Unit 102 Assessment

This follows a very similar format to 101, the main differences being that this time the actual assessment will not start until after the introductions are over.  This time, after being welcomed in and seated, you simply have to state your name and topic to the camera. After that is when the assessment officially starts, it should again last between 4 and 5 minutes.   Another difference is that the filmed assessment footage is sent to Signature to be assessed by an appointed External Assessor.  The results of which will be given in about 6 weeks.

102 Assessment

This time, Signature will issue a number of Titles for your conversation.  You should choose one from this list.  Regardless of which topic you choose, the assessors will be looking for competence in the following 3 areas, Comprehension, Production and Conversation Skills.   As with any assessment there is a degree of flexibility in how it is marked.  To pass, you should get a minimum of 50% as detailed in page 20 of the Qualification Specification.  During the assessment, you should try to stick to your chosen topic as much as possible.  If you were to stray off topic for a prolonged period, then you may make the assessment null and void.  The Assessors will check for the following:

• Was there a flow of conversation between you and the tutor?  If so, you could have provided evidence for all 3 areas.  Your correct responses could have shown that you correctly understood the tutor as well as providing evidence of your own signing skills.  In addition it should have allowed you to show that you can provide visual feedback to a deaf person during the conversation and that you knew how and when to make your own contributions.  During the conversation both you and the tutor should have taken it in turn to contribute.  During your own contribution the assessor will want evidence that you used eye contact and eye gaze appropriately.

• Was your own contribution to the conversation at an appropriate fluent pace and flow?  In other words, were you signing too fast or too slow, or were you continuously hesitating while trying to remember the correct sign.

• Did you answer any questions appropriately?  If you had followed the conversation, then you should have provided appropriate responses to any questions asked.

• Did you manage to read the tutor’s fingerspelling?  You would have evidenced this by repeating anything they fingerspelled back to them.  If you did not understand it the first time, you should have simply asked them to repeat it.

• Was your own Fingerspelling correct and appropriately produced?

• Did you use your signing space appropriately?  You should have made sure that your signing was not too exaggerated or too restricted. 

Some of your Production Skills will have been evidenced as mentioned above.  However the assessors also want evidence that you made correct use of the following elements of BSL.

• Did you use placement correctly?  The most probable opportunity for providing evidence of this would have been when the tutor asked where something was.  For further details on Placement Guidelines, see Placement and Location.

• Did you use appropriate Non-manual features such as facial expressions and mouthpattern?  These could potentially have been evidenced throughout your signing, possibly when describing people, colours, patterns, distances, sizes etc.  For further details on NMFs, see Non Manual Features.

• Did you use correct BSL Grammar and structure correctly?   This again could have been evidenced throughout your signing. 

• Did you use an appropriate range of Vocabulary?  Provided that you signed fluently then you should have already provided evidence of this.

• Were your signs delivered using the correct Handshape and Movement etc?  If this was for a spoken language then this would be asking “How clear was your pronunciation”?  Did you use the correct handshape, location and orientation for your signs?

Preparation

When preparing for the assessment, you should learn specific vocabulary that will allow you to discuss the following areas.

At Home – People, Animals and Objects

You will be required to either give or ask for information about people, animals and objects in the home.  The information may be about their size, colour, shape or location.

Using Numbers

You will be required to give and ask for information about age, time, money and the calendar. 

Interests and Activities

You will be required to give and ask for information about interests and activities.  These interests or hobbies may be your own, or they may be of others, for example a family member. 

Weather

You will be required to give and ask for general comments about the weather.  You may have to describe different types of weather.

During all of the above, you will be expected to understand the other person.  If you do not, then simply ask for clarification. 

Again there are a number of sample questions and expected vocabulary from page 14 onwards of the Qualification Specification.   You should use these in preparation for the assessment.