Distance Learning: It's an Enormously Positive Learning Experience! New Skills are Being Learned!

Students are learning so much more than the content (knowledge, skills and concepts) of each of their subjects at this time of distance learning. They are practicing skills that will set them up for success for life. The Approaches to Learning Skills ( ATLs) are divided up into 5 categories: Social, Communication, Self-management, Thinking and Research. Within each of these categories are specific skill indicators. 
 
The skill indicators in the list below that are written in bold are just some of the incredible skills your children are learning and practicing during this time of distance learning.​

1. Identify obstacles and challenges  

• Students are recognising for themselves what they find challenging and how they work. They are understanding what gets in the way of them being productive. 

2. Negotiate ideas and knowledge with peers and teachers

• Give and receive meaningful feedback 
• Communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences using a variety of media and formats
• Advocate for one’s own rights and needs
• Students are having to communicate with teachers and negotiate around modules that are too long or difficult or not stimulating enough. They are offering suggestions. They are asking clarifying questions. Students are giving a teacher feedback about the learning in the module. They are using the feedback they receive to improve in the next tasks. Students are  learning how to communicate via email respectfully. 
• Students are gaining confidence in order to say/ask teachers for what they need.

3. Read critically and for comprehension  

• Students are learning to read instructions more carefully so that they understand the learning experiences and know what needs to be done. They are learning how to follow instructions.

4. Use a variety of organizers for academic writing tasks 

• Students are making sure to use AISL convention to name their work and to organise their work in folders on google drive so that they can find their work more easily. They are dating their work and creating headings that make sense and help them keep organised.

5. Plan short and long-term assignments; meet deadlines 

• Keep and use a weekly planner for assignments
• Students are creating daily schedules and weekly planners for themselves and learning to allow for enough time to complete work so that they can keep to deadlines.

6. Practice focus and concentration 

• Practice strategies to develop mental focus 
• Practice strategies to overcome distractions 
• Practice being aware of body–mind connections
• Demonstrate persistence and perseverance 
• Practice delaying gratification
• Students are practicing self-management. They are learning about ways to avoid distraction by putting away their phones, by rewarding themselves when they have completed a module. Additionally, they are giving themselves breaks between tasks. 

7. Practice strategies to reduce stress and anxiety

• Practice positive thinking
• Practice dealing with change 
• Students are realising that to laugh, play, breathe, exercise, journal, and talk to someone close helps reduce anxiety.

8. Develop new skills, techniques and strategies for effective learning 

• Students are developing new ways of doing things in these strange times. They are improving their tech skills and becoming more independent learners.

9. Demonstrate flexibility in the selection and use of learning strategies. Students are learning how to be flexible with distance learning.
10. Take responsibility for their own actions

• Here at AISL, we work hard to develop a growth mindset within our students. It’s not about the grade we say, it’s about the learning. What did you learn during this unit?  Students are learning to be responsible for making sure that they work to the best of their ability time permitting. They are learning about the benefits of submitting work that portrays their best efforts. Students are also learning to take responsibility over how they research and what they look at on the internet.

10. Make informed choices about personal viewing experiences 

• Students are also learning to take responsibility over how they research and what they look at on the internet.
  

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