Extract from Guidance to accompany the Standards for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) TDA, 2007

Rationale

Teachers recognise the range of influences that affect the development, progress and well-being of children and young people. Understanding how children and young people develop and the factors that influence development helps teachers to improve learning and teaching. It is important for teachers to have a full and accurate understanding of the needs of each learner so that they can deploy a range of skills to tailor provision in ways that challenge, promote achievement and secure progress. Children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities, learners from minority ethnic groups including those for whom English is an additional language, and those who might be at risk of underachieving depend on teachers and a range of other colleagues with specific responsibilities to monitor and manage their learning and provide them with the support that they need.

Scope

Trainees need to know how to go about achieving personalised learning for children and young people, taking account of the range of diverse needs through an inclusive approach to professional practice. They should know how information gathered about standards and achievement across the school helps them to identify and plan for the learning needs of diverse groups and individuals, to ensure that they make the best possible progress.

Questions to consider

• Is the trainee able to take account of the range of learners’ needs through an inclusive approach?
• Does the trainee know how to identify the needs of specific groups of learners including, for example, the gifted and talented, those with special educational needs (SEN), those with disabilities, those for whom English is an additional language (EAL), and those from diverse social, cultural, ethnic, religious and linguistic backgrounds?
• Does the trainee know to whom they should refer for support and advice on EAL including bi-lingual learners, SEN, disability and diversity?
• Does the trainee differentiate tasks, activities and resources effectively to support individuals and groups of learners including those with special educational needs, those with disabilities, those for whom English is an additional language, and those from diverse social, cultural, ethnic, religious and linguistic backgrounds?
• How well does the trainee understand the progress made by individual learners in a lesson or sequence of lessons?
• How well does the trainee apply such understanding in identifying personalised targets for future lessons?
• Does the trainee know how to use data, including pupil-level data, to inform planning and teaching and support learning?
• Does the trainee understand the impact of the design and content of the curriculum on meeting learners’ needs, and the extent to which teaching strategies and resources can be modified to provide for personalised learning?
• Does the trainee know how to use the principles and techniques of assessment for learning in order to achieve personalisation?
• Is the trainee aware of the various roles of colleagues in the wider workforce in contributing to personalising learning?
• Is the trainee able to engage parents and carers in decisions about the design of provision to meet learners’ needs and interests?
• Does the trainee know the value of listening to children and young people, and taking account of pupil voice?

Cross references

Evidence for this standard may be linked to evidence for assessment against the following standards:

• Q1, Q2 (Relationships with children and young people)
• Q3(a), Q3(b) (Frameworks)
• Q4 (Communicating and working with others
• Q10 (Teaching and learning)
• Q13 (Assessing and monitoring)
• Q14 (Subjects and curriculum)
• Q18, Q20 (Achievement and diversity)
• Q21(b) Health and well-being)
• Q24 (Planning)
• Q25(a), Q25(b), Q25(c), Q25(d) (Teaching)
• Q29 (Reviewing teaching and learning)

Sources of information

Trainees will demonstrate evidence of meeting these standards through most aspects of their professional practice. Their planning and teaching will demonstrate the extent to which they have consulted with and sought guidance from colleagues with specific responsibilities. Planning and teaching will also provide evidence of their understanding of how children and young people develop, and the range of influences that might create barriers to learning. Discussion with trainees, along with evidence drawn from lesson planning, teaching, assessments and evaluations, will demonstrate their understanding of strategies for personalising learning, including for children and young people with special educational needs, those with disabilities, and those for whom English is an additional language.