We are almost at the end of the first year of the new A/AS level courses on which teaching began last September. Not surprisingly, in the first year of the new system, schools have reported a more crowded timetable and some initial difficulties in organising teaching groups and option choices. While it is too early to make a formal assessment of the impact of these changes on an already popular subject such as English, it is timely to review some of the significant points of difference.
All A levels now follow a modular structure, feature a ‘synoptic assessment’ module at the end of the course, and offer opportunities for the development of Key Skills (Communication, Application of Number and Information Technology). These changes are part of a wider programme of reform of 16-19 provision that aims to increase access to and participation in post-compulsory education. For example, modular courses make it easier in principle for students to mix and match vocational and general qualifications. Likewise, free-standing qualifications at AS levels are in place to encourage students to widen their range of study by taking 4 or even 5 AS courses before settling on their final 2 or 3 ‘specialist’ subjects.
Structural changes. Previously, there was relatively little interest in the AS route in any of the Englishes, teachers generally taking the view that the development of knowledge, skills and understanding needed a full 2 years, in which time aspects of the course could be incrementally revisited and deepened. The option of teaching and examining English Language or English Literature courses in 2 halves raises many questions about what constitutes an introductory level, sufficient for those likely to discontinue the course after one year, but covering all that is necessary for those aiming to specialise. Plainly the learning programme needs to cover more than set texts or discrete topics – there is a danger that too tight a focus on module examinations leads to an atomistic approach in the first part of the course. A counterbalance to such tendencies is deliberately built in for A2 students, in the form of a compulsory synoptic module, which draws on objectives from the entire course of study. At best, these modules call on candidates’ ability to apply their knowledge and skills to a range of texts and issues in their subject. For AS students, such linkage has to be implicit – perhaps this is a possible area for liaison between 6th form and HE tutors given the prevalence of modular courses, usually without a synoptic element, at universities.
The importance of the subject criteria. A/AS level syllabuses are based on an agreed ‘subject criteria’, the document which sets out at a general level the range of knowledge, skills and understanding required for each part of the course, the assessment objectives which relate to this, and indicative grade descriptions. Thus the subject criteria for English Literature specify the minimum number of texts for study, as well as the range of genre and periods to be covered. In English Language the criteria outline the scope and depth of linguistic analysis required, while the criteria for the combined course make explicit the integration of the 2 disciplines. Each awarding body constructs its own syllabus, but the underlying criteria provide a common point of reference for them all and help ensure the students are provided with comparable opportunities even if the routes taken through the requirements differ.
In the new A/AS levels for English, greater is prominence given to assessment objectives. These build on those in the current syllabuses, but differentiate between AS and A2 in distinctive areas of each subject. Thus, for English literature, greater emphasis is given to knowledge of a work’s context and other readers’ views. In English language, the ability to select and apply a particular framework for analysis is expected. For students of the combined course, work should develop an ability to ‘read’ from either a literary or linguistic point of view. Of course, in the case of all three subjects, the assessment objectives that come into play at A2 have a key role in the construction of the synoptic modules.
Key Skills. An important innovation in curriculum 2000 is the addition of ‘Key Skill’ qualifications that cover Communication, Information Technology and Application of Number. These qualifications are gained through a mixture of external test and portfolio work, which may be put together from a range of different subjects. Key skills provide another marker of progression while at the same time helping candidates to extend some of the skills gained in academic study to different contexts. It is notable, for example, that Key Skill Communication covers speaking and listening as well as reading and writing. This aspect of the qualification should make it attractive to both employers and HE tutors, many of whom have often expressed concern about the marginal status of oral work in some traditional sixth form study. The potential importance of key skills for entry to higher education is signalled by the UCAS tariff of up to 30 points for each key skill at level 4. To date, it is not clear that all universities are asking for this evidence. Nevertheless, there seems to have been a tendency for centres to enter students early for key skills this year – a factor perhaps contributing to the recent press coverage of candidates ‘failing’ to gain the anticipated level 3 after only one or two terms’ study.
QCA monitoring. As part of its overall monitoring programme of the new A/AS levels, QCA is evaluating the first year of the Key Skills Qualification. In the meantime, the subject teams at QCA would be pleased to receive any feedback from readers on this year’s experiences of curriculum 2000.
Newsletter Issue 2 - August 2001
© English Subject Centre