Asset Languages for Further Education Teachers
Asset Languages provides an excellent vehicle for motivating learners. The emphasis is on giving credit for the skills the learner has acquired, rather than testing them on what they can memorise. The resulting grade awards and external qualifications demonstrate the learner's progress in languages and by rewarding what they can do, they are encouraged to move on to the next stage or grade.
Asset Languages qualifications are eligible for LSC funding. The external qualifications are on the National Qualifications Framework and the teacher assessments have class codes - details of both can be found on the LSC's Learning Aims Database. Whether funding is awarded in your area will depend on local LSC priorities.
Asset Languages at any level can be added for learners in Years 12 and 13 to provide accreditation and enhance other subject combinations, without the pressure of a whole additional 'course'.
An element of language learning would sit attractively with leisure, travel and tourism courses, with business and management or with general studies.
If a learner begins Asset Languages Breakthrough qualifications in school, the extensive reach of the ladder and the flexibility of Asset means they could continue to progress along the same scale right up to Mastery as an adult.
Alternatively, Asset Languages materials are produced in contextualised forms so new beginners can start with Breakthrough assessment designed for them.
For adults returning to learning for the first time since school, the classroom-based teacher assessment will help them to build confidence. The demand-led year round external assessment offers opportunities to gain a QCA recognised qualification for their efforts.
Asset Languages qualifications are being developed to offer recognition not only for languages achievements of those whose first language is English but also to provide recognition for the home or community language skills of children and adults who have English as an additional language.
Asset Languages is a proficiency scheme - it is not a particular programme of study.
To help teachers think about how Asset Languages would fit in with current classroom activity, we have produced a basic description of the language purpose and functions that are covered in the teacher assessment and the external tests for each language.
You can download the content descriptions for Breakthrough, Preliminary and Intermediate stages for the currently available languages from the Specifications page. The QCA formal specifications are also available there to download.
Below, you can also download the complete set of Can Do statements for the Breakthrough, Preliminary, Intermediate and Advanced Stages that form the DCSF Languages Ladder, against which Asset Languages assessments are measured.
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