English

The English department at Turnbull High School is a large and busy department. We strive to provide pupils with a valuable and enjoyable learning experience, building on existing English and Literacy skills gained in primary school and incorporating new and challenging skills.

The English department also benefits from a close relationship with the school librarian, Ms R Auchinvole. Classes in S1 and S2 make regular visits to the library, while classes in S3 to S6 are encouraged to use the library facilities independently for research, studying or to take advantage of the access to ICT.

S1 to S3

Curriculum for Excellence is embedded in our BGE English courses in S1 to S3. Pupils continue to develop their literacy skills in the areas of Reading, Writing, Listening & Talking, as well as experiencing new and challenging English activities, such as reading modern classic literature and learning skills associated with media studies.
The variety of skills taught within our courses are summarised below, along with suggested outcomes that pupils may produce:

Reading

Skills
• Use reading strategies to understand, analyse and evaluate a variety of texts, including Prose, Drama, Poetry, Media and Non-Fiction
• Find, use and organise information, including developing critical literacy skills
• Develop close reading skills through study of fiction & non-fiction passages

Outcomes

Produce Critical Essays of Literature (different genres)
Demonstrate understanding of media techniques through the completion of media related tasks
Complete a selection of close reading exercises

Writing

Skills

Create a broad range of texts of increasing complexity, applying the features of a particular genre, using more sophisticated language
Find, use and organise information
Develop and apply knowledge and understanding of language
Write with increasing accuracy, making effective use of spelling, grammar and punctuation

Outcomes

Produce a piece of personal writing (with a move to reflective writing in S3)
Produce a piece of imaginative writing
Produce a piece of discursive writing (ranging from a basic informative piece to discursive/persuasive in S3)

Listening & Talking

Skills

Use listening strategies to understand, discuss, analyse and evaluate a wide range of spoken texts
Develop higher order thinking and questioning skills
Use verbal and non-verbal skills with greater confidence, as well as using language effectively

Outcomes

Take part in group discussions/ group presentations
Deliver a solo talk presentation

National 4 English

National 5 English

The National 5 course is run from S4 to S6. It allows pupils to progress from the Broad General Education received through CfE in S1-S3 and work towards attaining a Higher award in S5/6.

Recent changes to the National 5 course structure, implemented for the 2017/18 diet, offer 2 different course pathways for pupils: a full Course Award, achieved at the end of the year by successfully completing the exam, or a Units Only approach where pupils will complete internal assessments in place of the final exam.

The pathway followed by each pupil will be agreed on an individual basis and based upon the progress and achievement demonstrated by the pupil over the course of the year.

The National 5 course covers two units:

Analysis and Evaluation – A unit which looks at the skills of and Reading and Listening and develops pupils’ abilities to analyse specific literary techniques.
Creation and Production– A unit which looks at the skills of Writing and Talking and assesses pupils’ abilities to produce texts (written and spoken) in a variety of genres.

The units are assessed in class by the teacher and verified externally by the SQA. These internal assessments will only be undertaken by those pupils following the Units Only pathway.

For those pupils following the Course Award route, a Writing Folio is also required– A selection of two writing pieces from different genres, which are sent away to the exam board for external marking and make up 30% of the overall final grade. There will also be a formal Spoken Language Assessment that must be completed prior to the exam.

The final exam takes place at the end of the year and is set by the SQA. It includes two exam papers:

Reading for Understanding, Analysis and Evaluation – A Close Reading passage with detailed questions
Critical Reading – One timed Critical Essay on a text studied in class (from a selection of unseen questions) and one set of analysis questions on a Scottish Text studied previously in class.

The exam counts for 70% of your final grade.

Your overall award is made up by combining your grades from both the final exam and the writing folio.

Higher English

English curriculum

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