Description of course:

My learning:

What will be different in S3?

The S3 course takes the parts of S1/2 that you enjoyed and develops them in more depth. You will have the opportunity to hone your language skills on a full novel study; take your knowledge of a shorter Shakespeare text and apply it to one of his full plays; take your initial exploration of poetry to a new level by working on poetry from other cultures around the world and, finally, you will learn how to understand the media and world of advertising through the Media Unit specifically designed to enhance the skills you learned in S1/2. Underpinning all of these units will be the continued development of your literacy skills.

How will I learn?

It is important to us that you get a learning experience in English which will develop your skills and engage interest. For this reason you will take part in a rich and exciting variety of activities, including group work, role play, performance and of course the more traditional mixture of reading and writing. We will always endeavour to make full use of the range of activities we have at our disposal to make your learning experience as rich as possible.

How will I know I am progressing?

We know the importance of this, and are fully committed to making the best use of a range of assessment approaches in order to develop your skills as much as possible. You will get both written and oral feedback on your course work, ongoing feedback from your teacher during lessons, and of course you will be expected to take part in a range of self- evaluation activities as well. By the end of S3 you will be able to write more accurately and effectively; confidently read, analyse and evaluate a range of texts; be able to use your talking and listening skills more effectively, and have developed a wider appreciation of literature and its cultural significance.

How can I take this course forward into S4?

In S4 you will enter the Senior Phase of Curriculum for Excellence, and at that point will embark on either National 4 or National 5 English. These qualifications seek to develop and give accreditation to skills that you will have developed throughout the S1-3 CfE Course.

What are the possible career opportunities from this course?

The importance of English to your future career lies in the skills it develops. The cornerstones of CfE English are the four modes of communication: Reading, Writing, Listening and Talking. Through the development of these skills, we seek to develop pupils who are independent, thoughtful and reflective. The skills you learn through the study of English will prove valuable to employers in any workplace, and are normally an entry requirement for most courses at university or college.

What will my Home Learning commitment be?

In S3, Home Learning will vary between weekly and fortnightly depending on the course requirements and you will normally be expected to work for between 30 minutes and one hour on English per assignment.

In S4, Home Learning will match higher expectations placed on you when undertaking national 4 or 5. You will be expected to work on Home Learning for one hour per week, but this may vary according to the coursework demands.