Defining general and subject specific language competences for

mainstream educationThe Norwegian Framework for Basic

Skills

Jorunn Berntzen, Strasbourg, 27th September 2012

2 Norwegian Ministry of Education and Research

Background

• National and international studies in the early 2000s revealed need to strengthen literacy and numeracy skills.

• Parliamentary decision that the five basic skills of reading, writing, oral skills, numeracy and digital skills be integrated in subject-specific curricula in the 2006 reform of compulsory and secondary education

• All subject-specific curricula from 2006 designed with competence aims integrating the five basic skills into the subject.

3 Norwegian Ministry of Education and Research

• Need for revision of the 2006 National Subject-Specific Curricula with a special focus on the basic skills

• 2010: Task delegated to the Norwegian Directorate for Education and Training

• First task: to develop a generic framework defining the five basic skills as a reference document for developing and revising the National Subject-Specific Curricula.

Curriculum revision

4 Norwegian Ministry of Education and Research

Framework and Subject-Specific Curricula• Framework for Basic Skills approved by the

Ministry of Education and Research in January 2012

• A tool for subject curricula groups appointed by the directorate to develop and revise National Subject-Curricula

• Revised National Subject-Curricula to be approved by the Norwegian Ministry of Education June 2013.

The Norwegian Framework for Basic Skills

Ragnhild Falch, The Norwegian Directorate for Education and Training

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Our work creating the Framework

• Working processes• The structure of the Framework• The greatest challenges• Experiences so far

Supplemental information

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In 2010 the Directorate for Education and Training was delegated the task

to develop a generic framework defining the five basic skills as a reference document for developing and revising the National Subject-Specific Curricula

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What are the objectives and who are the target groups?

The framework's objectives– to be a tool for integrating the basic skills into the

revised curricula– to be a tool for clarifying and ensuring common

progression in basic skills within the curricula– to be a means of promoting a common

understanding on how to define the basic skillsTarget groups

– the subject curricula groups that are formed to revise the curricula

– the educational authorities themselves– teacher education as the basis for professional

competence enhancement8

Who participated in the work?

Professionals from state educational authorities and external experts• The Basic Skills Groups (GRF-gruppene)

– In-house staff and external experts with research experience in each of the five basic skills.

• Response groups– external experts from the field of educational

research for each skill.• Groups working with curriculum revision

– Using the framework as the basis for revising curricula and providing feedback on the content of the framework

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How is the Framework for Basic Skills structured?

1. Introduction2. The Framework for Basic Skills

– The description of the basic skills in the National Curriculum

– The description of the Framework for Basic Skills– The description of how the Framework is to be used

2.1 Digital literacy2.2 Oral skills (…)

2.5 Being able to write

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What is writing?Writing involves expressing oneself understandably and appropriately about different topics and communicating in the written mode. (…)

Skills sub-categories for being able to write:Plan involves (…)Construct involves (…)Communicate involves (…)Reflect and assess involves (…)

How is writing skill developed?Basic writing instruction involves developing orthography, a functional handwriting and use of keyboard, in addition to planning and writing simple, clear texts for different (…)

2.5 Being able to write

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The Grid for writing as a basic skillWriting as a basic skill 

Sub-categories

Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 Level 5

Plan Can take notes and use simple sources as basis for writing. Can make simple changes in texts after feedback

Can use notes and sources as basis for writing and can quote sources. Can revise texts after feedback.

 Can use different notes and various sources as basis for writing. Can assess and revise texts and describe their qualities.

 Can choose varied strategies as basis for writing, and integrate, refer and quote relevant sources.Can revise texts and assess their qualities.

Can choose relevant writing strategies and use sources critically and verifiably. Can critically revise one’s own texts.

Construct Master orthophonic writing by hand and on keyboard. Can combine different means of expression, such as drawings, pictures, symbols and verbal language.

Can construct legible and clear texts with correct spelling by hand and on keyboard and combine different means of expression. 

Can construct texts using subject-related terminology.

Can construct complex subject-related text using relevant terminology and means of expression adapted to subject and purpose. 

Can apply and make full use of specialized subject-related terminology and text types.

Communi-cate

Can express one’s own opinions and express personal experiences and systematize simple texts.

Can express one’s own opinions, take different perspectives and formulate questions.Can narrate, describe and organize different types of subject-related texts.

Can argue by substantiating one’s own points of view.Can write subject-related reports, document procedures and results and formulate hypotheses.

Can argue for and against points of views and make a decision. Can explore subject-related topics and write in different styles, using different structures.

Can build up a holistic argumentation. Can critically explore and problematize subject-related topics.

Reflect and assess 

Can reflect on personal experiences in simple texts.

Can reflect on personal and subject-related experiences in different types of texts.

Can reflect on one’s own learning when working with subject-related texts.

Can reflect and assess one’s own learning when working with subject-related texts. 

Can reflect critically on product and assess one’s own learning when working with subject-related texts.

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The Grid for writing as a basic skill- How is the framework to be used in the curricula?

Writing as a basic skill Sub-categories

Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 Level 5

Plan Can take notes and use simple sources as basis for writing. Can make simple changes in texts after feedback

Can use notes and sources as basis for writing and can quote sources. Can revise texts after feedback.

 Can use different notes and various sources as basis for writing. Can assess and revise texts and describe their qualities.

 Can choose varied strategies as basis for writing, and integrate, refer and quote relevant sources.Can revise texts and assess their qualities.

Can choose relevant writing strategies and use sources critically and verifiably. Can critically revise one’s own texts.

Construct Master orthophonic writing by hand and on keyboard. Can combine different means of expression, such as drawings, pictures, symbols and verbal language.

Can construct legible and clear texts with correct spelling by hand and on keyboard and combine different means of expression. 

Can construct texts using subject-related terminology.

Can construct complex subject-related text using relevant terminology and means of expression adapted to subject and purpose. 

Can apply and make full use of specialized subject-related terminology and text types.

Communi cate

Can express one’s own opinions and express personal experiences and systematize simple texts.

Can express one’s own opinions, take different perspectives and formulate questions.Can narrate, describe and organize different types of subject-related texts.

Can argue by substantiating one’s own points of view.Can write subject-related reports, document procedures and results and formulate hypotheses.

Can argue for and against points of views and make a decision. Can explore subject-related topics and write in different styles, using different structures.

Can build up a holistic argumentation. Can critically explore and problematize subject-related topics.

Reflect and assess 

Can reflect on personal experiences in simple texts.

Can reflect on personal and subject-related experiences in different types of texts.

Can reflect on one’s own learning when working with subject-related texts.

Can reflect and assess one’s own learning when working with subject-related texts. 

Can reflect critically on product and assess one’s own learning when working with subject-related texts.

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An example of how the basic skills have been integrated into the competence aims

FrameworkWriting as a basic skill Level 2

Competence aims after year level 4Natural Science  The aims of the studies are to enable pupils to

 Can narrate, describe and organize different types of subject-related texts.

 

use concepts within natural science to describe and present their own observations in different ways

 Can use notes and sources as basis for writing and can quote sources.

 

observe and take note of what is occurring in a tree or in another perennial plant over time

gather and process information about the natural sciences topics from various sources

 Can express one’s own opinions, take different perspectives and formulate questions.

 

discuss the life cycle of some plant and animal species and ask explanatory and inquisitive questions about the theme

 Can reflect on personal and subject-related experiences in different types of texts. Can revise texts after feedback

can write reports and descriptions, revising content after feedback, review the content of the texts of others and create simple digital composite texts

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The Grid for reading as a basic skill- How is the framework to be used in the curricula?

Reading as basic skillSub-categories

Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 Level 5

Understand 

Can use previous knowledge to get an overview of thetext prior to reading.Can read simple texts on paper and screen and process the text with some help.

Can read simple texts with fluency and perseverance. Can find and read texts on the Internet. Can ask questions and talk about the content.

Can vary the reading approach according to text type and purpose. Can read and navigate effectively on the Internet. Can use different methods to structure content.

Can apply subject- related and general knowledge actively. Can read screen and paper texts critically. Can interpret texts in an independent manner. 

Can choose and use reading strategies relevant to a wide variety of text types and purpose. Can assess one’s own reading and reflect on the strategies applied.

Find Can recognize explicitly expressed information centrally placed in simple texts.

Can identify central subject-related texts. Can identify explicitly expressed information in texts with competing information. Can refer to sources.

Can obtain and combine information in texts with competing information.Can assess source credibility.

Can identify implicit information in complex texts. Can use sources critically and refer to them in a systematic manner

Can obtain detailed and implicit information in texts without prior knowledge of text type and content.

Interpret Can draw simple conclusions based on information in texts and can use one’s own words to express them.

Can identify the main topic and understand clear connections explicitly expressed.

Can infer and understand information implicitly expressed.  

Can deal with ambiguity. Can identify contradictory information and deal with information that does not correspond to expectations.

Can show holistic as well as detailed comprehension of complex texts. Can systematize and draw conclusions based on implicit information.

Reflect and assess  

Can comment on content and meaning in simple texts.   

Can assess the content of subject-related texts.

Can give substantiated assessment of form and content in subject- related texts.

Can critically analyze and assess form and content. Can compare and systematize information in different subject- related texts.

Can assess complex texts about unfamiliar topics in a critical manner and incorporate subject- related as well as general perspectives.

The reading skill integrated into competence aims

Norwegian – competence aims after 2nd year (age 7)Students can- Use their own knowledge and experience to understand and

comment on text content- Read simple paper- and screen based texts with coherence and

understanding

Social science – competence aim after 10th year (age 15)Students canFind examples of historic events which have contributed to

shaping Norwegian society today, and reflect on how society might have developed if these events had not taken place.

What were the greatest challenges when working on the framework?

• Language- how advanced or detailed?• Not subject specific• Learning in a subject vs. learning basic

reading and writing• A common approach to the terms in the

sub-categories

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What are the experiences so far?

The subject curricula groups say thatthe Framework shows a high level of quality in terms of• content• finding a balance between all the skills• language• level of detail• contributes to a common understanding of the

basic skills

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Supplemental Information

• The Norwegian Framework for Basic Skills

• Note about our work with the framework– examples of other frameworks– discussions and assessments

• Hand-out - this presentation

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