Page 1476 - SUBSEC October 2017_Neat

Table 1
Language Offerings: Existing, Under Development and Proposed

CCSLC® CSEC® CAPE®
Existing English English English
French French French
Spanish Spanish Spanish
Portuguese Portuguese
Under Development Dutch
Mandarin
Proposed Mandarin

7. Resulting from paradigm shifts regarding language acquisition and use, since the development of
the first modern language syllabus by CXC® in the early 1980s, there have been fundamental changes in
language teaching, assessment, and certification strategies and standards. This has resulted in the second
language education, assessment and certification sectors making great strides in ensuring that a sound
basis exists for the mutual recognition of language competencies and qualifications, and that learners,
teachers, curriculum designers, examination bodies and educational administrators are able to situate
their efforts within a wider frame of reference. However, this suite of Modern Languages products,
consisting of syllabuses, examinations, and certification, was developed to satisfy the needs of the
historical and geographic context in which CXC® was conceptualised. The main client has been the English-
Speaking Caribbean and so whereas there have been adjustments to suit trends, the products and
processes still bear many characteristics more suitable for native speakers of English. At the same time,
except for the CCSLC® level, the guide to the implementation of the syllabuses has not been precise
enough and so teachers have the option of applying either strategies with which they are comfortable, or
which are trending and form the basis for training programmes implemented by individual agencies
responsible for Education in each territory.

8. Of note however, is the fact that in a transformed environment, in addition to having a successful
line of traditional products, CXC® is responsive to requests for newer curriculum and assessment products
from the private and public sectors, and continues to ensure the global human resource competitiveness
of the Caribbean through the provision of quality assurance in education and certification. One of the
imperatives of the Strategic Plan 2014–2020 is the strengthening of the business model by expanding into
the Netherlands Caribbean, thus the decision to expand the Modern Languages offering at CCSLC® to
include Dutch. Further, in June 2016, SUBSEC approved the plan to commence development of a CCSLC®
Mandarin Syllabus and also instructed that CXC® commence preparation for the development of a CSEC®
Mandarin syllabus to address concerns about the limitations which Mandarin at the CCSLC® level would
place on students wishing to matriculate to tertiary institutions to pursue courses taught in Mandarin.

THE ROLE OF CXC® LANGUAGE FRAMEWORK: TEACHING, ASSESSMENT AND CERTIFICATION (CXCLF®)

9. Language teaching and learning are guided by several theories, principles and approaches, and
support the posture adopted regarding language development, usage and purpose, among other
variables. The teaching and learning practices range from the traditional teacher-centred grammar
translation perspective to the student-centred, transformative, asset-based perspective, thus resulting in
different styles. Also, based on the fact that the focus on language teaching and learning has changed
from achievement to proficiency, the assessment and certification processes have followed suit.

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