Professional Focus Paper
Course: English
1.
Level: National 4
Who is this paper for and what is its purpose?
This paper is for teachers and other staff who provide learning, teaching and support as learners work towards
English National 4.
Curriculum for Excellence is a unique opportunity to raise achievement and to ensure that all learners are better
prepared than they have been in the past for learning, life and work. This is because the new curriculum gives real
scope to build learning from 3–18 in a joined-up, seamless way. As a result, progression in learning can be much
stronger with a clear focus on attributes and capabilities, skills (including higher-order thinking skills), and
knowledge and understanding. These are delivered through the experiences and outcomes of the 3–15 Broad
General Education (BGE) and, at the senior phase, through programmes that build directly on the BGE leading to
qualifications. Because of a strengthened focus on the nature and quality of learning experiences, self-motivation is
likely to be increased and learners consequently more engaged and enthused. To ensure continuity and
progression, qualifications at the senior phase have been designed to embrace this unambiguous focus on highquality learning.
Curriculum for Excellence has the flexibility to meet the needs of all learners in their local circumstances, enabling
each to achieve their very best. For example, some centres may take the opportunity to offer qualifications over two
years which might involve learners bypassing qualifications at a given level, whereas others may enable learners to
work towards qualifications within one year. In both cases, the advice in this paper is relevant to the learning and
teaching approaches that learners will encounter. This paper, then, is intended to stimulate professional reflection
and dialogue about learning. It highlights important features of learning which are enhanced or different from
previous arrangements at this SCQF level.
How will you plan for progression in learning and teaching, building on the BGE, to meet the needs of learners?
2.
What’s new and what are the implications for learning and teaching?
English National 4 consists of four Units, providing learners with the opportunity to develop their listening, talking,
reading and writing skills in order to understand and use language.




Analysis and Evaluation
Creation and Production
Literacy
Added Value Unit: English Assignment
To achieve English National 4, learners must pass all of the required Units, including the Added Value Unit.
ENGLISH
What are the key aspects of English National 4?
Integrated approach to skills development
The Analysis and Evaluation Unit focuses on the skills of reading and listening. The Creation and Production Unit
focuses on the skills of writing and talking. All four skills are of equal importance and should be developed in an
integrated way.
The Literacy Unit develops learners’ reading, listening, writing and talking skills in a variety of forms relevant for
learning, life and work.
The Added Value Unit challenges learners to apply language skills in investigating a chosen topic. Learners will
present evidence in an oral presentation or in an extended piece of writing.
Wider range of evidence of learning
Previous approaches to assessment were directed by the need to achieve end of Unit NABs. There is a new
emphasis on naturally occurring evidence and combined assessments. Staff can make use of a wider range of
evidence including, for example, digital or spoken presentations, discussions, extended writing, notes, multi-modal
texts or podcasts.
Hierarchy of Units
Programmes of learning should be planned to encourage learners to aim for the highest level of achievement. The
hierarchy of Units allows for a flexible approach, enabling learners to tackle Units and course assessments at the
most appropriate level.
What are the key features of learning in English National 4?
Active learning
Learners will be expected to take an active role in the learning process, working individually and collectively to
construct meaning, to develop skills and to reflect. Learning activities may require them to explore, to analyse, to
evaluate, to solve problems, to communicate for different purposes, to create and to apply learning.
Learning independently
Learners undertaking English National 4 will continue to develop as independent learners, making decisions,
solving problems and initiating their own learning. Learning activities can cover a wide range of texts across
language, literature and media, including those relating to Scotland’s literary and linguistic heritage. Learners could
be given the opportunity to select texts for study and perhaps choose the most appropriate way to respond to a
text. Analytical and evaluative skills might, for example, be demonstrated in a traditional critical essay, or could be
evidenced by creating a multi-modal text or a presentation. Learners could make choices in initiating and
structuring discussion tasks and talk activities.
Writing and creating tasks will allow learners to develop creative thinking skills and make decisions as to topic,
structure, language and tone. Discursive writing tasks, for example, could develop independent research skills,
including the ability to frame relevant questions, identify appropriate sources and select and use information.
Engaging critically with a broad range of texts can help learners develop as independent thinkers, who recognise
when they are being influenced and who can justify their own point of view.
How will you ensure that learners have opportunities to engage with a broad range of texts in different media,
including those relating to Scotland’s literary and linguistic heritage?
ENGLISH
Responsibility for learning
Learners should be expected to take responsibility for their own learning and to develop an awareness of
themselves as learners. Learning activities could be planned in consultation with learners, taking account of
interests and aspirations. An individual or group might, for example, take responsibility for investigating an aspect
of a text or researching a particular topic. Findings could be shared face to face and online.
Learners should be encouraged to monitor their own progress and set targets, aiming to make effective use of
feedback to improve. By planning regular opportunities to discuss and review learning, including self- and peerassessment activities, staff will help learners engage with this process and to set meaningful targets for
improvement.
Staff could discuss and model strategies for learning to encourage a reflective approach. This might include
teaching and modelling writing explicitly, using active reading strategies, breaking down the research process or
investigating effective note-making.
How might you develop a more flexible approach that embeds personalisation and choice and encourages learners
to take responsibility for their own learning?
Collaborative learning
English National 4 builds on collaborative approaches to learning from the BGE. Talking and listening skills are
fundamental to the course and learners need to verbalise and explain their thinking to explore, develop and
reinforce concepts. Collaborative working helps to develop essential social and interpersonal skills. Effective
collaboration makes the learning process visible and encourages deeper and more reflective learning.
Learners could work together to analyse, evaluate and create written and oral texts by formulating questions,
building on contributions and justifying ideas. Effective use of technology can facilitate collaboration. Learners
might, for example, contribute to a wiki focusing on a particular text or topic. A class blog may be used to record
reflections on learning and to facilitate peer assessment. As learners become more confident, they could begin to
collaborate, not just with their own classmates, but also with learners from other establishments, from the wider
community and from around the world.
How might you develop collaborative approaches to learning which, when appropriate, make effective use of
technology?
Applying learning
Learners need a range of opportunities to develop and apply their language skills including, for example, by
investigating a chosen topic and presenting evidence in an oral presentation or in an extended piece of writing.
Learners may also choose topics and texts for more independent and open-ended study, where linguistic and
higher-order skills will be integrated and applied. These might be linked to personal reading, an aspect of language
or a particular topic.
The more general literacy skills developed in English National 4 will be applied in learning across curriculum areas
and in future study and employment. Learners should also have a range of opportunities to develop their reading,
listening, writing and talking skills in a variety of forms relevant for learning, life and work.
ENGLISH
How are you developing skills for learning, life and work, as outlined in the course specification?
Links with a range of curriculum areas such as sciences, mathematics and social studies subjects, are essential to
help learners apply and make connections in their learning. This will help to ensure their skills are reinforced and
transferrable.
How can you ensure that learners can access opportunities to apply their learning in different curriculum areas?
3.
Qualification information
The SQA website provides practitioners with the following documentation:






Assessment Overview
Course Specification
Unit Specification
Support Notes
Course Assessment Specification
Unit Assessment Support Packages
Full information on arrangements for this qualification is available at the SQA website:
English National 4: http://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/45672.html
4.
What other materials are available on the Education Scotland website which staff
could use?
http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/learningteachingandassessment/curriculumareas/languages/litandenglish/ind
ex.asp
http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/nationalqualifications/subjects/english.asp
Support materials have been produced over the last year to support Curriculum for Excellence and further support
materials and events are planned. This downloadable list is updated quarterly with the most up-to-date details
available from the page below.
Published and planned support for Curriculum for Excellence:
http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/publishedandplannedsupport
T +44 (0)141 282 5000 E enquiries@educationscotland.gov.uk W www.educationscotland.gov.uk
Education Scotland, Denholm House, Almondvale Business Park, Almondvale Way, Livingston EH54 6GA
© Crown copyright, 2012
You may re-use this information (excluding images and logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence providing that it is reproduced
accurately and not in a misleading context. The material must be acknowledged as Crown copyright and the document title specified.
To view this licence, visit http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence or e-mail: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk
Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned.