A Lightning History of learner Assessment in Adult Literacy,

Numeracy and ESOL

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FEFC Quote

“During the last decade there has been a trend towards greater use of accredited awards. This has improved the quality of provision, providing greater rigour and a more structured approach. For most students, the opportunity to gain a nationally recognised qualifications, which can be the first step to other studies, is a welcome development. Some students, however, still do not perceive accreditation to be of value, given their immediate circumstances, and some teachers do not offer student sufficient encouragement to register for qualifications.”

FEFC 1998, p. 31

Phase One: Mid 1970s:

Rejection of school-based tests

for children.

Assessment was informal.

There was a need to shake off the image of remedial education.

RSA or City and Guilds

certificates were available Some students had to prepare

for vocational entrance tests

Phase Two: 1980s

ALBSU developed guidance on assessment, including the “progress profile”

Open Colleges were developing alternative accreditation

The Training agency became interested in materials for employment service staff to use

1986 NCVQ created1988 Education Reform Act

Phase Three: 1989 – 1998

Formalization of assessment and outcome related funding

National accreditation initiative:

Wordpower and Numberpower

OECD co-ordinates the International Adult Literacy Survey

1992 Further and Higher Education Act

“I remember introducing the idea of the open college passport and being able to build up credits and adult students getting certification for work and, explaining for that to happen, we were going to have to keep some records. And it caused complete consternation

Word Power and Number Power [developed] largely against the will of practitioners, … I mean when we consulted on both of those ..a high number of people were against it but……it was immensely popular with the learners, they liked it ”

“…..everyone was thinking competency and NVQs…. everybody was developing assignments…… Somebody who really loved doing Word Power and Number Power did it creatively, and their students liked it too, it wasn’t necessarily a bad thing at all !

“So if you were doing a basic skills class in literacy and numeracy you had to do Number Power or Word Power and the adults didn’t want to do Number Power and Word Power, they hated it. We didn’t like delivering it and they didn’t like doing it but that was the only way of getting funding through the local authority”

Phase Four: 1998- present

International and national survey research

Development of Skills for Life strategy and national test

Core Curriculum

ILPs/PDPs