|
||
 |
 |
|
| “I loved it and I want to do it again.”
- Sara Simpson aged 17.
Sara has been on the Lifeskills programme since December and was transferred last month to NVQ training to do Level 1 Administration. Sara is in a children's home under the care of the NSPCC and is working towards moving into supported accommodation. She has an admin placement with Millenium Volunteers. Her ambition is to work in an office.
|
“I find the Target Skills Assessment easy to use.
The results are reported in a user-friendly way and inform me of the different
levels of numeracy and literacy with accuracy. It enables me to allocate
work at the correct level to boost students' confidence and increase their
knowledge. My students, without exception, are extremely impressed and excited by the program and some want to do the assessment more than once! It also means that students who have little reading ability can still progress and feel they have achieved something.” Annette Brown, Basic Skills Tutor, Grimsby College |
|
 |
|
|
| “I thought the Target Skills assessment
was easy and better to understand than the written one because the written
one looked and was boring.” - Chase Ballantyne aged 17.
Chase started on the Lifeskills programme in May, he will be transferring to NVQ training to do Level 1 Sport and Recreation, probably in about six weeks time. His ambition is to join the army. Chase lives with a foster mother and her family, through the care of the local authority, though he is looking towards supported accomodation. |
“I consider the interactive assessment to
be much better than previous paper-based assessments, which often deter
a learner when they first see them due to the large amount of information
on each page. Many learners will say they cannot do the assessment without
trying. Therefore the Target Skills tends to give a more accurate
result. I also feel that Target Skills generates raised confidence
- the learners I work with are mainly 16 18 years old and have grown up
using computers/ games consols etc. and they are more at ease with computer
software than they are with paper and pencil.”
Rose Gallagher, trainer, assessor and internal verifier |
|
|
|
|
Organisation Reviews |
||
|
Target Skills: Initial Assessment user named ‘one of the best training providers in the country’. Bexley Training Group was named in the ALI’s Chief Inspector’s Report 2003/04 as ‘one of the best training providers in the country’. Linda Portis, chief executive of the Bexley Training Group, feels that their use of Target Skills in their initial assessment process was a contributory factor. Two years ago, Bexley Training Group reviewed its initial assessment procedures and evaluated most of the tools then available, eventually deciding on Target Skills, a computerised initial assessment package. They were particularly drawn by its non-threatening environment, suitable for school-leavers, and the fact that the results can be printed off immediately in the form of a ‘spiky’ profile which young people can easily understand. This profile is discussed individually with their tutor at the end of the induction process, areas of weakness are identified, and support for these is built into the Individual Learning Plan. This means that learners only focus on areas that they need to work on, and they don’t get bored. After six months on the programme, learners retake the assessment and, with their tutor, compare the results. They find it very motivating to be able to see how they have progressed. And if they have slipped in any skills (perhaps because they haven’t used them since leaving school), those skills can be added to the Individual Learning Plan as a revision item. Since they began using Target Skills, the comment ‘too many tests’ has disappeared from learner evaluations – even though in fact an extra one has been introduced six months into the programme! |
“Being able to pass detailed information on a student’s learning needs and styles through to the
different college faculties during the first weeks on course has ensured that they get the level of support
they need from day one. Our college staff has already reported significant increases in student motivation
and attention whilst our learners feel that the college is looking after their individual needs. We hope
that long term retention and achievement gains will also be recorded” “This is an excellent package of learning resources to use with adult learners in a wide range of
contexts. It is closely referenced to the National Adult Numeracy Core Curriculum. It contains a good
variety of materials catering for different learning styles, with audio support for those learners with
low level literacy skills. Very flexible as learner can choose when and where to use it, working at his
own pace and tutor can monitor it.” “Learners and staff have commented upon the package as a fun way to complete an initial assessment.
The package allows the learner to listen, read, use a computer package and they are able to progress at their
own speed rather than being timed. In some cases when a learner completes the Initial Assessment it is the
first time they have used a computer and therefore proves to be another useful tool in introducing computers
to the learners. During workshops […] the learners use the CTAD development disks which they find interesting
and interactive, thus enjoying and learning at the same time. Overall we feel that the package from CTAD was […]
a good long-term investment” |
|
|
|
|
|
Target Skills user Support Into Work Support Into Work is a private training provider based in Derby. They offer training and jobsearch assistance to the disabled, those with long-term health problems and clients with other disadvantages (including literacy, numeracy and language needs) through a wide range of Jobcentre Plus programmes. Since 2002 they have been using CTAD’s flagship Target Skills suite of multimedia literacy and numeracy resources with their learners, including Initial Assessment, Entry Level Literacy and Entry Level Numeracy. Both the organisation and its clients are now reaping the benefits. In March 2004 Support Into Work was subject to an inspection by the Adult Learning Inspectorate (ALI), and received overall grades of 2 for leadership and management, and 1 for Foundation programmes (1 = outstanding and 2 = good). The ALI report highlighted their ‘excellent resources for ICT which enhance opportunities for clients’ skills development,’ singling out the ‘excellent range of up-to-date software which is used actively to enhance clients' literacy and numeracy skills’. They also reported that ‘the process for initial assessment of literacy and numeracy skills is good.’ |
Support Into Work clients have commented:
“I can show my son I am not 'thick' because I can now use a computer.” client in her 50s “I can use a computer for my spelling –- dictionaries are so hard.” “Target Skills has been our core software package for both assessment and skills development for some years. Clients have found it accessible and interesting. Staff like it for the detailed profiles it produces.”John Elwell, director of Support Into Work
“The computer test is really good. It meant I could see how I had improved. I liked the way
that the words were read out during the test” “The Initial Assessment provides instant feedback of current skills levels for literacy and
numeracy” “Target Skills gives an accurate assessment of an individual’s level of basic skills in
a non-threatening manner. The results allow us to plan an effective learning programme which
can be easily mapped to the Core Curricula” “The discs are the best I have come across for Entry level students” |
|
