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Activity
Take a look at Appendix 1 at the back of this book. This is a list of abbreviations and acronyms, some of which you might not have come across before. Choose five you are not familiar with, find out what they mean, and identify how relevant they are to you at this time.
The term learner is used throughout the book to denote anyone taking a qualification, a course or a programme of learning, who might not necessarily call themselves a learner. For example, apprentice, candidate, employee, participant, pupil, student or trainee. The terms course and programme will be used interchangeably throughout the book as they both reflect the way learning can take place. Different organisations use different terms.
This book will try to differentiate between teaching and training. However, someone who teaches might also train others: for example, teaching theory to a group, followed by training an individual to perform a task based on the theory just learnt. The term teacher might therefore be used more than trainer in the book. All teaching and training should enable learning to take place. The difference might be that a teacher works in an educational organisation, whereas a trainer works in a workshop or the workplace.
Your role as a teacher gives you the chance to help someone reach their full potential, and it can make a difference to their life and employment prospects. Working through this book will help you understand how to help your learners achieve this. Your job role might be called something other than a teacher or trainer. For example, coach, development officer, facilitator, instructor, lecturer, mentor, professor, supervisor, technician or tutor. Whatever you are called, your purpose will be to educate someone to ensure that learning takes place. Your learners should then be able to put this new learning into practice, demonstrating a change in their behaviour.
There are examples of real teaching situations within each chapter of the book to put the topics into context. There are also activities which you might like to carry out to help put theory into practice. At the end of each section within the chapters is an extension activity. This will stretch and challenge your learning further, for example, if you are working towards a teaching qualification. Completing these activities will help you develop your learning and contribute towards your continuing professional development (CPD). A self-assessment checklist at the end of every chapter will help you appreciate what you have learnt so far.
Depending upon where you are based, some of the legislation, regulations and organisations referred to in this book might only be applicable in England or the UK. If you are teaching internationally, you should check what is current and applicable in the country in which you work.
Example
In the UK, health and safety legislation is covered under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act (1974). In China, it’s known as Workplace Safety Law (2002 amended 2014), and in the USA, it’s the Occupational Safety and Health Act (1970).
Throughout the chapters there are examples of completed documents that could be used or adapted for teaching and training purposes. However, do check with the organisation you are working for, in case they have particular documents they require you to use. For the purpose of future-proofing the book, a year has not been added to any dates used within them. When completing any documents yourself, you should always add the year as well as the day and month, to create a full audit trail.
Appendix 2 at the back of the book contains a checklist for teachers and trainers. Although not all the points may apply to you, they might help you ensure that you are covering all aspects of the teaching process. Appendix 3 contains a few tips for new teachers and trainers.
If you are working towards a teaching qualification, you will find it useful to refer to other texts besides this one. A list of relevant books can be found at the end of each chapter. If your role also involves assessment and/or quality assurance, these topics are covered briefly in this book, although you might like to refer to more comprehensive texts.
Extension activity
Take a look at the list of books and websites at the end of this chapter. Make a list of those which you feel will be helpful to your role. Textbooks are usually available via the online store Amazon (www.amazon.com) which is accessible in most countries. You can often view a sample of a book online prior to making a purchase. If you have an internet connection, access www.anngravells.com/reading-lists/index and look at the reading lists and blogs which are listed. The reading lists contain books in pictures with links to Amazon where you can view a sample. The blogs can help you keep up to date with what’s happening in the further education and skills sector.
The further education and skills sector
In the UK, the term further education (FE) and skills sector includes the following contexts in which learning can take place (in alphabetical order):
• adult education
• armed, emergency and uniformed services
• charitable organisations
• community education
• further education colleges
• health authorities
• higher education institutions and universities
• immigration and detention centres
• laboratories
• local authorities
• on-site learning centres
• prisoner and offender centres
• private sector learning
• probation services
• public and private training organisations
• schools and academies
• sixth form colleges
• technical colleges
• voluntary sector learning
• work-based learning.
Basically, learning in this sector can occur with anyone from the age of 14 and upwards, whether it be academic or vocational (i.e. theoretical or practical), and it can take place in any environment. In the UK, the term lifelong learning is also used. Other terms include adult education, adult and community education, adult and continuing education, and adult learning. The opportunity for people to take further education often gives them chances to do new things. It also gives people the opportunity to improve their skills and knowledge. It could be that they did not do well at school, or are looking for a new interest or a change of job role.
Activity
What is the term used for the further education and skills sector where you work? Why is this term used, and what age range does it encompass? It’s useful to know a little about the history of further education and any current national or local initiatives which might affect it. You could search the internet to find this out or talk to your colleagues.
If you are new
