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 National Qualifications Framework

Levels 7 & 8 Postgraduate/Masters

Levels 4 - 6 Undergraduate

Level 3 Advanced

Level 2 Intermediate

Level 1 Foundation

Entry Level

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

KS2 Framework

KS3 Framework

Specialist Vocational Personal 14+

11-14

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 2004UCLES: Pretesting programme & Pilot in French, German & Spanish at Breakthrough, Preliminary & Intermediate stages

• Autumn 2005National 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