Last updated: 01 Sep 2008

This guidance is about English content and delivery in the principal learning component of Diplomas in:

• creative and media.

The guidance is intended for key stage 4 and post-16 curriculum planners, teachers and heads of English departments and deliverers of principal learning.

As learners explore the processes of the sector of their line of learning, they will encounter many opportunities to use and develop English skills through discussion, collaboration, negotiation and presentation of ideas in both oral and written form.

English functional skills in Diplomas

Functional skills are part of the generic learning component of the Diplomas, but they should be practised wherever possible. The principal learning specifications signpost opportunities for this.

QCA has produced guidance on functional skills delivery as part of Design for success: shaping your curriculum to incorporate the Diploma.

English in creative and media principal learning

As learners explore ideas and engage with the creative and professional practices associated with the creative and media sector, they will encounter many opportunities to use English language skills. Within the principal learning there can also be opportunities to develop literary skills, and to use language for creative expression. This guidance describes the potential for development of these skills at levels 1, 2 and 3.

Levels 1 and 2 and overlap with key stage 4
In the case of key stage 4 learners, the creative and media principal learning potentially offers full coverage of the speaking and listening key processes, and some coverage of reading and writing. However, the actual coverage will depend on the choices made. For this reason, the full English programme of study will need to be provided to all learners.

Choices
Creative and media principal learning presents a wide range of options for learners. In each unit the learner is required to choose one or more disciplines from a prescribed range, which includes: 2D and 3D visual art, craft, graphic design, product design, fashion, textiles, footwear, dance, music, photo imaging, computer games, interactive media, animation, film, advertising, drama, television, audio and radio and creative writing (and publishing and printing from 2009). Clearly, the latter ones will provide more opportunities than the earlier options for developing reading, writing or literacy skills.    

Selection of a discipline in which to work is just one of the options the learner has to make. Learners will also need to choose the subject they will investigate, the role assumed in any teamwork activity, and the method of generating evidence of achievement.of the full English programme of study will need to be provided to all learners.

The extent of possibilities for application of the English programme of study means that liaison between heads of English departments and principal learning specialists needs to be facilitated to best serve learners' needs.

Every unit contains ample opportunity to apply and develop speaking and listening skills, and the challenge and complexity of these skills builds through the levels. For example, receiving feedback (level 2) is more demanding than simply noting the feedback (level 1); demonstrating reflection and improvement of the work that is the subject of the feedback (level 2) develops to identification and articulation of the gaps between the user's interpretation of the work and the learner's intention (level 3). In levels 1 and 2, group discussion is required for planning and preparation of team endeavours. By level 3 this widens to interaction with a community. Working with a client demands increasing competence in speaking and listening skills through the levels.

With regard to written skills, there is plenty of scope for non-fiction writing and some scope for both imaginative and literary writing. Again, the potential for challenge and complexity builds through the levels, with tasks being largely descriptive at levels 1 and 2 but requiring critical analysis, reflection and precision of language at level 3. The learner's choice of discipline and approach will determine the extent to which the learner accesses each of these skills.

With regard to reading, there is a good deal of opportunity for reading printed and ICT-based information texts, and media, moving image and multimodal texts. Again, the disciplines chosen by the learner will determine the extent to which this can be developed.

The creative and media principal learning offers plenty of scope for cultural understanding. Whether undertaking research, selecting materials to work with or engaging with texts introduced by teachers, learners will encounter written materials with all manner of cultural meanings. If learners are to engage in communication and creative activity in the Diploma, learning to 'read' their culture and its messages will be important. This sort of reading has the potential to be both creative and critical. There are some examples of this in the explanatory notes.

With regard to the development of literacy skills, the emphasis within principal learning on commercial opportunities and production processes means that there are fewer chances to study complete literary texts. Exceptions may occur where the learner chooses to follow a discipline such as creative writing or journalism.

Details about the English content in creative and media principal learning is provided on a separate page.

At levels 1 and 2, you can view explanatory notes with examples of English language and literary skills that overlap with the key stage 4 key processes in units of the AQA, Edexcel and OCR principal learning specifications. Because of the extent of choice the learner has within the principal learning, the illustrations are merely indicative of the range of skills that could be developed.

At level 3, you can view explanatory notes with examples of English language and literary skills in units of the AQA, Edexcel and OCR principal learning specifications. Again, because of the scope for learner choice, the illustrations merely indicate the range of skills that could be developed.