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A Personal Learning Plan
is a document which provides an ongoing record of a
pupil’s learning progress. It belongs to the pupil and will stay with them
throughout their time at school - even when they change teacher and/or
schools. PLPs are individual to each pupil providing them with the
opportunity to comment on key aspects of their lives both in school and out. By encouraging communication, PLPs are designed to:
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Stimulate discussion at a parents’ interview
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Record achievement beyond a purely subject-based focus
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Plan for overcoming any barriers to learning
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Set realistic targets for the next stage and identify the person who can
help them achieve it.
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Points arising from Research
The aims, which have been identified for the school, are:
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To engage all of those involved in the education of an individual
child in a partnership to promote their effective learning
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To allow teachers to focus their teaching on the prior learning of
pupils and to take account of any broader needs which are shown in
PLPs.
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For the pupils the aims of PLPs are:
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To encourage self-evaluation by pupils of their own needs and participation
in negotiating personal learning targets
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To empower the learner and help encourage independent learning habits
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To support transition, e.g. from stage to stage and class to class
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To raise attainment and achievement
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To inform decisions about resource allocations.
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Key Elements
of Personal Learning Plans
The Key features of Personal Learning Plans include:
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An assessment of every pupil soon after entry into education, forming the
starting point of the plan |
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An agreed programme, including targets for attainment and achievement
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he involvement of the pupil, who will take more responsibility for the plan
as he or she moves through the school |
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The pupil’s evaluation of the curriculum and community learning
opportunities |
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A focus on promoting learning in the school, home and community
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A focus on personal, social and health education
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A focus on learning about the world of work
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The promotion of study skills and independent learning
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An outline of the main responsibilities of the school, the parents and the
pupil |
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Use of information and communication technology
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Design framework:
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Show a clear statement of desired outcomes re
- subjects, skills, PSD and
healthAllow pupils to endorse the format and design of the PLP
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Include negotiated personal targets for learning, related to outcomes (Next
Steps) |
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Incorporate Reports
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Independent learning habits
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Encourage learners to take active responsibility for the maintenance of
their PLPs |
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Make the learner and the teacher aware of the learner's preferred learning
style |
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Provide a variety of learning activities to promote independent learning
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Self-evaluation and target setting
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Encourage learners to select work and maintain a folio in support of their
PLPs. |
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Incorporate IEPs
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Ensure a dialogue between teacher and pupil regarding progress and next
steps. |
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Explicitly share the assessment criteria with pupils (learning
outcomes/success criteria) |
Continuity and transition:
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Take account of the PLP in the school policy on assessment.
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Agree planning format to be used consistently within the school.
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Use them to enhance communication between pre-school, primary and secondary
sectors. |
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Agree a strategy to periodically cull material from PLP, such that it
remains manageable. |
Promote partnerships:
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Communicate clearly the Learning outcomes/ Programmes of Study to pupils,
parents and carers. |
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Provide opportunities for dialogue between learner, teacher and parent/carer
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Develop a strategy for dealing with targets that are not achieved or only
partially achieved |
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Provide opportunities for supporting parental involvement where
communication, religious or cultural issues exist.
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Encourage all to select and provide evidence of achievement from outwith
the school. |
Personal Learning Plans
are currently being developed as part of the
Assessment is for Learning programme (Project 2).
The task of this project is to explore the PLP further, viewing it as a tool of formative assessment. It is intended to draw together existing work on PLPs and other existing
records and design a single recording framework. For further
information contact: -
www.ltscotland.org.uk/assess/index.asp
Reflection and Discussion
Which aspects of Personal Learning Plans do you recognise in your current
school/classroom practice?
Are there any aspects that you would consider implementing in your
school/classroom?
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Some Activities
for Development to Implement PLPs in the Classroom |
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Key element |
Objective |
Action |
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Some examples and
suggestions |
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Design Framework |
Allow pupils to endorse the format and design of the PLP |
The use of icons and photographs could
contribute to the attractiveness of the PLP and encourage pupil
ownership. |
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Independent Learning Habits |
Make the learner and the teacher aware of the learner's preferred
learning style. |
Co-operative Learning activities give the
pupils a greater insight to the way they learn through sharing and
discussing procedures and strategies with peers. |
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Self Evaluation |
Encourage learners to select work and maintain a folio in support of
their PLPs. |
Support material such as self-evaluation
booklets can be used to derive targets. Once used, these need not be
retained as part of the PLP. |
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Continuity |
Agree planning format to be used consistently within the school. |
Make use of the format from
www.ltscotland.org.uk/assess/index.asp |
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Partnerships |
Communicate clearly the Learning outcomes/ Programmes of Study to
pupils, parents and carers. |
Provide regular information about the work that their child is doing
in class and suggest ways they can help e.g. library activities,
school website information and use of the internet. |
Selected References
Websites
www.ltscotland.org.uk/citizenship/sharingpractice/
Education for Citizenship case studies
www.ltscotland.org.uk/assess/sharingpractice/index.asp
Assessment is for Learning – Sharing Practice |
