Exemplification of Levels: Level 6 EXAMPLE 1 LEVELS EXEMPLIFIED BELOW: 6 UNIT OF WORK: Understanding Sikhism KEY QUESTION: Is it possible to live a truly Sikh life in secular Britain today? CONTEXT OF THE SET TASKS: This is the final assessment for a unit exploring Sikhism. Students have explained Sikh beliefs and teaching. They have discussed how belief affects practice and values. They have met a Sikh visitor and discussed issues such as commitment and tolerance. The assessment task has been scaffolded and sample answers are shown below. FOCUS FOR LEARNING AND ASSESSMENT: These activities focus on the following areas of enquiry in the non-statutory national framework for RE (page 36): ATTAINMENT TARGET 1: practices and ways of life; ATTAINMENT TARGET 2: values and commitments. Framework Level 5 in Attainment target 1: use an increasingly wide religious vocabulary to explain the impact of beliefs on individuals and communities. Framework Level 5 in Attainment target 2: express their own and others' views on the challenges of belonging to a religion. Framework Level 6 in Attainment target 1: use religious and philosophical vocabulary to give informed accounts of religions and beliefs, and explain why the impact of religions and beliefs on individuals, Pupils complete the above activity and include explanation of how different Sikh beliefs affect behaviour and lifestyle. Pupils explain how Sikh ways of life may need courage, e.g., facing ridicule or prejudice. In their writing pupils explain different impact of Sikh beliefs on individuals and communities e.g. Khalsa Sikh and non- Khalsa Sikh. 1
communities and societies varies. Framework Level 6 in Attainment target 2: explain the challenges of belonging to a religion in the contemporary world. Framework Level 7 in Attainment target 1: account for the influence of history and culture on aspects of religious life and practice. They explain why the consequences of belonging to a faith are not the same for all people within the same religion or tradition. Framework Level 7 in Attainment target 2: evaluate the significance o freligious and otehr views for understanding questions of society, using appropriate evidence and examples. Pupils complete the above activity and include explanation of problems of being a Sikh in a secular society, e.g., the prevalence of alcohol, carrying a weapon, resisting peer pressure and so on. Pupils explain the influence of Sikh culture and history, e.g., forming the khalsa. They explain that some Sikhs find other ways of expressing commitment, e.g., referring to inner character rather than outward symbol. Pupils weigh up Sikh and other views on contemporary issues or a clash between Sikh values and secular culture, e.g., blasphemy, inequality between classes. Points to note: A 'scaffolding' sheet was made available for some students. The activities link well with criteria for Citizenship, e.g., knowledge and understanding of 'the diversity of national, regional, religious and ethnic identities in the United Kingdom and the need for mutual respect and understanding' (KS3 Citizenship orders, 1f). 2
EXAMPLE 1: PUPILS RESPONSES 1 LEVELS EXEMPLIFIED BELOW: 6 UNIT OF WORK: Understanding Sikhism ASSESSMENT AREA(S): AT 1: practices and ways of life; AT 2: values and commitments. Pupils were assessed on their ability to express in writing the impact of religious belief on individuals and communities and why that impact varies according to context. Example of a pupil working at level 6: 3
4
5
Commentary This pupil is working at a level 6+ for Attainment Target 1 as there is a clear explanation as to how being a Khalsa Sikh impacts on a Sikh way of life differently from a non-khalsa Sikh. To work at level 7 the answer would need to be set in a more explicit cultural or historical context. The answer also demonstrates level 6+ for Attainment Target 2 as there is a clear explanation of the problems of being a Sikh in Britain s secular society. To work at level 7 the answer would need discussion of clashes between Sikh values and secular culture, e.g., recent controversy over a play, injustice and inequality etc. 6