Reflection on comment made following Group Task PCE, Longslade

“Comic Sans 14pt is the font you use for dyslexics”

Further to the reflective writing required for the assignment I have expanded my reflection on font sizes. I appreciate that using a 10-point font was not ideal for readability. I had reduced the font size to enable the text to fit onto one page. I had, therefore, allowed style to rule over functionality and had made the documents less accessible for learners with problems such as dyslexia. Whilst I accept, and uphold this criticism I did disagree with the statement “Comic Sans 14-point is the font you use for dyslexics.” Previously, I have had conversations with a dyslexic colleague in Nottinghamshire, who works within LLDD, about appropriate fonts and document format. Her feelings are that any Sans Serif font is acceptable as long as it is well spaced and has the ‘a’ formed as is found in handwriting rather than most print. Her personal choice in fonts is 12-point Century Gothic and Berlin Sans. She would rarely use 14-point or above, or use Comic Sans as her opinion, shared by other people she knows with dyslexia, is that documents produced in Comic Sans in a large font are seen as patronising. Whilst some of this is opinion I can back some of this up with information from The British Dyslexia Association (BDA) website.

Fonts should be rounded, allow for space between letters, reflect ordinary cursive writing and be ‘easy on the eye’. Look for a font that spaces letters rather than running them closely together. Bear in mind that fonts that have unusual shaped letters can create difficulties.

• Select sans serif fonts such as Arial or Comic Sans. Other suggestions include Verdana, Helvetica, Tahoma, Trebuchet and Sassoon.
• Use a minimum of size 12pt or 14pt.
• Where possible use lower case letters rather than capitals. Using capital letters for emphasis can make text harder to read.
• Don’t write sentences entirely in capitals; this infers that the reader is being shouted at.

Unknown (2006) The British Dyslexia Association Dyslexia Style Guide [Internet]. Available from: [Accessed 30 September 2006].

PCE, Longslade

Mark has suggested a reason why the projector at Groby is not picking up a signal from my laptop. I shall try pressing Function+F10 once the projector and laptop are switched on. It helps to discuss problems with other tutors as they may have come across similar problems and have solutions.

The use of my laptop will enable me to use PowerPoint presentations and effectively achieve FENTO standard D5e, select and develop resources to support learning – use information technology where appropriate. A simple conversation like this is also an example of how easy it is to cover FENTO standard D6, establish and maintain effective working relationships, in particular point f, work collaboratively with colleagues to deliver the learning programme. Also from Mark’s point of view he was addressing D6h, share expertise with colleagues and respond to their needs, for the benefit of the learners and the learning programme. Finally, our collegiality was a good example of H1j, work within a professional value base – work effectively with other others for the benefit of the learners.

GCSE Biology, Groby

I’ve been provided with a cable to attach my laptop to the projector. However, there was no remote control, and the only way to access the unit was to stand on a table. Once the projector was switched on it did not recognise the input from the laptop. This was frustrating, but I worked round it by using the whiteboard, and asking groups of learners to look at the laptop, whilst not ideal it did work. Admin have said that next time I am in they will get the IT support staff to come and see if they can help with the problem. If the projector fails to work for the long term I will have to look at producing OHPs.

I have used the learning styles quiz to assess learners’ different learning styles.

Used exam style questions to formatively assess learning from the previous week. All learners did well; the lowest mark was 11/16 which is 69%.

I am unable to teach next week so I have set an assignment on the work of Alexander Fleming. This will serve the purpose of encouraging the learners to research and learn new information with limited input from me. Once they have completed the assignments I will be able to see if they are able to research to an appropriate level and guide them where necessary.

Biology Planning

I have been looking at various ways to formatively assess the food chains and food webs topic that I covered this week. After consulting various resources (textbooks and internet) I decided on using past papers to create exam style questions for formative assessment of a topic. The past papers are available on the AQA website along with the marking schemes. This also enables me to introduce exam style questions in a non-threatening environment.

Biology planning

Reviewing answers in skills booklets has highlighted two learners, apart from the dyslexic learner who may need extra support with written work and reading. I have used a Need for Action Form to find out how the information on a statemented dyslexic is passed to the examining body to provide them with the support they need.

GCSE Biology, Groby

First week of thirty. Met learners, eight attending of the expected ten. Confusion over course times as it was planned to run from 1830 to 2100, however some advertising went out with a 1900 start. Some learners were told 1830 over the phone by admin staff; however ALM was supposed to be making sure that admin staff contacted all learners to let them know that the course started at 1830 but this did not happen. Negotiated with learners the extra half hour, we agreed to start at 1830 next week. I would find out what times other courses ran to and consider an 1845 to 2115 session. Not all learners were happy with any of the times as some find arriving for 1900 difficult, yet others struggled remaining beyond 2100.

No cable available to attach pc to projector so I was unable to use the PPT presentation. Instead I used the handouts of the presentation and diagrams on the whiteboard. The admin staff will get a cable for next week. Any other equipment, including for practical sessions, can be ordered through admin.

No PLS in course folder, to look at next week. Informally spoke to all learners to find out why they chose GCSE biology and where they hope to progress. Some learners are returning after only achieving a D at GCSE previously.

One learner is a statemented dyslexic; however, she did not declare this information on her enrolment form.

Low Point

I seem to have hit a real low point and have lost all my enthusiasm for any learning. The workload created by the PCE means that I am no longer enjoying my singing lessons. It is also affecting my general mood. Whilst this has obvious implications for me as a learner, what about as a tutor? As I hit this low it has left me extremely de-motivated and wondering if I really wish to pursue the path I am currently following. Also it has made me wonder how my potential learners will be feeling. My feelings arose out an increasing workload and the feeling that as learners we are not being dealt an accurate representation of what has been expected of us from the outset. Originally we were told that on completion of the first 10 weeks we would be given our ILPs and that previous knowledge and skills would be taken into consideration and will determine how many sessions we will have to attend. Whilst I accept that as I only have a C&G 7307 Stage 1 and it is probable that I will need to attend most sessions there is still no appearance of this mythical ILP. In the first module we were informed that all of the work required of us could easily be fitted into the workshop sessions and that there would be no essays to write. Whilst these did not sound like plausible statements to make for a degree course it did disappoint me that once we are established in module two we find to that there is a substantial essay to write and that the module outline does not seem to allow extra time to complete the work expected of us. When I studied at university before I had no other commitments and was able to concentrate on the job at hand; this time round I am struggling to juggle a family, household, teaching and studying and the family are losing out.

How this applies to my own teaching I am not entirely sure. It would seem that honesty is the best policy when it comes to the expected workload. How do I avoid being too brutal and scaring the learners off? I sincerely hope that my own course does not have the drop-out rate that the PCE seems to be suffering from.

PCE, Longslade

Discussing ideas on testing basic and key skills, Dawn mentioned a skills booklet that the childminding practice tutors use. She shared this booklet with a small group of us: with my biology group in mind I decided that something very similar would be constructive. Good example of sharing resources.

Skills Plus Curriculum Meeting, Longslade

This was my first Skills Plus curriculum meeting and although I didn’t get to meet the other biology tutor I did get to meet some new faces. Apart from general service news we also looked at two weaknesses in the Skills Plus area; an inconsistent approach to tutor course reviews, in particular them not being handed in, and a lack of consistency in personal learning goals. As Skills Plus incorporates a wide range of subjects I was put in the academic group: Family History, A Level Law and Psychology. As a group we all completed tutor course reviews and were happy with the statistics and content involved. We agreed that the narrative content can often help to explain statistics that may otherwise look poor. By using the narrative you can explain retention rates and the causes behind them. Also anecdotal evidence is a useful way of cataloguing soft learning outcomes that have been achieved during the course.

As the majority of the group have a set syllabus it is hard to avoid almost generic outcomes for the personal learning statements before a course starts. We did agree that identical courses should at least start with the same generic outcomes which the tutor can add to with the group and individuals once the course has started.

Sharon also popped in to encourage everyone to use SMART learning outcomes, although after my work this summer I am feeling much more confident about producing SMART outcomes.