GCSE access arrangement. Opportunity to feedback to JCQ

[Tanya Ingram]

HI everyone

 

I just thought you would be interested to know that I contacted JCQ, just to clarify that Ukrainians living with English speaking hosts come under the new exception in the regulations for children (e.g. UASC and LAC) living with English speaking foster carers in terms of having access to extra time in exam.  They do, so cannot be ruled out of having 25% extra time for the reason that they live with in an English speaking home.   Some school have thought this might be the case.

 

Also, I queried the statement about a chid having no knowledge of the English language on arrival within 3 years and it being only then that they are entitled to extra time.

I spoke about English language development, BIC and CALPS and it taking 5-10 year to develop the literacy to match their native speaker peers etc.   and that almost no child has absolutely no knowledge due to media, the film industry, social media etc. I asked if the regulations could be more specific about the level of the child’s English and them being a beginner or at elementary level or having limited exposed to English etc.

 

I was asked to suggest some wording for this, so I would like to ask colleagues how we think we should approach this and what working could be used to help EAL Leads and exams officers make the right decisions here. Many are very nervous of contravening rules that they deny extra time if the child can say a few words on arrival.

 

Thanks

 

Kind regards

 

Tanya Ingram, Manager of EAL/EDC Advisory Service – English as an Additional Language / Ethnically Diverse Communities

Tel: 01603 303339 | General enquiries: 01603 303329

 

Visit our Website     Follow us on Twitter

Click here to send a request to join the Norfolk EAL Google Group

Click here for information on EAL training courses

 

Children's Services – Inclusion and Opportunity

Norfolk County Council

Tel: 01603 303329

 

  

By sharing pupil specific information you are confirming that this is provided with full permission, protected by your own setting’s privacy policy. It is not the responsibility of Norfolk County Council to obtain or verify this. 

 

 

--

To see our email disclaimer click here http://www.norfolk.gov.uk/emaildisclaimer

[Marta Eys]

This is brilliant, Tanya.

Yes, it is a blurry area I am not proud of admitting as International DoS at my school 

I am not sure what the answer is here. What I'm sure about is that we can do more to bring this up to the exam boards, including exam regulation authorities. Exam officers and exam managers are starting to be on top of these circumstances. Eal circumstances are not specific as some have quoted but necessary, just and needed. If we want quality of education needs have to continue to be met, and that is not EAL, that is student needs - wouldn't we repeat what we said as teachers to a native speaker of English student? 

It is a case by case scenario at times and the regulations, despite the level of detail, can become vague for EAL specialists.im glad you pointed that one out! 

SENCOs work extremely hard to comprehend EALrelated matters but I don't think it's working as it should. Some students aren't given extra time as they aren't assessed in the UK. Nonetheless, they can get assessed, of course. Fear to tell international parents as some may not have the understanding or see it as social trauma, disgrace or disappointment . I truly believe SEN is not widely understood as for yet and it can be seen as a disability that students, at times, think it does not benefit at all (The amount of times a student has been given special arrangements and they have not used them! Whether this is about lack of knowledge about what those considerations mean I am unsure). A well-thought and delivered questionnaire should be a starting point to raise discussions.

I will continue to enquire whether you have any techniques or support that has helped you towards bridging gaps between EAL and SEN. They have never been contraries despite what it has traditionally been, sometimes, recognised out of ignorance. Now that it is widely known and that we continue to progress, it is time to take action.

I was unable to join a wonderful training by the bell Foundation. Any useful resources would be much appreciated!

Warm regards,

Marta El Yebari Sallent 

Director of Studies: International

Rochester Independent College 

---

From: 'Tanya Ingram' via EAL-Bilingual <eal-bi...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Tuesday, March 5, 2024 11:24:23 AM
To: eal-bi...@googlegroups.com <eal-bi...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: [EAL-Bilingual;9980] GCSE access arrangement. Opportunity to feedback to JCQ

 

--
This group is managed by NALDIC, the UK's EAL Professional Association. Please visit our website for further information: www.naldic.org.uk. Twitter: @EAL_naldic. NALDIC's Privacy Policy | https://naldic.org.uk/privacy-policy
 
National Association for Language Development in the Curriculum
A Registered Charity and Company Limited by Guarantee in England and Wales. Charity No 1110570. Company No 05159760
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "EAL-Bilingual" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to eal-bilingua...@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web, visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/eal-bilingual/LOYP265MB20932B3AD3335DF4CF754877B4222%40LOYP265MB2093.GBRP265.PROD.OUTLOOK.COM.

[Carrie-Ann Gibson]

I wonder, out of interest, do any of you know if there are circumstances where an EAL student is permitted to have a reader (or scribe) in exams? 

Thanks 

Carrie-Ann Gibson (She/Her)
International Education Manager

T: +44 (0)28 9442 8105

M: +44 (0)7740407623

@TH_carrie_ann

Need to book a call/meeting with me? Just use my Calend.ly link here
        

Not liking this content? Break our hearts and opt-out of our emails.

  

Texthelp,1 Orchard Way, Antrim BT41 2RU,UK

The content of this email, and any attachments, is strictly confidential and intended for the recipient/s specified in message only. It is strictly forbidden to share any part of this message with any third party external to your organization, without the written consent of the sender. If you received this message in error, please reply to this message and follow up with its deletion, so we can prevent a recurrence of the error.

Privacy policy

Please think of the environment before printing

To view this discussion on the web, visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/eal-bilingual/AS4PR03MB8652EFB554C0FC70C2691533FCE72%40AS4PR03MB8652.eurprd03.prod.outlook.com.

[Ellis, Louise]

Good morning all,

 

I also wrote to JCQ to query the same thing. I also queried the ‘guidance’ of ‘no knowledge of the English Language’ which quite frankly is ridiculous and would rule out everyone! I also queried who set the guidance and was informed it was a SEN team in London. I suggested they may be better seeking guidance from EAL specialists/professionals who are aware of the differences between social English and academic English etc.

 

On another note, the support offered is not that beneficial anyway. The use of bilingual dictionaries is not permitted in any subject where they may prove useful, and only permitted in subjects like Maths, Science etc – which tend to have specialised jargon which is not in the dictionaries.

 

I suggested they use the Frameworks which are already in place, for example A-C code learners could have the additional support/time.

 

I never did hear back from them though.

 

Kind regards,

 

Louise

 

 

Louise Ellis Manager Minority Ethnic Achievement Service Wirral council Birkenhead Town Hall CH41 5BR   Mobile: 07498 618 513 Email: louis...@wirral.gov.uk Visit our website: www.wirral.gov.uk

To view this discussion on the web, visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/eal-bilingual/AS4PR03MB8652EFB554C0FC70C2691533FCE72%40AS4PR03MB8652.eurprd03.prod.outlook.com.

This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed. If you have received this email in error please notify the system manager.

[Steven Donohue]

Hi Tanya,

Thanks, that's a useful clarification.

I've just been having the conversation about what "no knowledge of the English language" actually means with a school and was planning to write to JCQ on this, so I'm delighted you have. This would, of course, rule out very nearly everybody if taken literally (and render the criteria from the same paragraph about not having been prepped for IELTS and so forth redundant, which suggests to me that's not what is intended).

My advice to the school was that if the student would have been assessed as "New to English" on admission on the old PiE descriptors (or on the Bell Foundation assessment or similar) they'd be safe to say the student met the "no knowledge" criterion. JCQ could consider something altering the wording to something like that or, I don't know, dropping that criterion completely.

There is an overall illogic to it. Any child of any level of English can have a bilingual translation dictionary (in eligible subjects) and the purported purpose of the additional time is to enable them to use the dictionary. Their knowledge of English now or in the past isn't actually that relevant - surely what matters is that the school can demonstrate the student uses the dictionary a lot and/or uses it slowly.

Best,

Steve