School Skills Checklist

(adapted Scherer 1988)
Name of Pupil:.............. DOB:........... Teacher completing this list:............
Checklist completed following: observation/ questions to pupil/ self recall of teacher?
Date of 1st/2nd/3rd check with this pupil:................
Please circle or tick as appropriate
  • First time mark with /
  • Second time mark with X
  • Fill box when skill acquired
Answer Format
  • LT: Less than a normal pupil
  • AS:As a normal pupil
  • MT:More than a normal pupil
  • NA:Not applicable
  • NK:Not Known



A) ARRIVING AT SCHOOL/LESSON LT AS MT NA NK
Arrives on time




Knows the journey to school




Knows the route to all lessons




Knows his/her personal timetable




Arrives appropriately dressed




Please list clothing required but not worn:




(list here)




Pupil does not have the clothes/declines to wear it




Personal hygiene: clean/dirty




Personal smell: normal/objectionable




B) PHYSICAL ABILITIES LT AS MT NA NK
Hearing: normal/needs testing/impaired/Uses hearing aid




Sight: normal/needs testing/impaired/Uses glasses




Use of hearing aid/glasses:
  • Competent/forgets/loses





Gross loco-motor skills: normal/disabled:
  • Please describe any disability





Able to negotiate classroom:
  • Physical deficit/skills deficit (Please ring)





Able to manipulate equipment:
  • Physical deficit/skills deficit (Please ring)





C) STARTING THE LESSON LT AS MT NA NK
Lines up appropriately




Enters the classroom quietly and as required




Makes appropriate greeting to the teacher




Goes to/sits in appropriate place




Seated in an upright but relaxed position




Brings equipment:




Equipment the pupil needs:




Waits quietly for teacher to commence




Responds clearly to register




Volunteers to give out books/equipment




Gets work books, materials and equipment out




Attends to teacher's presentation




Looks at teacher during presentation/instructions




Responds to teacher's questions




Makes enquiries about task if unsure




Makes enquiries about task if unsure




Makes enquiries about task if unsure




Follows simple instructions




Follows complex instructions




Follows instructions given to himself




Follows instructions given to a group




Follows written instructions




Can follow workcards




D) GETTING ON WITH THE LESSON LT AS MT NA NK
Stays in appropriate place




Puts hand up or asks quietly for teacher to assist




Waits patiently for teacher's assistance




Accepts teacher working in close proximity




Shows s/he understands by nods, yes, I see, etc.




Uses equipment safely and sensibly




Fetches equipment without disturbing others




Talks quietly to peers as appropriate




Works appropriately with peers in pairs




Works appropriately with peers in small groups




Duration of attention to task




Identifies components of a task




Organises components of a task




Will persevere in solving a problem




Completes set work




Commences next task, without instruction




Requests next task




Requests extra work




E) PRESENTATION OF WORK LT AS MT NA NK
Work dated and titled




Handwriting legible and neat




Uses ruler




Numbers answers




Uses subheadings




Diagrams, drawings neatly presented and labeled




Does not waste paper in exercise books




Books are covered and looked after




Work books present a neat record of progress




Work books are lost or mislaid




Practical work neatly stored away




Understands teacher's marking system




Welcomes teacher's use of red marking pen.




Accepts teacher's mark and comments




Accepts disappointment appropriately




Accepts criticism of work




Learns from criticism of work




Will self-mark honestly




F) PEER INTERACTION SKILLS IN CLASS LT AS MT NA NK
Ignores disruption




Apologizes to peers for any offence




Encourages peers involved in group tasks




Accepts contribution of peers in group tasks




Assists peers as appropriate




Quietly asks for loan of equipment from peers




Able to share equipment/books with peer




Advises peer against inappropriate behaviour




G) GIVING AND RECEIVING PRAISE LT AS MT NA NK
Seeks praise publicly




Seeks praise privately




Looks and smiles at teacher




Uses expressions of gratitude




Compliments efforts of others




H) APOLOGISING SKILLS LT AS MT NA NK
Listens to the complaint




Looks down when receiving complaint.




Stands still, with hands held behind or in front




Apologizes




Accepts responsibility for his part




Asks for opportunity to explain




Will wait for the end of the lesson to discuss




Re-assures that the event will not repeat




CONVERSATION SKILLS LT AS MT NA NK
Speech is at appropriate volume




Speech is at appropriate pitch




Accent is easily comprehended




Facial expressions reflect speech content




Introduces himself to known group




Introduces himself to new group




Introduces others




Aware of appropriate moment to contribute




Waits for appropriate moment to interrupt




Apologizes if interruption is necessary




Acknowledges contribution of others




Keeps to the topic of conversation




Allows others to enter conversation




Listens to others' contribution




Looks at contributors




KNOWLEDGE OF SCHOOL RULES LT AS MT NA NK
Able to recall school rules




Abides by school rules




HOMEWORK LT AS MT NA NK
Willing to accept homework




Attempts homework




Completes homework




Plans a quiet place to do homework




Hands homework in on time




J) AT THE END OF LESSONS LT AS MT NA NK
Completes task or section




Clears up and puts books, equipment away




Helps peers to clear up




Helps teacher to clear up




Asks/waits to be dismissed




Leaves quietly




WHAT THE PUPIL ENJOYS RECEIVING IN CLASS LT AS MT NA NK
Giving out and collecting books/equipment




Being a classroom monitor




Assisting teacher




Assisting peers




Conversation with the teacher




Free time at the end of the lesson




Free time to engage in a quiet activity




Free time to listen to a tape recorder




Curriculum games at the end of the lesson




Extra time in a given lesson
  • please name:





Extra time helping a given teacher
  • please name:





Marks in exercise books




Stars in exercise books




Charts showing personal progress




Maintaining own chart




Display of chart on the wall




Earning points/tokens




Certificates for good effort/work/behaviour




After school leisure activities
  • please name:





Praise




Public Praise




Letters home praising the pupil




Parents visiting school to hear of progress




K) SOCIAL INTERACTION IN AND OUT OF CLASS LT AS MT NA NK
Positively greets peers




Positively greets staff




Opens doors for people




Walks in corridors




Shares sweets with peers




Shares possessions with peers




Makes realistic loans




Makes fair swaps




Returns peer's possessions without damage




Accepts denial without aggression/sulking




L) TEASING AND BULLYING LT AS MT NA NK
Copes with teasing/taunting




Jokes about taunts about himself




Avoids/ignores provocation




Asserts himself




Escapes from bullying without use of aggression




Defends himself with minimum force




Defends others from teasing/bullying




Able to recognize own needs




Perceives others' needs for help




Able to ask for help




Offers to help others




M) SHOWING FEELINGS LT AS MT NA NK
Shows when hurt or offended




Recognizes others' feeling of being hurt




Verbally or non-verbally shows being happy/sad/angry/frustrated/anxious




Recognizes another when happy/sad/angry/frustrated/anxious




Can verbally describe and explain when another is happy/sad/angry/frustrated/anxious




N) PLAY AND LEISURE ACTIVITIES LT AS MT NA NK
Shows leisure skills for use in breaks




Able to organize own play activities




Initiates play with others




Accepted in play with others




Joins in one to one play




Joins in group play




Able to perceive the rules of the game




Abides by the rules of the game




Leads peers in appropriate play




Appropriately follows group leader




Able to identify deviant leaders




Plays as a member of the team




Accepts losing




Shows compassion for the loser/s