Transcript Module 1: Managing the transition to functional skills

Support for English, maths and ESOL
Module 1
Managing the transition to functional skills
Aim
To explore the issues involved in the transition
from key skills to functional skills
Learning outcomes
By the end of the session participants will have:
• Identified the key features of functional skills and the
differences between key and functional skills
• Identified the issues when transferring from key skills to
functional skills, with a particular focus on
apprenticeships
• Considered possible models of delivery for functional
skills
• Developed a personal or organisational action plan to
implement functional skills
What are functional skills?
Functional skills are the fundamental,
applied skills in English, mathematics, and
information and communication
technology (ICT) which help people to gain
the most from life, learning and work.
Criteria for functional skills qualifications (Ofqual/11/4884)
Why are functional skills important?
Economic
Personal
Teaching and learning
Why are functional skills important?
Economic reasons
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By developing skills for employability
By developing skills that allow for flexibility
By improving productivity and
competitiveness
By contributing to economic prosperity at a
local and national level
Why are functional skills important?
Personal reasons
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By developing skills for employability
By facilitating progression
By improving performance
By providing opportunities for the application of
skills in real tasks to solve real problems
• By giving learners flexible skills for now and the
future
Our world is changing...fast
40% of all jobs in 2020
will require a graduate
qualification
The top 10 jobs in demand in
2010 did not exist in 2004
We are currently preparing
students
for jobs that don’t yet
exist...
Today’s learners will have
10 to 14 jobs by age 38
By 2020 there will be 5
million fewer low-skilled
jobs in Britain
than there are today
Why are functional skills important?
Teaching and learning
• By facilitating progression
• By improving learner performance
• By raising achievement levels across the
apprenticeship framework
• By providing opportunities for the application of
skills in real tasks to solve real problems
Functional skills in apprenticeships
They are not going away!
…from the 2012/13 academic year, all apprenticeship
providers will be required to support apprentices in
progressing towards the achievement of Level 2 English
and maths. From 1 October 2012 all apprentices starting
English and maths courses will be taking functional skills
or GCSE qualifications.
BIS, New Challenges, New Chances, Dec 2011
FS in apprenticeships
Clarification
… current SASE guidance requirements (May 2011) will continue to
apply for apprenticeships in England and that Level 1 in
functional skills (or a GCSE for English and Maths) remains the
minimum standard for completing an intermediate
apprenticeship.
There will however be a new expectation that providers will
actively encourage the raising of apprentices' standard of English
and maths to Level 2.
English and maths in Apprenticeships – no change to SASE, AELP, 2011
Spot the difference
Functional skills are the fundamental, applied skills in English,
mathematics, and ICT which help people to gain the most from
life, learning and work.
Criteria for functional skills qualifications (Ofqual/11/4884)
Key skills are the skills most commonly needed for success in
a range of activities at work, in education and training and life in
general. They focus candidates’ attention on where and how
they are using skills for the purpose of improving the quality of
their learning and performance.
QCA
Transition issues 1
Use the Level 1 criteria for functional and key
skills to consider the similarities and
differences.
Transition issues 2
Similarities and differences
• functional skills has 5 levels
• level differentiators
• and ……..
Transition issues 3
Factors affecting the level of demand
of an activity
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Complexity
Technical demand
Familiarity
Independence (autonomy)
Transition issues 4
What are the differences in the assessment
models?
• Key skills – portfolio and test (the test does not assess
writing or speaking and listening)
• Functional skills – task-based assessment, requiring
problem-solving and transferable skills; no portfolio
Source: DfE
Transition issues summary
Functional skills are more than a set of technical
competencies in English, mathematics and ICT.
They involve selection, application and evaluation
of a range of skills to tackle tasks and problems.
Contexts and outcomes can vary; the functional
skills do not.
Teaching and learning –
the three-stage process
DEMONSTRATING
SECURITY OF
SKILLS
PRACTISING
AND
APPLYING
SKILLS
BUILDING
SKILLS
Functional skills in apprenticeships
• By September 2012, functional skills will replace key
skills in all frameworks
• All frameworks will require functional English and
mathematics
• Some will require functional ICT
• The functional skills level will be the same as the
apprenticeship, or one level below
• There are no proxies for functional skills
Source: DfE website
Planning delivery - good practice
What do we already do with key skills which will be
useful when working with functional skills?
Task-based
scenarios
Apply skills in
meaningful contexts
Solve
problems in
the workplace
What are the challenges?
Share out the cards and read them through.
Choose 5 to discuss – this must be a balance between
issues and positive statements about functional skills.
Discuss the 5 cards in detail – what are the challenges and
what are the positive aspects?
Identify possible to solutions to these challenges and how
you might benefit from the positive statements.
Be prepared to feed back one example of a challenge and
how you will tackle the challenge
HO 8 Challenges and chances?
(optional)
A few snippets from ‘New Challenges, New Chances:
Further Education and Skills System Reform Plan: building
a world class skills system’
Please read through the handout and discuss with
colleagues on your table.
Come up with a suitable newspaper headline based on
what you have read.
What are the challenges?
Challenges include:
• Different assessment methodology
• The need for functional skills to be taught by English,
mathematics and ICT specialists
• The need for staff development
Critical issues
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Framework requirements
Initial assessment arrangements
Delivery models to meet functional skills requirements
Assessing skills in the workplace
Awarding organisation assessment windows
Feedback of results timescales
Pass rates
Success rates within apprenticeships
Funding implications
Employer engagement
Models of delivery 1
What models do you use or plan to use in your
centre?
What are the implications for teaching and
learning?
Take a few minutes to share on your table
Look at the case studies – are there other
options?
Models of delivery 2
The most effective approaches involve some degree of
embedding / integration.
Learners must be able to build a full range of functional
skills, apply them in a range of contexts, and demonstrate
mastery in a range of contexts.
Demonstrating functional skills in a range of contexts is
likely to be more motivating.
Research shows teams of teachers and teaching
assistants delivering functional skills have proved most
successful.
Functional skills in apprenticeships –
10 critical success factors
10. Reviewing and
planning ahead
1.Promoting a positive
agenda
Plan
9. Delivering
appropriate staff
development
Apply
8. Embedding
quality assurance
7. Using resources
efficiently and
effectively
2. Implementing an
effective curriculum
model
Planning
cycle
3. Establishing clear
roles and
responsibilities
Do
Reflect /
Review
6. Establishing clear
assessment procedures
4. Coordinating
activity across the
organisation
5. Delivering effective
teaching and learning
Planning: advice for centres
• Continue with current good practice in teaching and learning,
such as embedding / integrating English, maths and ICT skills in
main study areas
• Continue with whole organisation approach to delivery of skills
• Plan how to meet the challenge of functional skills’ assessments
• CPD: ensure staff are confident and competent to develop
learners’ skills
• Be aware of the September 2012 deadline for key skills
registrations
Learning outcomes
Have you:
• Identified the value of functional skills?
• Identified issues when transferring from key skills to
functional skills within apprenticeships?
• Looked at possible models for delivery of functional skills
in apprenticeships?
• Planned to implement functional skills within your
organisation?
Next steps
Write on a sticky note one thing you will take from
today’s session and apply either in your own practice, or
within your organisation.
You can also make a note of further CPD needs if
you wish.
Put your note on the wall and have a look at what others
have written.