Deborah Smith – CAP

What do you do?

‘I am a specialist teacher.’

Why did you decide to study the Cognitive Abilities Profile (CAP) course with us?

‘I decided to study CAP as part of my training as a thinking skills specialist.’

What was your favourite part of the course?

‘I would say that my favourite part of the CAP course was the task analysis side of things: being able to describe the relationships between the cognitive demands of tasks and the difficulties a learner may experience with that task.’

What impact has it had on your professional life?

‘The CAP course has really helped to develop my understanding of the thinking process and the cognitive demands of tasks. CAP provides a structure through which a profile can be generated so that interventions can be targeted specifically and progress can be evidence based.’

What can someone who has taken these modules offer?

‘I think that after doing this course, the individual possesses the ability to analyse the cognitive profile of a learner. By this, I mean that they can identify areas of strength and areas that need development and the relationship of those areas to curriculum tasks and/or everyday functioning.’

Why would you advise someone to take this course?

‘The CAP course is interesting and engaging and provides meaningful insight into the needs of learners. It also offers dynamic, practical and evidence-based interventions.’