Asset Languages for Primary Teachers
If you are looking for a structure for developing languages learning at KS2, Asset Languages can help. Working towards the Primary Language Entitlement Asset provides a useful framework to help measure language progression.
Based on the Can Do statements of the DCSF' Languages Ladder, Asset Languages is an assessment scheme which rewards learners for their achievements in very small steps, one skill at a time.
Teacher assessment materials demonstrate a progress path for pupils and can be adapted to encourage cross-curricula links; your learners gain certificates and grow in confidence and motivation.
You can also support primary to secondary transition with external assessments which lead to nationally recognised OCR qualifications.
Asset Languages material for teacher assessment and external assessment is produced specifically for the Primary context in some languages and stages.
If your primary school is thinking about offering languages, our colleagues at the National Advisory Centre on Early Language Learning have created a very useful Frequently Asked Questions document, which you can download from their website (direct link to .pdf file here).
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.
To help you get started, a Teacher Assessment Pack would be a useful item to purchase (To purchase a pack please click here for the catalogue). This pack provides in class tasks for you to do with your learners in each of the 4 skills. Sample Teacher Assesment tasks can be viewed by clicking here. On completion of the tasks Grade Award certificates can be bought to reward and motivate your students for their language skills. To buy these certificates we do ask that one teacher in the centre completes the Accredited Teacher Training which is provided as self study material in the Teacher Assessment Pack.
Asset provides a recognised framework for measuring learners' language proficiency as they move between KS2 and KS3. Using either Teacher Assessment to provide an informal guide or External Assessment which provides a nationally recognised qualification students progress can be monitores as they move between schools and enable their secondary school to guage their language skills. To find out more about Asset at Transition please see the Transition flyer below which provides case studies as to how schools have used Asset at Transition.
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