Functional Skills English Specification for first teaching in 2019
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Functional Skills English8720
Withdrawal of Functional Skills
Our Functional Skills English and Functional Skills Mathematics qualifications will be coming to an end. The last cohort for first teaching will be September 2024. Find out more about the alternative options for your learners.
1.0 Introduction
Introduction 1.1
Why choose AQA Level 1 and 2 Functional Skills in English A specification
Our assessments have been designed to inspire and motivate learners, providing appropriate opportunities to demonstrate their competence in English using real-world situations. With scheduled multiple opportunities for assessment you can tailor your delivery for learners of all abilities.
The specification will enable learners to develop confidence in English skills, preparing them for progression into employment or further education and for use in their daily lives.
Engaging and accessible content
The specification offers two equally-balanced papers across both levels. The Reading and Writing sources and stimuli provide learners with real-world situations and texts to engage their interest. The speaking, listening and communicating unit will emphasise the wider benefits that speaking and listening skills have for learners. It allows learners to develop their presentation and discussion skills around topics of their own choice. This will enable the full range of learners to engage in a way that is tailored to their experiences and areas of interest.
Skills-based approach
Writing tasks give learners the opportunity to produce texts of different lengths and for different audiences, building the skills needed to adapt responses to situations. Questions in reading are designed to truly assess a learner’s ability to understand different texts, using question formats to minimise writing demand.
Teach learners together
The specification is structured to make it easier to teach your learners. Your Functional Skills English and GCSE English Language learners can work towards their achievements together.
We’re behind you every step of the way
We have developed the specification in consultation with practising Functional Skills teachers, to ensure it meets the needs of learners and teachers and provides high quality assessment and good provision for English.
It offers excellent preparation for employment and further education, equipping learners with the life-skills they need to succeed.
With AQA you can rest assured that your learners will receive the result that fairly represents their attainment and reflects the skills that they have demonstrated. You can find out about all our English qualifications at aqa.org.uk/english
1.2 Support and resources to help you teach
We know that support and resources are vital.
So we’ve worked with experienced teachers to provide you with a range of resources that will help you plan, teach and prepare for exams with confidence. Teaching resources
Our resources include:
• Additional specimen papers
• Example responses for Reading and Writing
• NEA guidance
• Summary of changes
• Switching guide
• Subject specific vocabulary.
Preparing for exams Visit aqa.org.uk/english for everything you need to prepare for our exams, including:
• past papers, mark schemes and examiners’ reports from the legacy specification 4720/4725
• specimen papers and mark schemes for new courses.
Keep your skills up-to-date with professional development
Wherever you are in your career, there’s always something new to learn.
As well as subject-specific training, we offer a range of courses to help boost your skills. You can attend a course at venues around the country, in your school or online – whatever suits your needs and availability.
Find out more at coursesandevents.aqa.org.uk
Help and support
Visit our website for information, guidance, support and resources at aqa.org.uk/subjects/english
You can talk directly to the English subject team.