English Functional Skills Qualifications Specification ...

1 Functional Skills QualificationsSpecificationsEnglishLevel 1 (4720) and Level 2 (4725) For exams November 2010 onwards For certification November 2010 onwardsThese specifications are published on our website ( ). We will let centres know in writingabout any changes to the specifications. We will also publish changes on our website. The definitive versionsof our specifications will always be the ones on our website, which may differ from printed black lines indicate a significant change or addition to the previous version of this can get further copies of these specifications from:AQA Logistics Centre (Manchester)Unit 2 Wheel Forge WayAshburton ParkTrafford ParkManchesterM17 1 EHOr, you can download a copy from our website ( )Copyright 2012 AQA and its licensors.

2 All rights retains the copyright on all its publications, including the specifications. However, registered centres forAQA are permitted to copy material from this Specification booklet for their own internal Assessment and Qualifications Alliance (AQA), is a company limited by guarantee, registered in Englandand Wales (company number 3644723), and a registered charity (number 1073334).Registered address: AQA Devas Street Manchester M15 6EX1 Functional Skills English (Level 1 and Level 2) for teaching from September 2012 onwards (version )Contents1 Introduction21aWhy choose AQA?21bWhy choose Functional Skills English ?31cHow do I start using these specifications?41dHow can I find out more?42 Specifications at a Glance52aSummary of assessment53 Subject Content6 3aComponent 1: Reading6 3bComponent 2: Writing73cComponent 3.

3 Speaking, listening and communication84 Scheme of Assessment11 4aAims114bSkills standards114cNational criteria114dPrior learning requirements12 4eEquality, access and inclusion125 Administration145aAvailability of assessment components and certification145bEntries145cPrivate candidates145dAccess arrangements, reasonable adjustments and special consideration 155eExamination language155fQualification titles165gCertification and reporting results165hRe-sits and how long component results remain available to counttowards certification166 Controlled Assessment administration176aAuthenticating that controlled assessment work is genuine176bMalpractice176cTeacher standardisation186dInternal standardisation of marking186eAnnotation of controlled assessment work186fSubmitting confirmation of achievement186gFactors affecting individual candidates197 Moderation207aModeration procedures207bConsortium arrangements207cProcedures after moderation20 Appendices21 AComponent 3 Controlled Assessment Criteria21 BLevel descriptions22 CSpiritual, moral, ethical, social.

4 Legislative, sustainable development,economic and cultural issues and health and safety considerations23 DOverlaps with other qualifications24 EAchievement and attainment25 FLinks to the Component 3 Controlled Assessment CandidateRecord Form261 Introduction2 Functional Skills English (Level 1 and Level 2) for teaching from September 2012 onwards (version )1aWhy choose AQA?We re proud to be one of the UK s largest examboards with million students sitting their examswith us in any given an independent registered charity, we invest all ourincome in the running of our examinations and inresearch and development to improve ourqualifications and services. We focus on promotingeducation for the benefit of the public, drawing onyears of experience of setting and marking are committed to delivering a straightforward andsimple teaching experience, in a choose AQA s Functional SkillsQualifications?

5 Over the past three years, we have worked with over21 000 students and their teachers, in more than 500schools to refine and develop our Functional Skillsqualifications which:can help students to achieve their full potentialare relevant for today s challengesare manageable for schools and collegesare accessible to all ability levelsare affordable and value for work closely with teachers to make sure theintroduction of a new qualification is straightforward,providing free resources to help them get ready toteach, and ongoing support throughout the life of thequalifications. Other benefits of choosing ourFunctional Skills Qualifications include: access to subject departmentstraining for teachers, including practicalteaching strategies and methods, presentedby senior examinersindividual support for controlled assessment ofFunctional English speaking, listening andcommunication24-hour support through our website and AskAQA an online searchable bank of frequentlyasked questionspast question papers and mark schemesa wide range of printed and electronicresources free online results analysis, with EnhancedResults are an educational charity focused on the needsof the learner.

6 All our income is spent on improvingthe quality of our specifications, examinations andsupport services. We don t aim to profit fromeducation, we want you you are already a customer we thank you for yoursupport. If you are thinking of joining us we lookforward to welcoming Skills English (Level 1 and Level 2) for teaching from September 2012 onwards (version )11bWhy choose Functional Skills English ?These Functional Skills Qualifications allowcandidates to demonstrate the fundamentalapplied Skills in English that help people togain the most from life, learning and should be entered for either Level1 or Level 2 when they can demonstrate allthe Skills standards outlined at that specifications have been developed inconsultation with practising teachers andsubject s Functional English Qualifications have aclear component structure with reading ,writing and speaking, listening andcommunication being assessed in separatetests or tasks.

7 This means that candidates cantake the components in different examinationseries or all in the same series. There are unlimited re-sit opportunities forcandidates who do not achieve the requiredlevel at the first s Functional Skills Qualifications areavailable four times each academic year inNovember, January, March and June. Thisgives you the flexibility to plan your course tomeet the needs of your curriculum s tests and tasks are based on a range ofreal life texts, contexts and scenarios in a skillsbased approach to Functional s reading test includes multiple choicequestions. This means that candidates reading abilities do not have to be mediatedthrough their writing s writing tasks allow candidates todemonstrate their ability to write for differentaudiences and purposes in various types ofwriting they will have to do at home, ineducational contexts or at on-screen option will be available as analternative to the paper based reading andwriting tests.

8 This option may be moreaccessible for candidates who are familiar withreading , listening and communication isassessed by controlled assessment, allowingyou to set tasks that will engage your studentsand to make cross curricular links, for examplein drawing on candidates principal learning orin topics from another subject area. Speaking,listening and communication tasks can also beassessed for GCSE English or GCSE English Level 1 offers progressionfrom Entry Level Functional Skills andprogression to Functional English Level English at both levels offerspreparation for the Functional elements ofGCSE English or GCSE English do I start using these specifications?You need to register at that you receive regular updates andhave access to mark schemes, past questionpapers, a whole range of teacher supportmaterials and receive details of teachersupport you have decided to enter candidatesyou need to tell us so we can make sure thatyou get all the material you need for theexaminations.

9 This is very important whereexamination material is sent to you before thefinal entry deadline. You can let us know byfilling in the appropriate Intention to Enter and Estimated Entry forms. If your centre isregistered on e-AQA you will receive an emailprompting you to submit entry information on-line. If you are not e-AQA registered we willsend copies to your exams officer. Both formscan be downloaded from our website( ).If your centre has not used AQA for anyexaminations in the past, please contact ourcentre approval team 1dHow can I find out more?You can choose to find out more about thesespecifications or the services that AQA offer in anumber of AQAYou have 24-hour access to useful information andanswers to the most commonly asked questions the answer to your question is not available, youcan submit a query through Ask AQAfor our will respond within 2 working to your subject teamYou can talk directly to the Functional Skills Englishsubject team about these specifications either byemailing or by calling0161 953 Support MeetingsDetails of the full range of our Teacher Supportmeetings are available on our website is also a link to our fast and convenient onlinebooking system for Teacher Support meetings you need to contact the Teacher Support team.

10 Youcan call us on 01483 477860 or e-mail us information onlineYou can find out more including the latest news, howto register to use Enhanced Results Analysis, supportand downloadable resources on our website Skills English (Level 1 and Level 2) for teaching from September 2012 onwards (version )42 Functional Skills English (Level 1 and Level 2) for teaching from September 2012 onwards (version )5 Level 1 Component 1 reading (47201)External test4518minsmarksSection A: multiple choice6 marksSection B: short response12 marksComponent 2 Writing (47202)External tasks4520minsmarksTwo writing tasks10 markseachComponent 3 Speaking, listeningand communication (47203)Controlled AssessmentDiscussionThere are no marks allocated to this must meet all the Level 1 criteria toachieve this 1 reading on screen (47201S)External test as above taken on-screen ORLevel 2 Component 1 reading (47251)External test132hourmarksSection A: multiple choice12 marksSection B.