New MFL KS3 NC level descriptors. Part 2

I've just had another thought about this and now I'm both annoyed and confused. (It's called multi-tasking!)

Initially, some of my colleagues thought that this was a great idea because the 3rd attainment target will improve the students' final KS3 assessments and they will want to choose MFL as an option in KS4. Great! I'm all for increasing uptake at KS4 and beyond. But for the right reasons.

That's all very well, but because of this many of these students will have an overinflated KS4 target grade.

I have studied (and blogged) the new specs for GCSE here and nowhere can I find a section on "intercultural understanding" in there. We, obviously, teach some cultural understanding as part of GCSE but it is not a separate section of the course.

Does this mean that in 2014 the GCSE will change again? I think it probably does.

New NC level descriptors for MFL

The Government has decided, in its wisdom, to get the QCA to manage a public consultation on changes to the National Curriculum.

The consultation will run from 30th April until 24th July, although parents are only to be consulted fron the beginning of June! Why?

I only just found out about this and I'm sure most of you didn't have a clue either. If you did, thanks for the "heads up".

Most subjects will have changes to their NC level descriptors, but I'm more interested in MFL than in the others. By clicking here you can read the proposals for MFL.

If I have understood correctly, there will be 3 attainment targets:

1) Listening and Speaking
2) Reading and Writing
3) Intercultural understanding

The third one is, of course, brand new, and it's a tricky one.

As far as I can make out, you could get a level 8, or even Exceptional Performance without actually knowing a single world of a foreign language. (My results should improve then!)

For more information or to get involved go to the ALL website and follow the links.