Scheme of Work

Communication Key Skills – 1 hour lessons

Week 1

• General introduction to Key Skills
• Explain the importance and value of key skills
• Portfolio requirements – gathering evidence
• Exam requirements
• What they need to do to achieve Levels 1-3

Task – Self-Evaluation using attached sheet

Week 2

• Focus on Discussion – explain specifications
• Watch videos of informal and formal discussions using Activity 1 sheet of teacher resources

Task – Pupils produce 10 rules for discussion

Homework – Research a topic (do not give students any guidance)

Week 3

• Carry out discussion as prepared for homework (do not give any guidance as to how students should structure their discussion)
• Video the exercise

• Evaluate the exercise

Week 4

• Watch the video of the student discussion
• Use the evaluation sheet for Activity Sheet 1
• Highlight areas for improvement

Week 5

• Plan activities that will help develop skills required (see teacher activities/role plays, etc)
• Use CD-ROM
• Give them a topic for discussion – could be subject specific
• Plan for that discussion (briefly)

Week 6

• Plan for the discussion thoroughly
• Look at skills needed for effective discussion
• Give students specifications with explanation

Week 7

• Hold the discussion and assess students skills using assessment sheet.xls available from this website.

Week 1

• Explain specifications – Levels 2 & 3

• Explain value and importance of skills
• Research – where to/how to

• Skim/Scan/Selecting material, etc.

Homework – research a topic within their subject specific area

Week 2

• Use the research material gathered to skim/scan and select from the material what is relevant for the purpose
• Look at language and audience
• Look at terms and audience
• Look at how to compare texts

Week 3

• Establish rules for giving a short talk
• List 10 rules (Which include constructive criticism)
• Hold very short talk in small groups of – 30 seconds, 1 minutes, 2 minutes. Examples to talk about could include – hobby, job, pop group, pet, holiday, film, etc.
• Re-write rules for the group

Week 4

• Discuss the structure of talks
• Signalling
• Examine the use of images, types of images and how to use them

Homework – prepare a 5 minute talk on any subject (could be subject specific)

Week 5

• Present talks to be assessed

Week 6

• Explain the differences between short talks and presentations
• Watch videos of presentations and produce guidelines for effective presentations, e.g., engaging audience, appropriate language, gathering material, etc.

Week 7

• Give pupils 5 minutes to make brief notes on what they would need to do in order to give a successful presentation on that topic

• Teacher chooses a topic to go over how to prepare a presentation for that subject – pupils take notes

Homework – Think of a subject on which pupils can give a presentation (could be subject specific)

Weeks 8 & 9

• Preparation time for presentation ( teacher should be acting as a facilitator during these sessions – students should be using the specifications in order to complete their work

Weeks 10 & 11

• Give presentations – each pupils’ should not last more than 10 minutes
• Assess presentation using school or Awarding Body documentation / witness statement.

Week 1

• Explain the value and importance of these skills
• All pupils examine the same piece of work to critically evaluate it using, Part A of the specifications
• Give this piece of work a level/outcome

Week 2

• Students should bring in a recent/current (possibly un-finished) piece of work which will be looked at in small groups
• Groups should establish rules by which they can critically evaluate their work

Week 3

• Explain and teach specific skills, e.g., skim/scan/tone/structure

Week 4

• Give the students a piece of work to complete – go through with them what they would honestly do to prepare/complete the task
• After you have discussed the above – go through what they should do using Part A of the specifications for Levels 2 & 3

Week 5

• Using a subject specific task students should devise an action plan using the specifications and brainstorms form the previous weeks for successful completion of the task
• Monitor points where revisions are necessary to their plans

Week 6

• Use the skills developed in the previous weeks to concentrate on a piece of work which requires them to read information

Week 1

• Explain specifications Levels 1 – 3 and their value
• Draw in skills already covered
• Explain the meaning of straightforward and complex subjects

Week 2

• In groups, examine a variety of documents, e.g., business letters, application forms, essays, reports, letters, and note the feature of each
• Report back to the group who then take notes

Week 3

• Explain the importance of correct spelling grammar punctuation and structure
• Use resources from Week 2 to examine the above for each style

Week 4

• Organisation of material
• Paragraphs/headings/linking ideas/signposts, etc.

Week 5

• Use the piece of written work, which needs to be assessed and develop it in terms of:

• a different form
• a different structure
• re-draft
• proof read, etc

Assess using school or Awarding Body documentation.