The SECRET skill ladders are designed to show step by step progression in all the skills that are most essential for learning.
Every country in the world identifies these skills as critical to future success. The SECRET set of skills combines over 40 of the most widely used sets in the world to provide one comprehensive set that can be used in all contexts.
Summary Links
- For an explanation of the SECRET set and who uses it click here
- For descriptions and ways of teaching each of the following SECRET skills: Self Management, Engaged Participation, Creative Thinking, Reflective Learning, Enquiry, Team work.
- For a detailed PowerPoint for teachers covering levels 1-4 of SECRET skills click here
- Challenges for students already at level 4 in SECRET skills click here
- FOUNDATION skills ladders for students not yet at level 1 SECRET skills click here.
- To introduce SECRET skills through teacher collaboration click here
More Detailed Overview
Whichever set of skills you choose to use it is vital that you not only provide opportunities for learners to build these skills but you also praise their achievements and make sure they are provided with new challenges.
The lack of reliable forms of assessment means that although of vital importance, these skills take less priority in traditional schooling. This site provides ways for individual teachers and school systems alike to develop assessment.
Levels F1-F9. These are for students who are not yet able to set their own targets. How to use these is suggested here
Levels 1-4. These can be delivered in traditional classrooms by teachers altering the way they teach in small ways then recording outcomes to track how well students progress over time. Detailed suggestions for how to do this are contained in the following PowerPoint. I have provided a simplified route (just 6 skills – SECRE and T) and a more detailed route (each SECRET skill broken into its 4 component skills that deal with emotional aspects, social aspects, strategic and cognitive)
Levels 4-7. The nature of these skills requires the learner to be entirely self supported. For this reason these levels can’t easily be delivered in a classroom setting. In my experience they are best dealt with via a set of challenges. Students who achieve level 4 in class can be set level 4 challenges to do independently and if they are successful in these they try level 5 etc. A scheme for these is provided here.
Levels 7-9. These require access to funds and power that students are not normally given. Schools with long histories of PBL or similar schemes also struggle to deliver such opportunities. The best examples tend to require the student to set up and maintain organisations or funded projects. Level 7 to 9 in each skill area are described here if you follow the links to each ladder.
Learning By Ladders 