A frustrating issue, but however much we would like to imagine it does, ESOL Level 2 does not guarantee that a speaker of other languages has the same language skills as a native speaker with a GCSE, in reality.
If we are honest, we really only need to consider how many native speakers of English would be competent to cope in the Sorbonne with nothing more than GCSE level French.
IELTS does at least indicate competence to deal with what will be thrown at learners on their university courses – just taking the course is often of benefit to learners who have not attended any other non-ESOL courses in UK.
It seems unfair that we are losing the pathway we fought so hard to retain, but the only solution for our students really may now be to take a GCSE in English Literature or Language.
This has been done successfully in the past. A programme I used to work on enabled ESOL learners to take GCSE / AS Level Maths as well - if they were up to it. The college quite liked getting the funding for that, negotiated in advance with the local LSC – and – of course - the good results.
We found this eased transition into university where that was what they wanted. Some learners did, in fact, prefer to take AS and A Levels, no matter their level of education, either as warm-ups for the rusty, or as a way of accessing the different curricula and ways of doing things here, (for those with higher quals from their country of origin).
Not everyone is in an enormous hurry, some do prefer to take their time and may do better as a result.
There comes a point when our learners hit the real world and are in direct competition with native speakers – however hard it is for us to take losing these interesting areas of work. There is always the chance to work across the curriculum and team-teach or job-share with the GCSE teachers – also works well and breaks down some of the barriers ESOL comes up against.
I think we need to be sure of our ground and to be scrupulously honest when we argue for things as beneficial for our learners. If we are looking for funded routes to higher education for our students, these may have to lie outside the scope of ESOL.
Sadly,
Frances
On 21/2/08 11:39, "Matt Davis" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
Interesting as well that ESOL Level 2 (which includes the National Literacy Test) does not seem to be accepted by universities as proof of language/literacy competence, while a GCSE A to C (also Level 2) does... for a native speaker anyway. Perhaps it would be if the student was overseas and paying tens of thousands of pounds.
Cynically,
Matt
>>> James Simpson <[log in to unmask]> 20/02/2008 12:19 >>>
Hello all
I'd like to support Pam's comments: students find it difficult enough as
it is to negotiate their way through progression routes, without further
barriers being placed in their paths. If anyone can stomach this
conference, I hope they will raise this issue.
It's interesting to compare the situation in England with that of
Scotland. Perhaps a Scottish colleague will correct me if I'm wrong, but
I understand that Scottish ESOL qualifications come under the same
framework as mainstream Scottish education, with levels called Access,
Intermediate and Higher. I also think the ESOL Higher qualification is
accepted as a university entrance level qualification.
James
-----Original Message-----
From: Pam Frame [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 20 February 2008 09:47
To: James Simpson; [log in to unmask]: RE: DIUS Acheiving our Level 3 Ambitions conference
If anybody is able to attend from the ESOL community perhaps you could
ask why the LSC has decided to cease funding of our only remaining L3
qualification, IELTS, from next academic year thus depriving our
learners of any progression route beyond Skills for Life to continue to
develop their English language skills, access HE study, enter certain
professions etc. I think it is still OK to study a modern foreign
language at A level with LSC funding, but not apparently ESOL.
Unfortunately it does not look as if a NATECLA spokesperson can attend
this conference-but we would very much like to know the answer.
-----Original Message-----
From: ESOL-Research discussion forum and message board
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of James Simpson
Sent: 19 February 2008 19:36
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: FW: DIUS Acheiving our Level 3 Ambiti! ons conference
________________________________
From: Richard Bull [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Mon 18/02/2008 15:56
To: Richard Bull
Subject: DIUS Acheiving our Level 3 Ambitions conference
Dear Colleague,
DIUS would like to invite you to attend the "Skills for Employability:
Achieving our Level 3 Ambitions" conference taking place in Westminster
on Wednesday 19th March 2008. Please see the flyer attached.
Speakers include The Rt Hon David Lammy MP, Parliamentary Under
Secretary of State for Skills, DIUS
To find out more and to book a place please visit
www.nrdc.org.uk/diuslevel3
Places are free of charge and awarded on a first come first served
basis. Please pass this invitation on to your colleagues.
Don't forget NRDC's International Conference taking place on the 6th and
7th March 2008. Places still available, please visit
www.nrdc.org.uk/intconf2008 <http://www.nrdc.org.uk/intconf2008 <http://www.nrdc.org.uk! /intconf2008> >
Best regards
Richard Bull
Events and Marketing Manager
National Research and Development Centre for Adult Literacy and
Numeracy,
Centre for Longitudinal Studies and Wider Benefits of Learning
Institute of Education, University of London
Tel. No. 020 7612 6804
Office location
55-59 Gordon Square
London
WC1H 0NT
Mailing address
20 Bedford Way
London
WC1H 0AL
www.nrdc.org.uk <http://www.nrdc.org.uk/>
NRDC is a consortium of partners led by the Institute of Education,
University of London
www.ioe.ac.uk <http://www.ioe.ac.uk/>
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ESOL-Research is a forum for researchers and pra! ctitioners with an interest in research into teaching and learning ESOL. ESOL-Research is managed by James Simpson at the Centre for Language Education Research, School of Education, University of Leeds.
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*********************************** ESOL-Research is a forum for researchers and practitioners with an interest in research into teaching and learning ESOL. ESOL-Research is managed by James Simpson at the Centre for Language Education Research, School of Education, University of Leeds. To join or leave ESOL-Research, visit http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/ESOL-RESEARCH.html A quick guide to using Jiscmail lists can be found at: http://jiscmail.ac.uk/help/using/quickuser.htm To contact the list owner, send an email to [log in to unmask]