SQA

Scots Language – Upcoming Workshops

We’re going to be delivering a couple of workshops at Education Scotland’s upcoming Scots in Schools conference on Thursday the 10th of September. The workshops will be in slots 2 (12:10-12:55) and 3 (14:00-14:55), and we aim to replicate the information in both, to allow delegates flexibility in which other workshops they visit.

We’re planning to give a brief …

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New session 2015/16

Welcome back to the new academic session, everyone. We hope you managed to find some sun somewhere – there certainly didn’t seem to be much of it around this year until the new term started.

First, an approximate date for your diaries and something to look forward to – an Understanding Standards Event is being planned for Scottish Studies towards the end of January 2016. Details are still to be confirmed but we’ll let you have them as soon as we know what they are.

With regard to the Award and Unit Support Notes, these have now been made available on the open site and can be accessed via the Scottish Studies Award page under the heading ‘Qualification content and delivery tools’.  The Award Support Notes is the fourth item listed and the Support Notes for Units is the fifth.

As you may be aware, different types of information about each level of the Scottish Studies awards was drawn together in the Starter Packs used at the May event. Most of this information is available on the SQA web site but if you are not familiar with the whereabouts of different course documents and would like an electronic Pack with everything in one place, contact us and we’ll email it to you. The packs include Candidate Briefs and Checklists, Assessor checklists and general information and guidance – ideal if you are thinking about delivering any of the awards for …

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Scots Language – Scots Scriever Appointed

Hamish MacDonald was today announced as the first Scots Scriever. The post will last 2 years, and will see him based in the National Library of Scotland.

The Scriever is tasked with creating original works in Scots, and with raising the profile and public appreciation of the language.

You can read more about his appintment at Creative Scotland or the BBC.

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Scots Language – CPD Event Materials

We recently linked up with Education Scotland to deliver CPD to teachers at South Lanarkshire Council. In a quick, 2-hour twilight meeting we covered the basics of the Scots Language Award, had a look at Understanding Standards Materials, and discussed different ways in which the Award can be delivered. It was fantastic to see so many people interested in taking on something new, especially during the busiest of times for all involved.

Diane Anderson, one of Education Scotland’s Scots Language Co-ordinators also presented, giving specific case studies on how the Award is being delivered in various different centres. If anyone is interested in delivering either Units or the full Award, but unsure of how to fit it into a timetable, or work a cross-curricular subject like this, the Co-ordinators are an excellent source of information and guidance.

You can download the SQA workshops, and the UASPs and Understanding Standards packs used are available from our Secure Site.

This event was organised after teachers asked their Local Authority for support with the Award. If this is something you’d be interested in, then we recommend you get in touch with your Authority, or ask us about forthcoming events. Information …

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Scots Language – Entry to the Award

For teachers or lecturers who have never delivered an Award, it can seem quite daunting to take on this new type of SQA qualification. In reality, it’s fairly simple to enter your students for any of our Awards.

The Award is made up of Units, without an externally set examination. This means it is not tied to an exam …

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Scots Language Award – Year 1

As the results were released for all National Courses yesterday, it seems appropriate to reflect on the activity that went on over the first year of the Scots Language Award.

The Award launched last June, with a well-attended and well-received event, led by the Development Manager, Pauline Rodger.

Over the last 12 months we’ve undertaken quite a lot of activity to support teachers who have taken it on in the first year. We’ve spoken at events held by the Association for Scottish Literary Studies, one of which was based entirely on the Award.

We’ve produced Unit Assessment Support Packs for both Units at all levels, which can be viewed on our secure site by following this link: https://secure.sqa.org.uk/secure/Awards/Awards Feedback is always welcomed!

In April we verified the first batch of candidates. Much like verification of CfE Units, if you’re delivering Scots Language Units there’s a chance you’ll be called on for verification. The process is supportive, and ensures that teachers aren’t asking too much, or too little of their candidates.

One outcome of the verification is that we were able to exemplify some candidate evidence in Understanding Standards packs. These are for the Understanding and Communicating Units at SCQF levels 4 and 5.

We’ve also delivered CPD to teachers in South Lanarkshire council. This was a combined meeting with Diane Anderson, a Scots Language Co-ordinator at Education Scotland. We’ll get the materials used onto this blog in the near future – look out for them!

It’s been a busy year, with 2015-16 already shaping up to have a lot of activity on the Scots Language front. It’s important to note however, that the Award isn’t externally assessed – and so isn’t tied to an exam diet. This means that the end of the year isn’t necessarily the end of students’ efforts. Similarly, the Award doesn’t have to be taught from the beginning of a school year; one of the flexibilities which make the Award so interesting.

Here’s …

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