Version 1.0 Entry Level Certificate Specification Adult Literacy 5994, 5995, 5996 Our specification is published every year on our website (http://www.aqa.org.uk) We will let centres know in writing about any changes to the specification We will also publish changes on our website The definitive version of our specification will always be the one on our website, this may differ from printed versions You can get further copies of this specification from: AQA Logistics Centre (Manchester) Unit Wheel Forge Way Ashburton Park Trafford Park Manchester M17 1EH Or, you can download a copy from our website (www.aqa.org.uk) Copyright © 2011 AQA and its licensors All rights reserved AQA retains the copyright on all its publications, including the specifications However, registered centres for AQA are permitted to copy material from this specification booklet for their own internal use The Assessment and Qualifications Alliance (AQA), is a company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales (company number 3644723), and a registered charity (registered charity number 1073334) Registered address: AQA Devas Street Manchester M15 6EX ELC Adult Literacy for certification from September 2011 Contents Introduction 1a Why choose AQA? 1b Why choose Entry Level Adult Literacy? 1c How I start using this specification? 1d How can I find out more? Specification at a Glance Subject Content 3a Rationale 3b Skills Standards and Coverage Scheme of Assessment 13 4a Aims 13 4b Assessment Objectives 13 4c National Criteria 14 4d Prior Level of Attainment and Recommended Prior Learning 14 4e Equality, access and inclusion 15 4f Progression 15 Administration 16 5a Availability of test papers and certification 16 5b Entries 16 5c Private learners 16 5d Access arrangements, reasonable adjustments and special consideration 16 5e Examination language 17 5f Qualification titles 17 5g Certification and reporting results 17 5h Re-sits 17 5i Malpractice 17 Appendices 18 A Grade descriptions 18 B Spiritual, moral, ethical, social, legislative, sustainable development, economic and cultural issues, and health and safety considerations 18 C Qualification Number 18 D Miscellaneous words from social sight vocabulary 19 E Important words in learning to read (from the Dolch list) 19 ELC Adult Literacy for certification from September 2011 1 Introduction Introduction The Entry Level Certificate in Adult Literacy is aimed at establishing and consolidating the underpinning technical skills required to enable adults to communicate effectively and with confidence The Entry Level Certificate provides a grounding in the essential skills of grammar, punctuation and spelling within the practical application of contextualised, adult-friendly themed tasks The Certificate is particularly useful to learners with literacy difficulties, particularly dyslexia The qualification offers skills on a word level basis and provides learners with the skills to decode words and to develop good spelling strategies using phonic and graphic knowledge The Certificate offers coherent and consistent development across Entry Level Speaking and Listening, Reading and Writing and progresses on to Level and Level Functional Skills in English Summative assessment in this award covers the range of skills required by adults to participate in community life and to gain transferable skills to use in all facets of work, leisure and family life A main strength of this specification is the flexibility of assessment Test papers and certification are available throughout the year and are available when learners are ready to be tested 1a Why choose AQA? We are proud to be one of the United Kingdom’s largest awarding bodies with 3.5 million learners sitting their examinations with us in any given year As an independent registered educational charity, we invest all our income in the running of our examinations and in research and development to improve our qualifications and services We focus on promoting education for the benefit of the public, drawing on years of experience of setting and marking public exams We don’t aim to profit from education, we want you to We are committed to delivering a straightforward and simple teaching experience, in a manageable timescale Why choose AQA’s Entry Level Qualifications? We work closely with teachers to make sure the introduction of a new qualification is straightforward, providing free resources to help them get ready to teach, and ongoing support throughout the life of the qualifications We refine and develop qualifications which • • • • • can help learners to achieve their full potential are relevant to today’s challenges are manageable for schools and colleges facilitate progression are affordable and value for money Other benefits of choosing our qualifications include • access to subject departments • training for teachers, including practical teaching strategies and methods, presented by senior examiners • 24 hour support through our website and Ask AQA – an on-line searchable bank of frequently asked questions • a wide range of printed and electronic resources We are an educational charity focused on the needs of the learner All our income is spent on improving the quality of our specifications, examinations and support services If you are already a customer we thank you for your support If you are thinking of joining us we look forward to welcoming you ELC Adult Literacy for certification from September 2011 1b Why choose Entry Level Adult Literacy? The Entry Level Certificate in Adult Literacy is tailor-made to meet the specific learning requirements of adult learners As the award has emphasis on establishing literacy skills from a word and sentence focus approach, skills gaps identified within individual learners can be targeted and addressed for a more effective learning outcome The award is aimed specifically at adults and has been written to reflect when, where and how learning takes place by creating familiar scenarios in order to build confidence in the learner and to enable the transfer of acquired skills in real-life situations The Entry Level Certificate provides a comprehensive and thorough grounding in literacy skills to enable learners to feel confident in their understanding and practical application of basic grammar, punctuation and spelling The acquisition of these basic skills is an essential stepping stone towards achieving the more complex demands of functional skills courses One of the main strengths of this specification is the flexibility of assessment Test papers and certification are available throughout the year, on-demand, and are available when learners are ready to be tested The current Entry Level Certificate in Adult Literacy has been a popular award with teachers and learners as it provides comprehensive cover of the skills needed by adults in an easily accessed format The Entry Level Certificate provides a flexible approach to assessment and this means that it can be taken when teacher and learner agree that it is the appropriate time The new specification provides continuity with the current specification and maintains the skills focus whilst incorporating real-life situations representative of the variety of environments in which adults learn Although any AQA registered centre can offer this popular qualification, its use has been very effective in assessing learners’ progress on literacy courses currently available in • • • • • 1c Adult Education Colleges Special schools and Pupil Referral Units Young Offenders’ Institutions Further Education Colleges and Mainstream schools How I start using this specification? • • You must register as a centre with AQA before entering learners for these on-demand tests You can hold tests on a date convenient to you, provided that test papers are ordered at least four weeks in advance • Test papers must be ordered using the on-demand order form This form can be downloaded from our website (http://store.aqa.org.uk/qual/pdf/AQA-5994-5996-W-ORDER.PDF) • If your centre has not used AQA for any examinations in the past, please contact our centre approval team at centreapproval@aqa.org.uk 1d How can I find out more? You can choose to find out more about this specification or the services that AQA offer in a number of ways Ask AQA You have 24-hour access to useful information and answers to the most commonly asked questions at www.aqa.org.uk/askaqa.php If the answer to your question is not available, you can submit a query through Ask AQA for our team We will respond within working days Speak to your subject team You can talk directly to the ELC Adult Literacy subject team about this specification either by emailing ondemand2@aqa.org.uk or by calling 01483 477837, 01483 477843, 01483 556100 or 01483 556101 Latest information online You can find out more including the latest news, how to register for support and downloadable resources on our website at www.aqa.org.uk ELC Adult Literacy for certification from September 2011 2 Specification at a Glance Specification at a Glance Entry : Adult Literacy (Code 5994) Scheme of Assessment Assessment Structure The Scheme of Assessment for Entry comprises two papers They assess the National standards for adult literacy Paper - Speaking and Listening 40% of total marks Part A - Speaking (centre-assessed) 5-10 minutes Part B - Listening (externally-assessed written paper) 20 minutes Assessment will comprise written papers and speaking exercises based on the subject content for Entry Paper - Reading and Writing (externally-assessed written paper) 60% of total marks hour Entry : Adult Literacy (Code 5995) Scheme of Assessment Assessment Structure The Scheme of Assessment for Entry comprises two papers They assess the National standards for adult literacy Paper - Speaking and Listening 40% of total marks Part A - Speaking (centre-assessed) 5-10 minutes Part B - Listening (externally-assessed written paper) 25 minutes Assessment will comprise written papers and speaking exercises based on the subject content for Entry Paper - Reading and Writing (externally-assessed written paper) 60% of total marks hour Entry : Adult Literacy (Code 5996) Scheme of Assessment Assessment Structure The Scheme of Assessment for Entry comprises two papers They assess the National standards for adult literacy Paper - Speaking and Listening 40% of total marks Part A - Speaking (centre-assessed) 5-10 minutes Part B - Listening (externally-assessed written paper) 30 minutes Assessment will comprise written papers and speaking exercises based on the subject content for Entry Paper - Reading and Writing (externally-assessed written paper) 60% of total marks hour ELC Adult Literacy for certification from September 2011 3 Subject Content Subject Content The delivery of subject content can be facilitated using a variety of methods and contexts Learning in practical situations should be encouraged; in particular opportunities for group work (eg role-play) and individual work outside the classroom can be explored However, each adult is different and in real life contexts and situations the range of skills required may vary It is recognised that not all of these examples will be relevant to each individual’s experience, interests and aspirations For this important reason, the guidance and examples given should not be seen as definitive or prescriptive of how, when or where skills should be developed, practised or applied It is suggested that 40-50 guided learning hours should be provided for Entry and 50-60 guided learning hours for Entry and Entry More detailed information on the coverage and range of the Adult Literacy Core Curriculum can be found on the Excellence Gateway website 3a Rationale This specification has been designed to build on work undertaken at school, college or work-based training, for use by adult learners The specification has been developed with reference to the National standards for adult literacy It is designed to record learners’ achievement at each of the three levels The on-demand nature of the tests allows recognition of achievement at a time that is appropriate to learners The skills of spoken communication, reading and writing play a fundamental part in adult life Effective communication skills support independent living and broaden the choices and opportunities available to individuals The examples listed in this specification broadly indicate the types of context and situation where adults with skills at this level will be able to use them efficiently At each level, adults can apply their literacy skills effectively in contexts and situations that are familiar to them Study of literacy, through this specification, develops the role that literacy plays in everyday life, in the community, at work, during leisure time, in education and training and using ICT ELC Adult Literacy for certification from September 2011 3b Skills Standards and Coverage Entry Skills standards Assessment weighting Listen and respond • listen for the gist of short explanations • listen for detail using key words to extract some specific information • follow single-step instructions in a familiar context, asking for instructions to be repeated if necessary – practise listening to single-step instructions – how to: turn on a PC, photocopy a paper, call the lift, etc Learners demonstrate their understanding by carrying out the task • listen and respond to requests for personal information 10% Speak to communicate • • • • speak clearly to be heard and understood in simple exchanges make requests using appropriate terms ask questions to obtain specific information make statements of fact clearly 10% • • speak and listen in simple exchanges and everyday contexts understand that non-verbal signals as well as spoken language contribute to communication between people - observe non-verbal communication, eg body language, facial expressions, gestures, eye contact Discuss what they convey, eg lack of interest, attentiveness, amusement 10% Engage in discussion Coverage and Range Read and understand • follow a short narrative on a familiar topic or experience • recognise the different purposes of texts at this level 20% Read and obtain information • possess a limited, meaningful sight vocabulary of words, signs and symbols - social sight vocabulary (see Appendix C) key words from Dolch list (see Appendix D) • decode simple, regular words - recognise phoneme-grapheme correspondence in: initial, consonant letter sounds; short vowel sounds; initial consonant clusters, final consonant clusters • recognise the letters of the alphabet in both upper and lower case 20% ELC Adult Literacy for certification from September 2011 • • • • • • • • Write to communicate • • • • • • • use written words and phrases to record or present information construct a simple sentence punctuate a simple sentence with a capital letter and full stop use a capital letter for personal pronoun ‘I’ spell correctly some personal key words and familiar words write the letters of the alphabet using upper and lower case use basic sound-symbol association to help spelling, as appropriate to the needs of the learner recognise all initial consonant and short vowel sounds in speech and writing recognise consonant digraphs – sh, ch, th identify and write correct initial letters in response to the letter sound, word, object or picture recognise and name each letter of the alphabet and be aware of alphabetical order discriminate, write and read middle (short vowel) sounds in simple words: - a(hat), e(bet), i(lit), o (not), u(mug) read and spell words ending in ck, ff, ll, ss, ng discriminate, blend and spell initial consonant clusters taken as needed from the following list: bl, br, cl, cr, dr, dw, fl, fr, gl, gr, pl, pr, sc, scr, sk, sl, sm, sn, sp, spl, spr, squ, st, str, sw, tw, tr, thr, shr discriminate, blend and spell common end clusters, taken as needed from the following list: ld, nd, lk, nk, sk, lp, mp,sp, ct, ft, lt, nt, pt, st, xt, lf, nch, lth 30% ELC Adult Literacy for certification from September 2011 Entry Skills standards Listen and respond Speak to communicate Coverage and Range • listen for and follow the gist of short explanations, instructions and narratives • listen for detailed short explanations, instructions and narratives • listen for and identify the main points of short explanations or presentations • listen to and follow short, straightforward explanations and instructions • listen to and identify simply expressed feelings and opinions, ie recognise familiar language used to express positive and negative feelings and opinions, eg I feel…, I like/don’t like…, I think that…, I believe that…, understand that non-verbal communication can help, to indicate a speaker’s feelings and opinions (eg gesture, facial expression, sigh) 10% • speak clearly to be heard and understood in straightforward exchanges • make requests and ask questions to obtain information in everyday contexts, ie understand that questions need to be framed so as to suit the context and the nature of the information sought, know and use various politeness forms appropriate to the context to obtain information from others, obtain some straightforward information, eg from their line manager on how to book holiday dates, from a travel adviser about a particular holiday • respond to straightforward questions • express clearly statements of fact and short accounts and descriptions • ask questions to clarify understanding 10% • • Engage in discussion Read and understand Assessment weighting follow the gist of discussions follow the main points and make appropriate contributions to the discussion, ie follow the main points in a class discussion and make a relevant contribution, follow a discussion in class between the teacher and the group, understand the conclusions reached and act on them if necessary • trace and understand the main events of chronological and instruction texts, ie follow a simple set of instructions in labelled pictures • sequence a set of instructions in picture form • recognise the different purposes of texts at this level • identify common sources of information • use illustrations and captions to locate information • read and understand linking words and adverbials in instructions and directions, eg next, then, right, straight on, ie use the information in adverbials and linking words to help follow a sequence of written instructions or directions • read and understand words on forms related to personal information, eg first name, surname, postcode, date of birth • use knowledge of simple sentence structure and word order to help decipher unfamiliar words and predict meaning, ie make general sense of a simple continuous text written in sentences, encountered in daily life, even if they are not able to read every word 10% 20% ELC Adult Literacy for certification from September 2011 • • • • • • • Read and obtain information Write to communicate recognise high frequency words and words with common spelling patterns social sight vocabulary for written signs high frequency words from Dolch list months of the year use phonic and graphic knowledge to decode words read a simple text, using appropriate strategies to attempt every word read words with common spelling patterns for long vowel phonemes: ee (feet), ea (seat), a-e (name), ay (play), (train), ie (lie), i-e (bite), igh (high), y (fly), oa (boat), o-e (pole), ow (show), oo (moon), u-e (tune), ew (flew), ue (blue) • read words with common spelling patterns for vowel phonemes: oo-u (pull), oo (good), ar-ar (car), oy-oi (boil), oy (boy), ow-ow (cow), ou (sound) • use a simplified dictionary to find the meaning of words • use initial letters to find and sequence words in alphabetical order 20% • use written words and phrases to record or present information • construct a simple sentence • punctuate simple and compound sentences, using common conjunctions to connect two clauses, eg as, and, but, or – learners need to develop their knowledge of conjunctions and other connectives to avoid repetition, for example through overuse of and, then, next in chronological writing They also need to understand the use of conjunctions and other connectives in developing arguments, eg if…then; so; finally • use adjectives understand that adjectives extend the information in sentences by providing some detail about the noun understand that adjectives help the writer to describe people, feelings, places, situations, objects in more detail - understand that the choice of adjectives can often convey a writer’s attitude - know and use the term adjective • use punctuation correctly, eg capital letters, full stops and question marks • use a capital letter for proper nouns • spell correctly the majority of personal details and familiar common words - extend accurate spelling of personal key words and familiar words when writing for their family, friends, workmates (in messages, notes, e-mails) - the names of family members, friends, workmates, local places - Dolch list - the months of the year - numbers up to 20 • produce legible text • learners need to be taught to form letters, both lower and upper case and how to join letters • handwriting practice can be combined initially with spelling • use their knowledge of sound-symbol relationships and phonological patterns (eg consonant clusters and vowel phonemes) to help work out correct spellings, as appropriate for the needs of the learner • discriminate, spell and read the common spelling patterns for the long vowel phonemes: ee, ai, ie, oa, oo • discriminate, spell and read the common spelling patterns for the vowel phonemes: oo, ar, oy, ow • discriminate, spell and read the common spelling patterns for the vowel phonemes: air, or, er • discriminate, spell and read the common spelling patterns for the vowel phonemes: ear, ea 30% ELC Adult Literacy for certification from September 2011 Entry Skills standards Coverage and Range Assessment weighting • listen for and follow the gist of explanations, instructions and narratives in different contexts • listen for detail in explanations, instructions and narratives in different contexts • listen for and identify relevant information and new information from discussions, explanations and presentations • use strategies to clarify and confirm understanding, eg facial expressions or gestures • understand that a listener can signal response to a speaker using visual and verbal signals depending on context • know and use some feedback signals to check understanding when listening face to face • listen to and respond appropriately to other points of view • listen to opposing viewpoints and make own contribution using the appropriate meeting conventions 10% Speak to communicate • speak clearly to be heard and understood using appropriate clarity, speed and phrasing • use formal language and register when appropriate • respond to a range of questions about familiar topics • express clearly statements of fact and give short explanations, accounts and descriptions • make requests and ask questions to obtain information in familiar and unfamiliar contexts 10% Engage in discussion • • • 10% Listen and respond follow and understand the main points of discussions on different topics make contributions to discussions that are relevant to the subject respect the turn-taking rights of others during discussions • Read and understand 10 trace and understand the main events of chronological, continuous, descriptive and explanatory texts of more than one paragraph • recognise the different purposes of texts at this level • recognise and understand the organisational features and typical language of instructional texts, eg use of imperatives and second person • understand that instructional texts have particular language features and be able to recognise them • understand that their own knowledge of these features can be applied to help gain meaning from other instructional texts • know and use the term ‘verb’ and understand its importance as an essential feature of a sentence which conveys the action • understand that verbs also convey time in a sentence, eg past, present, future • identify the main points and ideas and predict words from context 20% ELC Adult Literacy for certification from September 2011 Read and understand Read and obtain information • recognise and understand relevant specialist key words understand that some words are more important than others in particular contexts know that key specialist words are relevant, eg at work, specific to a job, health understand that knowledge of word origins, shared roots, word structure (eg suffixes and prefixes) can help with reading some key specialist words • read and understand words and phrases commonly used on forms • use a variety of reading strategies to help decode an increasing range of unfamiliar words read common words with silent letters, eg gnash, knee, debt, receipt, write, wrist read words with common prefixes, eg un-, did-, mis-, and suffixes eg –ness, -less, -ly, -ful read and relate words with the same root, eg hope/hopeful/hopeless/ hopefully read common compound words, eg underneath, airport, whiteboard read an advertisement for a service in a directory, be able to decode some unfamiliar words and decide which company to choose • understand and use organisational features to locate information, eg contents, index, menus • skim-read title, headings and illustrations to decide if material is of interest • scan texts to locate information • obtain specific information through detailed reading • relate an image to print and use it to obtain meaning • use a dictionary to find the meaning of unfamiliar words • use first and second place letters to find and sequence words in alphabetical order • use implicit and explicit knowledge of different types of word (eg linking words [connectives], nouns, verbs, adjectives), of word order and of possible plausible meanings, to help decode unfamiliar words and predict meaning understand that grammatical patterns, word order, types of word and meanings are inter-related and that only certain types of words and certain meanings will make sense in any particular place in a sentence 20% • • • • • Write to communicate plan and draft writing organise writing in short paragraphs sequence chronological writing write in complete sentences use correct basic grammar, eg appropriate verb tense, subject-verb agreement • use punctuation correctly, eg capital letters, full stops, question marks, exclamation marks • Explicit knowledge of verb tenses pronouns use of conjunctions to link parts of sentences how paragraphs can be linked the grammatical characteristics of different types of text knowledge that there are patterns that can be studied, modelled and learnt 30% 11 ELC Adult Literacy for certification from September 2011 Write to Communicate 12 • use a capital letter for proper nouns • spell correctly common words and relevant key words for work and special interest • use word endings to support reading and spelling, eg -s (plural), -ed (past tense), -ing (present tense) • change the spelling of a word when adding an ending, eg –ed (past tense), -ing (present tense), -er, -est • read and spell words with silent letters, eg knee, knife, gnaw, gnat, wrinkle • recognise common prefixes, eg un-, dis-, de-, re-, pre• use the knowledge of prefixes to generate new words from root words, eg happy/unhappy, appear/disappear • recognise common suffixes, eg -ful, -ly, -less • use the knowledge of suffixes to generate new words from root words, eg hope/hopeful/hopeless • split compound words into component parts for reading and spelling, eg football, himself, underneath, airport, playground • proof-read and correct writing for grammar and spelling • proof-read own writing, on paper and screen, identify and correct the main errors of sense and spelling; use a dictionary/spell check if necessary • use their developing knowledge of sound-symbol relationships and phonological patterns to help spell a greater range of words and longer words as appropriate for the needs of the learner • understand that knowing spelling patterns (eg common letter strings, visual patterns, analogies) reduces the chance of random errors • understand that there is not always a strict sound-symbol association in spelling, eg silent letters • understand how segmenting words into phonemes and breaking them into syllables (beats) or components (compounds) helps work out spelling • produce legible text • understand the features of a clear, legible handwriting style ELC Adult Literacy for certification from September 2011 Scheme of Assessment 4a Aims Adult Literacy courses based on this specification should help learners to gain the most out of life, learning and work The skills are learning tools that enable learners • • • 4b to improve job prospects or to enter the world of work to operate effectively in everyday life to be confident in their understanding and practical application of basic grammar, punctuation and spelling Assessment Objectives The assessment will assess the following Skills standards in the context of the coverage and range set out in Section (Subject Content) Entry AO1 Speaking and Listening AO2 Reading a Listen and respond to spoken language, including simple narratives, statements, questions and single-step instructions b Speak to communicate basic information, feelings and opinions on familiar topics c Engage in discussion with another person in a familiar situation about familiar topics a Read and understand short texts with repeated language patterns on familiar topics b Read and obtain information from common signs and symbols AO3 Writing Write to communicate information to an intended audience Entry AO1 Speaking and Listening AO2 Reading AO3 Writing a Listen and respond to spoken language, including straightforward information, short narratives, explanations and instructions b Speak to communicate information, feelings and opinions on familiar topics c Engage in discussion with one or more people in a familiar situation to establish shared understanding about familiar topics a Read and understand short, straightforward texts on familiar topics b Read and obtain information from short documents, familiar sources and signs and symbols Write to communicate information with some awareness of the intended audience 13 ELC Adult Literacy for certification from September 2011 Entry AO1 Speaking and Listening AO2 Reading a Listen and respond to spoken language, including straightforward information and narratives, and follow straightforward explanations and instructions, both face-to-face and on the telephone b Speak to communicate information, feelings and opinions on familiar topics, using appropriate formality, both face-to-face and on the telephone c Engage in discussion with one or more people in a familiar situation making relevant points and responding to what others say to reach a shared understanding about familiar topics a Read and understand short, straightforward texts on familiar topics accurately and independently b Read and obtain information from everyday sources Write to communicate information and opinions with some adaptation to the intended audience AO3 Writing Weighting of Skills standards The table below shows the approximate weighting of each of the Skills standards 4c Skills standards Weighting of Skills standards (%) Speaking and Listening 40% Reading 30% Writing 30% Overall weighting of Skills standards 100% National Criteria This Entry Level specification complies with • • • 4d The National standards for adult literacy The Arrangements for the Statutory Regulation of External Qualifications in England, Wales and Northern Ireland: Common Criteria The requirements for qualifications to provide access to Levels and beyond of the National Qualifications Framework Prior Level of Attainment and Recommended Prior Learning There are no previous learning requirements Any requirements set for entry to a course based on this specification are at your centre’s discretion However, it is recommended that learners should have acquired Literacy skills appropriate to the level at which each of the tests is aimed Teachers should provide appropriate and adequate guidance about the demands of the specification before learners embark on their studies Given the on-demand nature of these qualifications, they are particularly useful at providing learners who might otherwise be excluded with opportunities for learning 14 ELC Adult Literacy for certification from September 2011 4e Equality, access and inclusion Entry level qualifications enable learners to gain the most from life, learning and work • • • 4f Entry Level qualifications often need to assess a wide range of competencies This is because they are general qualifications designed to prepare learners for a wide range of occupations and further study The revised qualification was reviewed to see whether any of the skills or knowledge needed by the subject presented a possible difficulty to any learners, whatever their ethnic background, religion, sex, age, disability or sexuality If there were difficulties, the situation was reviewed again to make sure that such tests of specific competencies were only included if they were important to the subject The findings were discussed with groups who represented the interests of a diverse range of learners Arrangements are made for learners with special needs to help them access the assessments as long as the competencies being tested are not changed Because of this, most learners will be able to access any part of the assessment More details are given in Section 5d Progression The scheme of assessment allows attainment to be recognised at a standard broadly consistent with National Curriculum Level 1, and beyond As an approved Entry Level Qualification, the specification provides excellent progression to Levels and studies particularly in Functional Skills Achievement at Entry Level can be used to assist progression within the National Qualifications framework, for example to GCSE English Language The skills and knowledge acquired will be relevant and transferable in both educational and career settings The qualification, therefore, increases flexibility for learners and makes a distinct contribution to the quality and coherence of qualifications on an identified progression pathway In addition, it provides a worthwhile course for learners of various ages and from diverse backgrounds in terms of general education and lifelong learning 15 ELC Adult Literacy for certification from September 2011 5a Administration Availability of test papers and certification Test papers will be available at any time of the year AQA registered centres can hold these on-demand tests on a date convenient to themselves provided that test papers are ordered at least four weeks in advance It is AQA’s aim that within 28 days of receipt of completed scripts (together with any unused papers) and Entry/Mark Forms, the Examinations Officer will be sent an overall statement of results and a certificate for each candidate 5b Entries Test papers must be ordered using the on-demand order form at least four weeks in advance of the proposed test date The Subject Codes for entry for this Entry Level Certificate are as follows Entry 5994 Entry 5995 Entry 5996 5c Private Learners This specification is not available to private learners 5d Access arrangements, reasonable adjustments and special consideration We have taken note of the equality and discrimination legislation and the interests of minority groups in developing and administering this specification We follow the guidelines in the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) document: Access Arrangements, Reasonable Adjustments and Special Consideration: General and Vocational Qualifications This document gives guidance to centres on how these arrangements should be administered This is published on the JCQ website (www.jcq.org.uk) or you can follow the link from our website (www.aqa.org.uk) Access arrangements Due to the on-demand nature of these tests, we are unable to supply papers in Braille or enlarged print for visually impaired learners However, provided permission has been obtained from AQA, centres may produce a Braille version of the paper or enlarged copies for learners’ use Both the completed papers (Braille or enlarged) and the originals must be returned with the batch of test papers, together with a covering letter confirming that no other copies were made Reasonable adjustments An access arrangement which meets the needs of a particular disabled learner would be a reasonable adjustment for that learner For example a Braille paper would be a reasonable adjustment for a Braille reader but not for a learner who did not read Braille The Disability Discrimination Act requires us to make reasonable adjustments to remove or lessen any disadvantage affecting a disabled learner Special consideration We can give special consideration to learners who have had a temporary illness, injury or serious problem such as death of a relative, at the time of the examination We can only this after the examination The Examinations Officer at the centre should apply online for access arrangements and special consideration by following the eAQA link from our website (www.aqa.org.uk) 16 ELC Adult Literacy for certification from September 2011 5e Examination language We will only provide test papers for this specification in English 5f Qualification titles The qualification based on this specification has the following title • • • 5g AQA Entry Certificate in Adult Literacy AQA Entry Certificate in Adult Literacy AQA Entry Certificate in Adult Literacy Certification and reporting results Learners must sit both parts of the written paper in order to be eligible for a result No grades are issued with respect to this qualification Achievement in the qualification will be reported as a percentage for each level All learners will receive a statement in terms of an achieved percentage Where a learner’s performance is sufficient to meet the level requirements, an Entry Level Adult Literacy qualification pass certificate is awarded Learners achieving less than the level requirements will receive a Statement of Results Different versions of the tests are standardised in order to ensure comparability and examiners are standardised and monitored throughout the year in order to maintain a consistent marking standard 5h Re-sits Learners can re-sit the qualification as many times as they want within the shelf-life of the specification Please note that learners must re-sit both Papers and at the same time 5i Malpractice You should let learners know about our malpractice regulations If malpractice is suspected, your Examinations Officer should be consulted about the procedure to be followed Where you suspect malpractice, your Head of Centre must submit full details of the case to us at the earliest opportunity The form JCQ/M1 should be used Copies of the form can be found on the JCQ website (http://www.jcq.org.uk) 17 ELC Adult Literacy for certification from September 2011 Appendices A Grade descriptions Ofqual have not produced any level descriptors for Adult Literacy as it is a pass/fail qualification and as such, the criteria for Entry Level Adult Literacy make clear what is required to warrant a pass within the Skills standards B Spiritual, moral, ethical, social, legislative, sustainable development, economic and cultural Issues, and health and safety considerations We have taken great care to make sure that any wider issues (for example, spiritual, moral, ethical, social, legal, sustainable development, economic and cultural issues), including those relevant to the education of students at Key Stage 4, have been taken into account when preparing this specification They will only form part of the assessment requirements where they are relevant to the specific content of the specification and have been identified in Section 3: Subject Content European Dimension We have taken the 1988 Resolution of the Council of the European Community into account when preparing this specification and associated guidance documents Environmental Education We have taken the 1988 Resolution of the Council of the European Community and the Report ‘Environmental Responsibility: An Agenda for Further and Higher Education’ 1993 into account when preparing this specification and associated guidance documents Avoiding bias We have taken great care to avoid bias of any kind when preparing this specification and guidance documents C Qualification Number The Qualification Number for the AQA Entry Level Certificate in Adult Literacy is 600/0123/9 18 ELC Adult Literacy for certification from September 2011 D Miscellaneous words from social sight vocabulary on off salt sugar tea coffee front back left right E high low shampoo poison cleaner days of the week months of the year year parcels top bottom this way up careful fragile open here open other side handle with care urgent Important words in learning to read (from the Dolch list) a I it the all be for his on so with an before call come from has if like made me my now only other night some then two well what which and in of to as but had him one they you back big came could down get her into little make much no off or out see their there up went when will your he is that was at are have not said we about been by can did first go here just look more must new old our over she them this want were where who 19 [...]... (fly), oa (boat), o-e (pole), ow (show), oo (moon), u-e (tune), ew (flew), ue (blue) • read words with common spelling patterns for vowel phonemes: oo-u (pull), oo (good), ar-ar (car), oy-oi (boil), oy (boy), ow-ow (cow), ou (sound) • use a simplified dictionary to find the meaning of words • use initial letters to find and sequence words in alphabetical order 20% • use written words and phrases to record... and understand relevant specialist key words understand that some words are more important than others in particular contexts know that key specialist words are relevant, eg at work, specific to a job, health understand that knowledge of word origins, shared roots, word structure (eg suffixes and prefixes) can help with reading some key specialist words • read and understand words and phrases commonly... obtain information Write to communicate recognise high frequency words and words with common spelling patterns social sight vocabulary for written signs high frequency words from Dolch list months of the year use phonic and graphic knowledge to decode words read a simple text, using appropriate strategies to attempt every word read words with common spelling patterns for long vowel phonemes: ee (feet),... words for work and special interest • use word endings to support reading and spelling, eg -s (plural), -ed (past tense), -ing (present tense) • change the spelling of a word when adding an ending, eg –ed (past tense), -ing (present tense), -er, -est • read and spell words with silent letters, eg knee, knife, gnaw, gnat, wrinkle • recognise common prefixes, eg un-, dis-, de-, re-, pre• use the knowledge... Arrangements, Reasonable Adjustments and Special Consideration: General and Vocational Qualifications This document gives guidance to centres on how these arrangements should be administered This is published on the JCQ website (www.jcq.org.uk) or you can follow the link from our website (www .aqa. org.uk) Access arrangements Due to the on-demand nature of these tests, we are unable to supply papers in Braille... generate new words from root words, eg happy/unhappy, appear/disappear • recognise common suffixes, eg -ful, -ly, -less • use the knowledge of suffixes to generate new words from root words, eg hope/hopeful/hopeless • split compound words into component parts for reading and spelling, eg football, himself, underneath, airport, playground • proof-read and correct writing for grammar and spelling • proof-read... initially with spelling • use their knowledge of sound-symbol relationships and phonological patterns (eg consonant clusters and vowel phonemes) to help work out correct spellings, as appropriate for the needs of the learner • discriminate, spell and read the common spelling patterns for the long vowel phonemes: ee, ai, ie, oa, oo • discriminate, spell and read the common spelling patterns for the vowel... at the time of the examination We can only do this after the examination The Examinations Officer at the centre should apply online for access arrangements and special consideration by following the eAQA link from our website (www .aqa. org.uk) 16 ELC Adult Literacy for certification from September 2011 5e Examination language We will only provide test papers for this specification in English 5f Qualification... help decode an increasing range of unfamiliar words read common words with silent letters, eg gnash, knee, debt, receipt, write, wrist read words with common prefixes, eg un-, did-, mis-, and suffixes eg –ness, -less, -ly, -ful read and relate words with the same root, eg hope/hopeful/hopeless/ hopefully read common compound words, eg underneath, airport, whiteboard read an advertisement for a service... back left right E high low shampoo poison cleaner days of the week months of the year year parcels top bottom this way up careful fragile open here open other side handle with care urgent Important words in learning to read (from the Dolch list) a I it the all be for his on so with an before call come do from has if like made me my now only other night some then two well what which and in of to as but