Creating an Inclusive environment in the Level 3 Award in Education and Training (AET)
Our Level 3 Award in Education and Training is inclusive. What this means is that we create a learning environment which maximises learning potential. How does your training, maximise learning potential? Let’s initially talk about the venue, rooms, and the resources first. Venues could be anywhere, this could be in a classroom, meeting room, staff room, online via Teams or Zoom, or in a carpark, The venue needs to be suitable for learning to take place. The rooms are the way the furniture is laid out, for example a first aid course will allow for open spaces to demonstrate CPR. Is the temperature sufficient? Is it too cold to be there for a long time, is it too hot to carry out practical activities so this makes a difference? If learners are not comfortable, they cannot apply their best learning. Resources used make a difference too, are they suitable for each learner? Have you used the latest technology or are you still using Windows 97? Are books the most recent or are they from 1950 and have you catered for a range of different learning styles so learners that like reading can read, those that like visual can watch and learners that like doing can practice.
Level 3 Award in Education and Training classrooms
We typically only use pre-approved classrooms for the Level 3 Award in Education and Training as we need a certain layout for different parts of the course to facilitate our activities. When we want to use group work, can learners sit in groups or are you using a lecture theatre? All these factors make a difference to the outcome of the session. You need to ensure your venues, classrooms, and resources are suited to the topic and your learners own individual preferences. You may need to break these up to a variety of different locations. Lets think about lifeguards, they are likely to learn in the classroom but eventually they need to get in the pool so you need to factor in when and where. Be mindful of rooms and venues where you do not have full control there as sometimes you don’t always get what you asked for so you need to plan for alternative activities should something not go to plan. I remember booking a classroom, only for the venue to have a leak, this massively throughout the session plan so we needed to adapt so we changed the activities from a theory session to a more practical based lesson. Expect some curveballs and plan for them. Some issues we have faced in the Level 3 Education and Training is when learners struggle to login to the virtual learning classes, so you need to find ways to overcome these.
Level 3 Award in Education and Training toilet breaks
To maximise learning, you need to establish a purposeful learning environment where you learners feel safe, secure, confident, and valued. If they don’t, they are not fully focused on the task. Learners may not be concentrating on their learning but thinking about when they can go to the toilet or get a drink. If you can also make your session interesting and varied, your learners will enjoy the experience and remember more about the subject and you, rather than the environment or lack of facilities. The advice we give in the Microteach if you are studying the Level 3 Award in Education and Training, you will need to use a variety of different activities and not utilise the whole session on one core activity, so you are advised to mix it up. Think about it, you might not be able to hit every learning style with one activity, but you can with two or three different activities. If you are teaching a practical subject, you will need a suitable environment so that you can demonstrate, and your learners can practise. If you are teaching a theoretical subject, you may be fine in a classroom, but you might need a computer, projector, and interactive whiteboard. You might be delivering a seminar in a venue you have never visited before. If this is the case, it would be useful to telephone or visit in advance to check what facilities are available.
Level 3 Award in Education and Training safety
The Level 3 Award in Education and Training encourages trainee teachers to create an inclusive teaching and learning environment to enable all learners to participate and work towards achieving their goals. Learners should feel safe, secure, confident, and valued. The environment includes not only the venue, equipment and resources used, but also the attitude of the teacher, approaches used, and the support given to learners.
