Routes for Learning

Overview

Routes for Learning materials support practitioners in assessing learners with profound and multiple learning difficulties (PMLD). They focus on learners’ early cognitive development, their communication and social interaction skills, and their interaction with the environment.

The Routes for Learning materials were first published in 2006 and were well-received nationally and internationally. As part of our wider reform of curriculum and assessment arrangements in Wales, a range of practitioners and academic experts have worked together to update the materials. This was done to reflect the latest research in the field, as well as our new educational context.

The Routes for Learning Advisory Group were at the heart of updating the materials and we are especially grateful to members for their commitment to this work under challenging circumstances during COVID-19. An all-Wales network of schools has also played a key role in gathering videos to exemplify the descriptors on the Routemap, helping to bring these materials alive to practitioners. These schools are listed below:

• Canolfan Addysg Y Bont
• Crownbridge School
• Ysgol Crug Glas
• Ysgol Heol Goffa
• Ysgol Heulfan: Y Canol
• Ysgol Maes Hyfryd
• Ysgol Maes y Coed
• Ysgol Pen Coch
• Queen Elizabeth High School
• St Christopher's School
• Ysgol Tir Morfa Community Special School
• Ty Coch School
• Ty Gwyn Special School
• Ysgol Y Deri

Updating the materials has been an iterative process with draft materials published and feedback gathered in April 2019 and January 2020. The feedback received from both educational and health practitioners has been invaluable in helping to finalise the updated materials.

The Routemap

The Routemap provides an overview of the three strands of development: cognitive development, communication and social interaction, and environmental interaction and shows the most important milestones as orange boxes.

Every box on the Routemap is numbered for ease of reference, but although behaviours which are developmentally earlier have lower numbers the numbering does not represent an expected sequence in which behaviours are likely to be learned or in which they should be taught. Learners should not be expected to achieve them in strict numerical order.

The evidence suggests that every learner is likely to pass through the key milestones, although the routes they take may vary according to their physical, sensory and learning needs.

Here, you will find the Routemap along with an explanatory note which outlines the changes made during the updating process.

The interactive Routemap brings the Routemap itself, the content of the assessment booklet and the exemplification videos together at the click of a button.

Routes for Learning: assessment booklet

The assessment booklet below provides practical support on how to use the Routemap through examples of assessment activities, teaching strategies and an indication of what to look for when assessing. It is presented according to 12 themes.

Exemplification videos

Below you will find videos exemplifying 38 of the Routemap milestones and boxes. They are arranged according to the 12 themes that are reflected in the assessment booklet.

Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on schools, we have been unable to work with practitioners and learners over this last year to complete the full suite of videos. This work will therefore continue until we have a full suite of videos.

Routes for Learning: guidance

The guidance below enables practitioners to assess learners with PMLD and identify how best to support them in their learning.

Professional learning materials

The professional learning materials have been designed to enable practitioners to engage actively in observation of learners with PMLD and to do so collaboratively using the Routes for Learning suite of materials as a framework for interpreting behaviour. These resources consist of an introduction together with an introductory module for each of the three strands of development shown on the Routemap.

• Introduction
• Introductory module: cognitive development
• Introductory module: communication and social interaction
• Introductory module: environmental interaction

A virtual engagement event was held in December 2020 to engage practitioners with these materials.

Glossary

The glossary will provide support to practitioners in using the Routemap and wider Routes for Learning materials. Below, you will find some examples of definitions for your consideration.

We are continuing to develop the glossary and would like to invite you to comment on the content. We would also welcome suggestions of additional terms to be included.

All comments should be sent to assessment@gov.wales

Summary of feedback received during spring 2020

The document below sets out the various sources of feedback received following the publication of draft materials in January 2020. It outlines the key themes arising from the feedback, and the work that has been undertaken to refine the guidance to address the feedback.

Ongoing work, next steps and how you can contribute

Exemplification videos

We are continuing to gather videos to exemplify the milestones and boxes on the Routemap. Should your setting/school wish to contribute videos please contact assessment@gov.wales

Professional learning materials

In addition to the introductory modules for the three strands of development, we are considering the development of theme modules to follow the themes as presented in the assessment booklet. We have developed the first of these, Theme 8: Changing focus, which we will be trialled with a working group and the feedback on this will be integral to how we shape the work going forward.

Should you wish to express an interest in being part of this trial please contact us at assessment@gov.wales

Research

Some research has been conducted using the 2006 edition of the Routes for Learning materials. This is summarised in this article.

Further research is currently being conducted to further develop our understanding of the nature of the progress made by learners with PMLD in relation to the Routemap.

Updates on this research will be accessible from this page. If you wish to contribute to research on Routes for Learning, please contact assessment@gov.wales

Case studies

The case studies provide first-hand experiences from two practitioners using Routes for Learning assessment tools and materials in Special Schools. Both case studies discuss how using Routes for Learning effectively can be a benefit for learners, parents, carers and practitioners alike.