National 5 ESOL

What will I study?

The course will let you build on previous learning or ESOL qualifications at a lower level. You will learn to understand how language works and how to use English to get across information and ideas.

You will study a wide range of different types of texts in different media. This course will allow you communicate, think critically, develop cultural awareness and be creative.

The course comprises two areas of study.

ESOL for Everyday Life

You will develop:

• language skills needed for everyday life in familiar personal, social and work-related settings

• skills in reading, writing, listening and speaking using detailed English language.

ESOL in Context

You will develop:

• language skills needed for familiar work- and study-related settings

• skills in reading, writing, listening and speaking using detailed English language.

How will I be assessed?

Course Assessment

The course assessment has four components totalling 120 marks:

• Component 1: question paper: listening  – worth 25 marks

• Component 2: question paper: reading – worth 35 marks

• Component 3: question paper: writing – worth 30 marks

• Component 4: performance: speaking and listening – worth 30 marks.

For the performance component, you will be asked to introduce and support a conversation or discussion in English on a chosen topic, and respond to relevant questions. Your performance will be set by the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) and marked internally by an SQA assessor. 

The question paper will be set and marked externally by the SQA.

The grade awarded is based on the total marks achieved across all course assessment components.

The course assessment is graded A-D.