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Languages Ladder

Languages for all: languages for life, the national languages strategy for England, included in its long term objectives a commitment to deliver a fully developed national recognition system for language learning by 2005.

The system is intended to complement existing national qualification frameworks and provides a 'ladder of recognition' starting at a basic grade of competence and continuing beyond school alongside GCSE, A Level and NVQ national qualifications. It is intended for use with both children and adults.

The 'Languages Ladder' includes the use of 'can do' statements and offers discrete skills assessment so that learners may, for example, focus on developing speaking skills. Depending on the stage the learner has reached, there may be external or teacher assessment.

The ladder comprises six stages, from Beginners to Mastery, the first four being further split into three smaller steps. Descriptors align with the National Qualifications Framework, National Curriculum levels, national examinations (Entry Level, GCSE, A Level) and the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.

A table of equivalences, is available on the 14 to 19 Reshaping Languages 'Language Ladder' theme. Assessment within the Languages Ladder framework is being provided by Asset Languages, a scheme being developed by Cambridge Assessment through OCR and Cambridge ESOL. A set of presentation slides outlining the scheme can be downloaded from the site.

25 languages are now available for assessment. Details of what teacher assessment materials and what external assessment at which levels are available can be found on the Asset Languages website.

Last updated 01 May 2008

 

Examples of Languages Ladder case studies on the CILT website