Functional Skills

Functional Skills English: implications for teaching and learning

Functional English: An Introduction • Reading and writing are assessed as separate components • Speaking and listening are internally assessed and externally moderated • Realistic contexts are required • Examples provided in this presentation relate directly to student performances in June 2008 assessments

Speaking and Listening: Level 1 Students at Level 1 should be able to: • make relevant contributions to discussions, responding appropriately to others • prepare for and contribute to formal discussion of ideas and opinions • be flexible in discussion, making different kinds of contributions • present information/points of view clearly and in appropriate language in formal and informal exchanges and discussions

Speaking and Listening: Level 2 Students at Level 2 should be able to: • listen to complex information and give relevant, cogent response in appropriate language • present information and ideas clearly and persuasively to others • adapt contributions in discussions to suit audience, purpose and situation • make significant contributions to discussions, taking a range of roles and helping to move discussion forward to reach decisions in a wide range of contexts, including those that involve others who are unfamiliar

Speaking and Listening: June 2008Moderator feedback All students centre assessed and centres moderated on a rolling programme. General • all assessors need to know and understand the Functional English standards • where there is more than one assessor, internal moderation procedures should be in place • topics for discussions/presentations should be functional and engaging for the participants • for a student to be awarded a particular level, all the standards must be met at least once

Moderator feedback: Level 1 • tutor participation is often useful to stimulate and structure discussion, but care should be taken to allow/ensure full participation by each student • the focus is on interaction and exchange of ideas, so formal presentations are not required at Level 1

Moderator feedback: Level 2 • Teachers/tutors need to ensure that the topic suitable and students are prepared • The size of group should be sufficient to allow students to take a range of discursive roles • Candidates must be allowed sufficient opportunities to make a full contribution themselves • At least one assessment activity must include a degree of unfamiliarity.

Speaking and Listening: Assessment Activity • Watch the DVD • Discuss the application of the assessment criteria • Consider the kinds of tasks you could create in your centres to enable full assessment of the standards • Feedback

Reading - Level 1 Level 1 students should be able to: • identify the main points and ideas and how they are presented in different texts • understand texts in detail • read and understand texts and take appropriate action in a range of texts including reports, instructional, explanatory and persuasive texts, on paper and on screen.

Reading - Level 1: June 2008 Students at Level 1 were generally able to: • answer multiple choice questions correctly • identify key features of layout of text • answer extended responses well

Reading - Level 1: June 2008 To improve their performance, some students needed to: • base their answers on the texts, rather than using their own knowledge • use their own words as required in the instructions/rubric • avoid repeating answers to previous questions • avoid inventing evidence not present in the text

Reading - Level 1: Assessment Activity • Look at questions 5 and 6 • Using the mark scheme, discuss the marks that you think the following student answers should be awarded

Reading - Level 1: Question 5a Question: In your own words, identify three of the main ideas given in Text B. Student Answer: • Young people should eat calorie because they are hot power • To keep healthy we must eat balanced diet food • When eat, we must choose low fat

Reading - Level 1: Question 5c Question Give two reasons why, according to Text B, sugary or fatty foods should be avoided. Student Answer 1: • Because you should eat the amount of calories you burn off Student Answer 2: • because they contain few nutrients but they are high in calories • They can reduce appetites for healthier foods

Reading - Level 1: Question 6 Using the information in Text B, complete the grid below with two more entries in each column. The first entry has been completed for you already.

Writing - Level 1 Level 1, students should be able to: • write clearly and coherently including an appropriate level of detail • present information in a logical sequence • use language, format and structure suitable for purpose and audience • use correct grammar including subject verb agreement and correct and consistent use of tense • ensure written work includes accurate grammar, punctuation and spelling and that meaning is clear in a range of documents on paper and on screen.

Writing - Level 1: June 2008 Students were generally able to: • engage with the stimulus material and questions • complete both writing tasks • make a clear attempt to write according to purpose and audience

Writing - Level 1: June 2008 To improve their performance, some students needed to develop skills in the following areas: • uses of compound sentences, basic punctuation with general accuracy use of basic punctuation with general accuracy • correct spellings of commonly used words • correct spellings of words in the source material • correct subject-verb agreement • correct uses of capital letters • uses of paragraphing and other structural devices to aid clarity

Writing - Level 1: Assessment Activity • Look at the two student answers that follow • Using the mark schemes provided, discuss how you would award marks to the responses.

Writing - Level 1: Question 7 Student Answer: Well Jackie, my son too has diabetes, but what I find best is to let him have some of the food he wants, but still on a healthy based diet. you need some ingredients in food, because of the nutrients needed and the taste wouldn’t be as nice. As you say the tv adverts promote unhealthy foods is which because they want to make thier business better and more popular. All foods are not bad, all you need is a good balanced diet.

Writing - Level 1: Question 8 Student answer: I would like to see on the menu food and drink list Yes, I wouldn’t like to eat to much sugary or fatty food.

Writing - Level 1: Assessment Activity • Mark the paper • Discuss with others as you mark • Feedback your marks and discuss in small groups

Reading - Level 2 Level 2 students should be able to: • select and use different types of text to obtain relevant information • read and summarise succinctly information/ideas from different sources • identify thepurposes of texts and comment on how effectively meaning is conveyed • detect point of view, implicit meaning and/or bias • read and actively respond to different texts (for example, reply to each point in a letter of complaint) in a range of texts for different purposes, on paper and on screen.

Reading - Level 2: June 2008 More successful students were generally able to: • engage well with the source materials • interpret what was read using their own words • effectively comment on writer’s choice of words • answer part (d) of question 9 well • achieve high marks for questions related to Text B through careful reading

Reading - Level 2: June 2008 To improve their performance, some students needed to: • read texts with greater care • follow the rubric uses of compound sentences, basic punctuation with general accuracy • use their own words rather than direct quotations • focus more closely on the writer’s technique in part (c) of question 9 • use more detail and relevant points

Reading - Level 2: Assessment Activity • Look at the student answers that follow • Using the mark schemes provided, discuss how you would award marks to the responses.

Reading - Level 2: Question 9a Student Answer • Basically channels are they’re as a marketing strategy • Its more suitable to have fewer channels that you watch rather than more channels that would create lack of interest among viewers • Having less channels would be beneficial to other in entertainment act

Reading - Level 2: question 9b Student Answer Sam G is trying to state that companies are at liberty to do what they like that they shouldn’t be second guessed that they should allow more channels because you don’t know whether it would be a success or not you don’t know until you’ve tried.

Reading - Level 2: Question 9c Student Answer Alex 60’s contribution is very effective. Instead of going into great detail about things, he tells the audience how it is. Its like he is saying what everybody else wants to say. He also uses humour to make the contribution effective as it makes the reader carry on. An example of this is ‘scratched – up argos returns.’

Reading - Level 2: Question 9d Student Answer Sam G RE: I quite agree with what you stated in your statement “you don’t know until you’ve tried”. However in the field of media entertainment you have to have your goals you need to know where your heading. Apart from that there are major chances other sacrifices you have to make in order to open/launch a channel, it may not be a success for the people as getting your channel (s) made known on its own is a big risk.

Writing - Level 2 Level 2 students should be able to: • present information/ideas concisely, logically and persuasively • present information on complex subjects concisely and clearly • use a range of different styles of writing for different purposes • use a range of sentence structures, including complex sentences • punctuate accurately using commas, apostrophes and inverted commas • ensure written work has accurate grammar, punctuation and spelling and that meaning is clear in a wide range of documents on paper and on screen.

Writing - Level 2: June 2008 Students were generally able to: • use complex sentences • show competence at spelling Some students were able to form eloquent and thoughtfully worded responses

Writing - Level 2: June 2008 To improve their performance, some students needed to: • make effective use of complex sentences • spell with greater accuracy • use paragraphing and other structural devices • use apostrophes and capital letters correctly • use appropriate format for writing a letter • use appropriate tone and language

Writing - Level 2: Assessment Activity • Look at the student answers • Discuss: • What features of each response would place this in Level 2. • What needs to be developed for the student to move into/stay in Level 2?

Writing - Level 2: Question 10 Student answer 1 Mr Smith, I am afraid that this is the case. Fortunately, there are many advantages when you buy these things. For example the quality of your picture will be better. You will have more programmes to choose from. You don’t necesserily have to watch the tele you can also listen to the radio and you can still record coronation Street. Don’t stress about this too much. It’s a step that everybody has to take at some point.

Writing - Level 2: Question 10 Student answer 2 No that isn’t true you will be able to record Coronation Street on your VCR, however you must leave it on the Channel that Coronation Street is on because after the switch over you will only be able to record the programme that you are viewing. So if you want to go out, the only way to record is to leave your TV on Coronation Street while the VCR record’s it. However you may need to purchase a new TV if it doesn’t pick up digital signals, if you TV doesn’t contain a SCART socket you won’t be able to receive digital signals, a way round this problem if you don’t want to purchase a new T.V. is to buy a freeview box to enable the digital signals.

Writing - Level 2: Question 11 Student answer 1 (extract) Manager, I am very disappointed at the fact that your products did not carry the digital ready sticker. I had to keep asking all the members of your staff to inform me on whether your products were digital ready or not. I could have wasted a lot of my money because of that. Sort this problem out as soon as possible… You may even lose customers because of this. I hope you tackle this dilemma shortly. Thank you, xxxxxxxxxxx

Writing - Level 2: Question 11 Student answer 2 (extract) (Note: address appropriately supplied) Dear Sir/Madame, I am writing to you today of my concerns about some products which you are selling in your store. As recently you have heard about the digital change over and they would mean that all tv’s and VCR’s would have to be changed to enable us to receive a digital signal… As a regular customer I believe this problem should be sorted out immediately or I will be forced to take actions myself. I really hope that you will take my letter into consideration and hope to hear from you soon about the changes you wish to take. Many thanks, Yours sincerely,

Writing - Level 2: Assessment Activity • Mark the paper • Discuss with others as you mark • Feedback your marks and discuss in small groups

Conclusion: Key points For Speaking and Listening students should: • adopt appropriate tone • respond to context appropriately • listen to and show respect for the views of others

Conclusion: Key points For Reading, students should: • read texts and questions carefully • only provide answers based directly on the texts unless asked to do otherwise

Conclusion: Key points For Writing, students should approach writing in a functional way, ensuring that language is adapted to be fit for purpose. Technical accuracy is sustained throughout.

Conclusion: Key points Remember: Students will need to pass reading, writing and speaking and listening as three separate components in order to gain the level.

Functional Skills