This document outlines an agenda and learning outcomes for a session on raising achievement in Functional Skills English. The session aims to help participants identify English skills needed for vocational courses, teaching activities to develop these skills, and ways to assess reading and speaking/listening using vocational texts and contexts. Activities include identifying important skills, analyzing how skills are used in coursework, discussing challenges, and reviewing sample assessment materials to find text and topic examples for formative assessment. The goal is to support participants in effectively delivering Functional Skills English to meet learner needs.
2. • To explore strategies for embedding Functional Skills
development at level 1 and identify activities for teaching
and assessment
Aim
3. By the end of this session participants will have:
• Identified English skills needed for your learners in
achieving their vocational courses
• Identified teaching/learning activities that will support
their development of English skills
• Reviewed the Edexcel SAM for reading and identified
appropriate vocational texts for formative assessment
• Reviewed the Edexcel SAM for SLC and identified
appropriate contexts for assessment
• Reviewed the BKSB workbook material and identified
strategies for use
Learning outcomes
5. Use the flip chart sheet and the post-it notes on your table
to:
•Put down your thoughts about Functional Skills (each one
on a separate post-it)
•Identify what you would like to know about Functional
Skills (each one on a separate post-it)
What do we feel about Functional Skills?
6. Thinking about skills – Diamond 9 Activity
• what skills they’ll need to be successful in
employment
• what skills they’ll need to progress to Higher
Education
This activity focuses on the skills that you think are
essential for a learner to be able to successfully engage
with your subject. Discuss in your group, thinking about:
Use the post-it notes to record each skill you come up
with. Then discuss and order them on the Diamond 9
grid.
7. A step further
Now you’ve identified the skills that are needed, let’s have
a closer look at where these fit with the vocational context
• Take an example of a piece of coursework or
assignment that your learners have to complete on their
vocational course
• Break the assignment down into the steps the learner
will need to follow to complete it successfully
• Now identify which of the skills on your diamond 9 are
needed for each stage. Can you be confident these
skills are in place for each learner? If they’re not how
will they develop them so they can achieve better
results vocationally?
8. Supporting delivery of the skills
• Which aspects of using English skills do your learners
find most challenging?
• Which aspects of supporting the delivery of English
skills development do you find most challenging?
• Record on your action plan issues where you need
further support or you need to find resources.
Discuss in your groups:
10. English assessment
• Three components, which are separately certificated.
So learners can take each component when they’re
ready. Can also take at different levels
• Speaking, listening and communication (SLC) is
internally assessed at all levels and you can set the
context of the assessments
• The Reading component has a mixture of fixed
response and open response questions – not just MCQ
11. In pairs or threes look at the SAM for reading and use the
activity sheet to record your thoughts.
Focus on the type and level of the texts in the assessment
and identify examples of vocational texts you use that are
similar. What stimulus material could you use to help
learners develop the skills?
SAMs - Reading
12. In pairs or threes look at the guidance for the SLC
assessments.
Identify and agree at least two topics that you
could use for your context.
Identify what skills you need to work on with
learners to ensure they meet the standard. What
activities could you use with your learner groups?
Add ideas to the grafitti wall.
SAMs – Speaking Listening and Communication
13. • Let’s go back to the post-its you wrote this morning
• Are there any questions we haven’t addressed?
• Do you feel any differently about Functional Skills than
you did first thing this morning?
Your issues
14. Please fill in an evaluation form before you leave
Thank you
Evaluation
Notas do Editor
Intro:
This session will focus on identifying skills we need to support etc. Julie’s session will focus on E level and writing. I’ll focus on L1 and reading. We’ll both look at SLC
Not much about the standards – more about strategies for teaching and learning and understanding the assessment process
Explain Grafitti wall for ‘light-bulb’ moments and for sharing ideas and good practice.
Also charts to compile thoughts on the challenges – probably find everyone has the same or similar issues. ?????
Gather one for each from each table. Put charts on the wall for later reference.
You can focus specifically on English skills and/or you can include wider generic skills as well as we’ll explore the links between those and English.
Refer to Julie’s problem-solving approach here. If AM session will look closely at problem-solving approach to building skills this pm which will help you. If PM – you’ve looked at problem-solving approaches and you can apply it here in breaking down the stages of the assignment.
Use the template to help you
Use your action plan to record which areas you feel you need more support in or where you need to look for resources to help you.
Now that all three components are certificated separately you have the opportunity to stretch learners.
e.g. if good oral skills they can take SLC at level 2 and reading and writing at level 1 : will give them a full level 1 cert and perhaps motivate them to develop further to get full level 2 as already have SLC.
The tests are mixture of open response and fixed response in reading so ‘reading for meaning’ and understanding ‘purpose and audience’ are essential as they can’t rely on guessing the answers!
Use this opportunity to agree your SLC assessments - you can agree the outline and note who’s going to take it forward.
Good ideas for activities to develop the skills – put on the wall.
