Embedding Minimum Core

• Why embed?

• What learning needs to be embedded?

• What is embedded learning?

• How can teachers embed learning successfully?

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Why embed learning?

Learners prefer learning to be embedded

(Martinez, 2002; Roberts et al, 2005)

They are
• more motivated
• find learning easier in a work or practical context
• feel more confident/less stigmatised

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What needs to be embedded?
• Literacy and language
• Everyday mathematics
• Everyday ICT
• Study skills to support on-going learning

These are sometimes called the ‘Minimum Core’: all learning

and skills sector teachers are now formally responsible for
supporting minimum core learning

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What is embedded learning?

Literacy,
Vocational / Embedded
language,
life skills learning
maths, ICT,
and and
and study
knowledge teaching
skills

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What is embedded learning?
‘Embedded teaching and learning combines the
development of literacy, language and numeracy with
vocational and other skills. The skills acquired provide
learners with the confidence, competence and motivation
necessary for them to succeed in
qualifications, in life and in work.’

A Contextual Guide to Support Success in LLN Provision:

Embedded Learning. DfES (QIA 2008)

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There are three ways to support
embedded learning
1. Embedding literacy/language, everyday maths and/or
ICT in teaching and learning of the main subject
2. Developing your students’ study skills
3. Using feedback to support embedded learning

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Planning to embed literacy, language,
everyday maths and ICT
• You do not have to be expert to support students’
embedded learning
• Think about your main curriculum: what elements of the
minimum core does it naturally contain?
• Another way of thinking about this: What minimum core
skills do your students need to learn their main
curriculum effectively?
• Remember to build on your students’ existing skills as
far as possible

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 Embedding learning in Life and
Employability skills
Minimum core skills might include:
•Confident and clear speaking and listening
•Functional reading skills
•Functional writing skills
•Functional maths
•Functional ICT
•Study skills: planning, organisation, and timekeeping

The appropriate balance of these will be different for each

student, depending on their existing skills and their learning
goals

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Planning for embedded learning
There are three approaches you could use:

1.Teaching some minimum core skills directly: adding

specific elements of the minimum core into your lesson
plans, separately from your main curriculum

1.Teaching some of these skills at the same time as your

main curriculum

1.Focussing on these skills as part of feedback on classroom

tasks and activities

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Classroom activities for embedding learning

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 1. Literacy and language
• An effective way to support literacy and language learning
is by giving constructive feedback on any writing tasks
your students do as part of their learning

• One way of approaching this is to think about their writing

at word, sentence, or text level

• In your feedback you focus on one or other of these levels

at a time, so as not to confuse the learner. Aspects of
literacy and language relating to each level are given on
the next slide

• For more on literacy, please refer to the Literacy CPD

session

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 Level Writing Reading Speaking and
listening
Word Handwriting Phonics Pronunciation
Spelling Word recognition Vocabulary
Word comprehension
Sentence Word order Understanding tenses
Punctuation Getting meaning from
Use of tenses context
Text Paragraphing Text comprehension Presentation
Register Picking up detail skills
Use of Skimming Intonation
connectives Scanning Use of
Ordering vocabulary
information Body language
Understanding
relevance

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Reflecting on literacy
• How can we improve our learners’…
– vocabularies?
– spelling of key terms?
– punctuation?
– grammar (sentence level writing)?
– reading confidence?
– confidence producing written assignments (planning, drafting,
paragraphing, lay-out, proofreading, editing)?
– confidence in speaking clearly?

• You will find some ideas on the next slides

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 …vocabularies

1. Encourage (or require) students to keep A-to-Z vocabulary

note books of key terms and definitions
2. Have regular quizzes (oral or written, teacher or student
led) of the meaning of key terms
3. Get students to make posters of key terms and their
definitions and post these around the classroom
4. Encourage students to read as much as possible and to
report back and recommend books
5. Have a weekly or fortnightly slot where students quiz each
other on new words they have found
6. Widen your own use of vocabulary in your teaching and
resources

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…spelling of key terms

1. Encourage or require students to keep spelling books

where they record and practice the spelling of key terms
(and have quizzes/create games to practice these)

1. Have regular (if short) spelling strategies sessions where

develop students’ repertoire of strategies

1. Display these key terms around the classroom, getting

students to make the displays if possible

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…punctuation

1. Make/get posters about the use of each punctuation

mark and display

1. Circle/code these as punctuation errors, but get

learners to correct themselves- or peer correct

1. Look at students’ work and use punctuation difficulties

as the basis for group punctuation workshops

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…grammar (sentence level writing)

1. Teach the term ‘Standard English’ and the potential

differences between Standard English and other dialects
of English

1. Circle /code grammar errors, but get learners to correct

themselves- or peer correct

1. Look at students’ work and use Standard English

grammar difficulties as the basis for group workshops

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…speaking and listening
1. Realistic role plays: job interviews, making a complaint
to a bank, call centre work

1. Imaginative role plays: media interviews with people in

the news, celebrities, etc

1. Debates: get students to choose topics

1. Drama: plays and poetry reading – build in performance

evaluation by students

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 2. Everyday maths

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Everyday maths examples

• Choose topics relevant to students, that they have reported

as giving them difficulties. These could be:
– Estimating: eg amount of wood needed to make a cupboard
– Scaling: doubling the quantities in recipes
– Discounts and price comparisons: how much do you really
save?
– Sharing out café or restaurant bills
– Calculating calories
– Betting odds: how much will you win or lose?

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3. Everyday ICT

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4. Study skills

• Reading and using written materials

• Producing written assignments
• Note-taking (from classes or from writing)
• Folder/work organisation

How can we develop these study skills?

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Reading and using written materials
1. Get students to think as widely as possible about what
reading is or involves, perhaps making posters

1. Encourage students to identify own strengths and areas

for development; create personal action plans to address
these

1. Teach and review the terms skimming, scanning, close

reading, summarising and note-taking and practice these
using subject specific materials

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Producing written assignments

1. Be explicit about the requirements of each written

assignment

1. Explore or teach steps to producing a piece of written work,

emphasising that drafting, outlining, proofreading are
important

1. Encourage writing ‘buddies’ or other forms of collaborative

pairings for peer support

1. Look at examples of successful pieces of writing and explore

what makes these successful

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Note-taking

1. Teach examples of different styles of note-taking

(sentences, key words, diagrammatical...)

1. Give examples of notes taken and ask students to

evaluate the strengths and challenges of each

1. Encourage students to experiment with different coloured

pens, pencils, highlighters and ICT to ‘repackage’ their
notes

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Folder or work organisation

1. Show examples/models of organised folders

1. Give direct instruction of how to organise work

1. Discuss folder/work organisation in tutorials

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Guidelines for effective written feedback

 Be selective: prioritise, don’t highlight everything

 Be specific: make precise points using examples
 Include both strengths and areas for development
 Think about word, sentence and text levels
 Using a marking code if appropriate
 Be developmental: link to future work

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