Reflective Analysis of One-to-One Communication Skills

Unit learning outcomes

1. Demonstrate the following knowledge and understanding historical and contemporary health and social care provision for different service-user groups.

2. Demonstrate the following skills andabilities One-to-one working skills required to work with individual clients within a role play scenario and reflect on and assess your role play performance and one-to-one working skills, identifying ways to improve future practice.

For assessment two, you are required to pick ONE of the example interactions (case study) and reflect on the one-to-one communication skills and what the professional did or did not do well in the scenario and what values or ethical issues may potentially arise from the interaction.

Your 1000 reflective essay will therefore be an analysis of the interaction. Your written reflection must consist of:

1) An introduction - setting out what you are writing about – your essay aims and objectives

2) An analysis of and reflection on the one-to-one working skills required in your chosen case study/scenario. This will be an interplay of how practitioner and client engaged and responded to each other.

3) Information and analysis of what the ethics and values were might come into play in your chosen scenario. Mention the difference between personal values and professional ethics and the professional worker might deal with this. Again, you should support your discussion here with academic sources/references.

4) State the strengths and the weaknesses of the interplay/meeting/interview. Say what did not go well and what would could be done differently to improve the interaction.

5) Conclusion – this should be a summary, demonstrating where your assignment met the aims and objectives in your introduction.

7) References – this is a list of sources you cited in the text

You will be expected to draw on parts of at least six sources, only one can be an Internet source and the remaining five should be academic/peer-reviewed sources (that is academic books or academic journals), to support your discussion. The six is a minimum; students are encouraged to carry out wider reading.

Written expression is an important element of good written communication, so try to write clearly and accurately. Proofread your work before handing it in and/or ask a trusted person to read it through for you.

You must use the Harvard referencing system to identify the source of all the information used in your assignment. You must reference systematically throughout the work itself and include a reference of the sources cited in your work. Please pay particular attention secondary referencing in the referencing guidelines. You will find a copy of the latest referencing guidelines on the unit’s BREO site. Also read the section headed ‘Plagiarism and Bad Academic Practice’ in the Assessment and Feedback section of the unit’s BREO site.

Your work must be word processed, double spaced and page numbered. You must also include a word count.

You are reminded that plagiarism of any type will be penalised and result in your work not being marked/failing.

What do I need to do to pass? (Threshold Expectations from UIF)

Demonstrate the one-to-one working skills of effective communication (active listening, feedback and empathy, good techniques of questioning, etc.) required to work with individual clients within a role play scenario.
Reflect on and assess your role play performance and one-to-one working skills and identify ways to improve future practice.

Identify the values, skills and ethics underpinning work with vulnerable groups and the importance of boundaries within practice and conflict that can arise between personal values and professional ethics.

How do I produce high quality work that merits a good grade?

Read this assignment brief carefully including the marking criteria on the next page. Note though that referral attempts are capped at 40%.

You need to read widely drawing on a range of appropriate academic books and/or peer-reviewed journal articles. You will avoid relying on non-academic web sources.

You utilise an appropriate theoretical model for your reflection such as Gibbs’ reflective cycle or Kolb’s learning cycle.

You will demonstrate clear understanding of the ethical issues involved in your role play scenario and how these were or should have been addressed.

You will apply the Harvard referencing rules accurately throughout the text of your essay and in your reference list. Your reference list will be in alphabetical order with all sources cited in the text appearing in your reference list and all sources in your reference list will appear in the text. An exception is when you cite a secondary source that you read about in a source you read/a primary source. In that case only the primary source (the source you read) should appear in the list of references. It is important to ensure you use secondary referencing, i.e. you use the ‘cited in’ expression in the text, where it is needed so you avoid poor academic practice/plagiarism.

You will write in your own words and always cite in the text where you got the information from. Your referencing will be systematic – every paragraph you write in the main body of your essay will be full of references correctly formatted.

How does this assignment relate to what we are doing in scheduled sessions?

How will my assignment be marked?

Your assignment will be marked according to the threshold expectations and the criteria on the following page.

35-39% (Fail)		70%+ (1st Class)	60-69% (2:1)	50-59% (2:2)	40-49% (3^rd Class) Threshold Standard	0-34% (Fail)
The work has insufficient reflection on one to one working skills, and effective communication. Key aspects have not been addressed.	1. FOCUS Answers question/completes task 20%	The work demonstrates a critical, analytical and independent approach to reflecting on the professional role played with excellent understanding of communication skills required, and ethics and values involved in the role play scenario. There is clear evidence of sound planning and a precise approach to the production of the assignment.	Learning outcomes are met in a comprehensive response to the task. Assignment demonstrates a clear understanding of the task requirements and there is evidence of careful planning and an attempt to adopt an analytical approach to reflecting on the professional role played and the skills, vales and ethical issues involved in the role play scenario.	A largely competent reflection, which addresses most of the assessment requirements. Key topics such as communication skills, value and ethics are addressed in a straightforward and effective manner.	The work contains evidence of some engagement with the assignment task with some evidence of reflection on the professional role play and communication skills, values and ethics involved but there is an overall tendency simply to describe what was said and done in the role play. Key topics may not all have been covered.	The work does not demonstrate evidence of engagement with the assignment task. No audio file presented.
The work has not sufficiently engaged with relevant material from the Unit Reading list. Insufficient evidence of knowledge of essential terminology.	2. KNOWLEDGE Knowledge and understanding of relevant material 20%	There is clear evidence in the essay of in-depth reading on the subject. Excellent reflective skills are demonstrated with good understanding of how one-to-one working skills were used (successfully or unsuccessfully) in the professional role played. The work demonstrates confidence and familiarity with theory/theories, models, ethical issues and how personal values may come into play in professional one-to-one work and how these may be addressed.	There is evidence of wider reading and of a willingness to use independently acquired knowledge. The work shows significant comprehension of the one-to-one working skills and key issues such as values and ethics. Independent learning is apparent and an appropriate theoretical model is applied to the reflection.	A reasonable attempt is made of applying a theoretical model to the reflection such as Gibbs’ reflective or Kolb’s learning cycle. Sound knowledge and understanding of one-to-one working skills and key issues such as values and ethics. The assignment reflects an acceptable engagement with guided learning, but evidence of autonomous study is less apparent.	There is some basic knowledge in the work, but a limited or no use of any theoretical model within the reflection. Understanding of key one-to-one working skills and the values and/or ethical considerations may be limited or missing. Use of relevant material is limited; there is no evidence of wider study. Essential terminology is used either imprecisely, or not at all.	There is little or no evidence of knowledge or contextual understanding. No engagement with course material from the Unit Reading List or the lectures.
Essay has not been produced in the required format. Little evidence of essay planning and/or some sections missing or incomplete.	3 STRUCTURE Clear, logical and coherent structure 20%	The work is structured very effectively enabling the essay to flow logically throughout. Carefully chosen language aids the successful communication of well-defined ideas. The standard of the work is commendable as it is written and presented in a mature, intelligent and considered style. The arguments and ideas are expressed clearly and carefully and so the overall result is a highly effective communication of the arguments being put forward in the essay.	The work is presented in an accurate and effective format. Themes and topics are discussed in a clear and appropriate style, and there is evidence of care and forethought in producing the reflective piece. The work flows well from beginning to end and is structured well, in order to achieve this.	The assignment has been produced in the required format and shows that it has been planned and produced with some care. Ideas and subject areas are discussed clearly, in the main, although there may be some imprecise or unsuccessful communication of these at times. Not all sections of the work link, or flow, effectively into each other.	There is some attempt to structure the work in essay format, but it is rather unsuccessful on the whole. Ideas and arguments are presented in an illogical and disjointed manner at times and the contents are not communicated clearly as a result. There is evidence of a lack of care and planning in the production of the work.	Essay has not been produced in the required format. No evidence of essay planning and/or some sections missing or incomplete.
Work does not have the minimum number of academic sources. Missing in text citations and/or misleading references. Incomplete reference list.	4 CITATIONS Referencing according to University’s Harvard referencing guidelines and range of sources 20%	A highly creditable range of academic sources has been used, with an emphasis on primary texts. These are employed with care and precision in order to strengthen the work at every stage. Sources have been cited accurately and carefully throughout and represent diligent reading. Reading and reference lists have been ordered and formatted with accuracy.	There is clear evidence of wide and attentive reading; sources are varied and there is an encouraging proportion of primary material. Care has been taken with referencing and citation, although there may be some minor inaccuracies in formatting.	The work displays an acceptable level of reading of academic sources, but the range of sources is limited. There is an attempt to reference sources throughout each paragraph in the essay and include all sources cited in the text in the reference list. There is understanding of, and engagement with, the Harvard system of referencing and citation, although there are basic errors that need to be addressed and secondary referencing is not always used where it is needed.	The number, and range, of academic literature is minimal; sources are limited and there is little or no use or primary material. There is an overreliance on lecture notes and non-academic web pages. There is an attempt to cite sources in the text and include a reference list but there are significant problems with the standard of referencing and citation. Many sources in the text do not appear in the reference list and/or many sources in the reference list are not cited in the text.	No in text citations, no reference list, misleading references.
Expression is unclear throughout the essay. Significant errors with spelling and grammar.	5 EXPRESSION English expression and grammar, spelling and punctuation 20%	Clarity of expression is maintained through the entire essay. The work is both highly literate and articulate; phrases and words are chosen carefully. Obvious care has been taken with proof-reading and the standard of writing is commendably effective.	Sentences are clear, accurate and expressive. There are very few grammatical or spelling errors.	The essay is written in the student’s own words and the work is largely written in clear and effective English, however, there may be poor choices of words and phrasing and some uncorrected errors.	Expression is often unclear in many places and meanings is not be satisfactorily communicated. There are regular errors of grammar, spelling and punctuation. There may also be an overreliance on quotations.	Written is expression is very poor and meaning is often unclear, making the content difficult to access