PARTICIPANT MANUAL

Understanding the parts of a unit standard

And
Developing teaching & learning activities

AET level 1-3 educators’ workshop

Parts of a unit standard:

 Title:
 The title of a unit standard expresses the main outcome that someone who is credited
with the unit standard has demonstrated they know and or/can do.
e.g.

 Specific outcomes

The specific outcomes describe the more detailed outcomes that learners’ knowledge
and skills are assessed against. Collectively, these comprise the outcome expressed by the
title.
e.g.

 Assessment criteria

Assessment criteria specify the critical evidence required to meet the specific
outcomes. Collectively, assessment criteria provide the standard against which outcomes
are assessed.

In relation to each specific outcome, the assessment criteria will specify what is expected
to have been done or demonstrated to a particular quality, quantity, level and standard.

Specific outcome 1 Assessment criteria

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 Specific outcome 2 Assessment criteria

Specific outcome 3 Assessment criteria

Specific outcome 4

Specific outcome 5 Assessment criteria

Take at least 5 specific outcomes (if there are more than those) from your chosen unit
standard and tabulate the information of the specific outcomes and assessment criteria into
the table below:

 Range statements

Range statements may be included in unit standards. These ensure that the same factors
are considered for assessment of each learner. Range statements are also sometimes used
to clarify assessment criteria.

Assessors (educators) should note the placement of range statement.

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 - If written in the explanatory notes section, the range statement applies to all the outcomes in
the unit standards
- If written immediately below a specific outcome, it applies to all assessment criteria in that
specific outcome
- If written immediately below a specific assessment criterion, it applies to that assessment
criterion only

 Purpose statement
Purpose statement expresses the outcomes of the unit standard in terms of the knowledge,
skills, behaviours, attitudes and values the unit standard recognises. Often, a purpose
statement is a collation of the unit standard’s specific outcomes.
The purpose statement may also say for whom the unit standard is intended.

 Credits

Credits allocated to unit standards reflect the notional learning time expected in those unit
standards. Notional learning time includes time spent in structured tuition and self-paced
learning and practice, time taken to gather and provide evidence for assessment purposes,
and time taken to be assessed in all the outcomes and contexts.

One credit represents a notional 10 hours of learning, practice and assessment time

How many credits does your particular unit standard consist of?

Credits = translated into notional hours =

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Unit standard Specific outcome Assessment criteria
Engage in Initiate and maintain Below
Usesisgreeting and of
an example leave
a teaching and
speaking and conversation taking conventions
listening appropriately in informal and
interactions some formal situations.
Distinguishes and uses
formal and informal register
are appropriately
Follows and changes topic of
conversation
Takes and yields turns in
conversation
Distinguishes and uses
formal and informal register
appropriately
Identifies and uses cross
cultural differences in body
language appropriately
Sample activity
1. Ask
learners
learning whatfrom
activity do they find level
an AET to be 2easy or difficult
language be
unit sta
maintaining a conversation
2. Let them mention the different ways of greeting Examp
3. Explain that each style of greeting can be used either in
Then ask where they would categorise each style. The
places they can use each style, like how to greet a frien
4. Ask them how they think they can maintain a conversa
Examples of maintaining a conversation would be to: “f
the other person”; “talk about something of interest “ et
5. Ask them how can they encourage or involve the other
example they can ask the person something other than
NB! 1. learners need to be advised to be careful and n
conversation. 2.need to stop talking, when they notice
something to say and listen” etc
6. Ask them what they would do to maintain the conversa
different from theirs.
Examples of cross cultural differences in body languag
kissing on both cheeks, putting of hands together and b
They may want to share what a particular gesture in the
what it means to the other persons’
7. Conclude by asking learners to role-play .Ask the rest o
performance using the assessment criteria. Convert the
example: Did the pair greet in a way appropriate to the
was the language used appropriate, could they maintai
do that, did they give each other a chance, was there a
and understood.