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Good practice in assessment - Scots Language, SCQF Level 5 – Smithycroft Secondary School
Benefits of Delivering the Award
Studying Scots enables schools to acknowledge and celebrate the linguistic and cultural heritage of their candidates and the land in which they are growing up. By offering an SQA Award for senior candidates, the profile of Scots Language has been raised within the school – for both candidates and staff.
As a result of this we have greatly increased our teaching of Scots in the junior phase, particularly during S1-3 English classes and have also introduced an elective class in creative writing in Scots which has proved to be a popular choice. We are also planning to run intergenerational events in the school, which will be based on Scots Language.
Specific Benefit for Candidates
Offering the Scots Language Award alongside the Scottish Studies Award meant that candidates have the opportunity to achieve two SQA Awards within one timetabled class. The courses complement each other extremely well and there was a natural cross over with the topics taught.
Studying Scots Language has also had a benefit to candidates in other subjects. National 5 and Higher English both have a mandatory Scottish Literature component. The course covered in the Scots Language Award can support candidates in this area and provide useful background knowledge, as well as increasing engagement and enthusiasm towards the texts chosen by the English Department.
We have also worked with the Modern Language Department when creating resources for the Scots Language: History and Development (SCQF level 5) unit. By examining the links between Scots and French, candidates have reported an increased enthusiasm for Modern Languages.
Specific Benefits for Staff
Although creating a new course involved some time, it encouraged a dialogue and colligate approach, where staff across the whole school have worked together to assist with producing materials. There has been input from Modern Languages, Science, Social Subjects and English.
As a result of this, members of staff with an interest in Scots Language have had the opportunity to incorporate Scots into their own subjects. For example, a member of the Science Faculty has worked with the English Department on an S2 Interdisciplinary Learning project, based on the Scottish Scientists resources provided by Education Scotland.
S1 French classes now include work on the Auld Alliance, and the influence of French on Scots Language. This also fits in with the S1 History course which looks as the Scottish Wars of Independence and this offers our candidates opportunities to meaningfully link their learning across a range of subjects.
The teacher responsible for delivering the Scots Language Award has also set up a national Scots Language/Scottish Studies GLOW group to share resources, information, ideas and good practice. The group is well-used and steadily growing in contributors.
