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Assessment issues in MFL in secondary schools: current situation and new developments – The Languages Ladder Steps to Success™. Kate Green, Project Director, The Languages Ladder. Assessment arrangements. Pupils are formally assessed in core subjects at ages 7,11 & 14
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Assessment issues in MFL in secondary schools:current situation and new developments – The Languages Ladder Steps to Success™ Kate Green, Project Director, The Languages Ladder
Assessment arrangements • Pupils are formally assessed in core subjects at ages 7,11 & 14 • Attainment in wider range of subjects is reported at age 14 (teacher-assessed) • Pupils take a suite of national qualifications at age 16 (GCSE/ Applied GCSE) • Pupils choose a smaller range of specialist subjects post-16 (GCE/AVCE) or follow a specialist vocational course (BTEC National)
The School Curriculum • There is a core programme from 5 – 14; the study of a foreign language – usually French, German or Spanish is compulsory from 11 -14 • In the UK about 40% of primary school pupils have some experience of learning a language • From 2004, for the 14 – 16 phase students have a wider choice of subjects - there is entitlement to a course in Arts, Humanities, Modern Foreign Languages & Technology
MFL assessment ks3: teacher-assessed level, combining assessments of Listening, Speaking, Reading & Writing ks4 : GCSE – externally assessed - 25% for each of the 4 skills, either Speaking or Writing may be internally assessed & then externally moderated ks5: GCE AS/A – 6 units (3+3) externally assessed, covers all 4 skills but some papers may be combined skills
The National Languages Strategy: Languages for All: Languages for Life • Lifelong skill • To be used for business and pleasure • Open avenues of communication and exploration • Instil broader cultural understanding An essential part of being a citizen
Languages for All: Languages for Life Three overarching objectives: • To improve teaching and learning of languages • To introduce a recognition system • To increase the numbers of people studying languages
The Primary Entitlement ‘Every child should have the opportunity throughout key stage 2 to study a foreign language ….. By age 11 they should have the opportunity to reach a recognised level of competence on the Common European Framework and for that achievement to be recognised through a national scheme.’ National Languages Strategy
A new paradigm Specialist Vocational Personal 14+ KS3Framework 11-14 KS2Framework 7-11
The Languages Ladder is • The National Recognition Scheme for Languages • One of the three overarching aims of The National Languages Strategy • Designed to endorse achievement in language skills at all levels of competence for all ages in a wide range of languages
‘The Languages LadderSteps to Success’ ™ Made up of 6 stages: Breakthrough grades 1 - 3 (Entry level) Preliminary grades 4 - 6 (Level 1) Intermediate grades 7 - 9 (Level 2) Advanced grades 10 – 12 (Level 3) Proficiency grades 13 – 15 (Levels 4 – 6) Mastery grades 16 & 17 (Levels 7 & 8)
‘The Languages LadderSteps to Success’ ™ principles • Cando descriptors for each skill at each grade • Assessment of individual language skills • Assessment available when the learner is ready • Assessment as an endorsement of achievement not as an end of course ‘hurdle’
‘The Languages LadderSteps to Success’ ™ assessment models: • Using The Languages Ladder cando statements for formative, self & peer assessment Success criteria, no accreditation outcome
‘The Languages LadderSteps to Success’ ™ assessment models: • Using the teacher-assessed model which leads to a UCLES Grade Award for any skill at any grade Accredited ‘national’ certification through an awarding body, not NQF qualification
‘The Languages LadderSteps to Success’ ™ assessment models: • Using the UCLES ‘Asset Languages’ external tests which lead to a NQF qualification, available at each stage, in all 4 language skills External qualification within the NQF with performance table points
Timetable for development • Autumn 2004 UCLES: Pretesting programme & Pilot in French, German & Spanishat Breakthrough, Preliminary & Intermediate stages • Autumn 2005 National rollout at first 3 stages in 8 initial languages : French, German, Italian, Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, Panjabi & Urdu
Timetable for development Autumn 2006 Additional languages within the first 3 stages - likely to be: Arabic, Bengali, Gaeilge/Irish, Gujarati, Hindi, Modern Greek, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Somali, Swedish, Tamil, Turkish, Welsh and Yoruba. Advanced (stage 4) to be available in at least 3 pilot languages
Timetable for development • Autumn 2007 Advanced (stage 4) available in wider range of languages & additional languages available at stages 1 – 3 • Autumn 2008 Development of Proficiency & Mastery (stages 5 & 6) & capacity for additional languages to be added at previous stages.
‘The Languages LadderSteps to Success’ ™ contact:kate.green@dfes.gsi.gov.uk www.dfes.gov.uk/languages