ESOL Skills for Life Entry 2 and 3 ESOL Vocational Level 1 English Functional Skills Level 1 and 2 Mathematics Functional Skills Level 1 and 2 IELTS
Other Subject Descriptions
www.worthing.ac.uk
ESOL
(English for Speakers of Other Languages) Skills for Life Entry 2 and 3 When do I start studying for this qualification? September 2018. For how long will I study? One year.
What skills and interests do I need beforehand? You will need to be working towards Entry Level 1 to join the course (both spoken and written). We will assess you for this.
What is this course about? If English is not your first language and you need to develop your language skills, you can choose to study ESOL. The course will help you to prepare for further studies or other courses at Worthing College or elsewhere.
What skills will I need to develop during the course to succeed? You will need to develop your reading, writing, speaking and listening skills on the course. You will also be able to develop skills in working independently, in pairs and in groups.
What topics will I study? You will be able to develop your reading, writing, listening and speaking skills in preparation for the ESOL Skills for Life qualifications at the appropriate level.
Are there any specific entry requirements? No formal qualifications are required to take this subject. Ideally you will have completed or be working towards Entry level 1 at ESOL before starting the course. Your level of English will be tested to make sure you are in the right ESOL group.
How will my work be assessed? You will take final examinations at the end of the year in Speaking & Listening, Reading & Writing at a level appropriate to your needs and skills. These exams will either be ESOL Entry 2 or Entry 3.
What are the lessons like? Lessons include group work and individual work, as well as class discussions.
What do students say about this course? “…a very important qualification for living in the UK.” “…you have to work hard but lessons are fun.” “We go on lots of trips that help us to learn about British culture.” “Make sure you attend all your lessons and do your homework if you want to pass the exam.” What have I got to do in order to do well? You must attend all lessons and keep to the deadlines for homework. Are there any other qualifications which combine particularly well with this one? Yes, Maths is a good course to take alongside ESOL. Why is ESOL useful for me? It provides a foundation for further study in ESOL. If you achieve Entry 3 in all your tests you will be able to progress to other courses within the college combined with further ESOL qualifications. See details of our ESOL Levels 1 and 2.
ESOL
(English for Speakers of Other Languages) Vocational Level 1 When do I start studying for this qualification? September 2018. For how long will I study? One year. What is this course about? If English is not your first language and you need to develop your language skills, you can choose to study ESOL alongside vocational subjects. You will be able to develop your reading, writing, listening and speaking skills and be able to cope better with your programme of study. What topics will I study? You will study topics that develop your reading, writing, listening and speaking skills in preparation for the ESOL Skills for Life qualifications at the appropriate level. Topics covered will also help you with your other subjects at college – for example, vocabulary and writing skills.
How will my work be assessed? There are external exams throughout the year, usually in December, and May/June. Students who pass Level 1 can be considered for entry into Functional Skills exams. What skills and interests do I need beforehand to be a successful applicant for this course? You will need to be working towards, or have passed Entry Level 3 to cope with the course (both spoken and written). We will assess you or check your certificates for Entry Level 3. What skills will I need to develop during the course to succeed? You will need to develop your reading, writing, speaking and listening skills on the course. You will also be able to develop skills in working independently, in pairs and in groups.
Are there any specific entry requirements? No formal qualifications are required to take this subject. Ideally you will have completed or be working towards Entry Level 3 at ESOL before starting the course. We will test your level of English at the beginning of the year to make sure you are in the right ESOL group. You will be required to attend all classes on the course to show your commitment to study ESOL. What are the lessons like? Lessons include group work and individual work, as well as class discussions. What do students say about this course? “I had to study ESOL Skills for Life first before I could start ESOL Vocational….it was good preparation for me.” “There are no short cuts…. you have to work hard.” What have I got to do in order to do well? You must attend all lessons and keep to the deadlines for homework. Are there any other qualifications which combine particularly well with this one? You should combine ESOL Vocational with a Level 2 or 3 BTEC qualification. Why is ESOL useful for me? If you achieve ESOL qualifications you will be able to progress to further courses in the college or elsewhere, and you may have the opportunity to progress to IELTS (International English Language Testing System), or GCSE English, qualifications which could give you access to further study including university.
English Functional Skills Level 1 and 2 When do I start studying for this qualification? September 2018.
Students who pass Level 1 are likely to be considered for entry to the Level 2 exams in May.
For how long will I study? One year.
Unit 1 Speaking and Listening: assessed internally through classroom activities.
What is this course about? This course is a stepping stone to GCSE English. Functional Skills English focuses more on how to use English in everyday situations in the real world. It is designed to show employers that you have a firm grounding in basic English language skills. The course will focus on the main skills areas of: Reading and understanding a range of real world documents – e.g. reading a job description. Writing in correct English for a range of purposes and audiences – e.g. writing an effective letter of complaint. Speaking and listening skills – e.g. participating in a debate. How will my work be assessed? There are assessment points through the year, usually in November, March and May.
Unit 2 Reading: assessed by 45 minute external exam for Level 1 and a 60 minute external exam for Level 2. Unit 3 Writing: assessed by 45 minute external exam for Level 1 and a 60 minute external exam for Level 2. Are there any specific entry requirements? A minimum of grade 2 in GCSE English or the equivalent. What do students say about this course? ‘I like that we are practising skills that I can use in the real world. This is real English.’
Is there a similar qualification to this one? If so how do I choose between them? GCSE English is similar but has different entry requirements. If English is not your first language we strongly recommend our ESOL qualifications (English for Speakers of Other Languages) or IELTS qualifications (International English Language Testing System). We are happy to offer further advice. Are there any other qualifications which combine particularly well with this one? We would normally expect you to combine English Functional Skills with other Level 2 or 3 qualifications. What do people do with English Functional Skills? Many employers and colleges require you to have a minimum standard of English and this course is respected as an alternative to GCSE. Students who pass Level 2 Functional Skills English can progress to take GCSE English in the following year.
Mathematics Functional Skills Level 1 and 2 When would the course start? September 2018. For how long will I study? Up to one year. What is this course about? This course is a stepping stone to GCSE Mathematics and is designed for students who have a GCSE Mathematics grade U, 1 or 2 (or E, F, G, or U under the previous grading system). Our aim is to build your confidence in the areas of maths you will need in every day life. The course covers money, time, area, perimeter, data and averages with an emphasis on real life scenarios. How will my work be assessed? A 90 minute calculator exam. There are three main assessment points during the year (November, February and May) and you will be entered for the exam when we feel you are ready. Are there any specific entry requirements? You will automatically be enrolled on this course if you have achieved a grade U, 1 or 2 in the new Mathematics GCSE (or E, F, G or U in the old GCSE).
What do students say about this course? “I like the fact that we have to solve problems from the real world.” “I have actually found this useful for my everyday life.” “The teachers are really helpful and it’s a nice small class” “I needed Level 2 to pass my apprenticeship” Is there a similar qualification to this one? If so how do I choose between them? You will join the GCSE course if you have achieved a grade 3 (or D) in GCSE Mathematics. Once you pass functional skills you will progress to the GCSE course. What do people do with Maths Functional Skills? Many employers and colleges require you to have a minimum standard of maths and this course is respected as an alternative to GCSE. Level 2 functional skills is a requirement of some apprenticeships.
IELTS
(International English Language Testing Systems) What is this course about? IELTS is probably the most widely recognised qualification in English in the world. It respects international diversity and is fair to anyone who sits the test regardless of nationality. At Worthing College, the Academic version of IELTS is taught to all our Visiting International Students to prepare them for further study at English-speaking universities. Some students studying ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) may be advised to progress to IELTS by the College. How will my work be assessed? You are tested in all four language skills: listening, reading, writing and speaking. Tests are conducted by a certificated examiner at a local IELTS testing centre, these exams always take place on a Saturday at Bellerby’s College in Brighton. There are various exam dates, so even if you are only staying with us for a short time, you will still be able to be assessed externally. Results are on an 8-point scale. Most universities require an IELTS score of 6.5.
9 Expert user 8 Very good user 7 Good user 6 Competent user 5 Modest user 4 Limited user 3 Extremely limited user 2 Intermittent user 1 Non user 0 Did not attempt the test What do people do with IELTS? Most of our International Students use IELTS to meet university entrance requirements. Last year 86% reached an IELTS score of 6 or higher. Entry Requirements You will need an IELTS score of 5.5 to be able to study IELTS alongside A Levels at Worthing College (Individual A Levels have additional entry requirements). What are the lessons like? Lessons are exam-focused, with ongoing assessments throughout the year and up to three full mock exams. We also have a language lab at the college and lesson time will be split between the lab and conventional classroom study.
What have I got to do in order to do well? You will need to practise your English skills outside of lessons, including completing homework tasks and independent study.
To inspire, build confidence and prepare you for the life you want to live
01903 275 755 1 Sanditon Way Worthing BN14 9FD @WorthingCollegeOfficial @WorthingCollege
www.worthing.ac.uk
All info correct at date of issue. Please check www.worthing.ac.uk for updates.
Come see what we can offer you. Visit us at one of our Open Events. 2017
2018
November
February
Saturday 4th 10:30 – 14:00 Monday 6th 16:30 – 19:30
Tuesday 27th 17:00 – 19:00
June Tuesday 5th 16:00 – 18:000