Who are we? Seconded to SQA

1. Curriculum for Excellence: the next generation of qualificationswww.sqa.org.uk/curriculumforexcellenceKathleen McCormick – Qualifications Development ConsultantMargaret Sutherland– Qualifications Development Consultant (Languages)

2. Who are we? • Seconded to SQA • Members of the CfE Qualifications Development Team in the Languages Curriculum Area What do we do? • Ongoing engagement and research • Develop qualifications within SQA quality assurance framework

3. Aims To : • Provide information about the design of new qualifications and timelines • Provide information about Modern Languages National 4 and 5 Course Specifications and Higher Course Rationale and Summary; update on Language for Life and Work Award • Provide information about the development process including the role of QDTs

4. Engagement Starter • Take 5 minutes to discuss with those around you what you consider to be the issue/s or question/s that you require more information about • Write them on the post-its provided

5. Modern LanguagesNational 4 and 5 Course Specification

6. Key Features of Course Specification • Focus on skills • Opportunity to integrate skills across Course • Broad range of contexts

7. Key Features of Course Specification • Modern Languages is about understanding and using language through listening and talking, reading and writing. • N4: 2 Units (focused on understanding and using language), plus 1 Added Value Unit (assignment that integrates and applies 4 languages skills) • N5: 2 Units (focused on understanding and using language) plus 1 Course Assessment (question paper [reading, listening and writing]) and assignment [talking]) • Broad contexts

8. Modern Languages Higher Course Rationale and Summary

9. Key Features • provides progression from Modern Languages (National 5) and has the same Course structure and Unit titles as National 5 • provides learners with the opportunity to understand and use more complex language in depth • provides the opportunity to develop the language skills of translation • provides flexibility to apply language skills in contexts relevant to learners, such as social media, job-related topics or through thematic approaches • provides opportunities to use a broad range of texts

10. Engagement Feedback is sought in the following areas: • the balance of skills across the Units • the broad contexts for the Course • how to assess listening and talking skills in an integrated way • skills to be assessed in the assignment and question paper

11. Language for Life and Work Award • Available at SCQF levels 3 and 4 • Practical and relevant contexts • Personal development – employability skils • 3 Units, 2 of which existing SQA Units • Opportunity to combine 2 languages

12. Design of new qualifications and timelines

13. New National Courses: Design Design principles agreed for National Courses from Access 2 to Advanced Higher • New revised Access courses • New National 4 – added value unit, ungraded • New National 5 – course assessment, graded A to D • New revised Higher and Advanced Highers, graded A to D • Access, Higher and Advanced Higher – revised to reflect aims, values, principles of Curriculum for Excellence and provide good progression to and from National 4 and 5 • New type of Unit – more skills-based, less prescriptive, and more user-friendly • New Course Specifications will be more flexible and open.

14. Key Qualifications Delivery Timelines • Nat 4/5 draft Rationale and Courses Summary Jan 11 • Nat 4/5 draft Courses Specifications Apr 11 • Higher draft Rationale and Courses Summary May 11 • Higher draft Courses Specifications Aug 11 • Nat 4/5 draft Unit Specifications Aug 11 • Acc 3 draft Rationale and Courses Summary Aug 11 • Acc 3 draft Course Specifications Oct 11 • N4/5 draft Course and Unit Assessment Specs Nov 11 • Higher draft Unit Specifications Nov 11 • Acc 3 draft Unit Specifications Dec 11 Publications of Arrangements/Specifications Apr 12 (SCQF 1 to 6)

15. Specifications, guidance and support New ways of specifying requirements – shorter, more open, less prescriptive: Course Specification: outlines Course structure and what is required to pass the Course Unit Specification: outcomes and assessment standards Course Assessment Specification: mandatory assessment requirements More guidance and support – for example: Course and Unit Support Notes: guidance on delivering Courses and the Units, approaches to learning and teaching Exemplification: approaches to Course and Unit assessment

16. Assessment Course assessment : • added value – breadth, challenge and application • methods defined Unit assessment: • broader outcome statements and assessment standards, • more open, flexible evidence requirements • flexibility for practitioners to make decisions about assessment methods

17. Development Process

18. QA and Engagement

19. Qualifications Development Model

20. Products published to date • Progress Report • Overview of qualifications report • Draft N4/N5 Rationale and Course Summaries • Draft N4/N5 Course Specifications • Draft Higher Course Rationale and Summary • www.sqa.org.uk/curriculumforexcellence • All products are published on the website above. • Myalerts service exists to notify you of updates. • Have Your Say process ongoing.