Modern Languages Higher at Edinburgh Academy

	6th	7th
Higher
AS Level
A Level

In 1993, the disappearance of internal barriers within the European Community heralded the dawn of a new era in European relations. More than ever before, people in all walks of life need a good working knowledge of at least one other language. This is especially true of professionals, whose work now almost inevitably involves greater contact with their European counterparts.

University degree courses have changed to reflect this new mood and now offer the possibility of combining a language with a vast range of subjects and of spending a year at a European university, regardless of degree content, as part of the Erasmus programme.

Entry requirements

These courses, which are taken over two and half terms, begin in the Autumn Term following the GCSE examinations and culminate in a public exam in the middle of the Summer Term. Pupils considering a Modern Language Higher should have displayed an aptitude for language learning at GCSE, Standard Grade or Intermediate 2, and a willingness to engage in intensive study. There is no coursework in the Modern Language Highers.

The minimum entry for those taking Higher immediately after GCSE is a Grade B at GCSE, credit at Standard Grade or a pass at Intermediate 2. Subject to consultation with the Department, some pupils may take the course over two years. For those pupils, a Grade C pass at GCSE is required.

French, German & Spanish

The three modern languages all follow the same broad style and content. The Scottish Higher exams continue the communicative approach of GCSE, but move away from the purely concrete into the realms of generalisation, of feelings and of opinions.

Topics studied include:

Vianden, Luxemburg Relationships with Family & Friends, Tobacco, Alcohol and Drugs, School and University life, Holidays, Tourism and the Environment.

Great importance is attached to the pupils' personal responses to the topics and to the development of their powers of expression and analysis through exposure to a range of materials, including film and prose fiction.

Outcomes

languages rooms By the end of their Higher course, pupils should be able to convey a wide range of ideas and opinions and communicate with comparative ease in the foreign language.

Assessment

a) Internal
Each pupil must pass 4 Unit Tests:

1. Reading,
2. Listening ,
3. Speaking (which contributes to internal and external assessment) and
4. Writing in the target language on a text/film studied in class

- before he or she can be presented for the final examination.

b) External
This consists of 3 papers –

1. Reading,
2. Directed Writing, and
3. Listening/Writing.

The oral exam is taken as part of the Internal Assessment (see above).

Progression

Germany All those studying languages in the Sixth Form will sit Higher. Higher requires the ability to handle grammatical concepts and thus provides a good bridge to A-level and further study.

A Higher in a Modern Language can be combined with a wide range of other subjects both at school and later on at university. A substantial number of candidates who take Higher go on to take AS/A-Level, and sit one AS-Level paper at the end of the end of their year in the 6ths.

A Higher in a Modern Language qualifies pupils for the Erasmus Teaching Programme at university.

The Edinburgh Academy

Modern Languages Highers at The Edinburgh Academy