Introduction to Higher and Advanced Higher Courses in Cantonese and Mandarin

2. Introduction to Higher and Advanced Higher Courses in Cantonese and Mandarin 7th May 2009Radisson Hotel, Glasgow

3. Janet Brown Chief Executive SQA

4. Jim McDonald Qualifications Manager NQ Languages

5. Aims of the Event • To familiarise delegates with structure and delivery of Courses • To explore approaches to assessment of Courses • To build on experience/knowledge of delivery of Courses at Access 3, Intermediate 1 & 2

6. Outline of the Event • Background • Presentation • Workshop

7. Melany Lu Lin Principal Assessor Intermediate 1 & 2 Head of Chinese, Eton College Windsor

8. Developments Since May 08 • Students undertaking and completing National Courses at Access 3, Intermediate 1 & 2 • Practitioners engaging withdelivery of the Courses and sharing experience • Practitioner experience will inform and enrich today’s workshop tasks

9. Overview of the National Course A Course Award ( A/B/C/D) is made on the basis of successful completion of both: • Unit Assessments (internal assessment conducted and marked by teacher/lecturer) AND • Course Assessment (the final external exam)

10. Introduction to Higher Four skills are assessed in both Unit (internal) and Course (external) assessment: • Speaking • Listening • Reading • Writing

11. Higher Courses on the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework

12. Introduction to Higher Two Units are assessed at this level: • Mandatory Language Unit (80 hours) • AND • Optional Unit: - Extended Reading and Viewing* - Language in Work* *Candidates choose one of these Units (40 hours)

13. Units: Internal Assessment Language Unit: • Reading : One text of 500-600 characters. Approx. 40 minutes • Listening: One dialogue of approx. 3 minutes, assessed in approx. 30 mins. • Questions for both assesments in English

14. Units: Internal Assessment (cont.) Optional Unit: Extended Reading and Viewing • Writing: One essay of approx. 120-200 characters, on one aspect of the text(s) studied Optional Unit : Language in Work • Writing: Two letters of 120–200 characters and one message of 60-100 characters

15. Internal Unit Assessment: National Assessment Bank (NAB) • NAB assessment items will be available for the Language Unit and the Optional Units • The NABs indicate the standard of assessments required at this level • NABs can be downloaded by SQA coordinators at www.sqa.org.uk/sqasecure

16. Speaking Assessment • Speaking assessed by the centre • Assessment guidance included in NABs • This Speaking Assessment also meets the speaking requirement of the external examination (dual purpose) • The assessment consists of a presentation, and then a follow-up discussion • Assessment results are subject to Verification by SQA

17. External ExaminationPaper I : Reading and Directed Writing Reading: • 1 text of 650-800 characters • Questions in English • Word list provided • Dictionary : yes Directed Writing • Task based on a scenario given in English OVERALL TIME FOR PAPER : 2hrs. 10 mins.

18. External Examination Paper II : Listening and Short Essay Listening: • One dialogue of approx. 4.5 minutes • Dialogue heard twice • Questions in English • Dictionary : yes Short Essay: • Personal Response essay in Chinese, 150-200 Characters • Related to Listening topic • Dictionary : yes OVERALL TIME FOR PAPER : 1hr. 20 mins.

19. Approval • All candidates for NQ Courses (including Access 3) must be entered by a SQA Approved Centre • Centres wishing to seek Approval should contact SQA Customer Contact Centre at customer@sqa.org.uk • Centres which have sought and obtained Approval for Access 3/Intermediate 1/2 will have automatic Approval to deliver Higher and Advanced Higher

20. Workshop Activities • Activity 1 –Familiarisationwith Units • Activity 2 – Specimen Question Paper and construction of external examination Papers

21. For more information visit www.sqa.org.uk

22. Contact Jim McDonald Jim.mcdonald@sqa.org.uk

23. Any Questions?