English

Principal Teacher: Miss McPhillips (PTC)

In addition to standard S1/S2 courses, the department also offers the following courses:

Standard Grade
Intermediate 1
Intermediate 2
Higher
Advanced Higher

(Click to jump to the relevant section)

 

 

 

Standard Grade

Levels: Foundation, general and credit

(return to the top of this page)

AIMS
To develop competence in language and,
to the highest possible level, the skills
associated with reading, writing and talking.
The course also seeks to enrich the lives of
pupils and contribute towards their personal
and social growth.

Most pupils will study Standard Grade English,
others Access 3 or  Intermediate 1.
This will depend on National Test Results.

CONTENT 
The students will :

*develop writing skills;
*analyse literature - novels, plays, poetry;
*develop close reading skills;
*study media;
*take part in group discussions and give individual talks.

ASSESSMENT

Standard Grade
Internal Assessment-Folio work and Group Talk70%
External Assessment-Reading and Writing Examination30%

Access 3 / Intermediate 1
Access 3 is based solely on internal assessments in Reading and Writing.
Intermediate 1  consists of both internal and external examinations.   Both internal and external examinations are made up of Reading and Writing elements, whilst the final examination determines the Final Grade

 

Intermediate 1

Entry requirements: Standard grade English grade 5 or 6

(return to the top of this page)

COURSE CONTENT:

Unit 1 Language Study - understand, analyse and evaluate non-fiction prose text which conveys complex information. Compose a piece of writing in a particular genre.

Unit 2 Literary Study - Respond critically to imaginative texts, including unseen texts.

Unit 3 Personal Study - written or spoken response.

METHODOLOGY

Class teaching and group discussion. At least one third the course will be based on individual, independent research.

ASSESSMENT

Internal Assessment - All Unit Assessments must be passed if a student is to be presented for the final examination.

Examination - 2 papers (Interpretation and Literature)

Intermediate 2

Entry requirements: Standard grade English grade 3 or 4

(return to the top of this page)

 

COURSE CONTENT:

Unit 1Language Study - understand, analyse and evaluate non-fiction prose text which conveys complex information. Compose a piece of writing in a particular genre.

Unit 2Literary Study - Respond critically to imaginative texts, including unseen texts.

Unit 3Personal Study - written or spoken response.

METHODOLOGY

Class teaching and group discussion. At least one third the course will be based on individual, independent research.


ASSESSMENT

Internal Assessment - All Unit Assessments must be passed if a student is to be presented for the final examination.

Examination - 2 papers (Interpretation and Literature)

Note Pupils who fail to pass the Internal Assessments or who fail to achieve the required standard in the prelim examination will be presented at Intermediate 1.

 

Higher

Entry requirements: Standard grade English grade 1 or 2

(return to the top of this page)

COURSE CONTENT:

Unit 1 Language Study - understand, analyse and evaluate non-fiction prose text which conveys complex information.  Compose a piece of writing in a particular genre.

Unit 2 Literary Study - Respond critically to imaginative texts, including unseen texts.

Unit 3 Personal Study - written or spoken response.

METHODOLOGY

Class teaching and group discussion.  At least one third of the course will be based on individual, independent research.

ASSESSMENT

Internal Assessment - All Unit Assessments must be passed if a student is to be presented for the final examination.

Examination - 2 papers (Interpretation and Literature)

Note:

Pupils who fail to pass the required assessments, or who fail to achieve the required standard in the Prelim exam will be presented at Intermediate 2.

 

 

 

Advanced Higher

Entry requirements: Higher pass of Grade A or B

(return to the top of this page)

 

COURSE CONTENT:

There are three elements of the Advanced Higher Course, the first two are mandatory.

1.Specialist Study
Study of an aspect of literature or language.   This is an independent study.

2.Literary Study
Study in depth of a wide range of writers.

3.A choice from Textual Analysis; Creative Writing; Language Study and Reading the Media.

METHODOLOGY

There will be some class lessons in the form of lectures and seminars, in order to approximate the style of higher education. Individual tutorials will also take place. Much of the course will take the form of independent study. This would especially be the case for the Specialist Study.

The course will naturally include a substantial amount of reading.

This course would be most suited to those intending to do language or literature in some form at University - but not those simply planning to study English. It would be of value to all planning Arts courses, Law, Journalism etc.

ASSESSMENT

1.Specialist Study  -  4000  words (folio)

2.Literary Study  -  external examination.

3.Dependent on choice : folio or external examination.