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Subjects & Qualifications

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Modern Languages: Cantonese,French, German, Italian, Mandarin(Simplified), Mandarin(Traditional), Russian and SpanishAdvanced Higher(C247 13; C059 13; C060 13; C061 13; C256 13; C257 13 and C063 13)

Modern Languages: Cantonese, French, German, Italian, Mandarin, Russian, Spanish and Urdu

Course outline

The Course consists of two Units, one mandatory Unit, Language, and one optional Unit, either Extended Reading/Viewing or Language in Work. All Units are available either as stand-alone Units or as components of the Advanced Higher Course.

While entry to the Course or Units is at the discretion of the centre, candidates will normally be expected to have attained:

Cantonese/French/German/Italian/Mandarin(Simplified)/Mandarin(Traditional)/Spanish: Language (AH)         2 credits (80 hours)

This Unit aims to develop all language skills for use in a range of purposes. Contexts for this language work are defined in three broad themes:

The assessment for the Unit will focus on the skills of Speaking, Listening and Reading.

Cantonese/French/German/Italian/Mandarin(Simplified)/Mandarin(Traditional)/Spanish: either Extended Reading/Viewing (AH) or Language in Work (AH)     1 credit (40 hours)

It will be for each centre to decide, in the light of the expertise of the staff and the interests of the candidates, which of these options to offer, or whether both should be made available. The assessment for the Unit will focus on the skill of Writing.

Course assessment

To gain the award of the Course, the candidate must pass both component Units of the Course as well as the external assessment. External assessment will provide the basis for grading attainment in the Course award.

The Course assessment will be by means of a combination of internal assessment (externally verified) and external examination. The assessment will take the following form:

Oral Assessment: Speaking

Conducted by a Visiting Examiner and audio recorded. The speaking test will consist of a discussion with the Visiting Examiner, sampling across both Units studied, and will cover topics, texts and/or vocational area(s) studied.

Duration: 20 minutes. 50 marks

Paper I:Reading and Translation

Reading comprehension, involving written answers to questions in English (30 marks) and translation into English (20 marks).  One passage will be set, related to the prescribed themes. The use of a dictionary is permitted. 

Length: approx 750–800 words or 900-1,100 Chinese Characters, including the section to be translated.
Duration: one hour and 30 minutes. 50 marks

Paper II: Listening and Discursive Writing

Section I: Listening

Candidates will be required to listen to stimulus material lasting 4.5–6 minutes, related to the prescribed themes, and respond to the questions in English. The stimulus material will normally be presented in two sections on an audio recording. The first section will normally be presented by one native speaker and the second section by two native speakers. 

Duration: approx 30 minutes. 30 marks

Section II: Discursive Writing

Candidates will be required to write an essay of 200–300 words or 300-400 Chinese Characters in the target language, on a topic relating to the themes and topics of the Language Unit. The use of a dictionary is permitted.

Duration: approx 50 minutes. 40 marks

NB: For Chinese Languages Paper II lasts 1 hour 45 minutes

Folio

The folio will focus on the content of the optional Unit. For candidates who have undertaken the Extended Reading/Viewing option, the folio will consist of two pieces of work in English, each approximately 750 words in length. For candidates who have undertaken the Language in Work option, the folio will be a report in English of approximately 1500 words in length. Folios are to be submitted for external assessment by the submission date in NQ key dates contained on the Operational Help Centre at www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/15094.html

30 marks

Summary

Total marks for Course assessment: 200 marks
Total time for external assessment: two hours 50 minutes (excluding Speaking and Folio)                                                                                                                                                                                    Total time for external assessment for Chinese Characters: 3 hours 15 minutes (excluding Speaking and Folio)

View the arrangements:


Subject Information: 

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