Giving learners a voice refers to the process where the views of children and young people are used to improve the educational offering of schools. It involves actively listening to what learners have to say and then, within reason, acting on the suggestions they have made. A series of recent studies has shown that it is a much under-used tool for school improvement, despite being capable of getting powerful results.

Knowledge bank

The philosophy for respecting the voice of learners in schools is rooted in the belief that, as the beneficiaries of the education services of schools, children and young people should have a lot to say about how they can be improved.

For schools to genuinely open up to the power of giving learners a voice, there is a need for them to accept that adults do not always have the right answers. There is also a requirement for teachers, school leaders and other school staff to embrace the views of young people in a positive way. This can be hard for some people to do – especially those with a traditional view of education.

The move to personalize education and a range of recent government measures have encouraged schools to open up to the views of learners in a way that was not possible before. Schools are being increasingly encouraged to enter into a dialogue with learners about how schools are run and lessons taught. Some teachers have found this transition difficult, perhaps due to concerns that their professionalism is in some way questioned by respecting the voice of learners.

In parallel with the above, children and young people are playing increasingly important roles in schools. This includes work at the classroom level, where they are giving feedback to teachers on lessons or even observing learning episodes as ‘expert learners’. It also involves more strategic issues, such as representing the views of other youngsters on the School Council or even taking part in interviews for new staff.

Studies have repeatedly shown that, when invited to give their opinions on a whole raft of school issues, learners – even very young children – can make insightful and helpful observations and suggestions. Indeed, it is extremely rare to find examples of learners using such opportunities to ‘get at’ individual teachers or make other inappropriate remarks.

Respecting the voice of learners does not mean that you simply adopt every new measure that is proposed by them – this misconception has undermined the engagement of many teachers who fear a ‘free for all’. Instead, the situation can be likened to a staff meeting or parental consultation session – you listen to the views of others, and provide a forum for them to be aired, but then make decisions based on your own professional judgement and years of experience. However, those teachers and school leaders who have benefited most from this type of work have recognized that their own opinions need to be challenged -and importantly – sometimes changed.

There are some very advanced models for using the learner voice to improve education, which if you’re prepared to take the bold step, could really transform your classroom. To embrace these you’ll need to adopt a radically different view about the power relationships in your classroom and begin to accept that the real power rests with the learners, not you as a teacher.

Ask yourself

• To what extent do you genuinely listen to what learners have to say and act upon their suggestions.
• How often do you open up dialogue in your classroom to enable learners to have their say and influence the direction of learning?
• Are you still sceptical about the value of using learners’ views to improve their education? If so what is holding you back? If not how can you help other people in your school to take a more enlightened approach?

To do list

• Identify as many ways as you can that illustrate how you have used the voice of learners to enhance what happens in your classroom.
• If this is something you feel passionate about, talk with senior managers about how you can develop a better school-wide climate for using the voice of learners as a tool for school improvement.
• Do some focused reading on the topic of the learner voice, as there are some very radical models that are sure to take things to another level in your school.

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