A key aim for Functional Skills English specifications is to enable the student to develop confidence and fluency in, and a positive attitude towards, English. Students should be able to demonstrate their competence in English by using it in real-world situations as well as demonstrating a sound grasp of basic English knowledge and skills.

Purpose of Functional Skills English for Entry Levels: a qualification to demonstrate the ability to read, write, speak, listen and communicate in English at an appropriate level. Students will learn to apply this knowledge and these skills in familiar situations. Achievement of these qualifications can provide the basis for further study at Levels 1 and 2.

Purpose of Functional Skills English for Level 1 and Level 2: a qualification for work, study and life. Achievement of this qualification demonstrates the ability to read, write, speak, listen and communicate in English at an appropriate level. Students will learn to apply these skills effectively to a range of purposes in the workplace and other real-life situations.

Learning Outcomes For Entry-Level Functional Skills English:

Functional Skills English qualifications at these levels indicate that students should be able to speak, listen, communicate, read and write with increasing clarity, accuracy and effectiveness at each level.

Students will learn how to:

1. Listen, understand and respond to verbal communication in a range of familiar contexts
2. Acquire an understanding of everyday words and their uses and effects, and apply this understanding in different contexts
3. Read with accuracy straightforward texts encountered in everyday life and work, and develop the confidence to read more widely
4. Write straightforward texts and documents with clarity and effectiveness, and demonstrate a sound grasp of spelling, punctuation and grammar

Students should, with some direction and guidance, be able to apply these functional skills to informal and some formal contexts, in familiar situations.

Assessment Specifications:

All skill areas are assessed. Specifications are developed to ensure sufficient coverage of the criteria and consistency/reliability of assessments over time.

The assessment consists of a series of task-based questions with the tutor/assessor able to provide instructions and explain overall assessment requirements.

Reading: task-based questions
Writing: task-based questions
Speaking, Listening and Communication: oral assessment template

Learning Outcomes for Functional Skills Levels 1 & 2:

Functional Skills English qualifications at these levels indicate that students should be able to speak, listen, communicate, read and write clearly, accurately, confidently and with effectiveness.

Students will learn how to:

1. Listen, understand and make relevant contributions to discussions with others in a range of contexts
2. Apply their understanding of language to adapt delivery and content to suit audience and purpose
3. Read a range of different text types confidently and fluently, applying their knowledge and understanding of texts to their writing
4. Write texts of varying complexity, with accuracy, effectiveness, and correct spelling, punctuation and grammar
5. Understand situations within which planning, drafting and using formal language are important, and when they are less important

Students should be able to use these functional skills autonomously, applying them to a range of formal and informal contexts, in the workplace and real life.

A key aspect of developing knowledge and skills in English, at Level 1 and Level 2, is to be able to communicate with confidence, effectiveness and with an increasing level of independence.

Assessment Specifications:

All skill areas are assessed. Specifications are developed to ensure 100% coverage of the criteria and consistency/reliability of assessments over time.

Reading:
Designed for on-screen assessment delivery, with the option of a paper-based assessment. The assessment is task-based, involving multiple choice questions and free responses.

Each assessment contains two different types of source document. The assessment tasks will require candidates to extract relevant information from the documents.

Writing:
Designed for on-screen assessment delivery, with the option of a paper-based assessment.

The assessment is task-based, involving free response writing.

Each assessment requires candidates to produce two different types of text to fulfil the purpose of the task.

Speaking, Listening and Communication:
The assessment consists of two group discussions. One discussion will be about a topic that is familiar to the candidates, and the other will be about a topic that is unfamiliar to the candidates.

Topics are decided by the centre. Assessments are conducted by the centre and assessed internally.