1. Williamwood High School
English Department
National 5 Study Skills
Williamwood High School

2. Welcome to the English Department
The purpose of this presentation is to provide you with an insight into how you can best support your child as they prepare themselves for the English examination at National 5.
The presentation will explain the content of the English course and exam, along with providing some information about the best ways to study.

3. What is in the Course?
In National 5 English there are three key elements that contribute to the overall grade awarded.
The components and their contribution to the overall award are outlined below:
Reading for Understanding, Analysis and Evaluation: 30%
Critical Reading (critical essay and Scottish text): 40%
Folio of Writing: 30%

4. The Writing Folio What is the Writing Folio?
Pupils are required to complete a folio of writing consisting of 2 essays of a maximum of 1000 words each.
The writing folio is worth 30% of the overall grade.
These are graded externally by the SQA, and each writing piece is graded with a mark out of 15.

5. The Writing Folio
Pupils produce their folio pieces over the course of the year.
It is hoped that the pieces submitted will be an accurate reflection of the best work that the pupils can produce.

6. The Writing Folio
The writing pieces contained in the folio should cover the following genres…
The creative piece is likely to be either a personal reflective essay, a monologue or a short story. The work should be wholly original.
Creative
Discursive
For this essay, pupils will discuss an issue in society. They will aim to display an awareness of the key features of discursive/persuasive writing.

7. What Support Will The School Offer?
Class introduction to genre
Research time (if necessary)
Planning time
Writing time (first draft)
The Writing Folio
Individual Feedback
Redraft
Final proof-read and review

8. What Support Can I Offer?
Encourage your child to attend writing folio supported study
Ask to read writing folio pieces (although do not be surprised if your child is reluctant to share personal reflective essays.)
The Writing Folio
Supervise the planning and research of discursive essays. Discuss topics with your child to help them to develop their argument
Encourage your child to read over their writing with care to check for errors in technical accuracy and expression

9. Reading for U, A, E
The Reading for U, A, E paper will be completed by pupils in the final exam.
This examination tests knowledge about language through their responses to questions on a non-fiction piece of writing.
This is generally taken from a newspaper or magazine.

10. Reading for U, A, E The close reading paper is worth 30 marks.
Pupils are given 1 hour to complete the paper.

11. Reading for U, A, E
Pupils are required to read an extract of “moderate difficulty” and answer a range of questions on it.
Pupils will be tested on their understanding of the writer’s ideas and opinions as well as their analysis of the writer’s use of language and structure.

12. Reading for U, A, E
The questions in a close reading paper come under three individual categories…
Understanding
Analysis
Evaluation

13. Own Words
Summarise
Understanding
Quotation
Context
Link
Word Choice
Sentence Structure
Analysis
Imagery
Tone
Effectiveness
Contrast
Audience
Evaluation
Purpose

14. Reading for U, A, E Formula
Here is an example of a reading for U, A, E formula, and how to apply it.
WORD CHOICE
Quote word
Give denotation of word
3. Give connotations of word
4. Use connotations to
explain effect of word/answer
question

15. This is how the formula can be applied to a question…
When I moved to a flat in New York and discovered that my new neighbours included a colony of pigeons, my first reaction was: exterminate the brutes!
Show how the writer's word choice helps us understand how he feels about pigeons.
“Exterminate”
Means to wipe out entirely
This has connotations of violence/brutality/excessive force
This helps us to understand that the writer hated the birds so much that he wanted to destroy the birds and violently kill all of them.

16. What Support Can I Offer?
Read broadsheet newspapers
Ensure that they have notes of their formula and that they are learning them. You can test their knowledge
Close Reading
Ensure that they are using past papers to revise. These are available on both the department and SQA websites. Books of past papers and practice papers are also available to buy
Encourage your child to attend supported study when it is available

17. Scottish Text
The second element of the course is the Scottish Text paper, which is worth 20 marks.
Pupils have studied work by a Scottish writer – either six poems by Edwin Morgan or “Sailmaker”, a play by Alan Spence. They are required to answer unseen questions on one of the poems or an extract from the play. The poem/extract is supplied, and pupils can gain up to 12 marks in this section.
The final question, worth 8 out of 20 marks, asks the pupil to compare the chosen poem with one or more of the other poems, or to compare the extract with the rest of the play.
Pupils should take 45 minutes out of the 1 hour 30 minute paper to do this.

18. Scottish Text
Pupils will study the text(s) in class. They will annotate copies of the poems and extracts from the play, and they will make notes on the texts. We will focus on drawing comparisons across the writer’s work to support the answer to the final question.

19. How Can You Help? Scottish Text
Check that your child has his or her notes on the text
Check that your child is aware of the demands of the final question: we use a specific structure to ensure that the answer addresses the question fully
Scottish Text
Test their knowledge of the text(s)
Encourage your child to practise responding to the final question, using past papers

20. Critical Essay
The fourth element of the course is the Critical Essay Paper.
Pupils are required to write one extended response. This will be on any genre (apart from the genre used in the Scottish Text element). The questions are unseen.
Pupils should take 45 minutes out of the 1 hour 30 minute paper to do this.

21. Critical Essay
Pupils will study a range of texts in class throughout the year. These may include:
Prose
Drama
Media
Poetry
Pupils must select one question in the exam which they feel best suits their knowledge of the text.
It is vitally important that pupils know a range of quotations and analysis from their text. Pupils should have notes on study cards.

22. Quotation Study Cards Here is an example a quotation and analysis.
“My dearest partner of greatness”
(Macbeth writing to his wife about witches’ prophecies.)
Act 1, scene 5
Word choice – ‘My’, ‘dearest’ –
love, closeness, affection
2. Word choice – ‘partner’ –
togetherness, equality
3. Word choice – ‘greatness’ –
shared ambition, belief that
prophecies will come true

23. How Can You Help? Critical Essay
Purchase a copy of the text
Consider Study Guides such as York Notes
Test their knowledge of quotes
Encourage ‘five minute’ essay plans on a range of questions
Critical Essay
Timed essays from past papers
Offer to proof-read their essays to check for technical accuracy and common errors