Overview
For most children vision is the most important channel for communication and understanding, so learning with little or no sight presents significant challenges to established ways of teaching.
RNIB's Partners in Learning course, which was developed in conjunction with the Open University, can provide you with the necessary knowledge and skills to provide a high level of education for the learners with whom you work.
The course, which is accredited as a BTEC advanced certificate at level 3, is the only UK-wide accredited training designed for education support staff working with blind and partially sighted learners. In recognition of its excellence, several local authorities have made Partners in Learning a mandatory qualification for teaching assistants employed in their visual impairment support services.
What the course covers
The Partners in Learning course will allow you to:
• understand visual impairment and its implications for educational and social development
• learn a range of skills and techniques to support learners and promote their independence both in and out of the classroom
• develop an understanding of team work and its importance in effective practice
The course is modular and allows you to register for one of the following pathways, so you can specialise on the area that is most appropriate to the children or young people you support:
• Visual impairment: principal disability
• Visual impairment: complex needs
• Visual impairment: early years
For more information about the course, including module options, accreditation and entry requirements, download the brochure.
Partners in Learning Brochure (Word, 36KB)
Partners in Learning Brochure (PDF,103KB).
How the course is delivered
Partners in Learning is studied over a calendar year, starting in February. The course is predominantly delivered online, but includes two training days, one at the start of the course and the other half way through. Training days for the online course are held in London, Birmingham and Leeds, subject to numbers.
There are six units in the course, each estimated to involve around 30 hours of study. Assessment is via regular assignments, online discussions and factual tests.
A face-to-face training version of the complex needs pathway is also available on a contract basis and involves six training days and no online component.
Who the course is for
The course is suitable for any education professional that works with blind or partially sighted children and young people, including teachers, teaching assistants, support workers and early years practitioners.
Course availability
The next blended online course will start in February 2012.
A face-to-face version of the course, involving six training days and no online component, is also available at RNIB Pears Centre for Specialist Learning in Coventry (formerly Rushton School and Children's Home). This course follows the visual impairment and complex needs pathway and starts in March 2012. A limited number of discounted places are available at just £400!
Fee
The fee for the online course is £650 per participant. A limited number of places for the face-to-face course is available at a discounted price of £400. This includes BTEC registration, training days, all course materials and access to online activities.
How to apply
To book your place download the Partners in Learning application form (Word,40KB) and email it to cypf@rnib.org.uk
Alternatively, send the form by fax or post to the address below.
PiL Administrator
RNIB Children's Services
58-72 John Bright St
Birmingham
B1 1BN
Telephone 0121 665 4235
Fax: 0121 665 4201
Email cypf@rnib.org.uk
Feedback from managers and participants
Read the feedback from the field and feedback from participants who have successfully completed Partners in Learning.