Continuing professional development for teachers

Learning Unlimited offers a wide and varied  list of CPD opportunities.

Language literacy and numeracy
Functional maths for non-numeracy specialists – Graham Griffiths
Language and mathematics – Graham Griffiths
Mathematics and dyslexia – David Kaye
Numeracy subject specification modules – David Kaye
ESOL subject specification modules – John Sutter
Literacy subject specification modules – Linda Smith
Teaching Basic Literacy to ESOL learners – John Sutter
Recognising dyslexia and strategies for support – Linda Smith
Workplace development programmes for getting people into work – Linda Smith
Running a volunteer training programme – Linda Smith

Critical Approaches to Current Practice
Intuition improvisation creativity – the jazz of teaching – John Sutter
Multimodal communication and teaching; meanings beyond words – John Sutter
The practice turn in language and literacy – John Sutter
What if everything we thought we knew about language was wrong? – John Sutter

Family Learning
What is Family Language? (CPD) – Foufou Savitzky
Family Learning training for subject specialists – Foufou Savitzky
Running Family Learning in a prison context – Foufou Savitzky
Using a learning styles approach to teaching and learning – Foufou Savitzky
Working with bilingual families – Foufou Savitzky
Materials development workshops for kinaesthetic and tactile learners – Foufou Savitzky
Setting up family learning provision – Foufou Savitzky
Skills for Life Awareness training for staff working with families – Foufou Savitzky
Skills for Life awareness training for health professionalsFoufou Savitzky
Teaching in a multilingual classroom – Foufou Savitzky
Family learning in prisons (adults only) – Tessa Giffin / Foufou Savitzky
Family Learning workshops for parents and children in prisons – Tessa Giffin / Foufou Savitzky
Healthy Families (Health Literacy) – Tessa Giffin / Foufou Savitzky

Functional mathematics for non-numeracy specialists
This 10 – 15 hour short course explores the delivery of functional mathematics. The sessions have been designed with non-specialists in mind and look at a range of approaches to teaching number, measure, shape and handling data that are particularly useful with vocational learners. We try out a range of collaborative activities  and  consider awarding bodies requirements.

Return to top

Language and mathematics
This lively one day course explores some  issues, opportunities and activities  for integrating numeracy into ESOL teaching and learning as well as  language development in  numeracy contexts.

Return to top

Mathematics and dyslexia
This one day workshop focuses on the main difficulties that dyslexic learners can face with maths. It  explores solutions, strategies, resources and activities for individuals and groups, including the use of a multi-sensory approach to planning, teaching and assessing within a numeracy/mathematics curriculum.

Return to top

Recognising dyslexia and strategies for support
This one day short course supports non-specialist tutors and other trainers in recognising some of the specific indicators associated with dyslexia, most typically recognisable when students are experiencing difficulties with literacy. Our  course  offers a range of ideas and resources for tutors of all subjects to support their learners’ literacy.

Return to top

Workplace development programmes for getting people into work
Based on ideas developed by employment specialists, this one day course focuses on strategies to support clients in overcoming some of the barriers they  face in getting work or getting back into work.  Participants can also develop materials for supporting clients’ confidence, ICT, ESOL and literacy skills.

Return to top

Volunteer training programme
These short courses are aimed at volunteers or volunteer trainers. The main content is responsive to the specific requirements of the volunteers. For example, parents from a range of backgrounds have been tutored in assisting school homework clubs, volunteer tutors have been given training in teaching ESOL to refugees and local adults have been trained to support newly-arrived non-EU national women. We are happy to discuss any specific requirements you may have for your volunteer programme.

Return to top

Intuition, improvisation, creativity – the jazz of teaching
Current dominant views of teaching are framed in terms of ‘planning’ as well as ‘targets, aims, objectives and outcomes‘. This technicist approach to teaching and learning sees our and our learners’ work as a set of competencies and performatives that can be preplanned and then ‘delivered‘ unproblematically. Yet increasingly this view is being questioned, and this session looks at alternatives, considering teaching as a creative, and often improvised social activity, co-constructed by teacher and learner(s).

Return to top

Multimodal communication and teaching; meanings beyond words
Modern culture, hastened by technological advance, has seen a shift from the linguistic to other modes of meaning making: visual, spatial, gestural and audio designs now perform a lot of the work of communicating meaning. These modes, along with language, often combine in highly contextualised ways to create meanings not communicable by any one mode alone. This session considers the implications of this for language and literacy teaching, and suggests it is no longer possible for language and literacy teachers to focus on ‘the words’ alone. The session contains practical ideas and techniques for incorporating multimodal approaches into your teaching.

Return to top

The practice turn in language and literacy
This session looks at the implications of a move from a view of learning as the acquisition of ‘skills’ to a social practices approach. ‘Skills’ views of language and literacy imply that language/literacy ‘skills’ can be itemised, and that they can be ‘owned’ out of context, demonstrated out of context and simply transferred from one context to another. Social, literacy and language practices challenge this notion, and suggest that context, locality and social relations have a much bigger role to play in learning than ‘skills’ approaches realise. As well as exploring the ‘skills v practices’ debate, the session offers ideas and techniques that teachers can use in order to make ‘the practice turn’.

Return to top

What if everything we thought we knew about language was wrong?
Applied linguistics is a young discipline with a problematic history – it has been described as a ‘pseudo-science’ – yet it has supplied the basis upon which most language and literacy teachers have been trained. What if, as some theorists have argued, its fundamental premises were mistaken? What if there is no such thing as a language ‘system’? What if grammar didn’t really exist, but was an illusion created by language use? This session explores what this might mean for language and literacy teaching, and argues that a ‘systemless’ view of language might represent a liberation for teachers and learners alike.

Return to top

What is family language?
The Skills Funding Agency provides family learning funding for family literacy, numeracy and language. Family literacy and numeracy are well established but there are several issues surrounding the provision of family language. This training looks at these issues with a particular focus on:
• the differences between family language and ESOL
• different models for setting up and delivering family language
• who can/should teach family language courses
• accreditation options
• ideas for learning materials, resources and activities

Return to top

Family learning training for subject specialists
During this two day CPD module we explore what is meant by family learning and different models of family learning. We look at issues surrounding the preparation and delivery of intergenerational sessions and look at problem solving strategies and classroom management. We also look at ways of assessing learning and carrying out initial assessments.

Return to top

Running Family Learning in a prison context
This training module is for family learning specialists wanting to explore the possibility of working in a prison environment. During the training we explore a variety of family learning models which have worked in this challenging and rewarding environment. We look at the restrictions and health and personal safety issues particular to this context. We also explore the issues faced by prisoners and how these are likely to have an impact in the classroom and on the activities which can be offered.

Return to top

Using a learning styles approach to teaching and learning
This one day  training explores the Dunn and Dunn learning styles model and the implications of its application in the classroom. We explore a wide range of strategies to suit a variety of learners and particularly those who find learning in the traditional classroom challenging. The training will be empowering and very practical.

Return to top

Working with Bilingual families
During this 2 day training we look at ways of communicating more effectively with learners still in the process of learning English. We explore barriers preventing bilingual families from engaging in family learning and other community activities. We also look at some of the wide range of languages spoken as first languages in the UK and begin to develop our understanding of how they differ from English. Above all this training enables participants to deepen their understanding of the advantages of bilingualism and how to help families to support their children’s bilingualism and celebrate it.

Return to top

Materials development workshops for kinaesthetic and tactile learners
This entirely practical one day training focuses on looking at a range of generic learning and teaching tools and provides opportunities for developing templates for participants to use in their own teaching.

Return to top

Setting up family learning provision
This one day workshop explores:
• what is meant by family learning
• the benefits of engagement in family learning
• different model of family learning
• potential funding sources
Participants also have the opportunity to begin developing a plan of action to enable them to start the process of setting up family learning.

Return to top

Skills for Life Awareness training for staff working with families
This one day training is aimed at professionals who work with adult family members such as  children’s centre staff or health visitors who occasionally run group sessions for parents. Participants have the opportunity to explore what it feels like to be an adult facing difficulties with literacy, language or numeracy and go on to develop a wide range of strategies and tools to enable them to meet these needs in their groups.

Return to top

Skills for Life awareness training for health professionals
This one day training is aimed at health professionals who work with adult family members e.g. midwives or health visitors who occasionally run group sessions for parents. We explore what it feels like to be an adult facing difficulties with literacy, language or numeracy. Participants also have the opportunity to develop a wide range of strategies and tools to enable them to meet the needs of adults who have literacy, language or numeracy needs in their groups.

If you can’t see what you’re looking for on our menu, please do get in touch. We’ll be happy to discuss the best course to meet your needs.

For information about costs, please contact Julia McGerty on 020 7911 5561 or [email protected]
[table caption=” LU CPD courses ” width=”500″ colwidth=”20|100|50″ colalign=”left|left|center|left|right”]

Return to top

Prices

The prices below are a guide only as costs can vary to reflect  each organisation’s needs.  Please contact Julia McGerty on 020 3700 1162 or [email protected] to discuss the best package for your organisation.

CPD
½ day session – £500
1 day session – £800
Courses
10 week course (25 hrs) – £3,700
20 week course (50 hrs) – £7,400
30 week course (75 hrs) – £11,100

All prices include planning, delivery, materials, accreditation (if applicable) and administration costs.