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Original post by jamesg2
This will possibly not be received favorably - and to those I offend I apologise. I note in the SQA report for the 2019 diet of exams they made this comment.
"Candidates demonstrated their language learning from the National 5 English course. Most were able to answer all questions, but as with last year, some did not manage to complete the final question, perhaps indicating time management issues."
I do not know how far back time-keeping has been a problem in N5 Close Reading - but the SQA did identify the issue in 2018.
As I inform my pupils the skill is not just comprehending the passage and questions and being able to answer them - but also being able to do so in the time prescribed. Time management - to my mind - is as important a skill as understanding what is meant by RUAE.


I disagree because for me that is the problem that I have. I answered all of the questions however I’ve only got 7/30 and there were words that I can’t understand (plus I am Polish so that adds to struggle) I was lucky enought to go away with a C but I’m worried about higher. so I think they should increase time for paper 1.
I appreciate your position, but asking for more time to read the passage is a non-starter for the SQA. I can see no way they would ever consider this.

I accept that the Higher paper has 90 minute time factor. But their passages are longer than the N5 passages. Further the difficulty factor within the passages as well as the questions asked are more pronounced at Higher. Extending the N5 paper by 15 minutes - or thereabouts if even for reading the passage - would have a major impact on the paper, grade levels and the marking boundaries.It would also impact on the credibility of the Higher paper.

I understand the difficulties the N5 paper presents - especially in time allocation - but that is one of the criteria's students are being tested on. There are a number of good revision books on the Close Reading - including the excellent Scholar books - that will help taking you through the process and skill. But the time allocated is one measure you are being tested on. If you find that difficult in N5 it will not get better at Higher. Yes your time allocation has been increased by 30 minutes but the standard of the paper, the length of the paper and the expectations placed on the student have risen dramatically.
Original post by jamesg2
I appreciate your position, but asking for more time to read the passage is a non-starter for the SQA. I can see no way they would ever consider this.

I accept that the Higher paper has 90 minute time factor. But their passages are longer than the N5 passages. Further the difficulty factor within the passages as well as the questions asked are more pronounced at Higher. Extending the N5 paper by 15 minutes - or thereabouts if even for reading the passage - would have a major impact on the paper, grade levels and the marking boundaries.It would also impact on the credibility of the Higher paper.

I understand the difficulties the N5 paper presents - especially in time allocation - but that is one of the criteria's students are being tested on. There are a number of good revision books on the Close Reading - including the excellent Scholar books - that will help taking you through the process and skill. But the time allocated is one measure you are being tested on. If you find that difficult in N5 it will not get better at Higher. Yes your time allocation has been increased by 30 minutes but the standard of the paper, the length of the paper and the expectations placed on the student have risen dramatically.

I understand, but I was just talking about the National five, not higher. Since talking about higher English now, I also think it should be 1 hour and 45 minutes long.
Original post by StudentForSQA
I understand, but I was just talking about the National five, not higher. Since talking about higher English now, I also think it should be 1 hour and 45 minutes long.

I fully understand. However - as far as the SQA are concerned - making such changes to N5 would have implications for Higher. The two are linked and bound together and any change to one will have consequences for the other.

On a more personal point, I believe this is a skills issue for you. I understand timing may be an issue for you, however there really are a number of fine books that can help and prepare you better for the Higher exam including how to best approach Close Reading.
Original post by SCHOLARuk
Thank you for the recommendation jamesg2! Just to let you all know that we are running Online Tutor Sessions for National 5 English again this year. The live sessions are available even if you don't yet have your SCHOLAR username/password https://scholar.hw.ac.uk/sessions.html

I believe the Scholar Higher book is by far the best I have read for the preparation to Higher English. In addition, it may contain the clearest support for Close Reading. It is an outstanding section on how best to approach this skill - an area of the exam that is a challenge to many students. Though there was some exceedingly useful advice on how to approach the Scottish Set Text questions - especially the mini essay - I was disappointed that Heriot Watt did not also provide criticism for the Scottish Texts themselves - though that would probably required the unit to be divided into two books and double the cost since rights may also have been required to be purchased.. Still it would have been useful to have textual criticisms from an institution of the quality Heriot Watt University.
Original post by jamesg2
Though there was some exceedingly useful advice on how to approach the Scottish Set Text questions - especially the mini eStill it would have been useful to have textual criticisms from an institution of the quality Heriot Watt University.

Might be somewhat difficult to implement considering that the university itself doesn't offer English Literature as a subject and, therefore, might not have the facilities to contribute to the degree of which you're hoping for. It's actually amazing that SCHOLAR even offers English. When I was at school, it was only limited to Maths, the three sciences and a few languages.
ay lads i just completed my RUAE prelim and I can tell you something now - it's really easy. I'm not sure how prelims work and if they are the same nationally, but mine was on Peppa Pig. The majority of questions were 'own words' questions which, for the most part, are the EASIEST. There were a couple of word choice questions, a linking question, and 2 on why 'this line is effective'.
Original post by TomDoughens
ay lads i just completed my RUAE prelim and I can tell you something now - it's really easy. I'm not sure how prelims work and if they are the same nationally, but mine was on Peppa Pig. The majority of questions were 'own words' questions which, for the most part, are the EASIEST. There were a couple of word choice questions, a linking question, and 2 on why 'this line is effective'.

Omg u did the same prelim I did. It was named ‘the billion dollar pig’ had a quite which talked about making an episode for a hairdresser but peppa bald! And mentioned Ben and Holly’s little kingdom and it mentioned how some were critical about peppa pig through use of word choice ‘sexism’.
Original post by StudentForSQA
Omg u did the same prelim I did. It was named ‘the billion dollar pig’ had a quite which talked about making an episode for a hairdresser but peppa bald! And mentioned Ben and Holly’s little kingdom and it mentioned how some were critical about peppa pig through use of word choice ‘sexism’.

I just did it 2 weeks ago, lots in my year failed but got 20/30
Original post by StudentForSQA
Omg u did the same prelim I did. It was named ‘the billion dollar pig’ had a quite which talked about making an episode for a hairdresser but peppa bald! And mentioned Ben and Holly’s little kingdom and it mentioned how some were critical about peppa pig through use of word choice ‘sexism’.

Aha yeah! It was a weird one because it skipped like 2 paragraphs on each question and then for the last 2 or 3 asked to evaluate on the passage as a whole. Honestly writing about peppa pig was the easiest thing
Have you done the textual analysis yet?
Original post by sarah42004
Have you done the textual analysis yet?


Not yet, no. We are doing our textual analysis on Tally's blood and our critical essay either on 'Glasgow Sonnet I' or some movie were going to watch.
I have my prelim very soon and I’m so scared for it! Any chance I’ll have the peppa pig article? Or does every school do different prelims? And also if you’re getting a dictionary does anyone know if it will be just a normal English to English one or one that translates from your language to English (if that makes sense) pls let me know ASAP
Original post by Oofffffff
I have my prelim very soon and I’m so scared for it! Any chance I’ll have the peppa pig article? Or does every school do different prelims? And also if you’re getting a dictionary does anyone know if it will be just a normal English to English one or one that translates from your language to English (if that makes sense) pls let me know ASAP


Wait, you are able to get dict?? I can’t get one for no reason (english to polish) and about prelims if the school has P&N then I’m sure ot will be same
Original post by Kubsyy
Wait, you are able to get dict?? I can’t get one for no reason (english to polish) and about prelims if the school has P&N then I’m sure ot will be same

What’s a P&N?? Sorry if this sounds dumb lol
Original post by Oofffffff
What’s a P&N?? Sorry if this sounds dumb lol


it's the company alot of school buy the prelims from.
Original post by Oofffffff
What’s a P&N?? Sorry if this sounds dumb lol


As @Lilyeve1 said. It’s a company that usually provide prelims and I think for some subjects they can control which questions from topics should appear in question paper
Original post by TomDoughens
ay lads i just completed my RUAE prelim and I can tell you something now - it's really easy. I'm not sure how prelims work and if they are the same nationally, but mine was on Peppa Pig. The majority of questions were 'own words' questions which, for the most part, are the EASIEST. There were a couple of word choice questions, a linking question, and 2 on why 'this line is effective'.

What questions did y’all have for the essay (for prose) ??
Original post by Oofffffff
What questions did y’all have for the essay (for prose) ??


I haven't done the textual analysis or critical essay yet. I'm desperate to know the answer to this question too because my prelim is tomorrow.
Reply 39
I just did the prelim on Tuesday, the essay question for me was alright, the 8 marker question was really easy compared to the past papers I did before the exam, and the close reading paper about Peppa Pig felt easy as well, I just hope I didn't mess up on it completely haha

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