Topics covered in Senior Phase:
National 4 (4 Units)
English: Analysis and Evaluation
In this unit learners have the opportunity to develop listening and reading skills in familiar contexts. Learners develop the skills needed to understand, analyse and evaluate simple but detailed language.
English: Creation and Production
In this unit learners have the opportunity to develop talking and writing skills in familiar contexts. Learners develop the skills needed to create and produce simple but detailed language in both written and spoken form.
Added Value Unit: Assignment
The purpose of this Added Value Unit is to provide learners with the opportunity to use their language skills to plan and research a chosen topic in a familiar context; learners are then given the opportunity to present their findings using their listening and talking skills.
There is no external assessment at National 4.
National 5
Course Outline
This course helps the learner understand the complexities of language through studying a wide range of texts, including studying the use vocabulary, word patterns, text structures and style. The learner will develop high levels of analytical thinking and understanding of the impact of language.
The course assessment for this course consists of two components:
Final exam – question paper – reading (70 marks)
Portfolio – writing (30 marks).
For the portfolio component, learners are asked to produce one piece of writing, either broadly creative or broadly discursive. This will be externally marked by the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA).
Final exam
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 – ‘Reading for Understanding, Analysis, and Evaluation’ (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. Assessment will involve learners answering questions to show these reading skills and completing a task that involves inference making and summarising.
Section 2 – ‘Critical Reading’ (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.
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.
The Portfolio
The purpose of this portfolio is to provide evidence of the learner’s writing for different purposes and audiences.
The portfolio will have 30 marks out of a total of 100 marks. This is 30% of the overall marks for the Course assessment.
The portfolio will comprise the production by learners of one written text that addresses the main language purposes, namely creative and discursive writing. Thirty marks will be awarded for each writing piece chosen for the portfolio. The written texts must be of no more than 1,000 words each, but full marks can be achieved in a shorter piece, if appropriate to purpose.
The course assessment is graded A-D.
Higher
This course develops skills of listening, talking, reading and writing in order to understand and use language. As learners develop their literacy skills, they will be able to process information more easily, apply knowledge of language in practical and relevant contexts, and gain confidence to undertake new and more challenging tasks in a variety of situations.
Course assessment (6 SCQF credit points)
The course assessment consists of two components:
Total marks -100
The exam:
The exam will assess how learners apply their reading skills in a familiar but challenging context. The question paper will be set and marked by SQA and be made up of two parts:
Paper 1 — Reading for Understanding, Analysis and Evaluation (30 marks)
These 30 marks will be awarded for addressing the challenge of applying the reading skills of understanding, analysis and evaluation to two non-fiction texts which are connected by theme. Learners will gain credit for their understanding of the ideas of the texts; their analysis and evaluation of the writers’ use of language; and their ability to summarise information for a purpose.
Paper 2 — Critical Reading (40 marks)
These 40 marks will be awarded for applying critical reading, knowledge and understanding.
This question paper has two sections. In each section, learners must cover a different genre and cannot use the same text twice.
Twenty marks will be available for each of the two Sections.
Section 1 Scottish Texts (20 marks)
Learners will apply their skills in understanding, analysis and evaluation to previously studied Scottish literature by answering questions on the work of one Scottish writer. This writer will be chosen from a list of specified texts covering the genres of drama, prose and poetry. There will be one extract with questions provided for each Scottish writer on the list.
Section 2 Critical Essay (20 marks)
Learners will apply their understanding, analysis and evaluation skills to previously studied texts from the following contexts: drama, prose, poetry, film and TV drama, or language, by writing one critical essay. Three essay questions will be provided for each context and learners should select one.
The Portfolio:
The purpose of this assessment is to generate evidence for the added value of this course by means of a portfolio. The portfolio consists of one written text which will be the evidence for assessment.
The portfolio will have 30 marks (30% of the total mark).
Learners will demonstrate their ability to write in more than one form.
The written text must be of no more than 1,300 words each, but full marks can be achieved in a shorter piece, if appropriate to purpose.
The learner’s writing will be marked in terms of content, accuracy, language use and ability to achieve the intended purpose.
Advanced Higher
Structure and coverage of the Course assessment
Exam
Component 1 — question paper (Literary Study)
The purpose of this question paper is to assess candidates’ ability to apply the skills of critical analysis and evaluation to previously studied literary texts.
Component 2 — question paper (Textual Analysis)
The purpose of this question paper is to assess candidates’ ability to apply the skills of critical analysis and evaluation to an unseen literary text.
Each paper lasts 1 hour 30 minutes.
Component 3 — portfolio–writing
Candidates will produce two pieces of writing for two different purposes and audiences.There is no requirement to write both creatively and discursively.
This Component will have 30 marks (30% of the total mark). Up to 15 marks will be awarded for each piece of writing selected for the portfolio.
Component 4 — project–dissertation
The text(s) chosen must not be the same as those used in the Literary Study question paper.
This dissertation will be between 2,500 and 3,000 words long and will have 30 marks (30% of the total mark).
Pathways in English at Dalkeith HS:
Studying English beyond school involves a range of reading and writing opportunities, and improves your understanding of language.
The study of English helps develop skills in analytical and critical thinking, creativity and communication. Such skills are highly sought after in a wide variety of roles and careers such as:
Brand Strategist
Communications Leader
Content Manager
Editor
Human Resources
Journalist
Legal Assistant
Librarian
Research Analyst
Search-Engine Operative
Social Media Manager
Teacher
Translator
Writer
