Individual Learning Plans and Learning Goals

At Tower Hamlets College we have developed a new approach to building ILPs for learners on ESOL and Basic Skills programmes. We hope this will ensure that information can be easily shared between learners and all of the tutors they have contact with including advice/open enrolment, core course and options tutors as well as tutors of the courses they progress to. Each learner recieves a slim ring binder and an NCR copy of each key document; records from intial assessment, long term goals (if appropriate), learning goals and personal learning goals with tutorial notes. This folder is also used for their completed diagnsotic assessment records and their learning record and diary.

Download the ILPs from here.

Karen Dudley, Head of ESOL Developments.

An East London Pathfinder Project

The East London Pathfinder has been concentrating on the issues surrounding the use of individual learning plans. The aim has been to produce entry level ILPs that are accessible, user-friendly and easy to understand.

At City and Islington College we have piloted the use of sample individual learning goals with ESOL learners at all levels for use on ILPs. The sample lists are to help tutors and learners negotiate individual learning goals. They can be used as a spingboard in tutorials. They are in 5 sections: speaking, listening, reading, writing and 'other' (study skills etc.).Tutors fedback after the pilot. You can read their comments and tips.

Individual learning goals pt 1
Individual learning goals pt 2

At City and Islington we have also created 'user-friendly' ESOL ILPs for very low level E1 learners. We have used illustrations to depict the descriptors from the curriculum - using photos and hand drawn images.The aim is to enable students with little or no English to grasp the ideas on the ILP. It can be used as a learning tool. Hopefully when learners progress to the next level (and ILPs without pictures), they will understand some of the concepts and language. The ILP has been desk-top-published into its final format. We are using the ILPs in all our Beginner/E1 classes.

Beginner's Individual Learning Plan

James McGoldrick, ESOL Pathfinder Coordinator, City and Islington College