SQA
25 November 2019 (SQA)
SQA has published updates to the Advanced Higher Modern Languages course. The document outlines changes to take effect from 2020 and can be found on the SQA AH Modern Languages webpage under subject updates.
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14 October 2019 (SQA)
SQA has published Advanced Higher Gaelic (Learners), German, Italian and Chinese languages course reports for the 2019 exam diet.
The reports provide information on candidates’ performance.
Visit the SQA Advanced Higher Modern Languages webpage to access the reports.
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9 September 2019 (SQA)
SQA has published Advanced Higher Spanish and French course reports for the 2019 exam diet.
The reports provide information on candidates’ performance.
Visit the SQA Advanced Higher Modern Languages webpage to access the reports.
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19 August 2019 (SQA)
SQA has updated Listening and Discursive Writing and Reading and Translation specimen question papers for Advanced Higher Modern Languages.
The specimen question paper updates can be accessed on the SQA Advanced Higher Modern Languages page.
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24 August 2018 (SCILT/SQA)
Revised Higher Specimen Question Papers for use in session 2018-19 onwards are now available on the main Higher Modern Languages webpage. Revised marking instructions for Directed Writing are currently only available in the Specimen Question papers.
Exemplars of Higher Directed Writing valid from session 2018/19 with associated commentary written in line with the revised marking instructions for Directed Writing are now available. There are currently 8 exemplars in French and Spanish with other languages available in due course.
Exemplars of Higher Assignment-writing valid from session 2018/19 with associated commentary written in line with the marking instructions for assignment-writing are now available. There are currently 6 exemplars in French, German and Spanish, with other languages available in due course.
All exemplars can be found on www.understandingstandards.org.uk
Exemplars of talking performances at Higher valid from session 2018/19 are now available. These include associated commentary written in line with the marking instructions for performance-talking. Exemplars of talking performances at National 5 are also available. Both can be found on the understanding standards area on the SQA secure website.
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11 June 2018 (SQA)
Course support notes and coursework assessment tasks for session 2018-19 are now available, including the new assignment-writing task and performance-talking. Download them from the SQA Higher Modern Languages website ‘2018-19 session’ section.
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17 May 2018 (SQA)
Dates for the next Higher Modern Languages webinars are now available to book on the SQA website (login required).
Sessions are available:
- 4 September
- 10 September
- 29 September
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26 April 2018 (SQA)
SQA is developing a new range of Awards in British Sign Language. The first two Awards will be available from Autumn 2018, at SCQF level 3 and 4. Further Awards at SCQF levels 5 and 6 will be available from Autumn 2019.
The Awards will be aimed at young BSL learners in schools and colleges. These new qualifications will offer an attractive addition to the choice of languages already available to young learners in Scotland. The Awards will be similar in length and demand to the existing National Courses in Modern Languages available from SQA.
The units that make up the new Awards have been adapted to respect BSL’s difference from spoken/written languages, and learners will also have the opportunity to develop their understanding of the Deaf community and its culture and history.
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23 April 2018 (SQA)
SQA has published the revised Course Specification for the Higher Modern Languages course (version April 2018). This is available from the Modern Languages Higher webpage. To access the document please go to the tab ‘2018-19 session’ and under the ‘Essential Information’ heading click on ‘Course Specification’.
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12 April 2018 (SQA)
The SQA is running an evening webinar on 5 June to provide an overview of the new Modern Languages Higher course assessment arrangements which will be implemented from session 2018-19 onwards.
This will cover the performance–talking and there will be a particular focus on Higher assignment-writing.
To book a place, please visit the SQA online booking system.
Additional webinar sessions on the new Higher Modern Languages Course assessment arrangements will be running in September 2018.
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16 March 2018 (SCILT/SQA)
We have summarised the Course Reports for Higher Modern Languages. These reports highlight areas where candidates performed well in the 2017 exam and areas where they encountered difficulty. They contain sound advice for both teachers and pupils in the run up to this year's exam diet. They can be found in the
Senior Phase section of our website.
The full report for each language can be accessed on the
SQA website under the Verification and Course Reports tab.
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9 March 2018 (SCILT/SQA)
We have summarised the Course Reports for Advanced Higher Modern Languages. These reports highlight areas where candidates performed well in the 2017 exam and areas where they encountered difficulty. They contain sound advice for both teachers and pupils in the run up to this year's exam diet. They can be found in the Senior Phase section of our website.
The full report for each language can be accessed on the SQA website under the Verification and Course Reports tab.
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30 October 2017 (SQA)
Develop your knowledge of assessment requirements. SQA is recruiting for Event Verifiers for National Qualifications in ESOL, Chinese, Gaelic (Learners), Gàidhlig, German, Italian, and Urdu.
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National 5 Modern Languages webinars from SQA
5 September 2017 (SQA)
Two additional webinars on the National 5 Modern Languages course will take place on Wednesday 27th and Thursday 28th September (5-6pm).
These will be of particular interest to colleagues who were unable to participate in the previous webinar sessions on National 5 (April and May 2017).
The September sessions will provide a summary of the materials and documents published (to date) and a review of the new coursework task ‘assignment-writing’ in the National 5 Modern Languages Course. Delegates will also have the opportunity to ask questions and seek clarification on any aspect of the National 5 Modern Languages Course. To book a place on one of the webinars, colleagues can go to NQ events and CPD page.
4 May 2017 (SQA)
SQA has just published the revised National 5 Course Specification.
This document contains important information about the changes to the Performance of Talking and the new Assignment-Writing.
The document can be accessed on the SQA website.
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23 March 2017 (SCILT)
We have summarised the Course Reports for National 5 Modern Languages and Gàidhlig. These reports highlight areas where candidates performed well in the 2016 exam and areas where they encountered difficulty.
They contain sound advice for both teachers and pupils in the run up to this year's exam diet.
The full report for each language can be accessed on the
SQA website under the Verification and Course Reports tab.
The summary reports are attached below and can also be found on the Senior Phase, Essentials for Planning page on the SCILT website under the SQA Qualifications tab.
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16 March 2017 (SCILT)
We have summarised the Course Reports for Higher and Advanced Higher Modern Languages and Gàidhlig. These reports highlight areas where candidates performed well in the 2016 exam and areas where they encountered difficulty.
They contain sound advice for both teachers and pupils in the run up to this year's exam diet.
The full report for each language can be accessed on the
SQA website under the Verification and Course Reports tab.
The summary reports are attached below and can also be found on the Senior Phase, Essentials for Planning page on the SCILT website under the SQA Qualifications tab.
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Posted in:
Senior Phase,
Chinese,
French,
German,
Italian,
Spanish,
Scotland,
Language Learning,
National Qualifications,
SCILT news,
SQA,
Urdu
16 January 2017 (SQA)
The SQA has produced updated guidance documents on the use of past paper questions for Advanced Higher Modern Languages (Chinese, Italian, French, Spanish, German and Gaelic learners).
These can be found on the SQA Advanced Higher Modern Languages webpage under the 'Specimen Question Papers and Marking Instructions' section.
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Posted in:
Senior Phase,
Chinese,
French,
Gaelic,
German,
Italian,
Spanish,
Scotland,
Curriculum for Excellence,
Language Teaching,
National Qualifications,
News from language & education organisations,
SQA
12 January 2017 (SQA)
SQA currently has Marker vacancies in the following areas:
- AH French Paper 1 and Paper 2 (Reading and Translation and Listening and Discursive Writing) - this is a MFI Central Marking event which takes place from Thursday 1 June - Sunday 4 June 2017 inclusive
- AH French Portfolio - this is traditionally marked and the Marker meeting take place on Wednesday 10 May 2017.
If you would like to be considered for AH French marking please complete the online application form stating which components you would like to mark confirming your availability to attend either the marking meeting and or the central marking event.
Details can be found in the marker advert on the SQA website.
Current markers who wish to be considered for a change of level should also complete an application form confirming current delivery of AH French for at least 2 years.
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9 January 2017 (SQA)
The SQA has updated the Course Assessment Specification document and several Specimen Question Papers on the Advanced Higher Modern Languages page of their website.
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21 June 2016 (SQA)
The SQA will be running a programme of subject-specific Understanding Standards events from October 2016 to January 2017 to help teachers understand the standards required for course assessment in National Qualifications. The majority of these events will focus on course assessment at Advanced Higher, although there will also be a number of additional events for other qualifications where a specific need has been identified.
The events will be led by our Qualifications Development staff and are intended for subject specialists from SQA centres. There will be a maximum of one delegate place per centre, per subject.
Attendance at any of these events can be used to contribute to Continued Professional Development (CPD). CPD certificates will be available on the Events Booking System shortly after each event.
Find out more about the programme of events and how to book your place on the SQA website.
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19 April 2016 (SCILT)
We have summarised the SQA National 5 Course Reports for all languages. These reports contain important information on how candidates performed in last year's exams. Teachers may find it useful to share some of the key messages of these reports with candidates in advance of this year's exams.
The summary document can be found on the Essentials for Planning in the Senior Phase section of our website.
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Posted in:
Senior Phase,
Chinese,
French,
German,
Italian,
Spanish,
Scotland,
Language Learning,
Language Teaching,
National Qualifications,
SCILT news,
SQA,
Urdu
31 March 2016 (SQA)
Latest updates on the new National Qualifications are available on the SQA website.
If you're a teaching professional looking for a new challenge, included in this update are additional marker opportunities in 2016 for French and Spanish Higher exams.
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31 March 2016 (SQA)
SQA has published Modern Languages Audio Presentations providing additional support for centres and practitioners. The presentations provide a detailed overview of the standards and assessment for both Unit and Course assessment.
The presentations can be downloaded from the SQA website.
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7 January 2016 (SCILT / SQA)
We have summarised the Higher Modern Languages Course Reports and highlighted the key messages across all the languages.
These reports contain information on how candidates performed in the 2015 exam diet and give important advice on how to prepare candidates for forthcoming examinations, as well as for the Performance of Talking
The full reports can be accessed on the SQA website.
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Posted in:
Chinese,
French,
German,
Italian,
Spanish,
Scotland,
National Qualifications,
SCILT news,
News from language & education organisations,
SQA,
Urdu
5 November 2015 (SCILT)
We have conducted a brief analysis of published SQA language statistics at SCQF levels 4-7 in 2014 and 2015.
See the 'Language Trends in Scotland 2014-15' report on our website.
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30 October 2015 (SQA)
SQA has published its Course Reports for Modern Languages containing the key messages from the 2014-15 diet.
Read the document on the SQA website.
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SQA vacancies - Visiting Assessors for AH Modern Languages
28 August 2015 (SQA)
SQA is currently seeking to recruit additional Visiting Assessors (VA) to conduct Talking assessments at Advanced Higher level in Modern Languages.
Applications can be found following the relevant links below. You will also find information here relating to contract specification, selection criteria and key performance measures.
Closing date for all applications: 1 November 2015.
Posted in:
Senior Phase,
Chinese,
French,
Gaelic,
German,
Italian,
Spanish,
Scotland,
National Qualifications,
News from language & education organisations,
SQA
4 July 2015 (The Herald)
Japan's top diplomat in Scotland has called for the introduction of Japanese language exams in Scottish schools.
Japanese Consul General Hajime Kitaoka believes there is a enough demand for the language and culture of his homeland to be taught alongside other modern languages.
Mr Kitaoka has approached the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) and asked them to consider the introduction of Japanese qualifications - including a Higher.
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5 February 2015 (SQA)
The latest update from the SQA on the new Modern Languages qualifications focuses on the development of Advanced Higher, with information relevant to the subject and details of the support available to teaching professionals.
The update also details a series of implementation events for Advanced Higher Modern Languages taking place on the following dates:
- Friday 20 February (Glasgow)
- Monday 23 February (Stirling)
- Wednesday 25 February (Edinburgh)
- Friday 27 February (Aberdeen)
There is a link within the document to register attendance.
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20 January 2015 (SQA)
An updated Modern Languages Common Questions document has been published on the SQA website today.
This can be accessed on the SQA website by selecting the Modern Languages common questions tab.
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9 December 2014 (SCILT/SQA)
SCILT has extracted and summarised key messages from the SQA N5 Modern Languages course reports for 2014. These can be found in the attached document, which is also available on the Essentials for Planning in the Senior Phase section of our website.
This is a generic summary across all N5 Modern Languages. The full reports can be accessed on the SQA website.
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