English Language Assessment Kits for Primary Schools 22/4/08

Statement by John Carr, General Secretary, Irish National Teachers’ Organisation on English Language Assessment Kits for Primary Schools

22 April 2008
 
Assessment kits are a good first step but attempts to use them to deny children resources will be firmly resisted.
 
John Carr, General Secretary of the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation, said the development of English Language Assessment Kits for primary schools was a good first step. “Much more will need to be done to support newcomer children with English language needs,” he said. “These tests must not be the scalpel used to cut resources to children."
 
According to Carr the assessment kits are a useful tool to measure and record children’s language ability at the lowest level of language proficiency only. He said the three sub-levels measured by the kits cover only very basic interpersonal communication skills.
 
“This is the level of language held by most adults who have a foreign language. They can order a meal, ask directions or make simple statements.”
 
“But,” he said, “no adult with this level of French could easily or successfully undertake a course in car maintenance through French. No adult with this level of Spanish could expect to engage with a philosophy course through Spanish.”
 
According to Carr it takes children about two years to develop to this basic level.
 
In order to make progress in school children need to move to the step above this, known as the cognitive academic language proficiency level or CALPS. “Children cannot learn to understand new concepts and ideas in a second language unless they have more than a basic level of language understanding.”
 
Children will continue to need additional teaching support for at least two more years at this higher level and further assessment tests will need to be developed to record their progress at this level.
 
He said there was evidence that the Department is intending to use this assessment to determine if language support teachers are merited in schools. “Some schools have been told that no additional teachers will be appointed until all children are assessed using this test, even though they have additional children needing language support. This is wrong and the INTO will resist such a move”
 
“Even if all children in a school had this level of language there would still be a need for additional language support. At the very least tests measuring the next level of language competency are needed before any decision to cut resources is made.”
 
Ends.