HIGHER

Entry Level:
Standard Grade English at Credit level.

Summary of Course Content
The course is made up of three units. These are internally assessed pass/fail.

Unit 1: Language Study
This unit involves the study of language, in various forms and genres. Internal Assessment takes the form of a Close Reading exercise and a piece of writing which is reflective, persuasive, argumentative or creative.

Unit 2: Literary Study
This unit involves reading and analysing at least two different texts. It is assessed internally by means of textual analysis.

Unit 3: Personal Study
Students will choose either ‘Language’, or ‘Literature. This piece of work is to be done entirely by the student. Help and guidance will be given by the teacher, but the study must be the student’s own work. ‘Language’ involves writing an extended essay that investigates an aspect of language use. ‘Literature’ involves writing an extended essay, which reviews critically an aspect of a personally chosen text or texts. The final draft must be written in class under test conditions.

Assessment & Examinations
There are two forms of assessment: internal and external. Unit work is assessed internally, in school as described above. External assessment takes the form of an exam of two papers: Paper I - interpretation, and Paper II – two critical essays.