Pre-Learning Tasks ensure that learners are directly involved in the planning process. Well planned pre-learning tasks should help to bring out what learners already know; what misconceptions they may have and what really interests them.

The outcomes from pre-learning tasks will be used to plan the subsidiary learning challenges for each major area of study. It should help teachers recognise what transferable skills learners have already developed that could be used to initiate new learning with a level of confidence.

Pre-Learning tasks could take many different forms and can last for as long or as short as required. Some may be written tasks others oral. Mind mapping is one method that has been used successfully by many schools. Using pre-learning tasks as part of a school’s programme of home learning will help to get parents and carers directly involved in their children’s learning.