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Asset Languages at Grove School
'Motivation from the students has improved. They see language used in a relevant context and can be rewarded on a short term goal basis for their achievements.' Ceri Bedford, Assistant Headteacher, the Grove School
Context
Grove School is an 11-18 mixed comprehensive school in the market town of Market Drayton in North East Shropshire. There are 1050 students, 10% of whom are eligible for free school meals and 13.5% are on the SEN register. The school has had Language College status since 2002 and everyone in Key Stage 4 studies a language to an accredited level
Key objectives
- to use Asset Languages for students following a vocational pathway and as an alternative to GCSE or Entry Level Certificationin French and German
- to use Asset Languages as an end assessment in Years 6 and 9
- to reward and encourage primary colleagues and teaching assistants to learn alongside students and gain MFL qualifications
How the programme is organised
Asset Languages has been used to develop a course which deals with language in a vocational context.
The topic areas covered include:
- Visitors to a company
- Business diary
- Telephone
- Workplace and location
- Modes of transport
- Accommodation
- Eating Out
- Shopping and Sales
- Freetime and Entertainment
- Emergency Situations
The test period for Asset Languages can be varied from individual to individual, thereby allowing those going on work placement to be tested and rewarded for their achievements on an ongoing basis, even if they do not stay in the MFL class for the whole of KS4.
In the academic year 2006/07 the school had 3 small groups of students following a vocational course in German which was assessed through Asset Languages. Teachers developed the course to link in with students’ NVQ courses in other subjects.
Results/effect
In the vocational course, 22 students sat the Breakthrough papers. 95% achieved a grade at Breakthrough stage in at least one skill in German. In addition, some students achieved levels in two skill areas in two languages with a points equivalence of a full GCSE.
307 primary pupils sat German Breakthrough papers in listening and reading. All received a grade and thus a certificate in at least one skill area. 39% received grade 3 in at least one skill area.
In KS3, 65 students sat the Breakthrough listening and reading papers and 103 the Preliminary listening and reading papers in French, German or Spanish. 92% gained a qualification at some level in a language and 22% received a level 6 in at least one skill area. The whole experience has also been beneficial for CPD.
'The performance points which are gained through Asset Languages are useful in justifying and promoting MFL. In addition, the availability of each skill being assessed separately is a feature which can be of benefit to those students who have reasonably good comprehension skills, but have difficulty in producing language.' Ceri Bedford, Assistant Headteacher, the Grove School
Future developments
Over the coming years, it is hoped to develop the course for French, German and Spanish with the possible extension to Intermediate level for vocational students. It is also hoped to encourage more primary colleagues to get qualifications in MFL, including teaching assistants. It is also hoped to link the vocational language courses to the new 14 to 19 Diplomas.
In addition it is intended to extend the use of Asset Languages to reward students with home languages and to encourage them to make progress in these languages as well as those studied within school. The evening classes and family learning classes linked to the department are also looking into the possibility of using Asset Languages as a means of assessment. It is also envisaged that students will be able to gain Asset qualifications in languages that they begin ab initio in the sixth form.
Author: Ceri Bedford, Assistant Headteacher, the Grove School
