Professional learning paper: Significant Aspects of Learning
Assessing progress and achievement in Modern Languages
The work in progress on significant aspects of learning was reviewed in June and July 2015
in the light of feedback from practitioners, schools and education authorities and in the
context of developments in national education policy. This has led to a number of changes
both in the overarching paper and in each of the papers related to an area of the
curriculum.
Within each of the curriculum area papers changes include:
• the addition of two sections which set the context for the work on significant
aspects of learning
• the addition of references, wherever appropriate, to the relationship between
significant aspects of learning and the development of skills for learning life and
work, literacy and numeracy and digital competencies
• changes (usually minor) to the definition and illustration of the significant aspects
of learning in that area
• the use of a common format in the presentation of the significant aspects of
learning
• the insertion of hyperlinks to texts referenced in the paper.
This preface has been added to each paper. Feedback from practitioners made it clear that the
original papers lacked a clear initial statement of context and purpose.
Preface
This paper is one element of a suite of resources which support assessment of progress and
achievement. You are recommended to read this paper in conjunction with the following:
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Monitoring and tracking progress and achievement in the broad general education:
bit.ly/edscotapasal
Assessing progress and achievement overarching paper
Modern Languages progression framework
Annotated exemplification of work in Modern Languages: bit.ly/edscotsalmod
This resource supplements the Modern Languages Principles and Practice paper and Experiences and
Outcomes which can be found on the Modern Languages homepage at
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Assessing progress and achievement in Modern Languages
http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/learningandteaching/curriculumareas/languages/modernlan
guages/index.asp
The introduction to each paper has been revised as necessary to make clearer links to the
Principles and Practice paper which identifies the key aims of learning in the relevant
curriculum area.
Introduction
The Modern Languages Principles and Practice paper summarises the educational rationale
underpinning the right of all children and young people to enjoy and benefit from the experience of
learning a modern language until the end of their broad general education:
Learning other languages enables children and young people to make connections with different
people and their cultures and to play a fuller part as global citizens.
It is important for the nation’s prosperity that young people are attracted to learning a modern
language and that they become confident users of a modern language, well equipped with the skills
needed in the new Europe and in the global marketplace. This framework of experiences and
outcomes is intended to help to address this national need.
The Modern Languages Principles and Practice paper identifies key features of assessment:
Assessment in modern languages will focus on children and young people’s progress in developing
and applying their skills in listening, talking, reading and writing …. Approaches to assessment should
identify the extent to which children and young people can apply these skills in their learning and
their daily lives and in preparing for the world of work.
Assessment of progress in modern languages involves making judgements about the success of
children and young people in extending and using their vocabulary, increasing their comprehension
of the written and spoken word, developing their understanding of language structures and rules and
applying these accurately in familiar and new real-life situations.
Teachers will see evidence of progress through children and young people’s growing skills in
communication and language learning, in their knowledge about language structure, and in their
awareness of social, cultural and geographical aspects. Much of the evidence will be gathered as part
of day-to-day learning.
This paper builds on these statements by making use of significant aspects of learning to support
practitioners in carrying out dependable valid, reliable and challenging assessment of progress and
achievement in Modern Languages. This paper provides:
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a description of the significant aspects of learning within Modern Languages
an outline of what breadth, challenge and application look like within Modern Languages
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Assessing progress and achievement in Modern Languages
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information on planning for progression through curriculum levels, using breadth, challenge
and application.
What are significant aspects of learning?
The overarching paper in this professional learning resource contains a section on ‘What are
the significant aspects of learning?’. Feedback suggested strongly that it would be helpful to
practitioners as they refer to and use the curriculum area papers to have a slightly abridged
version of this section included in each curriculum area paper.
Significant aspects of learning have been identified for each curriculum area. Each significant aspect
of learning brings together a coherent body of knowledge and understanding and related skills, as
outlined in the Principles and Practice paper and detailed in the experiences and outcomes. Each
significant aspect of learning
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is common to all levels from early to fourth
can provide sound evidence of learning in accord with the principles of Building the
Curriculum 5: A Framework for Assessment
supports the practice of holistic (‘best fit’) assessment
can be effectively used to inform assessment of progression within a level and achievement
of a level
can be used to plan further progression within a level and from one level to the next.
Using significant aspects of learning makes assessing progress and achievement more dependable
and more manageable. This structure:
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supports practitioners in planning and integrating learning, teaching and assessment
ensures that learners and practitioners can draw on a range of meaningful, robust, valid and
reliable evidence from all four contexts of learning
affords learners space to demonstrate the breadth of their learning, effective responses to
challenging learning experiences and the ability to apply what they have learned in new and
unfamiliar situations
allows learners to progress by different routes and pathways through the experiences and
outcomes
helps practitioners avoid fragmented approaches to assessment which prevent learners
from demonstrating the full range of their knowledge, understanding and skills
removes the need to rely on evidence derived from single brief learning experiences or end
of unit tests
affords practitioners opportunities to plan and assess within a curricular area the
development of the skills, attributes and capabilities required for learning, life and work,
including the development of literacy, numeracy and digital competencies
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Assessing progress and achievement in Modern Languages
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supports practitioners in making holistic (‘best fit’) judgements about the achievement of a
level either in an individual significant aspect of learning or, drawing on evidence from
across the relevant significant aspects of learning, in a curriculum area.
The use of significant aspects of learning will inform:
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moderation activities based on holistic judgements supported by dependable evidence
monitoring and tracking progress in learning
quality assurance approaches
the use of assessment to inform improvement at all levels of the education system.
Significant aspects of learning in modern languages
A number of changes have been made to this section.
• The significant aspects are presented as a bold bullet pointed list.
• The bullet points below the significant aspects of learning have been revised to
better reflect the Modern Languages Principles and Practice paper and the
experiences and outcomes. Feedback from practitioners suggested that there
was some confusion about the purpose of these bullet points and their
relationship to the significant aspects of learning. They are now called key
themes and their purpose is to demonstrate the range of experiences that
should be considered when gathering evidence of progress within each of the
significant aspects of learning
There are three significant aspects of learning in modern languages
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Listening and talking
Reading
Writing
Although teaching and learning will often take place across more than one significant aspect of
learning, a learner may achieve a level in listening and talking, or reading, or writing. Progress and
achievement within these three significant aspects of learning in Modern Languages will be
evidenced as children and young people achieve across these key themes 1:
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develop and use knowledge and understanding of language
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find, use and organise information
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appreciate other cultures
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These key themes are intended to broadly equate to the sub-divisions in the Modern Languages Experiences
and Outcomes
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Assessing progress and achievement in Modern Languages
What do breadth, challenge and application look like in modern languages?
There are minor changes to the text in this section to:
• add more detail about what breadth looks like
• signpost the skills described in the challenge section
• include references to skills for learning, life and work.
Well‐planned learning, teaching and assessment of a modern language provide opportunities across
the significant aspects of learning for learners to enjoy breadth, challenge and the application in new
and unfamiliar contexts of what they have learned. Learners should take an active part in planning,
managing and assessing relevant and challenging learning experiences across the curriculum which
will support them in developing the understanding and skills which are embedded in the significant
aspects of learning.
Breadth
Learners will have opportunities to achieve in the significant aspects of learning in modern languages
when they:
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communicate and collaborate across learning in listening, talking, reading and writing
show an increasing awareness of language rules, including knowledge about language
engage with a broad range of texts, fiction and non‐fiction, from a variety of media.
extend and enrich their use of vocabulary
In the modern languages classroom, learners will be able to draw on their own experience and
interests; practitioners will provide opportunities to extend the number and range of meaningful
contexts beyond those of immediate interest to learners. Learners will extend their knowledge and
skills through producing and responding to a wide range of types of texts. These texts will take
account of learners’ interests, as well as the interests of learners in the country/ countries where the
modern languages are spoken and the background of the school and learners.
Challenge
Learners will demonstrate their achievement through meeting challenges in terms of increasing:
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independence and reduced level of support, including peer/teacher support and support
from resources such as writing frameworks, wordlists and dictionaries
length and complexity of text and task in listening and reading
length, complexity and accuracy of response in talking and writing
confidence in taking the initiative (including asking for help) and sustaining communication.
Challenges in modern languages will involve learners engaging with a wider range of language, some
of which will be unfamiliar or in unfamiliar contexts. Learners can, for example, be challenged by
the use of open-ended questioning or through engagement with texts where there is some degree
of unpredictability.
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Assessing progress and achievement in Modern Languages
Application
Coherent planning which provides breadth and challenge across the significant aspects of learning
should also provide opportunities for learners to apply their learning in new and unfamiliar contexts.
As learners develop understanding and skills in modern languages, they can apply these in a wide
range of situations which are new and unfamiliar and so extend the purposes for which they
produce language. Application develops communicative competence and knowledge of language as
well as global citizenship and understanding. These situations may include, for example:
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presentations, debates, role-plays, simulations and performances within the classroom
events in the life of the school such as assemblies and celebrations
major international sporting and cultural events
interdisciplinary learning involving for example, social studies, religious and moral education
or religious education in Roman Catholic schools, health and wellbeing, food and nutrition,
citizenship, conservation, the rights of the child
the use of authentic modern language material, including that provided through digital
media, from relevant countries.
Such a range of contexts will provide motivating opportunities for learners to apply and develop
their language skills in responding to authentic material and contexts. Learners may further apply
and extend their knowledge and language skills through partnership with other schools in other
countries and through opportunities to explore the use of modern languages in the world of work.
As a result, learners should better understand how working in and through modern languages
develops important transferable skills for learning, life and work. These skills include being able to:
analyse and evaluate their own work and the work of others; solve problems of increasing
complexity; collaborate effectively; think and act creatively; develop and use digital competencies.
Planning for progression through breadth, challenge and application in modern languages
The text in this section has been developed to provide more detail about what breadth,
challenge and application looks like across the key themes within each significant aspect of
learning.
Children and young people will develop their knowledge and understanding, skills, attributes and
capabilities when they engage in a range of integrated learning activities across the three significant
aspects of learning. Learners will have opportunities to extend and apply their knowledge of the
structure of the modern language, understand how it relates to their own language and use this
knowledge and understanding to support progress in the significant aspects of learning. This will
include opportunities for learners to apply and extend their knowledge of grammatical structure.
Listening and talking
As they develop their knowledge, skills and capabilities in listening and talking, learners will
demonstrate their progression as they move from understanding and using familiar language to
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understanding and using unfamiliar language. This will be evidenced as they move from taking part
in play activities and games to simple poems and short role-plays, from pronouncing familiar words
and phrases to listening, reading and understanding an increasingly complex range of sources and
speakers, including previously unheard and unfamiliar language.
Learners will listen to spoken texts which contain an increasing range of vocabulary. The vocabulary
they hear, understand and use will extend from that needed to understand simple structures and to
share basic personal information to that required by a range of themes. These themes will extend
from their own life and life in their own locality to encompass life and the culture of other societies;
from day-to-day practical interactions to discussion of global social or environmental issues. Within
any one theme learners will progress from basic familiar vocabulary to that required by more
challenging aspects of the theme. Learners will develop knowledge of a range of vocabulary and the
capability to use this to allow them to communicate their thoughts and feelings and respond to
those of other people.
Learners will develop the ability to understand spoken language used in a variety of ways. They will
access spoken language used for a growing range of purposes (from nursery rhymes and simple
stories through to brief news reports and to discussions of social and cultural matters). Learners will
listen to and respond in a variety of ways to presentations, ranging from one or more speakers to
informal conversations with several participants, as well as to spoken language provided through a
range of media. Their knowledge of language will support them in understanding and determining
an appropriate response. Learners will develop an understanding of more complex references to
cultural aspects of the countries where the language is spoken.
Learners will move from predictable, prepared exchanges to those with a degree of
unpredictability. They will progress from responding verbally and non‐verbally to straightforward
requests from teachers and others, including asking for help, using simple or familiar learned
phrases or words, to questioning independently and effectively, encouraging more open responses
from others and maintaining the flow of communication. Learners’ interactions in conversations will
use increasingly well‐structured sentences. They will be able to lead a conversation as well as
respond to others. Learners will develop the capacity to engage in more spontaneous conversation.
Learners will be able to adapt language to suit the occasion and context, including giving opinions
and straightforward reasons. They will cope with questions which use some unexpected vocabulary
or structures. Learners will develop their capacity to ask questions and ask for help where
appropriate and will be able to talk at sufficient length to demonstrate the level of language
outlined here.
Reading
As learners progress, the texts which they read will make use of less familiar language and an
increasing range of vocabulary. The vocabulary they read and understand will extend from that
needed to express basic personal information to that required by a growing range of themes. These
themes will extend from their own life and life in their own locality to encompass life and the culture
of other societies; from understanding written instructions in daily life to accounts of global, social or
environmental issues. In this way, by the end of the broad general education learners will have
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Assessing progress and achievement in Modern Languages
developed a knowledge of the range of vocabulary essential for further learning. Within any one
theme, learners will progress beyond acquiring a basic vocabulary to that required by more
challenging aspects of the theme. As learners progress, they will develop their capacity to
understand texts which make use of complex sentences with connectors, conjunctions, adjectives,
adverbs and sentences with a range of tenses and structures. On occasion, structures which they
read will be unfamiliar to them and will require them to draw on their knowledge of language to
help them understand and respond appropriately.
Increasingly, learners will understand texts which they read independently, using a bilingual
dictionary with confidence; they will require less support from word banks, picture prompts,
classroom displays or the teacher. Working with others allows learners to share the development of
their understanding of longer and more complex texts and of texts in a range of formats.
At the same time, learners will develop and use a range of reading strategies to work out meaning,
such as scanning for information, recognising cognates or using contextual clues. They will develop
these strategies as they read a growing variety of texts 2.They will develop their skills and capabilities
in applying these strategies to texts provided in a variety of formats and through different media,
including digital texts.
Writing
Learners will draw on the knowledge and understanding, skills, attributes and capabilities which they
are developing in the other significant aspects of learning as they move from familiar to less familiar
language, understand and use a range of vocabulary and understand and use more complex
sentences. They will begin to experiment with writing in the language they are learning and as they
develop, respond to and write appropriate texts making use of this vocabulary. They will be able to
use their knowledge of language to build up their understanding of the ways in which words and
sentences can be formed.
The development of this knowledge and understanding will enhance learners’ capabilities so that
they can write for a variety of purposes and refer to a variety of themes of interest to them. They
will progress from simple brief statements of fact related to themselves and their own immediate
contexts to longer factual accounts of a variety of incidents, to giving opinions and straightforward
reasons. They will make use of an increasing range of text genres and structures appropriate to the
task and audience, using writing frames and writing blogs or e-mails. As they do so, they will
develop their ability to write at increasing length. They will use an increasing range of appropriate
vocabulary in different contexts. As they develop their skills in writing, learners will use reference
materials and other texts to plan more complex writing and check the accuracy of their own and
others’ work. Learners will make less use of support from dictionaries or word lists to produce
writing of an appropriate standard.
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For example, anecdotes, fairy tales, ‘easy readers’, games, rhymes, instructions, recipes, poems, text
messages, e‐mails, interviews, plays, simulations, jokes, tongue twisters, riddles, posters and graphic novels
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Further specific advice related to assessment in modern languages
In listening and talking, practitioners may use class activities as powerful evidence of the learner’s
ability to understand and respond appropriately in a conversation or role‐play. Learners may also be
asked to listen for information such as key facts from a news bulletin or story. Practitioners can plan
to use the learner’s performance in paired or group talking activities to build up an ongoing picture
of the learner’s ability to respond in conversations or role‐plays; some of these may be recorded for
evidence purposes. Learners may also be assessed on presentations given to their peers or other
audiences.
In reading, learners will demonstrate developing skills through planned activities such as searching
the internet for information in the modern language on a project, reading from a range of texts for
information on events or reading an extract from a novel which fits in with their topic. They will
demonstrate their understanding and progress in a range of ways, such as sequencing picture
prompts, summarising key points or following instructions.
In writing, practitioners will use learners’ performance in a range of writing activities in class as
ongoing indicators of progress. These could include amending and personalising short texts,
representing the findings of a class survey, writing instructions for a game, entering news on a class
blog, composing slides for a presentation, or writing their opinions on a theme.
Evidence derived from classroom activities may be supported by evidence drawn from
interdisciplinary learning, learners’ participation in school activities and, where appropriate, from
personal achievements in and out of school. Learners will provide evidence not only of their skills in
understanding and using the language, but also of their knowledge of language structures and of the
cultures and societies of the language they are studying.
Learners may progress at different rates in the significant aspects and can achieve a level in one
aspect of modern languages before doing so in others.
Next steps
This section has been reworded to stress the value of using all elements of the professional
resource: overarching paper, relevant curriculum area paper(s), progression framework(s) and
annotated exemplification.
Practitioners are encouraged to use this document to support professional dialogue through quality
assurance and moderation activities. It may be used by individuals to inform reflection on practice
and plan for improvement in approaches to supporting learners in their progress and achievement.
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