Our Learning Skills
We have different skills that help us become better learners. Have a look to see how we use them in school.
Reception
Working With Others
- speak to others in your group
- take turns
- put your hand up
- look at your partner when you are speaking
- sit near your partner to talk to them
- talk to your partner when they talk to you
Communication
- ask questions if you are unsure
- collect any equipment you will need to help you in your learning
- use role play to help you with your learning
- share your ideas
- speak to others to tell them about your ideas or your learning
- use your phonics to help you spell and read
Improving Learning
- use your thumbs up/down
- draw a traffic light at the end of your work (green, amber or red)
- what have you been learning?
- have you included the Success Criteria?
- what would you do next time?
- what are you most proud of in your learning?
Number Skills
- use mathematical words
- choose any maths equipment you may need to help you with your learning (e.g. number line, cubes, counters)
- talk about your maths and how you found the answer
ICT
- think about which equipment will help you do your job (e.g. computer, recorder, microphone)
Thinking Skills
- plan what you are going to do first
- explain what you did and how you did it
- think about what you think might happen
Problem Solving Skills
- What is the problem?
- How am I going to solve the problem?
- What do I think will happen?
- What will I need to help me?
- What happened?
Key Stage 1 (Year 1 & 2)
Working With Others
- speak confidently in groups and whole class discussions
- face your partner when speaking to them
- give each other time to talk
- respond to the teacher and to others
- share ideas from everyone
- make sure everyone is involved
- listen to everyone’s ideas
Communication
- ask questions if you are unsure
- think about using the correct language for the person you are talking to
- use your phonics to help with your reading and spelling
- collect any equipment you need to help you with your learning
- think about how you will present your ideas
- think from someone else’s point of view
Improving Skills
- traffic light yourself at the beginning and end of your work (red, amber, green)
- use the Success Criteria in your group work – keep looking at it and checking your work against it
- use thumbs up/down
- find 3 successes and an improvement
- think about how you could improve your learning
- think about the next steps in your learning
Number Skills
- use mathematical language
- think about your preferred strategy
- decide how you will record your findings (drawings, pictures, words, tables)
- explain how you found your answer
- think of any maths equipment you could use to help you with your learning
ICT
- Will ICT help me with my learning?
- Which ICT will I need to support my learning?
- How will I present my work using ICT?
- Was ICT useful?
Thinking Skills
- think about the resources you might need
- think of as many different ways to solve the problem before you begin
- plan what you are going to do before you do it
- predict what you think will happen
- try another way if you get stuck
- think about what you would do differently next time
- give reasons for your opinion
Problem Solving Skills
- think about the resources you might need
- think of as many different ways to solve the problem before you begin
- plan what you are going to do before you do it
- predict what you think will happen
- try another way if you get stuck
- think about what you would do differently next time
- give reasons for your opinion
Key Stage 2 ( Year 3 & 4)
Working With Others
- be assertive (NOT aggressive or passive)
- contribute to discussions (whole class, group and partners)
- have a go!
- discuss the task before you begin
- listen to others and be considerate of their views and opinions
- co-operate
- share the tasks
- use your time wisely!
Communication
- assign roles in group tasks (mentor, leader, scribe, reporter and time keeper)
- have a voice and an opinion
- listen to others and respond appropriately
- build on each other’s ideas (rather than repeat an idea)
- skim read when researching and pick out important information
- present your work to the intended audience
Improving Learning
- know the learning intention
- highlight successes and suggest improvements
- (3 successes and one improvement)
- use your traffic lights accurately for help and checking
- use the Success Criteria (during group work and to review your work)
- suggest the next step in your learning (Next time, I could... or an amber/red because...)
- traffic light yourself at the beginning and end of your work
- use ‘blue for better’ and ‘green for go’
Number Skills
- use the correct mathematical language
- use your skills from maths lessons
- measure accurately (length, mass, temperature, capacity and time)
- use the correct units when measuring (cm/mm/m; g/kg; ºC; ml/l; seconds, minutes, hours)
- approximate first
- check work
- explaining how you solved a problem
ICT
- decide WHEN you need to use ICT
- research what you need to find out (what do I already know? what do I need to find out?)
- use the correct ICT program or equipment to achieve your aims
- use your skills from ICT lessons
- use significant words to research accurately
- evaluate how successfully the ICT met its intended purpose
- use ICT time wisely
Thinking Skills
- ask relevant questions
- think about lots of ideas before choosing one to explore
- predict what might happen before you begin
- think about the order in which you will work
- explain your ideas and how you solved a problem
- think about what you have learned and how you have learned
- give reasons for your choices
Problem Solving Skills
- identify the problem
- think about how you are going to solve the problem (talk about different ways; trial and error; predictions)
- decide what equipment you will need to solve the problem
- try different alternatives when stuck (different strategies; different resources)
- check your answer (e.g. in a different way)
- review: have you actually solved the problem
- present your work clearly