[eal-bilingual] QCA considers new EAL GCSE

This appeared in the EMA Online newsletter.

http://www.emaonline.org.uk/ema/

QCA considers new EAL GCSE
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QCA are considering introducing an EAL GCSE. Speaking to reporters at  
the National Association of Head Teachers' annual conference in  
Bournemouth, Mick Waters, director of curriculum at the  
Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, suggested that non-native  
English speakers should be recognised for reaching a certain level.  
He commented that QCA are 'at the very early stages of thinking what  
it would be like to provide a GCSE for children who have English as  
an additional language'. He continued that 'Given that working in  
another language is at the heart of the school experience for a  
significant number of pupils, it might be good to recognise that they  
have achieved certain criteria in the fundamental area of English'.

The proposal has been criticized by Shadow Education Secretary David  
Willetts who argued that 'We should be doing everything possible to  
integrate children who don't have English as their first language' He  
added that 'Creating a separate exam structure risks turning them  
into second class citizens'.