The 30 hours of orientation: a practical guide for teachers

The 30 hours of orientation are the annual hours that, under the ministry guidelines, schools dedicate to student orientation. On paper it is clear. In practice, whoever has to plan them often ends up with a lot of regulation and few ready-made materials. This page tries to fill that gap.

What the 30 hours are

They are hours dedicated, during the school year, to activities that help students get to know themselves and find their bearings in their choices. They can be curricular or extracurricular depending on the level. The goal is not just to inform, but to make the student reflect on their own path.

Are they compulsory?

Yes. The 30 hours are set out by the orientation guidelines introduced by the Ministry. For schools they are a structured commitment, not an optional activity left to the goodwill of the individual.

E-Portfolio and tutor

Two central tools. The E-Portfolio gathers the student's path: skills, experiences, reflections. The orientation tutor is the teacher who accompanies a group of students and looks after the E-Portfolio itself. Together they give continuity to work that would otherwise risk staying fragmented.

How to plan the activities (with UDA)

The most effective way is to structure the hours into Learning Units (UDA): clear objectives, activities, a final product, assessment. A good orientation UDA alternates moments of self-analysis, knowledge of the tracks and discussion. Avoid the pure lecture: in orientation it bores and leaves no trace.

Worksheets and materials

Ready-to-use classroom worksheets and adaptable UDA templates are in preparation: designed to save you preparation hours and get you into the classroom with something concrete.

Frequently asked questions

Are the 30 hours of orientation compulsory?
Yes, they are set out by the ministry orientation guidelines and are part of the schools' structured commitments.

How do you plan the orientation activities?
By structuring them into UDA units with objectives, hands-on activities and a final product, alternating self-analysis, knowledge of the tracks and discussion.

Resources for your school

Besides the worksheets, you can offer your students the orientation test as a self-analysis activity. And dig deeper into the big picture in the guide to school orientation.