From 1 January 2005 the ESOL Skills for Life qualifications will become the only ESOL qualifications that count towards the Government targets for basic skills achievement at Entry 3, Level 1 and Level 2.
The choice of new ESOL Skills for Life qualifications has implications for eligibility for LSC funding. Providers should consult the LSC website (an LSC fact-sheet on ESOL qualifications and funding from 1 August 2004 is in preparation) for full information about funding.
QCA’s work in progress includes a review with awarding bodies of the future arrangements for non-Skills for Life qualifications beyond December 2004. Such qualifications typically focus on the English language needs of those learners temporarily resident in England, as well as learners of ESOL overseas. Those qualifications are currently listed at http://www.dfes.gov.uk/readwriteplus/ESOL_Qualifications_Report.
Providers can:
- Monitor websites for regular updates:
- Contact each awarding body to look in detail at what these new qualifications offer:
- What skills and levels are available?
- What range and types of assessment tasks are included?
- Consider what assessment strategies best meet particular learners’ needs. There are several different approaches that include internal and external assessment.
Remember: these are new qualifications, quite different from those offered to date.
