5.2 Working with learners
Listening and gathering the views of learners
Section 2.3 highlighted the work and the contribution the Young Ambassadors for Inclusion have made through their active participation and willingness to share their experiences and views to support improvements. Participation and engagement work is an important mechanism to ensure we are listening to and reflecting on the needs, views and preferences of the children and young people we are working with. In all participation and engagement work, children and young people should be actively listened to, treated fairly and have their opinions respected and taken seriously.
Activity 18
- Watch the film ‘Ask Us, Hear Us, Include Us’ and within your Reflective Log note the key themes and recommendations the young people discuss. Consider this information in relation to your own practice and note areas for improvement.
- In you Reflective Log note down what you would consider and ensure was in place before the views of learners were gathered
Click here to access the film [Tip: hold Ctrl and click a link to open it in a new tab. (Hide tip)] .
Click Reveal to see some examples – please note this list is not exhaustive.
Answer
Before undertaking activities to gather learners views it is helpful to:
- plan the session carefully (thinking about the individual learners that are expected to be involved)
- ensure the activities planned are inclusive for all learners and that support is available to any child who may need it to take part. Adapt the activities where needed
- consider if there are any child protection issues that might arise
- design participation activities that are suitable to the age and stage of the learners that are to be involved
- explain to the learners why their views are being sought and what will happen once they have given their views
Children in Scotland have created a useful set of principles and guidelines for practitioners undertaking participation work with children and young people.
Download Children in Scotland’s resource ‘The participation and engagement of children and young people: Our principles and guidelines’
Further information about planning and participation can be accessed on the National Improvement Hub - https://education.gov.scot/ improvement
5.1 Effective communication