ESOL for the Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT)

Research has highlighted the fact that many AAT students studying for level 2 NVQ and Diplomas struggle with the English language and that this impacted on their ability to progress further in their studies and find employment:

"Language competence has an impact on the progression of learners through the AAT levels and also their potential employability. Evidence from both colleges shows that even though people successfully achieve the level 2 AAT qualification, they do not obtain accounting related employment."

"The evening class learner agreed that language was not corrected by AAT tutors at level 2, but was at level 3. He told us that many learners at level 4 gave up and left the course because they could not complete the required 4000 word project."

NIACE worked with the AAT in two stages to:

• Analyse the contents of the units making up the level 2 qualification and will produce a competency framework from this
• Develop teaching and learning materials to:
  - Embed ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) teaching and learning materials into the units of the AAT level 2 qualification
  - Help AAT tutors to support learners with language difficulties

AAT practitioners and employers contributed to the research on the challenges presented by the language content of the AAT level 2 units.

Materials were produced in draft format initially so that they may be developed by AAT at later date.

For further information on how NIACE can help you highlight and address similar issues, please contact:

Linda Dixon
Project Officer
Linda.dixon@niace.org.uk
Tel: 0116 204 7056

Chris Taylor Programme Manager  chris.taylor@niace.org.uk