Professional Focus Paper
Course: Modern Languages
1.
Level: National 5
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
Modern Languages National 5.
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 by responding to their local
circumstances and 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?
Modern Languages consists of three Units.
 Understanding Language
 Using Language
 Course Assessment
To achieve Modern Languages National 5, learners must pass all of the Units and a course assessment.
MODERN LANGUAGES
What are the key aspects of Modern Languages National 5?
Integrated approach to skills development
Modern Languages National 5 builds on the skills developed within the BGE. The Understanding Language Unit
focuses on the receptive skills of reading and listening and will enable learners to develop their knowledge of more
detailed language in the contexts of society, learning, employability and culture. The Using Language Unit focuses
on the productive skills of talking and writing. All four skills are important and should be developed in an integrated
way. The ability to apply grammatical knowledge is a skill which underpins both units.
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 assessments that involve more than one of the four key skills,
building on approaches developed in the BGE. 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.
These could be used by learners to build a portfolio that would show their progress through the Units. An integrated
approach to assessment (for example, an assessment combining listening and talking) will develop the learner’s
skills in a realistic, communicative situation and will reduce the amount of assessment. Technology can be used to
support learning, teaching and assessment through the use of, for example, interactive language tasks with texts
and activities in electronic format, video conferencing and use of iPods to record the spoken language.
Hierarchy of Units
Modern Languages National 5 forms a hierarchy with the modern languages courses at National 3, National 4 and
Higher. Courses at National 3, National 4, National 5 and Higher follow a relatively similar structure in terms of
outcomes and assessment but differ in the degree of difficulty and complexity from one level to the next. This
structure aims to facilitate bi-level teaching and enable learners to achieve recognition for their best achievement.
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 assessments at the most
appropriate level for them. Learners can use the Units of Modern Languages National 5 to achieve the Modern
Languages National 4 course award, as long as they also pass the National 4 Added Value Unit.
Course assessment
The course assessment comprises:
 question paper 1: reading and writing;
 question paper 2: listening;
 performance: talking.
Question paper 1
Section 1 (reading): all questions will be mandatory. This Section will have 30 marks.
Three texts in the modern language will be presented. Learners will provide short responses (in English) on the
texts to demonstrate understanding. Learners may use a dictionary.
Section 2 (writing). This section will have 20 marks.
One piece of writing in the modern language will be produced, in response to a stimulus. Learners may use
language from each of the four contexts (society, learning, employability and culture). Learners may use a
dictionary.
The assessment of writing is a new assessment approach, based on intermediate 2 assessments.
MODERN LANGUAGES
Question paper 2: listening
The question paper will assess the skill of listening. The question paper will have one section, with a total of 20
marks. Learners will listen to one monologue and one short conversation in the modern language. Learners will
answer short responses in English to questions in English to demonstrate understanding.
Performance
The purpose of this performance is to assess learners’ talking skills. Learners will deliver a presentation and
engage in a conversation in the modern language. Each of these parts will have 15 marks.
How will you plan for progression in learning and teaching, building on the BGE, to meet the needs of a wide range
of learners?
What are the key features of learning in Modern Languages National 5?
Active learning
Learners should continue to experience active learning in the senior phase. They are expected to take an active
role in the learning process, working individually and collectively to develop skills and reflect on their own learning.
Active learning will give pupils the opportunity to develop higher-order thinking skills, such as analysis and
evaluation, for example, when they are asked to define the purpose of a text. Becoming increasingly active in their
own learning allows pupils to think more deeply about the concepts being learned, for example, during think-pairshare or jigsaw reading activities. Games-based learning allows learners to review what they have learned in an
enjoyable, motivating way.
How can you introduce a wide variety of learning and teaching approaches which will motivate and challenge
learners?
Learning independently
Learners undertaking Modern Languages National 5 will continue to develop as independent learners, either
working or their own or in groups in a collaborative way. Activities which offer a choice of approaches and
encourage pupils to be self-reliant will allow pupils to develop self-confidence and encourage self-motivation. The
use of websites in the modern language allows pupils to review topics that are most beneficial for them personally.
Pupils can choose how to respond to a text and demonstrate their understanding of it, for example, through writing
or talking. Teaching dictionary skills will allow pupils to read and write with increasing independence and accuracy,
which is essential when preparing for the final course assessment. Learners should be given opportunities to
practise activities similar to those expected in the external course assessment. For example, they should have the
opportunity to work independently, and in timed examination conditions, on activities such as extended reading
tasks, or making notes in English while listening to the modern language.
Responsibility for learning
Learners should be expected to take responsibility for, and plan, their own learning based on an understanding of
how they learn best. Opportunities for personalisation and choice will help learners to show what they can do. This
will provide increased motivation and ensure that individuals are challenged appropriately. 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 peer-assessment activities, staff
will help learners engage with this process and set meaningful targets for improvement. Staff could discuss and
MODERN LANGUAGES
model strategies for learning to encourage a reflective approach. This might include different methods for learning
vocabulary or grammatical structures, in keeping with learners’ preferred learning style.
How will you ensure learners are making informed decisions about where they are in their learning and what they
need to do to progress?
Collaborative learning
Learning and teaching approaches should provide opportunities for collaborative working, which develops essential
social and interpersonal skills. A collaborative approach to learning ensures that all learners are involved in their
own learning and gives them the opportunity to develop the social skills and communication skills that are both an
essential part of language learning and skills for life and work.
Group or partner activities, such as paired reading, ‘give one, get one’ and jigsaw activities, may offer suitable
opportunities for learners to work in partnership, take on responsibilities and learn from each other. Learners could
be given the opportunity to work together to prepare debates on, for example, healthy lifestyles or the advantages
and disadvantages of new technology. This will allow learners to share their skills, learn from each other and make
effective contributions as part of a team thus providing the opportunity to develop skills for life and work in a
realistic context. Learners could work together to produce more extended pieces of written work, each taking
responsibility for a specific section of, for example, a brochure or website about their local community.
How will you ensure that all learners take on roles and responsibilities appropriate to their level of skill and abilities
in group tasks?
Applying learning
The skills developed throughout Modern Languages National 5 will build on those developed in the BGE. Learners
will become increasingly confident in dealing with familiar language items in unfamiliar contexts and with unfamiliar
language items. They will develop skills to deal with more detailed, complex language. These skills will be applied
in both Unit assessments and the final course assessment.
Throughout Modern Languages National 5 learners will develop a range of skills that can be applied both within
modern languages, across the wider curriculum and in future learning, life and work. In particular, literacy skills,
which will provide meaningful links to other curricular areas, will be developed. Links with other curricular areas will
ensure that skills are reinforced and transferable.
Modern Languages National 5 pays due attention to the culture of the county/countries in which the language is
spoken through, for example, the study of songs, literature or events of cultural significance in another country. The
cultural context within Modern Languages National 5 will allow learners to deepen their understanding and
appreciation of life in another country. For example, learners may study a film in the target language and compare
it with a film in their own language. In this way, pupils will become global citizens with a wider view of the world in
which we live.
MODERN LANGUAGES
3.
Qualification information
The SQA website provides you with the following documents:
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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:
Modern Languages National 5: http://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/45671.html
4.
What other materials are available on the Education Scotland website which staff
could use?
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
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