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NVQs (National Vocational Qualifications)

The system of National Vocational Qualifications (NVQ's) is industry-led and based on what people can do in a real work environment. NVQ's are supported by employers, unions, the major political parties and awarding bodies like LCCIEB, RSA, etc.

A National Vocational Qualification is a statement of competence. It is issued by a recognised body to an individual when he or she can prove to an assessor that they meet the required standards of competence and underpinning knowledge.

The flexibility of the system means that it does not matter where or how you acquired the competence and knowledge, provided you can satisfy an assessor that it is sufficient, authentic, current and relevant (see Your language portfolio below).

Each NVQ consists of Units of competence. The Units are made up of different Elements. There are 5 Levels of achievement, from Level 1 (roughly GSCE level) to Level 5 (the highest professional qualification).

This course is geared towards the Foreign Languages for Industry (FLIC) and the Foreign Languages at Work (FLAW) examinations of the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry Examination Board (LCCIEB) which are linked to the National Language Standards and to European Standards. You can also use these competence-based materials to work towards University credits.

 

 

National Language Standards

The National Language Standards provide a framework for you to evidence your language competence in day to day activities.

The four Units of Competence are:

  • Listening
  • Speaking
  • Reading
  • Writing

Each Unit of Competence has 4 parts:

Elements what someone can achieve in the foreign language
Performance criteria what must be demonstrated to prove competence
Range statements the instances in which evidence of competence is required
Assessment guidance to help you present evidence of competence and underpinning knowledge to an assessor

 

 

Features of standards-based assessment

 

 

Your language portfolio

If you want to work towards a standards-based qualification, you'll need to generate evidence of your language competence to present to an assessor.

Keeping a language portfolio will benefit you in some important ways:

  • help recognise and monitor achievement so that you can more easily identify which steps to take next and how to structure your own learning programme;
  • act as a record, so that you have a ready portfolio of evidence which can be used to evidence your learning to others and to act as a platform for building on your learning in the future.

You must be able to produce the items of evidence as they are requested. This means having a carefully organised portfolio, with the items of evidence in a logical sequence. The portfolio should include:

  • your personal profile: a short statement about you, which may form the basis of a CV
  • your evidence log: a summary and index of your work, linked to national standards
  • the evidence itself: work you have selected to show off your achievements.

 

 

Your evidence

Your evidence is likely to include examples of activities which are typical of your work, for example: letters, recordings of conversations or announcements, notes and reports. The evidence which you present to an NVQ assessor must be:

  • relevant to the vocational area for which you are being assessed, and meet the standards;
  • sufficient to clearly demonstrate your competence. The assessor must have no doubts that you consistently meet the required standards. Your watchword should bequality, not quanity!
  • current: it must clearly show you are competent at the time of assessment;
  • authentic: it must be your own work. Be prepared for questions that will test your underpinning knowledge.

 

 

Evidence creation and management

 

 

Maintaining your language portfolio

Your portfolio is a dynamic document, not an accumulation of bits of paper and you will need to update it on a regular basis. Keep it on a computer disc, which makes it easier to remove or replace redundant information - and keep a back-up copy! Don't forget, the portfolio is your own, and you are in control!

Good luck!

 

 

Contact addresses

Should you need further information about FLIC and FLAW, please contact the LCCIEB: More information and a copy of the National Language Standards can be obtained from: For information on language portfolio work and University credits, please contact the Ultra-language-lab:
London Chamber of Commerce and Industry Examinations Board

Marlowe House
Station Road
Sidcup
Kent
DA15 7BJ

Telephone: 0181 302 0261
Fax: 0181 302 4169

 National Language Training Organisation

20 Bedfordbury
London
WC2N 4LB

Telephone: +44 171 379 5134

 Ultra-language-lab

ULTRALAB, Anglia Polytechnic University
Victoria Road South
Chelmsford
Essex
CM1 1LL

Telephone: 01245 252 009
Fax: 01245 252 047

Email: ull@ultralab.anglia.ac.uk

 

 
Created for ULTRALAB trial June 1999
Copyright ULTRALAB at Anglia Polytechnic University