Migrants required to pass A Level Standard of English

[onceuponatimeinneverland]

www.gov.uk/government/news/migrants-will-be-required-to-pass-a-level-standard-of-english
Just heard this on the news. Is it me or is it totally mad? Especially when you look at the relatively poor standard of speaking, listening, reading and writing that exists already for those actually born in the UK rather than migrating in.

I'm presuming that applicants won't actually have to sit A Level English language as that would be even madder.

Or maybe its entirely sensible. I'm all for having a literal workforce.

What do other countries request I wonder (can't be fussed to actually look).

Yes I am BU - A Level standard English is the bare minimum
No you aren't BU - Its mad

It gets ever more ridiculous. The standard of literacy in this country is pitiful.

It’s crazy given that the average reading age in the UK is 9-11 years old.

You should see some of the notices on the walls of my children’s primary school. Make me cringe very hard.

“… Or maybe its entirely sensible. I'm all for having a literal workforce.“

I’m assuming you meant literATE!

I think it's ok to have higher standards for those wishing to emigrate here than natives.

Similar to those civics exams that barely anyone British would pass but immigrants are expected to.

Part of the process

its okay to have higher standards for those wishing to move here & live here. Part of the process.

erm yes.
See, that's where A Level English Language gets you. I am not retaking it! I'll see if I can amend, but I don't think I can for some reason.

OP, given the context, I coudn't help chuckling at this "I'm all for having a literal workforce." :)

Have heard that statistic before but it doesn't make sense to me. It implies that the population's average reading ability doesn't improve after age 11.Can't be true can it?

To be fair the metaphorical workforces aren't as productive.

I know!

2 essay based degrees and an B in A Level English Language as well. Plus I was born in England. So you'd think I'd have a head start

I'm laughing at myself.

And I can't amend it.

Surely they’re not expecting them to actually sit A Level English language?
I’m not sure I’m going to make much sense here but is A Level English language the same as, say, A Level Spanish? I didn’t do A Level English anything but obviously did GCSE English although I don’t remember much about it but it wasn’t about learning the English language unlike MFLs where you learn the words and phrases to converse. Surely it just means a good grasp of the English language, like an A Level in Spanish would teach you a good grasp, like at conversational level, of Spanish?

I know some born and bred British people who've never so much as crossed their county borders who wouldn't succeed at this.

I'm all for encouraging proper integration into communities, and learning the language is a good start, but I don't think this is the way.

A level English feels like quite a high bar. But maybe we should be deporting anyone who can't scape a C in GCSE English.

I suspect that you're a victim of autocorrect.

I don't think we ought to take a race to the bottom approach.

I also don't think we need academic migrants, we need qualified and capable tradespeople who can plug skills gaps.

I did something similar - ironically in the 'pedant's corner'. Needless to say it did not land well! I think you can ask MNHQ to amend it for you, but you can't edit it beyond the first few mins.

I think they should have to be able to make a good roast dinner, a proper cup of tea and a Victoria sponge.

😂

Not necessarily. If they had a reading ability of a 7 year old at age 11, they could still improve. Equally, the ability of some could reduce if the don't read. At least, I assume it could.

It just means that half the population has reading skills below that which you expect from a 9-11 year old.

I think they should be asked to make a good curry 😂

Surely they'd need to be able to speak, read and write English to about that standard to do the jobs they're coming to do anyway? Speaking English to A Level standard isn't that high.

I have an A in GCSE French. It wouldn’t get me very far in actually living, holding down a job, and participating in society in France, so I don’t think it’s unreasonable to require those wishing to move to the U.K. to have fluency in English in excess of what I have in French, so an A Level standard MFL assessment. To whose benefit is it to have migrants who can’t participate in society fully? Not ours, and certainly not theirs.

😂😉💐

But it doesn't make sense. If adults read with the ability of an 11 year old, and 11 year olds read at the standard of 7 year olds, then it just means our standards are set unrealistically.

It's like saying adults have the same expected height as 11 year olds, becase we expect 11 years olds to be 5 foot 7.