Achieved stages are used when applying for funding
For funding purposes, only the achieved stage is recorded on the record of progress cover sheet. This is necessary for national consistency.
The achieved stage means that the student has achieved the majority of the descriptors at a particular stage, in each mode. It is important to ensure that the students show these descriptors independently and consistently across a range of contexts. Teachers should focus mainly on academic language (CALP) when making stage decisions rather than on basic communication skills (BICS).
More information on Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills (BICS) and Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency (CALP) is available in the ELLP Introduction Booklet (page 4).
Why we require the "achieved" stage
In this oral language matrix exemplar the teacher has highlighted which descriptors the student has achieved on three different occasions, using a different colour highlighter.
- This student has moved on to working mostly within stage 2. However, there are not enough green highlighted descriptors to say the student has achieved stage 2. It is clear that stage 1 (in blue) is achieved and that will be the stage recorded for funding purposes on the ‘record of progress’ cover sheet.
- This matrix shows clearly how the progression through the stages goes and that language development often straddles multiple stages.
- The matrix also shows what the student’s next steps for learning will be
Sub-stages
Reading and writing sub-stages (as detailed in the ELLP booklets) are not recorded on the funding record of progress as they indicate the student is still working within that stage. So while schools will want to record the sublevels that the students have achieved when reporting on progress, for identifying eligibility for ESOL funding you will only need to record the whole achieved stage on the cover sheet.
Getting the scoring right
When considering the descriptors, focus on the student’s academic language across different contexts and ensure that they can achieve those consistently and independently, using a range of assessments both formative and summative as well as observations.
What information is needed to make solid stage decisions?
To make solid and more reliable stage decisions in reading and writing especially, it is important to look at the more detailed descriptors rather than rely solely on the matrices themselves, or on the exemplars given in the ELLP individual year level booklets.
- The exemplars in the booklets are just samples of work that exemplify some of the criteria
- The matrices are summaries of much more detailed descriptors in the year level booklets which should be considered when making decisions.
Why is highlighting used?
Where matrices are highlighted in different colours, a clear picture emerges over time of which aspects of language acquisition are progressing well and where support is to be targeted next.
Highlighting also makes the achieved stage more obvious.
Some of the descriptors on the matrices are about what the student cannot do; does this matter?
The vast majority of the ELLP descriptors across the four modes are positive statements on what the student can do. This makes it very straight forward to highlight when they have "achieved" the indicator, or a part of it.
However, there are a few statements about features of language learning at that stage which still need further development. This is mainly across the output modes (speaking and writing).
For example, Stage 1 speaking: “pause and hesitate when speaking” is not a skill you could achieve but it can be highlighted as a shown feature of the student’s language use and therefore fits into that stage. You would still put the student as a stage 1 for funding purposes if they had achieved the majority of the other descriptors at that stage.
Teacher professional judgment needs to be used for the overall stage decision.
Some of the descriptors on the matrices are multistep and carry a greater learning load; does this matter?
Some of the descriptors have a larger learning load than others. For example, in the writing matrix, "sentence development and language structures" would carry more weight than "script control".
Some of the descriptors have multiple steps. A student may achieve part of the descriptor but not another. In that case, it can be partly highlighted.
Teachers then need to use their professional judgment as to how the descriptors are weighted and how these fit in with the overall stage achievement.
The reading matrix
The reading matrix focuses on complexity of text rather than descriptors of reading behaviours. To achieve a particular stage, a student must demonstrate the ability to read texts of similar complexity with a high level of comprehension. They must demonstrate competence in decoding, making meaning and thinking critically.
It is important that primary teachers do not assume that if a text shown in The Progressions: ELLP is a "best-fit" for the stage of their learner, then all other texts at a similar level (for example, from the colour wheel) will also be suitable. Similarly, it is important for secondary teachers not to assume direct relationships between texts in The Progressions: ELLP and English language unit standards. However, the rough correlation between them could be a starting point for exploring further.
Ideas on assessment for each mode
A further resource that models effective ways of gathering evidence and placement on the matrices is the DVD which can viewed online. Also available as a hard copy: Using the ELLP Matrices (Down The Back Of The Chair, product code 710098).
