Teachers' Staff Room Thread

[Shippou-Sensei]

In my experience in college most functional skills stuff we delivered was E3 and L1. Maybe some E2 stuff too particularly with Maths.

I've had a lot of students struggle with the E3. The speaking and listening component is fine and the reading not too bad but a lot struggle with the writing component.

Only ever seen one student with a L2 functional skills qualification.

 

[Shippou-Sensei]

There is also IELTS as an alternative.

Particularly if they are interested in going to university.

 

[Boudicca]

There is also IELTS as an alternative.

Particularly if they are interested in going to university.

Thanks. IELTS looks like a another ESOL type qualification - is it the equivalent of a GCSE? As mentioned previously, he is a native English speaker, albeit with a strong Caribbean accent.

What do the E numbers mean please?

He has a chunk of experience working at a resort and could probably get a job in a hotel, but we have spoken about training as a nurse which I think would suit him a lot better.

 

[May Kasahara]

Only ever seen one student with a L2 functional skills qualification.

You should visit my work, every year we have plenty of students achieve their L2s. And staff, too, as part of upskilling and progressing their careers.

 

[Shippou-Sensei]

Ah, somehow missed that he was a native English speaker.
IELTS is specifically designed for ESOL learners who want to do a HE qualification in the UK.
It basically does the same thing as a GCSE in terms of accreditation.

E is for entry.

It goes E1, E2, E3. Then level 1.

I did this diagram for my level 1s a while back.

 

[Shippou-Sensei]

You should visit my work, every year we have plenty of students achieve their L2s. And staff, too, as part of upskilling and progressing their careers.

Any reason your work picks the L2 FS over the equivalent GCSE?
I'm not as familiar with the L2 FS so don't know the advantages.

Edited to add:
Not saying anything against the L2 FS. Just that they seem less common.

 

[maomao]

You should visit my work, every year we have plenty of students achieve their L2s. And staff, too, as part of upskilling and progressing their careers.

Thanks for putting me straight. I have to teach some of this stuff next year though I've only known it in a SEND context. I suppose that's because of the types of schools I've taught in and my limited experience.

 

[May Kasahara]

Boudicca I don't work for the Functional Skills marketing board or anything Just don't want you to get the impression your friend is being fobbed off with some piddly little made up qual. Obviously I don't know the details of his situation or knowledge so can't comment on whether it is or isn't the right qual for him, but it is valid in itself.

Shippou-Sensei some of our schools do also offer GCSE, depending on the strengths and needs profile of their cohort. Or indeed both quals. Quite a few schools do a sort of staggered accreditation pathway where they will get kids doing EL FS in KS3, working up through L1 so that by the time they reach Y11 and L2/GCSE they're familiar with exams and assessments and also that they leave school with something, even if not L2/GCSE. Again, individualised to the student's abilities.

A lot of our kids get on better with the less abstract nature of FS. Although they hate being recorded for the speaking and listening part

Re. staff, our college provision is able to offer FS at no cost to those without a L2. And again, some staff get on better with the more functional approach.

 

[Boudicca]

Boudicca I don't work for the Functional Skills marketing board or anything Just don't want you to get the impression your friend is being fobbed off with some piddly little made up qual. Obviously I don't know the details of his situation or knowledge so can't comment on whether it is or isn't the right qual for him, but it is valid in itself.

Shippou-Sensei some of our schools do also offer GCSE, depending on the strengths and needs profile of their cohort. Or indeed both quals. Quite a few schools do a sort of staggered accreditation pathway where they will get kids doing EL FS in KS3, working up through L1 so that by the time they reach Y11 and L2/GCSE they're familiar with exams and assessments and also that they leave school with something, even if not L2/GCSE. Again, individualised to the student's abilities.

A lot of our kids get on better with the less abstract nature of FS. Although they hate being recorded for the speaking and listening part

Re. staff, our college provision is able to offer FS at no cost to those without a L2. And again, some staff get on better with the more functional approach.

Thanks May. Given that he has already taken and passed a GCSE level equivalent in his home country, I do think he should be aiming for something at that level.

 

[Boudicca]

Ah, somehow missed that he was a native English speaker.
IELTS is specifically designed for ESOL learners who want to do a HE qualification in the UK.
It basically does the same thing as a GCSE in terms of accreditation.

E is for entry.

It goes E1, E2, E3. Then level 1.

I did this diagram for my level 1s a while back.
View attachment 459723

Thanks, I'm going to send this to him.

 

[Thora]

Lots of home educated autistic children take L2 functional skills rather than GCSE purely because they struggle with (or aren't interested in) the literature elements of GCSE but need an English qualification to do stem college courses.

 

[Boudicca]

Update: It is indeed Level 2, so the idiots are not idiots after all. Thank you for your help, teachers on the interweb.