your learners interested and motivated.  Make sure you use a mixture so that different learning styles are met. 

Keep a note of the ones you have tried and add any others you can think of: