Curriculum Framework

 

Introduction

 

Background

In 2007, the Scottish Government launched the Adult ESOL Strategy for Scotland which recognised a need for a national adult ESOL curriculum framework (page 13). This was to be developed along the lines of the existing Adult Literacy and Numeracy Curriculum Framework and would take account of ESOL developments in relation to EAL in schools.

 

The terms of reference tasked the National Curriculum sub-group with developing 'a coherent framework for ESOL teaching, learning and assessment...to equip learners with the relevant language skills to enter the labour market, to access further study and progression and participate more fully in their local communities and Scottish society'. The remit of the Curriculum Framework Working Party was to:

• develop a curriculum framework, stressing progression, which would be
  a) acceptable and useful to ESOL practitioners working in all sectors - in college, CLD, voluntary and the workplace - throughout Scotland
  b) relevant to ESOL learners who are from settled minority ethnic communities, refugees and asylum seekers, and migrant workers; and
• connect this framework to the emerging ESOL awards framework from SQA/SCQF, as well as to wider UK and EU certification in the field.

Who:

In 2008, a group was set up consisting of a convenor, Joanna McPake (Director, The Scottish Centre for Information on Language Teaching (SCILT) in 2008), and six members:

Margaret Allan, Anniesland College (on secondment to SQA in 2008)

Helen Davison, Fife Council

Lorna Grant, Forth Valley College

Andy Hancock, Edinburgh University

Ann Morgan Thomas, Stevenson College

Susan Walls, Learning Link Scotland

 

The group was able to draw on the expertise and advice of others as appropriate.

 

Principles:

 

The Adult ESOL Curriculum is defined by 5 key principles.

 

1) Outcomes of Provision

 

The outcomes of provision are evidenced in learners being:

• successful language learners
• confident language users
• responsible multilingual citizens
• effective communicators.

2) A Learner-Centred Approach

 

The framework diagram emphasises the ESOL learner at the centre of the learning process. The components surrounding the ESOL learner refer to the areas of the learner's life on which language learning will have an impact. The diversity of existing knowledge, skills and expertise an ESOL learner will bring to his/her learning experience is recognised and valued. This is acknowledged in the diagram by the past, present and future of the learner’s experience.

 

3) Progression

 

The Curriculum Framework will support practitioners to help equip ESOL learners with the relevant language skills to:

• enter the labour market
• access further study
• participate more fully in their local communities and Scottish Society.

This is represented in the diagram by the contexts for learning and learning content.

 

4) United by the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework

 

ESOL Learners will progress through their learning and the qualifications framework will bring coherence and structure that will support this learning progress. Learners will therefore be united by the qualifications framework.

 

5) Partnership and Negotiation

 

The framework recognises that as well as a diversity of learners, there is a diversity of practitioners in terms of the contexts in which they work, their training, motivation and expertise, and funding regimes. Because of this, partnership and negotiation are central to the learning process.

 

 

 

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