Professional Focus Paper
Course: English and Communication
1.
Level: National 2
Who is this paper for and what is its purpose?
This paper is for practitioners and other staff who provide learning, teaching and support as learners work towards
English and Communication National 2.
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 Broad General Education?
2.
What’s new and what are the implications for learning and teaching?
English and Communication National 2 consists of three Units, providing learners with the opportunity to develop
their listening, talking, communication, reading and writing skills in order to understand and use language. As at
National 2, the course is allocated 18 SCQF points at level 2.
 Understanding Language
 Creating Texts
 Listening and Talking
ENGLISH AND COMMUNICATION
The course builds on the four capacities and enables learners to communicate, be critical thinkers, develop cultural
awareness and be creative. The outcomes across the Units at English and Communication 2 can also support
progression in other curriculum areas as well as in the Personal Achievement and Personal Development Awards
at National 2.
What are the key aspects of English and Communication National 2?
To achieve English and Communication National 2, learners must pass all of the required Units. Units at National 2
(in common with the Units at National 3, 4, National 5 and Higher) are less prescriptive and more flexible than
those at Access 3 and Standard Grade. This is to encourage a more flexible approach to assessment. Unit
assessments allow practitioners to decide which assessment methods fit best with the learning that has taken
place. This also allows learning and assessment to link more closely to local needs and contexts. Assessment at
National 2 is designed to support learning, increase personalisation and choice, encourage breadth and depth of
understanding and motivate and challenge learners.
Integrated approach to skills development
In the course and its component units, there is an emphasis on skills development and application. Assessment will
be proportionate and fit for purpose, promoting best practice to enable learners to achieve the highest standards
they can.
The Understanding Language Unit provides learners with the opportunity to develop their skills in reading and
understanding different types of word-based texts.
The Creating Texts Unit provides learners with the opportunity to develop their skills in communicating ideas,
opinions and information by creating a variety of texts.
The Listening and Talking Unit develops learners’ ability to respond to spoken communication by talking and
communicating individually and in groups.
Definition of listening and talking
Listening means the ability to understand and interpret ideas, opinions and information presented orally
for a purpose and within a context, drawing on non-verbal communication as appropriate. Talking means
the ability to communicate orally ideas, opinions and information for a purpose and within a context. In the
context of qualifications, ‘communicating orally’ is defined as ways of using words for transactions that
are spoken (or signed through British Sign Language (BSL)), which are presented in a way that is
accessible for the intended audience.
Examples of contexts for the development of literacy skills might include subject activities, work experience, crosscurricular activities, work/leisure activities, daily routine, interests/hobbies, local issues and work-based learning.
Staff should provide opportunities for personalisation and choice to ensure that learning is relevant and motivating.
For some learners, specific targets may continue to be set within their individualised educational programmes to
ensure skills are developed across literacy, numeracy and health and wellbeing. In planning activities and skill
development in this area, staff should also take account of targets set in other curricular areas, including literacy,
numeracy and personal development.
ENGLISH AND COMMUNICATION
Wider range of evidence of learning
At National 2, reading, listening, writing and talking remain the focus for learning. Evidence should be more
naturally occurring and should exemplify the learning which has taken place. The methods of assessment used
should suit the needs of the individual and the task and as a result such evidence may vary from individual to
individual, depending on their preferred approach. Staff can make use of a wider range of evidence including, for
example, digital or spoken presentations, discussions, examples of 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. Careful planning is required for movement between Nationals 2 and 3.
What are the key features of learning in English and Communication National 2?
Active learning
Learners will be encouraged to take an increasingly active role in the learning process, working with support both
individually and collectively in groups to construct meaning, to develop skills and to reflect. Learning activities
linked to their own needs and interests will develop learners’ ability to test their ideas and apply their learning
across all aspects of their life. When learners are increasingly active in their learning, they make links across their
learning that help them to make sense of the world and give their learning meaning and relevance.
Learning independently
Learners undertaking English National 2 will continue to develop as independent learners and will be encouraged
and supported to make decisions, solve problems and initiate 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 cultural
heritage. Personalised learning helps every learner to develop and understand their own distinctive set of skills and
abilities, into adulthood and beyond. Learners working at National 2 level may require varying degrees of staff
support for all or part of the tasks. Well defined assessment will determine the level of support an individual learner
may require at any given point within the learning and teaching environment. Learners should be given the
opportunity to use their normal mode of communication, including alternative and augmentative systems such as
Voice Output Communication Aids (VOCAs), eye pointing and Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS),
and have access to the appropriate resources identified to support their learning. Learners should be encouraged
to improve their literacy skills through communicating and presenting information in a range of ways. For example,
following a theatre visit to see a play they could create a story board of the play and present it at an assembly. In all
tasks, learners should be made aware of the skills they are developing and of the transferability of those skills.
Creating texts will help learners to develop creative thinking skills and make decisions about topics and audience.
Learners could be supported, for example, to provide different types of simple texts, imaginative, personal and
functional for the centre or school’s newsletter
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 cultural heritage?
Responsibility for learning
Learners should be expected, with support, to take increasing 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 simple text or researching a particular topic. Findings could be shared face to face and online.
Learners should be supported as they monitor their own progress and set targets, aiming to make effective use of
ENGLISH AND COMMUNICATION
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 set meaningful targets for improvement.
Learners’ preferred methods of communication and the increasing use of technology such as smartphones and
electronic devices to send emails, create blogs etc. will play an important role in allowing the learner to take
increased responsibility for learning.
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 and Communication National 2 builds on collaborative approaches to learning from the broad general
education and /or from National 1 Units. Collaborative learning challenges learners to think independently and
engage in discussion, debate and activity to achieve specific outcomes. In planning activities, staff should provide
opportunities for learners to collaborate more widely with others. This is a key change which recognises that
learning takes place both within and beyond the classroom. Talking, communication and listening skills are
fundamental to the course and learners need to work with others to explain their thinking in order to explore,
develop and reinforce concepts. Collaborative working helps to develop essential social and interpersonal skills.
Learners will; naturally talk and communicate with each other about favourite music, clothes and social activities.
This could be extended by asking one learner to introduce another to the group by describing, for example, his
favourite music or artist. In preparation for a work placement staff could support a group of learners to take part in a
simple role play with each member taking on a different role, such as a customer or shop assistant. As learners
become more confident, they could be supported to make effective use of technology 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 the language and communication skills they have
developed through supported classroom activities. These may include preparing questions for an interview survey
on a topic of interest and then preparing a short report or presentation on the findings. The more general literacy
skills already developed by the broad general education will be applied in learning across curriculum areas and in
the future. Learners should also have a range of opportunities to develop their reading, listening, writing ,talking
and communication skills in a variety of forms relevant for learning, life and work, for example preparing the
invitations and advertisements for a school fashion show , parents evening or art exhibition.
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 science, mathematics and social studies subjects, to work
placements and learning beyond the school are essential to help learners apply and make connections in their
learning. Such links 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?
ENGLISH AND COMMUNICATION
3.
Qualification information
The SQA website provides practitioners with the following documentation:
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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:
SQA - National 2 English and Communication
4.
What other materials are available on the Education Scotland website which staff
could use?
The principles and practice: literacy and English document and the literacy home page on the Education Scotland
website are important resources for practitioners:
http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/Images/literacy_english_principles_practice_tcm4-540164.doc
http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/learningteachingandassessment/curriculumareas/languages/litandenglish/ind
ex.asp
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
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