In an ever-changing jobs market, the skills we all need to use have developed beyond numeracy and literacy – and part of our jobs as teachers is to give students the skills they’ll need in their future careers.
Primary students preparing to go to secondary school (and then university) will need academic skills too. While there are lots of courses offering to teach these skills to older learners, we can give our younger learners a head start in the classroom.
There are a number of important academic skills that can be carried into many different areas of students’ lives. These include:
Each skill will help students manage their workloads and work effectively and efficiently, whether working in an office, studying for a degree, or being self-employed.
Here are a few ideas for use with students of all ages, to develop students’ awareness and understanding of these skills.
For much of the school day, children are told where to be and what to do. However, knowing how to tell the time is not the same as managing time.
Some students underestimate how long an activity will take and then feel cheated or ‘behind’ when their work takes longer (especially fast finishers). Others overestimate the time needed, feel overwhelmed, and want to give up before getting started.
Helping each student understand what each activity involves will help them to plan and manage their time. It will also encourage them to recognize everyone has differing abilities and works at a different pace.
Give each student sticky notes representing 10 minute blocks of time (6 pieces if your classes are in 1 hour segments).
Explain an activity:
Next, have the students think about how much time each part of the lesson will take using sticky notes. If they think making the diagram will take 20 minutes, they should put two sticky notes on top of each other.
Have students share what they think the time allocation should be, taking into account how long your lesson is. Did any ‘run out of time’ or have time ‘left over’?
After the activity, ask students how accurate their predictions were and if there was any time wasting.
Let students practice using this type of task analysis throughout the week for different activities, so they begin to see which activities they work quickly through and which they find more time-consuming. This will help students plan and manage their time better.
Also, involve the parents by sharing what has been done in class. Get students to manage the time allocation:
How does their time management change at weekends/in the holidays?
Prioritization is another big part of time management. Task analysis helps students recognize what they must do and how they must do it in order to get a good grade. It also helps them understand the things they will most enjoy about an activity.
To teach prioritization, it should become a regular part of the class. At the start of each week list (approximately five) class objectives to be achieved:
Delegation and collaborative working are both essential academic and life skills. Thankfully they are already quite familiar topics for students. Students often delegate roles and characters in their everyday play – ‘You be Spiderman, I’ll chase you’, etc.
It’s helpful to encourage this behavior in the classroom too. It can help students (of all ages) to recognize what they can achieve through cooperation and delegation because of their different skills.
Explain that a group project (e.g. a group play) will require students to share information and to work together. Make it clear there are rules to follow:
There is a finite goal – the play will be performed at the end of next week to the Year 2 classes.
Suggest that the group meets and plans together (reading corner, at lunchtime, etc.). As they prepare, ask for updates on who is doing which tasks and why. Also encourage the group to determine whether something could be done differently/better by sharing the jobs.
Listen in to see how objections are handled (recognize some of this discussion may be in the students’ first language).
At the end of the project ask each student to list what they enjoyed the most and what they found most challenging. Ask them what skills they would like to develop for the next project.
This can sound daunting for Primary students, but laying the foundations for academic research is easier than you might think.
Big questions are a gateway to developing research and analysis skills. Two examples are, 'Why are plants and animals important in our world?' Or 'What can you do to help people in need?'.
Providing students with a way to remember the important steps in any kind of research makes this type of activity less daunting.
'Hands On’ is a five point guide that can be demonstrated by drawing a hand with five fingers:
Following the five point guide students must:
Any research needs to be methodical; using the five points above helps students build a clear structure that can become more detailed and complex as they advance through school.
In the fast-paced world of business, there is one undeniable fact that holds true: employees are the key to success. Their commitment and expertise propel organizations towards their objectives, which is why investing in a learning culture is essential. The advantages are numerous and include improved staff retention, increased productivity and the goal of higher employee engagement.
You may have heard the term learning management system (LMS) at work or perhaps during your time in education. For many, this throws out images of clunky, outdated systems that clumsily distribute course materials and are tough to use.ÌýBut that is no longer the case. Modern LMS's are far more user-friendly, and it's time to relearn what you thought you knew about these tools.Ìý
In this ultimate guide, we will look at everything you need to know about learning management systems and why they are so beneficial.Ìý
is a digital platform or (SaaS) solution that is used to create, organize and distribute online courses.Ìý
The idea is that these LMS platforms offer one central place for users to manage and access courses and learning materials. Depending on the user, this could be anything from self-paced e-courses to classroom training.Ìý
This can help facilitate a range of training, studying and skills development, as well as assessments, exams and certification management.Ìý
There are many great uses for learning management systems but these are used primarily by businesses and educational establishments. Here are some of the most common use cases for these platforms:Ìý
HR and management - The HR and management team might implement these across the business to help with learning and development and make sure that organizational goals are being hit
Employee onboarding - Those starting a new job may be given training via an LMS; this can make the onboarding process much quicker and simplerÌý
Compliance training - Lots of roles require compliance training, for example health and safety training, and this is a great way for businesses to stay up to date and ensure everyone complies with regulationsÌý
Customer support - Some businesses use learning management systems to onboard customers or clients. This might include sharing user manuals and product guides. Plus, sales professionals might also use them to train new partners or clients in using their services or platforms.Ìý
Classroom learning - Lecturers and teachers can create and share course materials and align content and tests from one place. These can also be used to put a twist on traditional classroom learning.Ìý
Blended learning - Schools, colleges and universities may use these for online lessons and blended learning, particularly for remote studentsÌý
Volunteer training - Charities and non-profits may also use an LMS to educate volunteers and keep them motivated about the causeÌý
Of course, these platforms can and will be used in other ways, but these are some of the most common and beneficial uses for LMS's.Ìý
In most cases, learning management systems will have two primary user groups: administrators and learners.ÌýÌý
Administrators are the people who create, manage and deliver e-learning. They may use these platforms to upload their own learning materials, or they may select courses and materials from an existing list given by the provider.
On the other hand, learners are the professionals or students who will use these platforms to train, study and gain new skills. Many modern LMS's allow multiple learners to train or access materials at the same time.
However, there is a third and final group that we have yet to mention: the parents of students using LMS's, particularly outside of school hours. In some cases, parents may have access to these systems to support students, track their progress or look at feedback from the teacher.Ìý
There are a variety of learning management systems out there and some are more advanced than others. That being said, many modern platforms will share similar features to ensure they stay competitive. Some of these key features may include:Ìý
Authoring tools that allow administrators to upload or build their own courses
Access to subject matter experts who can contribute to learning and development activitiesÌý
Automated workflows that allow for the creation of personalized learning journeys
A resources library that holds all relevant learning materials, such as guides, video clips and courses
Quizzes and surveys for a more fun and engaging way to assess learnersÌý
Compliance features, such as automatic reminders that notify learners when it is time to retrainÌý
Certificates and diplomas that give learners recognition as they study and meet their targetsÌý
Insights and analysis for individual progress and results, allowing administrators to identify gaps or areas where support is needed
Compatibility with mobile devices for studying on the goÌý
Integrations with other internal systems and softwareÌý
This is by no means a complete list and different platforms will have different functionality. However, these are some of the most common and beneficial features of many modern LMSs.
First and foremost, an LMS can be an excellent way for businesses to save time and money on training.Ìý
Of course there is an initial investment in the platform, but training can be expensive and time-consuming, particularly if it must take place in a location outside of the workplace.ÌýTherefore, this can be the more cost-effective solution. Not to mention, the materials are quick to access and can save time and effort.Ìý
These platforms are an excellent way to ensure that all mandatory training is completed on time and to the highest standard. For example, industry-specific training such as fire safety or cybersecurity training.Ìý
Administrators can access data and insights into their employee's learning. This can be a great way to see where more support is needed and to identify any skills gaps that need to be filled.ÌýSimilarly, teachers can get to grips with how well their students are doing and if they need extra help in any subjects or areas.
Whether in school or the workplace, LMS's can be a great way to improve the learning process. It allows users to study and access learning materials from one accessible location.ÌýPlus, through a multimedia approach, they can use guides, videos and more to help them learn. This can ensure they engage with the materials and stay motivated.Ìý
Finally, an LMS can make communication between students, teachers, employees and employers far simpler. For example, automated reminders keep everyone in the loop and ensure all training is completed on time.ÌýBut more than that, there is one central place to communicate, review feedback and access the same materials.Ìý
In a previous blog, we shared someÌýstrange English phrases that might have left you with some questions. The English language is full of peculiar phrases that can even confuse fluent speakers. In today's post, we'll take a look at a few more such phrases to help you expand your repertoire.
