English in the Broad General Education
Rationale
A Curriculum for Excellence affords English teachers the freedom to choose the texts, tasks and strategies which best suit the pupils in front of them. Working within a broad framework, teachers have responsibility to cover the relevant experiences and outcomes while providing the stimulus and challenge which best equips pupils with the English and literacy skills they need to progress through school and into the world beyond. At all times, therefore, teachers must ensure that what they are teaching is relevant to their pupils. As such, the course for pupils in S1-3 takes into account the demands of the new NQ’s while allowing for flexibility and personalisation for the young people in each class.
Structure
Each child in S1-3 comes to English four periods per week. This is split into three English periods and one Literacy and Language period. S1/2 will participate in relevant interdisciplinary projects.
S1 should study Level 3 E’s and O’s and aim to cover talking and listening; reading (close reading, prose, drama, poetry and, possibly, media) and writing (creative, personal and transactional plus basic skills).
S2 should study Level 3 and Level 4 E’s and O’s and aim to cover talking and listening; reading (close reading, prose, drama, poetry and, possibly, media) and writing (creative, personal and transactional plus basic skills). The top sets should aim to complete the N4 Literacy during Term 4.
S3 should study Level 4 E’s and O’s with flexibility built in to allow lower ability sets to continue to focus on Level 3 and aim to cover talking and listening; reading (close reading, prose, drama, poetry and, possibly, media) and writing (creative, personal and transactional plus basic skills). The top sets should aim to complete the N4 AVU and N5 Talking and Listening unit during Term 4.
Literacy and Language Period
In this single weekly period, the focus will be on developing and reinforcing basic literacy skills and also language and close reading skills. This will generally be achieved through work on spelling, punctuation and grammar and close reading techniques and the promotion of personal reading for pleasure. The needs and abilities of the young people in each class vary widely so the focus in this period should reflect that. Teachers must use professional judgment to determine the most appropriate balance of skills taught.
English Periods
In these periods classes will focus on the traditional elements of English teaching: study of prose, poetry, drama and (if possible) media and learning to write in a variety of ways as well as developing skills in talking and listening. Careful forward planning should ensure that the Experiences and Outcomes are covered in a thoughtful and worthwhile way over the course of the Broad General Education.
A Curriculum for Excellence affords English teachers the freedom to choose the texts, tasks and strategies which best suit the pupils in front of them. Working within a broad framework, teachers have responsibility to cover the relevant experiences and outcomes while providing the stimulus and challenge which best equips pupils with the English and literacy skills they need to progress through school and into the world beyond. At all times, therefore, teachers must ensure that what they are teaching is relevant to their pupils. As such, the course for pupils in S1-3 takes into account the demands of the new NQ’s while allowing for flexibility and personalisation for the young people in each class.
Structure
Each child in S1-3 comes to English four periods per week. This is split into three English periods and one Literacy and Language period. S1/2 will participate in relevant interdisciplinary projects.
S1 should study Level 3 E’s and O’s and aim to cover talking and listening; reading (close reading, prose, drama, poetry and, possibly, media) and writing (creative, personal and transactional plus basic skills).
S2 should study Level 3 and Level 4 E’s and O’s and aim to cover talking and listening; reading (close reading, prose, drama, poetry and, possibly, media) and writing (creative, personal and transactional plus basic skills). The top sets should aim to complete the N4 Literacy during Term 4.
S3 should study Level 4 E’s and O’s with flexibility built in to allow lower ability sets to continue to focus on Level 3 and aim to cover talking and listening; reading (close reading, prose, drama, poetry and, possibly, media) and writing (creative, personal and transactional plus basic skills). The top sets should aim to complete the N4 AVU and N5 Talking and Listening unit during Term 4.
Literacy and Language Period
In this single weekly period, the focus will be on developing and reinforcing basic literacy skills and also language and close reading skills. This will generally be achieved through work on spelling, punctuation and grammar and close reading techniques and the promotion of personal reading for pleasure. The needs and abilities of the young people in each class vary widely so the focus in this period should reflect that. Teachers must use professional judgment to determine the most appropriate balance of skills taught.
English Periods
In these periods classes will focus on the traditional elements of English teaching: study of prose, poetry, drama and (if possible) media and learning to write in a variety of ways as well as developing skills in talking and listening. Careful forward planning should ensure that the Experiences and Outcomes are covered in a thoughtful and worthwhile way over the course of the Broad General Education.