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