Essential Skills – Reading and Writing

On successful completion of this course, learners will:

1. understand the purpose and features of routine texts
2. use reading strategies to find information in routine texts
3. recognise and understand specialised vocabulary and terminology in routine texts
4. write routine text in a range of modes using appropriate text features
5. write routine texts in a range of modes using the skills of planning, drafting and proof-reading
6. use grammar, vocabulary and writing conventions when writing routine text
7. engage in a range of appropriate oral communication with peers, teachers and/or supervisors to discuss their reading and writing ability, to gain feedback, and to respond accordingly and apply these skills in everyday adult settings, including workplace.

Successful achievement in Practical English Level 1 can be used as a pathway to this course.

This course can lead to a variety of senior secondary courses and vocational education and training qualifications.

This course has a complexity level of 2.

At Level 2, the learner is expected to carry out tasks and activities that involve a range of knowledge and skills, including some basic theoretical and/or technical knowledge and skills. Limited judgement is required, such as making an appropriate selection from a range of given rules, guidelines or procedures. VET competencies at this level are often those characteristic of an AQF Certificate II.

This course has a size value of 10.

Course delivery must be flexible in order to meet the needs of a range of learners and to enable them to progress to Level 2 in a timeframe appropriate to their background skills and knowledge.

This course has been designed to enable learners to achieve reading and writing skills, and use strategies and practices appropriate for everyday adult settings, including the workplace. Learners will also gain skills that can be applied to reading and writing for leisure and pleasure.

This course requires the learner to read and write routine texts. Routine texts are those that are straightforward and used in everyday situations. Routine texts may include some unfamiliar content and embedded information. They may also include some specialised vocabulary.

This course has two sections. Learners must complete both sections. The order in which sections are completed is not prescribed. Sections may be delivered in isolation or using a holistic approach. Some learning activities may cover more than one section.

PART A: READING
Learners will read, understand and discuss routine texts. They will identity the purpose of the text. A wide range of routine text types, typical of everyday adult settings including the workplace, will be read. Learners will:

• find and read information from a range of everyday sources both online and in hard copy
• identify different types of personal written communication (such as letters, emails, notes, SMS)
• identify different types of formal and workplace communication (such as job roles, duty statements, orientation/ induction information, memos, agreements, accounts, instructions, notices, reports, web sites)
• identify different types of graphic information (such as pictures, charts, flowcharts, simple graphs, tables, diagrams, spread sheets, maps)
• read texts that are intended to explain, update, warn, forecast, instruct and request, describe, give direction
• recognise major text features (these may include layout, headings and titles, bullet points and numbering, use of paragraphs or sections, use of formal/informal language, use of fonts, bold type, italics, and colour, underlining, sequencing or ordering, use of flowcharts, diagrams, plans and rosters)
• read to find relevant information by skimming, scanning, using paragraphs and sections, and using hyperlinks to find key information
• recognise and understand common vocabulary, specific technical terms/terminology, abbreviations, acronyms, terminology
• read to find relevant information by: reading ahead, highlighting, making notes, applying previous knowledge, recognising fact or opinion, using context to inform reading of unfamiliar text, and using dictionaries/web searches to clarify the meaning of text
• recognise what is formal or informal text, and what is fact or opinion
• check the meaning of the text with: a peer, teacher, advisor, supervisor
• read and demonstrate understanding of the content of text (such as following instructions, applying information in trade manuals, replying to requests)
• ask and answer questions demonstrating understanding of the meaning of routine texts
• participate in and contribute to discussions with individuals and small groups about what has been read to confirm their understanding and share their interpretations of routine texts
• express their opinions and personal point of view in response to reading routine texts.

PART B: WRITING
Learners will write routine text for different audiences and purposes. They will demonstrate the necessary skills to write routine texts typical of everyday adult settings, including the workplace. Learners will:

• plan for writing by generating ideas, choosing topics, selecting information, making dot points
• select layout and structure, use sequencing of ideas, and ordering of content
• write drafts using selected text type
• modify content of drafts as a result of seeking and receiving feedback from teachers and/or supervisors
• write text for reading by peers, teachers, members of a team, clients, customers, supervisors or employers
• write text for a purpose (such as to record something, provide information, summarise, give advice, express an opinion, make a request, give an instruction, create a piece of original writing
• write emails, letters, reports, comments, short articles, descriptions and reviews
• use complete sentences, paragraphs, titles and sections in their writing
• complete formatted texts such as online job applications, accident/incident reports, formatted job reports
• use correct spelling, punctuation and grammar
• use special terms, technical terms and acronyms where appropriate
• produce legible handwritten and word processed text, with reasonable accuracy
• proofread and edit written text, and check meaning is clear
• seek, listen to and accept feedback and advice, and amend written text as required
• finalise text for presentation to intended audience
• talk about their written text and be able to explain its content and intent
• participate in and contribute to discussions with peers, teachers and supervisors about what has been written.

Part A Reading:

Learners must meet the requirements of PART A: READING using a minimum of six routine text types, of which at least one text is selected by the learner.

Learners must create at least:
• 1 minor interpretive response
• 1 minor group or individual oral presentation in response to reading texts.

Part B Writing

Learners must meet the requirements of PART B: WRITING by writing a minimum of six routine text types, of which at least one text is selected by the learner.

Learners must create at least:
• One major informational or instructional text
• One major persuasive text
• One major exposition text.

Criterion-based assessment is a form of outcomes assessment that identifies the extent of learner achievement at an appropriate end-point of study. Although assessment – as part of the learning program – is continuous, much of it is formative, and is done to help learners identify what they need to do to attain the maximum benefit from their study of the course. Therefore, assessment for summative reporting to TASC will focus on what both teacher and learner understand to reflect end-point achievement.

The standard of achievement each learner attains on each criterion is recorded as a rating of ‘C’ (satisfactory standard) according to the outcomes specified in the standards section of the course document.

A ‘t’ notation must be used where a learner demonstrates any achievement against a criterion less than the standard specified for the ‘C’ rating. The ‘t’ notation is not described in course standards.

A ‘z’ notation is to be used where a learner provides no evidence of achievement at all.

Providers offering this course must participate in quality assurance processes specified by TASC to ensure provider validity and comparability of standards across all awards. To learn more, see TASC's quality assurance processes and assessment information.

Internal assessment of all criteria will be made by the provider. Assessment processes must gather evidence that clearly shows the match between individual learner performance, the standards of the course and the learner’s award. Providers will report the learner’s rating for each criterion to TASC.

The following processes will be facilitated by TASC to ensure there is:

• a match between the standards of achievement specified in the course and the skills and knowledge demonstrated by learners
• community confidence in the integrity and meaning of the qualification.

Process – TASC will verify that the provider’s course delivery and assessment standards meet the course requirements and community expectations for fairness, integrity and validity of qualifications TASC issues. This will involve checking:

• learner attendance records; and
• course delivery plans (the sequence of course delivery/tasks and when assessments take place):
  • assessment instruments and rubrics (the ‘rules’ or marking guide used to judge achievement)
  • class records of assessment
  • examples of learner work that demonstrate the use of the marking guide
  • samples of current learner's work, including that related to any work requirements articulated in the course document
  • archived samples of individual learner's work sufficient to illustrate the borderline between that judged as an SA or PA award.

This process may also include interviews with past and present learners.

It will be scheduled by TASC using a risk-based approach.

Additionally, the Office of TASC may require each provider to submit bodies of learners’ work sufficient to allow an assessment against a nominated criterion or range of nominated criteria and the overall award to a review meeting organised by TASC. The work, while not necessarily fully resolved, will be assessed by the provider against the nominated assessment criterion/ia and the overall award. TASC will give each provider guidance regarding the selection of learners and the nominated criterion/ia.

Each body of learner work that providers submit to the meeting will include sufficient and appropriate material for judgements to be made about the learner’s standard of literacy skills.

The review meeting will give advice about the provider’s assessment standards. Providers are expected to act on this advice.

TASC may require providers to supply further samples of individual learners’ work to determine that standards have been applied appropriately when finalising learners’ results. The nature and scope of this requirement will be risk-based.

The assessment for Essential Skills – Reading and Writing Level 2 will be based on whether a learner can:

• 1. Recognise and read a range of routine text types
• 2. Read to locate and interpret information from a range of routine text types
• 3. Write a range of routine texts
• 4. Apply appropriate conventions in written routine text
• 5. Review and evaluate personal ability to read and write information

TASC recommends that providers use the ACSF to guide understanding of the appropriate levels of performance in the 5 core skills of Learning, Reading, Writing, Oral Communication and Numeracy as they relate to the course content.

Those participants aiming for an award that meets TCE standards requirements should be demonstrating the core skills at ACSF level 3 (or above) in reading and writing (to meet the everyday adult reading and writing standard) and/or in numeracy (to meet the everyday adult mathematics standard).

The performance features and sample activities of the ACSF are not in themselves equivalent to the TCE’s ‘everyday adult’ standards. Rather they are illustrative of these standards.

The performance features and sample activities of the ACSF do not replace the criteria or standards in this TASC accredited course document.

The performance features and sample activities of ACSF Level 3 can be used to help teachers develop and evaluate assessment instruments and can be used to inform final (summative) assessment judgements.

See the Australian Core Skills Framework for further information.

Essential Skills – Reading and Writing Level 2 size value of 10 (with the award of):

SATISFACTORY ACHIEVEMENT (SA)

PRELIMINARY ACHIEVEMENT (PA)

The final award will be determined by the Office of Tasmanian Assessment, Standards and Certification from 5 ratings.

The minimum requirements for an award in Essential Skills – Reading and Writing Level 2 are as follows:

SATISFACTORY ACHIEVEMENT (SA)
‘C’ Rating (satisfactory standard) in all five (5) criteria

PRELIMINARY ACHIEVEMENT (PA)
‘C’ Rating (satisfactory standard) in at least three (3) criteria

The Department of Education’s Curriculum Services will develop and regularly revise the curriculum. This evaluation will be informed by the experience of the course’s implementation, delivery and assessment. In addition, stakeholders may request Curriculum Services to review a particular aspect of an accredited course.

Requests for amendments to an accredited course will be forwarded by Curriculum Services to the Office of TASC for formal consideration.

Such requests for amendment will be considered in terms of the likely improvements to the outcomes for learners, possible consequences for delivery and assessment of the course, and alignment with Australian Curriculum materials.

A course is formally analysed prior to the expiry of its accreditation as part of the process to develop specifications to guide the development of any replacement course.

This Essential Skills – Reading and Writing course meets the requirement of units of competence from the Foundation Skills (FSK13) training package. Any references in these units to the 'workplace' should be taken to refer to 'real life everyday adult contexts, which include but are not limited to the workplace':

Units of competence upon which the course has been developed should be listed in the order they appear in the training package, by unit code and unit name, i.e:
Read and respond to routine workplace information (FSKRDG10)
Write routine workplace texts (FSKWTG09)

Details of the units of competency can be found at training.gov.au

A learner who gains a qualification in this course with a Satisfactory Achievement award may reasonably expect a Registered Training Organisation, with the units on its scope, to grant direct recognition (Recognition of Prior Learning/credit transfer) on the basis of successful achievement in this TASC accredited course.

The relationship between Essential Skills – Reading and Writing and these units of competence is shown below.

Version 1 – Accredited on 9 September 2013 for use in 2014 to 2018. This course replaces Essential Skills – Literacy (LIT210109) that expired on 31 December 2013.

Version 1.i - Accreditation renewed on 14 December 2018 for use from 1 January 2019 until 31 December 2021. Amendments made to Work Requirements and Quality Assurance.

Version 1.2 - Accreditation renewed on 14 July 2021 for use from 1 January 2022 until 31 December 2023. Minor amendment made to Work Requirements so as to enhance learner agency in text selection.