Developing writing skills — City & Guilds Limited Digital Functional Skills Qualification Foundations for Learning Revision

    This unit focuses on the foundational understanding that written marks convey meaning, enabling learners to use simple marks, symbols, signs or words to ex

    Topic Synopsis

    This unit focuses on the foundational understanding that written marks convey meaning, enabling learners to use simple marks, symbols, signs or words to express themselves. It supports early communication development, which is essential for personal autonomy and further educational progress.

    Key Concepts & Core Principles

    Exam Tips & Revision Strategies

    Common Misconceptions & Mistakes to Avoid

    Examiner Marking Points

    Developing writing skills

    CITY & GUILDS LIMITED
    vocational

    This unit focuses on the foundational understanding that written marks convey meaning, enabling learners to use simple marks, symbols, signs or words to express themselves. It supports early communication development, which is essential for personal autonomy and further educational progress.

    7
    Learning Outcomes
    8
    Assessment Guidance
    8
    Key Skills
    8
    Key Terms
    10
    Assessment Criteria

    Assessment criteria

    City & Guilds Entry Level Diploma in Personal Progress (Entry 1)
    City & Guilds Entry Level Award in Personal Progress (Entry 1)
    City & Guilds Entry Level Certificate in Personal Progress (Entry 1)

    Topic Overview

    The City & Guilds Entry Level Diploma in Personal Progress (Entry 1) is designed to support learners with significant learning difficulties or disabilities in developing essential life skills. This qualification focuses on personal development, communication, and independence, helping students build confidence and prepare for adulthood. It covers areas such as self-awareness, daily living skills, and community participation, all tailored to individual needs.

    This diploma is part of the Foundations for Learning suite, which provides a stepping stone for learners who may not yet be ready for higher-level qualifications. It emphasises practical, real-world skills over academic theory, with assessment based on observation and portfolio evidence. By completing this qualification, students demonstrate their ability to manage personal care, engage with others, and make choices, which are crucial for improving quality of life and future opportunities.

    The qualification is highly personalised, meaning content is adapted to each learner's abilities and goals. It typically includes units like 'Developing Communication Skills', 'Managing Own Money', and 'Being Healthy'. This flexible approach ensures that every student can achieve success at their own pace, making it a vital tool for inclusive education.

    Key Concepts

    Core ideas you must understand for this topic

    • →Personalised Learning: The curriculum is tailored to individual needs, with targets set based on each learner's starting point and aspirations.
    • →Functional Communication: Developing the ability to express needs, wants, and feelings using appropriate methods, such as speech, symbols, or assistive technology.
    • →Independent Living Skills: Practical abilities like dressing, eating, and personal hygiene that promote self-sufficiency in daily life.
    • →Community Participation: Engaging with local services, public transport, and social activities to build confidence and social networks.
    • →Self-Advocacy: Learning to make choices, express preferences, and understand rights, empowering learners to have a say in their own lives.

    Learning Objectives

    What you need to know and understand

    • Be aware that marks, symbols, signs or words have meaning, Be able to use marks, symbols, signs or words to communicate
    • Be aware that marks, symbols, signs or words have meaning, Be able to use marks, symbols, signs or words to communicate
    • Identify the difference between random scribbles and intentional marks that have meaning
    • Demonstrate the ability to produce marks, symbols, or words to express a familiar need
    • Recognize common environmental symbols and match them to their referents
    • Apply consistent mark-making to represent a specific object or person in a personal context
    • Use assistive tools or technology to generate written communication when required

    Assessment Criteria

    Key criteria assessors look for in your portfolio

    • Award credit for demonstrating consistent use of a personal mark or symbol to represent a specific object or idea.
    • Look for evidence that the learner understands that their marks can convey a message to others, such as handing a symbol to make a request.
    • Assess ability to choose appropriate symbols for given contexts, e.g., selecting a 'toilet' sign when needing the bathroom.
    • Award credit for demonstrating awareness that marks or symbols can represent objects or actions, e.g., by matching a picture to a corresponding word or symbol.
    • Provide evidence that the learner uses intentional mark-making to communicate a personal meaning, even if the marks are not conventional letters (e.g., a wavy line to represent writing).
    • Look for attempts to form recognizable letters or words from memory, such as copying or independently writing their own name or familiar words.
    • Award credit for any deliberate mark made by the learner with evidence of communicative intent, even if unconventional
    • Check for consistency in using a particular mark or symbol to represent the same thing across multiple occasions
    • Look for the learner's ability to point to or select a symbol/word card that matches a spoken request
    • Accept tracing, over-writing, or guided hand-over-hand mark-making as valid developmental steps

    Assessment Guidance

    Guidance for achieving higher grades

    • 💡Provide multiple opportunities for learners to demonstrate skills using different materials (pens, stamps, digital tools) to accommodate physical needs.
    • 💡Use observation and witness testimonies from support staff to capture spontaneous communication acts in natural settings.
    • 💡Ensure assessment tasks are set in familiar, low-anxiety contexts to reduce performance anxiety and elicit authentic responses.
    • 💡Collect evidence across different contexts and with varied tools (e.g., pens, finger paints, digital mark-making) to show generalisation of skills.
    • 💡Include detailed witness statements or observation notes that explain the learner's intent during the activity, as this provides critical proof of awareness and purpose.
    • 💡Capture evidence through dated observations, photographs, and witness statements that show progression over time
    • 💡Create a communication-rich environment with labels, symbols, and words to prompt spontaneous mark-making
    • 💡Where possible, embed assessment opportunities into routine activities rather than isolated tests
    • 💡Use real-life contexts for assessment: For example, when assessing money management, take learners to a shop to make a purchase rather than using worksheets. This demonstrates genuine skill application.
    • 💡Collect evidence continuously: Keep a portfolio of photos, witness statements, and work samples from everyday activities. This makes assessment more authentic and reduces pressure on final tests.
    • 💡Focus on progress, not perfection: Examiners look for improvement over time. Even small steps, like attempting a new task with support, should be recorded and celebrated.

    Common Mistakes

    Common errors to avoid in your coursework

    • Misinterpreting random scribbles as intentional communication when no consistent meaning is attached by the learner.
    • Overlooking fine motor skill barriers; learners may struggle with grip or pressure, leading to marks that are unintended or illegible.
    • Assuming learners cannot progress beyond mark-making to simple words without appropriate scaffolding and assistive technology.
    • Confusing random sensory exploration (e.g., scribbling for its own sake) with intentional communication; assessors must evaluate whether marks were made with a specific purpose.
    • Expecting conventional spelling or handwriting legibility at this stage; the learning objectives emphasise the use of any marks to convey meaning, not correctness.
    • Treating all early marks as meaningless scribbles and overlooking the learner’s personal interpretation
    • Insisting on correct letter formation before acknowledging the communicative purpose of marks
    • Failing to provide a range of tools and surfaces, which limits opportunities for mark-making exploration
    • Misconception: This qualification is just about 'keeping busy' and has no real outcomes. Correction: It is a structured programme with clear learning outcomes that directly improve life skills and future prospects, such as employment or further education.
    • Misconception: Learners must complete all units to pass. Correction: The diploma is flexible; learners only need to complete units that are relevant to their personal goals, and assessment is based on individual progress.
    • Misconception: It is only for students with severe disabilities. Correction: While it supports those with significant needs, it is also suitable for learners with moderate difficulties who need a slower pace or more practical focus.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Common questions students ask about this topic

    Before You Start

    Prior knowledge that will help with this topic

    • •No formal prerequisites are required for this qualification, as it is entry-level. However, learners should have a baseline assessment to identify their starting point and any specific support needs.
    • •Familiarity with basic routines and the ability to follow simple instructions can be helpful but is not essential.

    Key Terminology

    Essential terms to know

    • Be aware that marks, symbols, signs or words have meaning, Be able to use marks, symbols, signs or words to communicate
    • Be aware that marks, symbols, signs or words have meaning, Be able to use marks, symbols, signs or words to communicate
    • Symbol and sign awareness
    • Mark-making for communication
    • Functional emergent literacy
    • Personal expression through writing
    • Multi-sensory mark-making
    • Meaningful writing attempts

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