Update from Asset Languages


http://www.assetlanguages.org.uk/
Asset Languages is the assessment scheme for the DfES' Languages Ladder and is being developed by Cambridge Assessment through OCR and Cambridge ESOL, as part of the National Languages Strategy.

How to use Asset:

A Powerpoint with useful information for Primary and secondary schools can be downloaded from:
http://www.schoolsnetwork.org.uk/uploads/documents/Using%20Asset%20Languages_124415.ppt

How does the assessment work?

You can choose to use Teacher Assessment, External Assessment or both, using the Teacher assessment as a benchmark towards the External Assessment. More details at:
http://www.assetlanguages.org.uk/about/assessment.aspx


What are the benefits of Asset Languages?

*Asset Languages allows you to concentrate on separate language skills - listening, speaking, reading and writing and assess them independently.

*Asset Languages qualifications are recognised and transferable. They fit in with the national qualification framework to other awards (external assessment only).

*Asset has produced a short PowerPoint presentation which describes why we think learning languages is important and how Asset Languages can help to get recognition of language skills at the end of KS3.

Why Asset Languages - Year 9 presentation

For primary teachers, Asset can be a way to benchmark language learning and ease transition with secondary schools.
http://www.assetlanguages.org.uk/teachers/primary.aspx
NACELL, The National Advisory Centre on Early Language Learning have created a very useful Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document which you can be downloaded from the NACELL website or from the direct link to .pdf file here.


Case studies can be found on the CILT and the Asset Languages websites and present how a variety of schools have introduced the scheme
http://www.assetlanguages.org.uk/casestudies/default.aspx
http://www.cilt.org.uk/languagecolleges/ladder/shene.htm

Further quotes can be found at
http://www.comeniusem.org.uk/Assetcasestudyquotes.doc

Training to be an Accredited Teacher and changes for September 2007
The prospective Accredited Teacher applies for and then receives a pack of self-access training materials. They work through these materials, complete the comment sheets and then return them to Asset Languages (this should take 3-4 hours). If successful, they become accredited.
More details at:
http://www.assetlanguages.org.uk/teachers/accredited.aspx

As a result of teacher feedback indicating that the accreditation process, considered onerous by some, was in some case a barrier to the adoption of the scheme, Asset Languages announced at the end of June that, with effect from September 2007:

*You will no longer be required to have a Speaking Assessor in order to make entries for the external speaking test.

*You will no longer be required to have an Accredited Teacher in order to purchase Teacher Assessment Packs, but you will still need an Accredited Teacher before you can purchase the packs of Grade Award certificates for teacher assessment.

*Accredited Teacher status will be awarded by Stage, e.g. Breakthrough, and will cover all languages. It will also be permanent, with no requirement to renew after four years.

*Face-to-face regional training sessions and local cluster support groups will be offered with details to follow in the autumn term.