1. LARGS ACADEMY MODERN LANGUAGES DEPARTMENT
National 4 and National 5 Explained

2. Topics covered in both National 4 and 5
The topics for N4 and N5 are the same but the difference is in the level of language used.
Topics are as follows:
Society
Learning
Employability
Culture

3. National 4 Modern Languages
Three assessed Units
Understanding Language
Using Language
Added Value Unit
Pass or Fail
No grades are awarded for this qualification

4. Using Language
For this Unit, learners will be required to provide evidence of their talking and writing skills by:
using straightforward spoken language in at least two conversations
using straightforward written language in at least two activities

5. Understanding Language
For this Unit, learners will be required to provide evidence of their reading and listening skills by:
showing understanding of at least two straightforward written texts
showing understanding of at least two straightforward spoken texts

6. Added Value Unit
For this Unit, learners will be required to provide evidence of their reading and talking skills by:
selecting relevant information from at least two written texts
making an oral presentation in the modern language using these texts as a stimulus
responding appropriately to questions in the modern language on the same topic

7. National 5 Modern Languages
Two assessed Units
Understanding Language
Using Language
These form the internally assessed part of the course
National 5 has a Course (external) Assessment

8. Understanding Language
For this Unit, learners will be required to provide evidence of their reading and listening skills by:
showing understanding of at least one detailed written text which they read and answer questions in English
showing understanding of at least one detailed spoken text which they listen to and answer questions in English

9. Using Language
For this Unit, learners will be required to provide evidence of their talking and writing skills by:
using detailed spoken language in at least one conversation lasting between 2-3 minutes
using detailed written language in at least one activity. This is around words in length

10. Course Assessment The Course assessment is the external exam
The structure of this Course assessment is as follows:
Component 1 — question paper 1: reading and writing 50 marks
question paper 2 : listening 20 marks
Component 2 —performance: talking 30 marks
Total marks 100 marks

11. Component 1 Paper 1
This paper assesses the skills of Reading and Writing
The Reading paper is worth 30 marks and the format is 3 texts worth 10 marks each in which candidates have to answer a mix of open and supported questions. An open question may be phrased ‘mention any two things.’ a supported question may ask the candidate to tick the correct box.

12. Writing The writing is now assessed on the day of the exam
This is worth 20 marks and is an application for a job in the country where the Modern Language is spoken
Candidates are expected to produce a piece of writing of around words in length.

13. Information to be included in the Writing paper
Name, Age, Where you live.
School/College/Education experience until now
Skills/Interests you have which make you right for the job
Related work Experience
Candidates will then have to respond to 2 unpredictable bullet points.

14. Component 1 Paper 2 This is the Listening paper and is in 2 parts
In part 1 candidates will listen to a monologue and answer questions in English worth 10 marks
In part 2 candidates will listen to a conversation and answer questions in English worth 20 marks

15. Component 2 Talking
This is what was formerly known as the speaking assessment
Candidates will speak about a chosen topic for 1 minute
They will then engage in a conversation with their teacher which must cover at least one other topic area and should last approximately 3 minutes
This performance will be recorded

16. Grading National 5 is graded A – D Grade D is a PASS at National 5
Pupils must pass the Unit (Internal) assessments in order to be presented for the Course (external) assessment

17. Compensatory Award
If a pupils is presented at National 5 but does not achieve this, a compensatory National 4 will be awarded provided that the pupil has passed the National 4 Added Value Unit
In the Modern Languages Faculty we are giving every pupil the opportunity to sit the National 4 Added Value Unit at the start of S4