What will I learn about?

There are four contexts:

•Society -relationships with family, friends, healthy lifestyles, media, using technology

•Employability -applying for jobs , CV, the world of work

•Learning -preparing for exams, opinions of subjects, comparing school life in another country with Scotland

•Culture -travel, planning a trip, festivals, literature, film and TV

NATIONAL 4 

This Course is made up of three mandatory Units. The Course provides learners with the opportunity to develop their reading, listening, talking and writing skills in order to understand and use a modern language. The three Units, taken together, include the four language skills of reading, listening and talking, and writing.

The structure of the Units enables learners to focus on the skills required to understand and use a modern language, and to integrate reading, listening, talking and writing skills across the Units. Each Unit also offers opportunities for learners to focus on particular skills.

Understanding Language (National 4)

The purpose of this Unit is to provide learners with the opportunity to develop reading and listening skills in the modern language and to develop their knowledge of straightforward language in the contexts of society, learning, employability, and culture.

Using Language (National 4)

The purpose of this Unit is to provide learners with the opportunity to develop talking and writing skills in the modern language, and to develop their knowledge of straightforward language in the contexts of society, learning, employability, and culture.

Added Value Unit: Assignment (National 4)

The purpose of this Added Value Unit is to provide learners with the opportunity to apply their language skills to investigate a chosen topic in a familiar context in the modern language.

NATIONAL 5

This Course is made up of two mandatory Units. The Course provides learners with the opportunity to develop their reading, listening, talking and writing skills in order to understand and use a modern language. The two Units, taken together, include the four language skills of reading, listening, talking and writing.

The structure of the Units enables learners to focus on the skills required to understand and use a modern language and to integrate reading, listening, talking and writing skills across the Units. Each Unit also offers opportunities for learners to focus on particular skills.

Understanding Language (National 5)

The purpose of this Unit is to provide learners with the opportunity to develop reading and listening skills in the modern language, and to develop their knowledge and understanding of detailed language in the contexts of society, learning, employability, and culture.

Using Language (National 5)

The purpose of this Unit is to provide learners with the opportunity to develop talking and writing skills in the modern language, and to develop their knowledge and understanding of detailed language in the contexts of society, learning, employability and culture.

National 4

This exam is internally assessed. Pupils need a pass in the four skills of listening, reading, writing and talking which is assessed internally.  Pupils gain an award at National 4 when all sections have been completed.

National 4 pupils complete an Added Value Unit which comprises 2 reading texts, a short presentation in the foreign language and at least four follow-up questions asked by their teacher.

National 5

This exam is externally assessed and pupils are awarded at grades A-D following the exam in May. To achieve this pupils will also need a pass in each of the four skills of listening, reading, writing and talking which is assessed internally. The external exam comprises of three reading texts, a listening test and a writing a job application letter.