Clarification details
Updated December 2019. This is a new document to address issues that have arisen from moderation.
Demonstrating independent competence (Guidance Information 5)
Learners may use a bilingual and/or a monolingual English dictionary, but not electronic devices, to help them read and understand the straightforward written texts. Monolingual dictionaries should be those designed for English language learners at level 2.
Abridged extended written texts (Guidance Information 8 (ii))
Abridged versions of extended written texts could include graded readers used in an extensive reading programme. These are graded by vocabulary level. Readers with a vocabulary level of around 1300 – 1600 headwords would be appropriate for this level 2 standard. See the Graded Reader Equivalence Chart on the Extensive Reading Foundation website for guidance.
Go to the Extensive Reading Foundation site (external link)
Vocabulary levels (Guidance Information 8 (iii))
The vocabulary of the text must be guided by the first 1500 words of the New General Service List (NGSL).
New General Service List (external link)
This means that most of the words will be within the first 1500 high frequency words. However, it is expected that texts will also include topic-specific vocabulary and fiction will include many proper nouns.
Assessors may find the NGSL Vocabulary Profiler or English Profile Text Inspector tools useful for analysing the vocabulary level of texts to confirm suitability.
NGSL Vocabulary Profiler (external link)
English Profile Text Inspector (external link)
Text types (Outcome 1 Range statement)
Details of the five written texts read need to be documented. Copies of articles, sample pages from texts or graded reader levels or webpage links should be kept to verify the suitability of texts for this level 2 standard. Visual or oral texts cannot be used for assessment against this standard.
Engagement with the text (Performance criterion 1.2)
The learner’s personal response to each text must show engagement with the text. This involves more than demonstrating understanding through summarisation. There must be evidence that the learner has made connections between the text and their own lives and experiences, or between the text and their prior knowledge or ideas about society or the world. Engagement may involve expressing viewpoints or critiquing the writer’s views.