Planning and Enabling Learning

Unit 2 Planning and Enabling Learning

1(c) Integrating functional skills into my subject area

Rationale

In the research of this topic I want to find out what functional skills are and why they need to be integrated into my subject area.

I will research how they can be delivered in the learning process. Also what effect does the method of delivery have on the students and on the deliverer of learning?

I will research whether learners on level three courses will have functional skills at level three on entry of the course.

I will be researching how in my subject area (the electrical installations team) we integrate functional skills into the student’s main academic or vocational studies.

Methodology

I will analyse different theories in my research. I will look at books, journals, articles and internet sites. I will research many different sources of information to which I feel are relevant.

Research

There are three main functional skills: Communication, Application of Number and Information Technology. There are also wider functional skills such as: Working with Others, Improving Own Learning Performance and Problem Solving. According to Reece and Walker (2003 pg 219) “The term skill denotes cognitive (or thinking) skills as well as the more purely technical or manipulative (psychomotor) abilities. Thus, we see that there are two kinds of skill:

    • Vocationally specific, that is those applying to a particular vocational area.

    • Common, that is of those general or transferable skills like the ability to acquire new knowledge or to cope with problems of an unpredictable character.”

In my research I am going to concentrate on the three main functional skills: communication, application of numbers and information technology. The (DFES 2006) states “Functional skills are practical skills in English, mathematics and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) that allow individuals to operate confidently, effectively and...