EAL qualifications as an alternative to studying English Language and English Literature GCSEs?

[Kiel Adriatico]

Dear all,

I'm currently supporting EAL students in a secondary school. 

Currently, I'm supporting a student in Y10 but I want to know what her options are if I don't think it's realistic for the student to sit English Language and Literature GCSEs

Our school doesn't offer EAL qualifications (I do, however, have experience teaching students for Cambridge Assessment exams from my previous jobs at languages schools but have never had to arrange them myself)

Can anyone shed some light on what I'd have to do? Is this even possible?

Many thanks,

Kiel Adriatico

[Enas Elmansuri]

Hi

Have you heard of Step up Qualification?

It's a qualification in English suitable for EAL students whom their English proficiency  won't qualify them to pass a GCSE English exam. I believe  there are multiple levels. 

Check the link below for more information.

https://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/english/elc/step-up-to-english-5970

I hope you find this useful. 

Best wishes

Enas Elmansuri

Learning support for EAL 

Orchard School Bristol 

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[Ann Horton]

Dear Kiel

If their English is reasonably good, there is an IGCSE ESL (Cambridge). It is wholly language-based, not like the current English Language GCSE which is also hugely slanted towards literature. One of my EAL pupils who was struggling with the English Language GCSE did this with me in the Sixth form, and he said he really enjoyed it because he didn't have to worry about getting in all the things like alliteration into his writing, or analysing the language being used in texts. 

He was asked to get what was then a B grade in it to count the same as a C grade GCSE. In fact, he not only did that, but he also succeeded (finally!) in getting the ordinary English Language GCSE grade C - partially I think because he felt confident that he had an alternative which he enjoyed and saw as much more relevant. Incidentally, he was also dyslexic - which was only finally officially diagnosed when he got to university.

Obviously this qualification does require a working kniowledge of English, so is not for absolute beginners. But it is a true LANGUAGE qualification, so I think is much more helpful for EAL pupils, no matter what the grade outcome is.

Hope this helps.

Ann

[Kiel Adriatico]

Hi Ann - thank you so much for sharing that. I loved reading it! So insightful! I'm looking into it now!

[Dawn Cremonese]

Hi,

ESL IGCSE - no course work - all exam - speaking as a separate endorsement - Pearson edexcel is the exam board. We teach this at our school and are v happy with this.

Prepares the student for higher level study too.

Best wishes,

Dawn 

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