What are Basic Skills?
Basic Skills are qualifications designed to help learners improve their literacy, language and numeracy skills and are available from ASDAN at Levels 1 and 2. They are Skills for Life and include Adult Literacy and Adult Numeracy (sometimes known as ALAN).
The Basic Skills of Literacy and Numeracy test technical knowledge and understanding, whereas Key Skills in Communication and Application of Number also test their application.
How can they be used?
Skills qualifications can be used to give recognition for knowledge and skills through many practical activities that schools, colleges, training providers and others are already doing. They can give formal qualification status for skills developed through a range of programmes.
Who are they for?
Pre- and Post-16 students, and adults.
What are they worth?
Each of the qualifications of Literacy and Numeracy are worth 12.5 points at Level 1, and 23 points at Level 2 (each half of a GCSE). Collectively they are often known as ALAN and are equivalent to a full GCSE. A student achieving AL and AN at Level 2 will achieve a qualification equivalent to a GCSE at Grade B (46 points on school/college performance tables)
What do they involve?
The Basic Skills of Literacy and Numeracy are assessed by nationally set multiple-choice tests, which are now available online from ASDAN.
As an approved Awarding Body, ASDAN is offering the following Basic Skills:- ASDAN Level 1 Certificate in Adult Literacy
- ASDAN Level 2 Certificate in Adult Literacy
- ASDAN Level 1 Certificate in Adult Numeracy
- ASDAN Level 2 Certificate in Adult Numeracy
These are fully fundable by the Learning and Skills Council under Sections 96 and 97 of the Learning and Skills Act 2000.
eAssessment
ASDAN is now able to offer online tests for Key Skills and Basic Skills (Adult Literacy and Numeracy – ALAN. Click here for more information
Materials and Resources
The National Standards for Adult Literacy and Numeracy can be accessed from the QCA website www.qca.org.uk or can be ordered from QCA (Ref: QCA/00/621).
In addition there are Core Curriculum documents to assist the development of these skills:- Adult Literacy Core Curriculum - this document sets out the specific literacy skills taught and learned at each level
- Adult Numeracy Core Curriculum – this document sets out the specific numeracy skills taught and learned at each level
Copies of these publications can be obtained from DfES Publications (tel: 0845 60 222 60) or accessed through the Basic Skills Strategy Unit website www.dfes.gov.uk/readwriteplus
ASDAN has developed a number of resources and mapping documents that help embed literacy and numeracy within other qualifications and programmes. Literacy (at E3, L1 and L2) and ESOL mapping has been undertaken with the Certificate of Community Volunteering and a comprehensive resource pack is available on CD ROM. The Entry Level Certificate in Life Skills includes mapping to literacy at Entry Level. Literacy and Numeracy documents have been produced to assist in delivery of pre-entry curriculum, for students undertaking programmes like Towards Independence. Adult Literacy and Adult Numeracy are assessed by nationally set tests each featuring 40 multiple-choice questions. These are now available online from ASDAN. For more details on eAssessment click here.
The candidate registration fee for each ALAN qualification covers registration for three years, each at any one level (1 or 2), with access to one external assessment test and certification, and resits (if test taken online). There are no limits on the number of re-sits a candidate may have.Assessment
Candidate Registration