Cognitive profiling for English literacy learning

Rationale

The rationale, broadly stated, was the need to get to know our English students better.

In 2017-18, it was decided that the Functional Skills curriculum was not suited to all our adult learners, especially those with specific learning difficulties. Progress was often limited with frequent repetition of levels. Therefore, new non-accredited English classes were created to address the specific needs of these learners.

Also, initial research and screening by an educational neuroscientist intimated that some learning difficulties had been mis-identified as dyslexia, either by learners themselves or others: these difficulties could have stemmed from general learning difficulty or other related factors, including speech and language impairment, poor working memory, auditory processing difficulties, short and long-term memory deficits, comprehension difficulties, acute and generalised anxiety, or poor phonological awareness, whether developmental or acquired.

The OTLA project provided an opportunity to develop such a more appropriate learner-oriented curriculum. Also, it was felt that a more specific pre-course assessment that incorporated a screening of the cognitive profiles of our English learners would give us more information about their neurodiversity. Combining these assessment findings with advice from a neuroscientist could inform tutors about what practices might work best for different learners.

We also wondered whether advice from a neuroscientist might help students in literacy classes become more aware of appropriate strategies and practices for improving literacy, providing a language and analytical framework to help learners, tutors, support workers and managers learn more effectively.

Approach

STEP 1 – Develop a screening tool and marking scheme from Entry Level 1 to Level 1
1. Create new assessment materials to provide initial information about a learner’s English level and cognitive profile, including:
o Whole word and phonological spelling/awareness differentiation in reading and writing
o Word finding ability
o Working memory
o Specific language impairment (SLI)
o Inhibitory control
o Capacity to comprehend theory of mind
o Error monitoring

2. Use an on-line marking scheme using colour-coding and comments to enable tutors not expert in screening for SpLD or understanding cognitive profiling to identify levels and learning difficulties.

STEP 2 – Assessment and screening of individual learners
Over 30 learners undertook initial assessment and screening: other marking schemes were also shared with tutors via Google Docs. Seventeen learners diagnosed with specific difficulties in reading and/or writing were considered as project participants.

STEP 3 – Identifying specific case studies
Although we were interested in whole class profiling, we chose to focus on 3 -4 students in each class, 2 as specific case studies.

STEP 4 – Consultation and training with tutors
Tutors and the neuroscientist discussed findings from the initial assessment and potential new approaches and strategies to address specific learner difficulties. Training in key aspects of neurodiversity and in recognising the implications of different learner responses to activities was offered, and tutors recorded and used findings to refine the learner profiles.

STEP 5 – Learners interviewed on film
Learners discussed their experiences of learning English on film: viewing the films helped us better understand why they were doing the course, what they found helpful or difficult and why.

STEP 6 – Gathering qualitative data through observation and participation with learners
Our neuroscientist visited classes over two months and recorded learner ‘behaviour’ with special reference to strategies matched to specific difficulties.

STEP 7 – Gathering qualitative data from tutors
This was collated and distilled into Learner Journey Case Studies

Professional Learning: Evidence of changes in teaching, learning and assessment practices

The most significant changes in practice related to information provided to teachers about learners’ pre-course assessment and placement. A more precise identification of learners and their needs emerged, enabling a more realistic placement in the classes being studied and also other non-accredited courses. The marking scheme provided a framework and common language by which to discuss students’ English and to differentiate aspects of their writing and reading. This proved particularly beneficial with learners whose level and competency initially seemed spikey and inconsistent. Prior to this project, the pre-course assessment had been limited mainly to identifying different linguistic features such as punctuation difficulties. Now, we have developed a means of discussing why the learner might have been making these errors consistently despite having been ‘taught’ how to avoid them.

The early identification of neurodiversities and the chance to work with our neuroscientist did lead to some significant, albeit micro-changes in teaching and learning practices, with potential for further development. For example, one tutor more self-consciously differentiated her questioning strategies and sentence-writing exercises with a learner with Asperger’s so that activities were less abstract, requiring direct, specific answers drawing on the learner’s direct experience. Although having done this before, she was now more confident using the strategy.

Another tutor learned why scaffolding writing exercises were not as effective with one learner as with others. He became aware of cognitive overload and, along with the learner’s support tutor, recognised that giving the learner free time before writing to discuss the content and structure of a text can be more effective.

In one class a new technique has been adopted successfully whereby learners read and stop whenever they lose the sense of the text in order for cognition to ‘catch up’. Teachers have also experimented with students writing in flow and then making corrections as a strategy to encourage reluctant writers. The one-to-one tutor explained why the input about neurodiversities had helped her change her teaching practices:

“It gave me a nudge into going back into thinking about using metacognition in the sessions and making small changes to make the learning really work for AB. Even when a task didn’t quite work or make sense to AB we were able to talk about why this didn’t work for him and how we could make it work.”

Evidence of improved collaboration and changes in organisation practices

The main organisational change arising from this project was to the pre-course assessment both in terms of its aim and content and also by conducting on-line marking schemes, thus enabling immediate sharing with tutors.

However, perhaps equally significant is the establishment of a shared discourse that has enabled more specific conversations and collaboration to take place between different parties. The assessor, class and support tutors and Head of Centre/curriculum manager now have a common language to frame their discussions and analyses of learners’ learning, whilst also anticipating disagreement. The effect has been to open up issues and raise questions which had previously struggled for a voice. For example, from collaborating with the neuroscientist and with information about the initial assessment, a learning support tutor said:

“It felt like it was breathing new air into the sessions. Her analogy about ‘AB having to have his ducks lined up’ stayed with me and helped me to really think about what was useful to him … her input generally made the work with AB more purposeful.”

This one-to-one tutor is now able to coordinate her work more effectively with the class tutor because of a shared framework. The two class tutors have also been able to collaborate more effectively about learners’ progress between levels.

This shared discourse and the qualitative nature of the research has enabled findings to be shared with the Head of Centre and thereby feed into institutional curriculum development. The recording of students’ experiences of learning with questions framed by cognitive profiling has enabled him to understand their needs and those of the tutors more effectively. Students have been able to articulate, for example, their anxieties when faced with a blank piece of paper or at job interviews.

The framework provided by this project has created a means to approach curriculum development and content as well as appreciate the type of space needed by these learners in order to succeed and feel at ease.

Evidence of improvement in learners’ achievements, retention and progression

Retention within these classes remains good. The main strategy to show the effectiveness of the project was to focus on the quality of each student’s learning and reading and writing output. There have been some notable successes following changes in practices including what a tutor described as a ‘first’ regarding a learner.

The story was that learner AB had previously struggled with writing whole texts. He lacked confidence and seemed anxious about written tasks and expressing himself orally. He took longer than peers to start a written task so did not produce extended written pieces in a ‘reasonable’ length of time. Effective strategies were developed to give him time to discuss the content of his writing and structure, not overload his cognition via excessive scaffolding, and encourage more flow to his writing. His one-to-one tutor wrote after implementing some of these practices:

“I noticed a change in AB when I started implementing the feedback; he began smiling and also seemed to view the tasks as an adventure.
The real turning point came when he was able to write a complete letter in about 15 minutes. He was clearly pleased and was able to acknowledge that he had done well.”

The neuroscientist also noted an increase in AB’s confidence, with increased participation in in-class discussions and more activity in writing during class time. By midway through the term, AB no longer needed coaxing or visible ‘scaffolding’ to start and complete written tasks. Using the strategies suggested he was able start an extended writing task with less lead time and with confidence about what and how to write. A number of learners in the class reported that they found the stop and recap reading strategy helpful. One learner, AB, commented on the usefulness of stopping when the meaning of a word was difficult and changing the word to a phrase that explained it better.

The tutor reported:

“Reminding him to stop and recap what he was reading, in much shorter bursts was very successful. He read some quite ‘advanced’ texts with excellent comprehension and recall.”

Learner CD benefitted from writing from experience and being asked questions with specific answers. He showed he could achieve more than anticipated using these strategies and enjoyed them. His written responses showed that he was more capable of writing independently than previously thought and was also able to read with more understanding once questions were adjusted.