English

Course Overview

This year there will be a greater emphasis on personalisation and choice while developing literacy and life skills by focusing on applied learning. The National 4 course intends to continue the basic skills encapsulated in the four core capacities:

• Reading

• Writing

• Talking

• Listening

There are 4 mandatory Units which make up the National 4 award:

1. Analysis & Evaluation

2. Creation and Production

3. Literacy

4. Added Value Unit

Therefore our aim is to develop key skills in:

• Analysing and responding to a variety of texts through listening and reading.

• Creating original texts in different styles.

• Planning and researching topics and ideas.

• Communicating information with technical accuracy.

• Discussing and presenting information with peers.

• Applying knowledge of language as appropriate to task and audience.

• Reporting in different formats on topics of personal interest.

Assessment

There are no grades awarded at this level and there is no external exam. Pupils must complete all Units to the specifications of Level 4 and will be continuously assessed throughout the year by the Faculty of English and Literacy. 

The course is flexible and will allow pupils to develop at their own pace. Pupils who do not complete the required Units by the end of S4 will continue to complete the course in S5. Pupils will progress from a pass at National 4 on to National 5 in the following year.

Course Outline

This year pupils will develop their knowledge of the trenches and the soldier poets of World War One; research and report on the topic of ‘Homelessness’; work with peers to present information on charitable organisations; analyse drama and television texts and have the opportunity to demonstrate their application of the 4 capacities in a personalised response to the texts of their choice in the Added Value Unit.

Progression

The progression from National 4 is to continue with English at National 5 or further study, employment and/or training.

National 5 English in a Nutshell

Course Outline

Over the year, pupils will experience challenge and develop skills in four key areas of English and Literacy: reading, writing, talking and listening. 

Course Content

Three genre of literature will be taught, including the compulsory Scottish text. There will be a strong focus on close reading, textual analysis and skills for talking and listening, preparing pupils for internal assessment and the SQA exam. Pupils will develop writing skills and produce a minimum of two pieces, creative and discursive. The pupils will take part in whole class discussion, group discussion and present individual talk, as directed by the teacher. 

Internal Assessment

There are two forms of internal assessment with the requirement that these are passed in order to complete the course with the external exam. 

Analysis and Evaluation Unit: pupils will answer questions on an unseen literature text and on a previously unseen media text.

Creation and Production Unit: pupils will write a discursive essay and take part in a spoken activity as directed by their teacher.

External Assessment – National 5 SQA Exam

The course assessment will consist of two components, a question paper titled ‘Reading’ and a portfolio titled ‘Writing’. The question paper will have two sections. The portfolio will have one section. 

Component 1 — question paper: reading 

The purpose of this question paper is to assess learners’ application of their reading skills in a familiar but challenging context, and to provide the challenge of questions and other tasks to be accomplished in a limited amount of time. 

The question paper will have 70 marks out of a total of 100 marks. This is 70% of the overall marks for the course assessment. 

This question paper has two Sections.

Section 1, titled ‘Reading for Understanding, Analysis, and Evaluation’ will have 30 marks. 

These 30 marks will be awarded for addressing the challenge of applying reading skills in understanding, analysis and evaluation to one unseen non-fiction text.

Section 2, titled ‘Critical Reading’ will have 40 marks. 

These 40 marks will be awarded for applying critical reading, knowledge and understanding. 

This Section has two Parts.

Part 1 

Learners will apply their understanding, analysis and evaluation skills to previously studied Scottish texts from the specified list. An extract from each writer will be provided. Candidates will select an extract and answer questions. 

Part 2 

Learners will apply their understanding, analysis and evaluation skills to previously studied texts from the following contexts: drama, prose, poetry, film and TV, or language by selecting one question and writing one critical essay. 

In each part, learners must cover a different genre.

20 marks will be awarded for each of the two parts. 

Component 2 

The purpose of this portfolio is to provide evidence of the learner’s writing for two different purposes and audiences, creative and discursive writing. Fifteen marks will be awarded for each writing piece chosen for the portfolio. The portfolio will have 30 marks out of a total of 100 marks. This is 30% of the overall marks for the Course assessment. 

Progression

National 5 English provides progression to Higher English or further study, employment and/or training.

Course Content 

Level 6 Communication & Level 6 Literature 1

(18 SCQF points combined)

Purpose

A separate pathway to gaining Level 6 Literacy and Literature qualification that revolves round the four key skills: reading, writing, listening and talking.

Recommended Entry & who might benefit

• Pupils who have been successful at National 5 but are either not choosing Higher in S5 or do not feel ready to sit Higher in S5.

• Pupils in S5 looking for a pathway into sitting Higher English in S6.

• Pupils in S6 who have not been successful in Higher at S5 but do not wish to resit and are looking for a literacy qualification higher than National 5.

Course Assessment

 All Assessment is internal and there is no final exam.

Level 6 Communication Assessment

• Reading: close reading questions on a complex piece of non – fiction opinion writing

• Writing: minimum 650 word non – fiction essay

• Listening: respond to a piece of complex spoken communication (answering a series of questions)

• Talk: meaningful contribution to an detailed/complex group discussion

Literature 1 Assessment

• 2 written or spoken responses to 2 texts of different genres. Each response minimum 650 words

• 1 written or spoken response to unseen literary text (textual analysis)

Higher English in a Nutshell

Purpose

The main purpose of the Course is to provide learners with the opportunity to develop the skills of listening, talking, reading and writing in order to understand and use language. 

Building on literacy skills, the Course develops understanding of the complexities of language, including through the study of a wide range of texts. The Course develops high levels of analytical thinking and understanding of the impact of language. 

The Course offers learners opportunities to develop and extend a wide range of skills. 

In particular, the Course aims to enable learners to develop the ability to: 

• To listen, talk, read and write, as appropriate to purpose, audience and context 

• To understand, analyse and evaluate texts, including Scottish texts, as appropriate to  purpose and audience in the contexts of literature, language and media 

• To create and produce texts, as appropriate to purpose, audience and context, apply knowledge and understanding of language.

Recommended entry

While entry is at the discretion of the school, students would normally be expected to have attained National 5 English at level C.

Content

The successful candidate in a Higher course in English will have achieved the outcomes in each of the component units:

English: Analysis and Evaluation (Higher)  

English: Creation and Production (Higher)  

English: Analysis and Evaluation (Higher) 

The purpose of this Unit is to provide learners with the opportunity to develop listening and reading skills in the contexts of literature, language and media. Learners develop the skills needed to understand, analyse and evaluate detailed and complex texts. 

English: Creation and Production (Higher) 

The purpose of this Unit is to provide learners with the opportunity to develop talking and writing skills in a wide range of contexts. Learners develop the skills needed to create and produce detailed and complex texts in both written and oral forms. 

Course Assessment

The award of Higher English will be based on a combination of internal and external assessment.  To gain the award, the candidate must achieve a pass in all the component units of the course as well as a pass in the external assessment.  External assessment will provide the basis for grading attainment through an external examination and a Portfolio of Writing.

Course Assessment Structure

Component 1 – question paper: reading 70 marks

Component 2 – portfolio: writing 30 marks

Total Marks         100 marks

Component 1

The purpose of this question paper is to assess learners’ application of their reading skills in a familiar but challenging context and to provide the challenge of questions and other tasks to be accomplished in a limited amount of time. 

This question paper has two Sections. 

Section 1, titled ‘Reading for Understanding, Analysis and Evaluation’, will have 30 marks. 

  1 Hour 30 minutes

In section 1, learners will apply reading skills of understanding, analysis and evaluation to two non-fiction texts. 

Section 2, titled ‘Critical Reading’, will have 40 marks. This Section has two Parts.  

  1 Hour 30 minutes

Part 1 consists of one critical essay on a previously studied text: drama, prose, poetry, film or TV drama.

Part 2 consists of questions on one Scottish text chosen from a list of specified texts covering the genres of drama, prose and poetry.

In each part, learners must cover a different genre and cannot use the same text twice. 

Twenty marks will be awarded for each of the two tasks addressed.

Component 2 

The purpose of this portfolio is to provide evidence of writing for two different purposes, namely creative and discursive writing. 

This portfolio will give learners an opportunity to demonstrate the following skills, knowledge and understanding: 

• To develop their skills in writing in different genres 

• To develop their skills in writing for a range of purposes and audiences 

The portfolio will have 30 marks (30% of the total mark). 

Fifteen marks will be awarded for each writing piece chosen for the portfolio.