Developing ICT skills — City & Guilds Limited Digital Functional Skills Qualification Foundations for Learning Revision

    Developing foundational ICT skills for learners with special educational needs at Entry 1 level, emphasizing how technology can be used to interact with su

    Topic Synopsis

    Developing foundational ICT skills for learners with special educational needs at Entry 1 level, emphasizing how technology can be used to interact with surroundings, access information, and support communication. Practical applications include using switches, touchscreens, symbol-based software, and simple communication aids to foster independence and participation.

    Key Concepts & Core Principles

    Exam Tips & Revision Strategies

    Common Misconceptions & Mistakes to Avoid

    Examiner Marking Points

    Developing ICT skills

    CITY & GUILDS LIMITED
    vocational

    Developing foundational ICT skills for learners with special educational needs at Entry 1 level, emphasizing how technology can be used to interact with surroundings, access information, and support communication. Practical applications include using switches, touchscreens, symbol-based software, and simple communication aids to foster independence and participation.

    8
    Learning Outcomes
    12
    Assessment Guidance
    12
    Key Skills
    8
    Key Terms
    12
    Assessment Criteria

    Assessment criteria

    City & Guilds Entry Level Certificate in Personal Progress (Entry 1)
    City & Guilds Entry Level Diploma in Personal Progress (Entry 1)
    City & Guilds Entry Level Award in Personal Progress (Entry 1)

    Topic Overview

    The City & Guilds Entry Level Certificate in Personal Progress (Entry 1) is a foundational qualification designed to support learners with special educational needs or those who require additional support in developing essential life skills. It focuses on building confidence, independence, and basic communication, numeracy, and social abilities. The qualification is structured around small, achievable steps that allow students to progress at their own pace, making it ideal for those who may not yet be ready for mainstream academic qualifications.

    This qualification covers a range of practical topics, including personal care, managing money, using public transport, and engaging with the local community. It also emphasises the development of communication skills, such as expressing needs and understanding simple instructions. By completing this certificate, students gain a sense of achievement and a foundation for further learning, whether that be in other Entry Level qualifications, vocational courses, or independent living programmes.

    Within the broader context of Foundations for Learning, this certificate is part of a suite of qualifications that prepare learners for adult life. It is particularly valuable for students in specialist settings or those following a personalised curriculum. The focus on personal progress means that success is measured not just by academic outcomes, but by real-world improvements in a student's ability to manage daily tasks and interact with others.

    Key Concepts

    Core ideas you must understand for this topic

    • →Personal care routines: Understanding and practising basic hygiene, dressing, and eating independently.
    • →Communication: Using simple words, symbols, or gestures to express needs, wants, and feelings.
    • →Money management: Recognising coins and notes, understanding value, and making simple transactions.
    • →Community participation: Knowing how to use local facilities, such as shops, libraries, or transport, safely.
    • →Safety awareness: Identifying common dangers at home and in the community, and knowing who to ask for help.

    Learning Objectives

    What you need to know and understand

    • Use ICT to control the environment, Use ICT as a source of information, Use ICT to communicate or to augment or enable communication
    • Use ICT to control the environment, Use ICT as a source of information, Use ICT to communicate or to augment or enable communication
    • Identify a switch or device to control an electronic appliance
    • Demonstrate how to navigate to a simple webpage for information
    • Use a basic communication app to convey a need
    • Recognise symbols or icons that represent actions or functions
    • Apply a cause-and-effect understanding in ICT interactions
    • Select an appropriate method of access for a given ICT task

    Assessment Criteria

    Key criteria assessors look for in your portfolio

    • Award credit for demonstrating purposeful operation of a switch or adaptive device to achieve a cause-and-effect outcome.
    • Recognize when the learner independently navigates to a familiar app or icon to access information.
    • Credit use of any communication aid (e.g., PECS, symbol app) to express a choice or need during structured activities.
    • Award credit for demonstrating the ability to use an ICT device (such as a switch, touch screen, or eye gaze system) to control a classroom object (e.g., turning on a light or fan) with clearly observed cause-and-effect understanding.
    • Award credit for showing consistent and purposeful interaction with ICT-based information sources, such as selecting a preferred song or video from a digital library using a grid set or simple interface.
    • Award credit for evidence of using ICT to communicate a need or choice to another person, through a symbol-based app, voice output communication aid (VOCA), or messaging software, in a real-life context.
    • Award credit for appropriate use of assistive technology equipment, including the correct set-up, positioning, and operation of devices with minimal physical prompting where possible.
    • Award credit for successfully turning on/off a device using an environmental control
    • Credit for demonstrating the ability to select and activate a simple information source
    • Evidence of using an augmentative communication tool to express a choice
    • Award credit for consistent and purposeful use of ICT to achieve a desired outcome
    • Mark for showing awareness of basic safety practices when using equipment

    Assessment Guidance

    Guidance for achieving higher grades

    • 💡Ensure evidence includes photographic or video records of the learner’s active engagement with ICT, accompanied by assessor notes contextualizing the action.
    • 💡Break down each learning objective into discrete, observable behaviors for easier tracking and portfolio building.
    • 💡Use real-world, motivating contexts (e.g., activating a music player) to elicit natural ICT use.
    • 💡Capture video evidence that clearly shows the learner’s initiation and sustained interaction with the ICT device, ensuring the screen and learner’s face or hands are visible to demonstrate intent.
    • 💡For each learning objective, provide a witness statement that describes the specific context, the learner’s level of engagement, and the outcome, including any support given and how independence was promoted.
    • 💡Use a range of ICT applications to meet all three objectives—control, information, and communication—rather than relying on a single activity to cover everything; this demonstrates generalisation of skills.
    • 💡Ensure all evidence is dated and linked to the appropriate unit criteria, and that the ICT devices used are clearly identified in the assessment records.
    • 💡Practice using a single consistent method for environmental control before introducing variations
    • 💡Encourage learners to vocalise or indicate their intention alongside ICT use to build confidence
    • 💡Use clear, high-contrast visual cues on communication devices to reduce confusion
    • 💡Document all attempts and successes in a diary to provide evidence of progress
    • 💡Break down tasks into very small steps and reward each successful step to maintain motivation
    • 💡Use real-life contexts: When demonstrating skills, show how they apply in everyday situations. For example, when counting money, use actual coins and role-play a shop scenario. This shows deeper understanding.
    • 💡Keep evidence simple: Collect photos, witness statements, or short videos of the learner completing tasks. Clear, straightforward evidence is more effective than lengthy written descriptions.
    • 💡Focus on independence: Encourage the learner to do as much as possible without prompts. Even if they need support at first, aim for gradual reduction of help. Examiners look for increasing independence over time.

    Common Mistakes

    Common errors to avoid in your coursework

    • Assuming physical interaction is random rather than intentional; lack of consistent prompting to demonstrate cause-and-effect understanding.
    • Over-reliance on verbal instructions when learners may respond better to visual/tactile cues.
    • Not documenting small-step progress, leading to insufficient evidence for assessment.
    • Learners may press buttons or tap screens repetitively without waiting for a response, indicating a lack of understanding of the cause-and-effect relationship.
    • Over-reliance on hand-over-hand physical support can mask the learner's true level of independence; assessors must differentiate between active participation and passive movement.
    • Learners often accidentally activate unintended functions (e.g., exiting an app) due to fine motor difficulties, leading to frustration and disengagement.
    • Using ICT for communication only in structured test conditions rather than embedding it in daily routines, which makes skills less transferable.
    • Pressing the wrong button repeatedly without trying alternatives
    • Not waiting for device feedback before pressing again
    • Misinterpreting icons or symbols leading to incorrect app selection
    • Not understanding the cause-and-effect relationship between action and outcome
    • Over-reliance on physical prompting from support staff without attempting independent use
    • Misconception: 'Personal progress only means academic improvement.' Correction: Personal progress includes social, emotional, and practical skills, not just academic ones. For example, learning to dress independently is just as important as learning to count.
    • Misconception: 'You need to be able to read and write to pass.' Correction: Many tasks can be completed using symbols, pictures, or verbal responses. The qualification is designed to be accessible to all learners, regardless of literacy level.
    • Misconception: 'Once you achieve Entry 1, you can't do any more.' Correction: Entry 1 is a starting point. Learners can progress to Entry 2, Entry 3, or other vocational qualifications, building on the skills they have developed.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Common questions students ask about this topic

    Before You Start

    Prior knowledge that will help with this topic

    • •No formal prerequisites are required for this qualification, as it is designed for learners at the earliest stages of their educational journey. However, a basic awareness of daily routines and the ability to follow simple instructions will be helpful.

    Key Terminology

    Essential terms to know

    • Use ICT to control the environment, Use ICT as a source of information, Use ICT to communicate or to augment or enable communication
    • Use ICT to control the environment, Use ICT as a source of information, Use ICT to communicate or to augment or enable communication
    • Environmental Control
    • Information Access
    • Communication Support
    • Assistive Technology Use
    • Basic ICT Operations
    • Safety and Responsibility

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