Advanced Plus Achievement test 1 audio script

Achievement Test 1. Listening Exercises 1, 2 and 3

Recording 1

Speaker 1: It was a bit of a game-changer for me really, when I think

back on it. For much of my time at school I was lacking focus
and a bit demotivated. I can’t help wondering where I’d be
now if things hadn’t changed. I think the issue was standards;
it was actually pretty good in terms of attainment. For me
though, the problem was that there wasn’t really any focus on
individuality – it sort of stifled imagination a bit. But when
Miss Summerfield started teaching me, well that was
transformative. She encouraged us to be spontaneous, and
problem solve on our own.

Speaker 2: Since my kids are at that stage now I’ve been thinking a lot
about what it was like for me. It’s so very different – there’s
definitely a greater emphasis on nurturing individuals, as well
as more conventional academic success. I prefer that, I think. I
felt like we did a lot of rote learning, you know, cramming in
information to pass an exam. There seems to have been a bit
of a paradigm shift in terms of attainment. I like the fact that
there’s more continual assessment these days.

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 Advanced Plus Achievement test 1 audio script

Speaker 3: My childhood was a fairly tough one, to be honest. Mom was

on her own, and on welfare, so we didn’t really have as many
opportunities as we might have liked. But school was a place
where things were happier. A lot of the anxieties that I had at
home didn’t really affect me there. I was good at sports, and
being part of a team made me feel more confident. I also
benefitted from meeting people from different backgrounds. I
think it helped me to see that I could do what I wanted and
achieve something in life.

Speaker 4: I went to a fairly unconventional school where there was a lot

of emphasis on thinking outside the box. It was a really
creative environment, but that in itself could sometimes be a
challenge – I used to find a few of the activities, like drama, a
bit stressful – but all in all I have extremely fond memories of
my time there. When it came to doing exams there wasn’t an
overwhelming pressure to always succeed. Teachers were
always very understanding, too. I think that compassionate
element rubbed off on me. When I graduated I had a clear idea
that I wanted to go on to do something in a caring profession.

Speaker 5: Well, funnily enough as someone who’s involved in providing

ongoing educational opportunities, my own time at school
wasn’t the most rewarding experience. Over the last few years
we’ve learnt that relentless testing and pushing rigid standards
just doesn’t always bring positive results. In fact, placing
learner needs at the centre of the curriculum does help to
increase overall achievement. Back in my day I had none of
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 Advanced Plus Achievement test 1 audio script

that. We learned by rote, regurgitated facts, and just kept our

heads down. There was little in it to fire the imagination.

Speaker 6: I loved school, and for the most part the teaching staff were
good too. But being where we were, there were some
challenges. For one, it was a fairly remote environment, so I
had limited opportunities to mix with other groups. The local
community were unstinting in their generosity, and without
their support it’s unlikely that we would have gone on trips or
taken part in the kind of activities that other kids did as a
matter of course. I think rural schools should get treated the
same as ones in an urban location. I hope that that kind of
attitude is now more pervasive with the authorities, too.

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 Advanced Plus Achievement test 1 audio script

Recording 2

In the last few years there have certainly been notable trends in the aid and
charity sectors – we’re seeing a continued rise in the scope and scale of social
enterprises, and there is a greater online presence of charities targeting a
younger demographic. However, technological advances seem to be an area
where older, more established charities still lack strength and may need to
embrace a fundamental change in thinking.

The recent charity digital skills report has indicated that progress in the sector as
a whole improving its digital capabilities is surprisingly slow. One illustration
of this is that out of the 500 charitable organisations which responded to an
industry-wide survey, 45% stated that they don’t have a digital strategy in place.
When giving a reason for this, nearly 58% stated that lack of funding was the
biggest barrier to making progress, and roughly 50% reported that employees
felt that they lacked the skills to develop digital initiatives.

Now, I would argue that to ensure the continuing success of these charities it’s
vital that there be some kind of paradigm shift. Embracing digital media is
essential in terms of improving the ability of a charity to reach out to potential
donors. Unless people are aware of you, how can you assume that you will be
able to raise the funds for your projects? In an ever-crowded market it’s highly
beneficial to ensure that you are recognised as a brand and easily
distinguishable from others. Despite not being profit-driven, charities need to
take a significant step forward to improve their digital image.

It’s also worth noting that a lack of digital skills means that many charities are
missing out on key opportunities for fundraising. Remaining on the outer

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 Advanced Plus Achievement test 1 audio script

fringes of an economy is hardly practical these days and so by making digital

improvements, charities could increase their rate of online transactions, and
reach a potentially broader base of philanthropists. And that buy-in is incredibly
important. It really does encourage greater involvement and engagement. To
cite one example, charities can use technology to present the impact of their
work directly to their supporters’ smartphones. By using smart infographics,
video clips, social media and targeted digital campaigns, charities can
communicate to donors where their donations are going. By building a narrative
around the act of giving – so members of the public can clearly see the
successes associated with their donations – charities ensure that their message
won’t be lost.

But there’s another key reason for charities to embrace digital technology – staff
retention. Nearly two thirds of the charities which responded to the survey
stated that they had lost members of staff because they couldn’t offer sufficient
digital training. Of these, the consensus seemed to be that if they did offer more
opportunities for employees to learn about new technology, then they would be
able to reduce the costs associated with recruitment. This would mean more
money could be spent on helping the vulnerable and needy.

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