Understanding Standards: Nominee Training Event Gaelic (Learners) Higher and Advanced Higher

Introduction and welcome Principal Verifier, Deputy Principal Verifier, Team Leaders, Qualifications Team member(s) Thank you! House-keeping Tea and coffee refreshed mid-morning/mid-afternoon Lunch around 12.30 Close around 15.30 Expenses claim forms on exit

Aims of the day To support Nominees in their understanding of national standards by: Sharing updates Reviewing learning points from session 2015/16 Review of Higher and Advanced Higher Course Reports information Reviewing candidate evidence for Advanced Higher Specialist Study and Higher IACCA Discussing this evidence and associated Assessment Standards with colleagues Seeking clarification about national standards

Nominees should be able to: Your role Understand national standards Participate in Verification rounds Share national standards, updates and good practice within own centres and other centres in their local authorities Nominees should be able to:

2016/17 Updates Update on QA arrangements for session 2016/2017 Key Messages for 2015/16 published Course reports for 2016 diet published (Autumn) Course Assessment Removal of Overall Purpose in some question papers Revised N5/Higher Marking Instructions for Talking performance published (Autumn 2016), including new pegged mark in sustaining conversation

Approach to Assessment in Units : Understanding and Using Language Learning points from 2015/16 Approach to Assessment in Units : Understanding and Using Language Vast majority of centres used SQA UASPs Some centres amended UASP questions/tasks to suit the needs of candidates Few prior verified assessments Some centre-devised assessments Most centres submitted very clear and well-organised packages: facilitates the verification process and assists in providing useful feedback to centres.

Approach to Assessment in Units: Added Value Unit Learning points from 2015/16 Approach to Assessment in Units: Added Value Unit Majority followed the SQA AVU template although no requirement to use SQA template from session 15/16 Remind colleagues of reduction of number of Assessment Standards (revised version of AVU 3 Assessment Standards) Centres used contexts that suited the needs of candidates/related to prior learning Some centres provided audio-recordings for Presentation and Questions in AVU

Learning points from 2015/16 Approach to Assessment in Units: Talking tasks in Using Language / Added Value Units Suitable level of language as per specifications Open-ended questions, unless prompting candidates Prolonged conversations can be detrimental to overall candidate performance Some conversations sounded excessively rehearsed Issues with pronunciation

Assessment Judgements: Understanding and Using Language Learning points from 2015/16 Assessment Judgements: Understanding and Using Language Vast majority of centres applied judging evidence reliably and in line with national standards For Understanding Language, the Overall Purpose Question must be answered correctly to meet the Standard Useful commentaries relating to candidates’ performances Useful indication of where each Assessment Standard had been met on the candidates’ scripts Amended Judging Evidence / ‘centre-devised’ marking schemes

Assessment Judgements: Understanding and Using Language Learning points from 2015/16 Assessment Judgements: Understanding and Using Language Professional judgement and a holistic approach in deciding whether candidates have achieved the Assessment Standards. Could demonstrate achievement of the Assessment Standards across questions. Credit evidence which meets an Assessment Standard wherever it is found. Not always necessary to answer every question accurately or in great detail to achieve the Assessment Standards across the task.

Approach to Assessment: National 5/Higher IACCA - Performance Learning points from 2015/16 Approach to Assessment: National 5/Higher IACCA - Performance Detailed language for N5, detailed and complex language for Higher Natural flow for many candidates achieved between Presentation and Conversation sections At Higher, must go into at least one different context Open-ended questions, unless prompting Good to hear variety of topics and some conversations with shorter and longer answers

Approach to Assessment: National 5 / Higher Performance Learning points from 2015/16 Approach to Assessment: National 5 / Higher Performance Ensure questions in Conversation do not lead to repetition of language/structures covered in the Presentation Some candidates struggled with the complexity of the language of the topic they had chosen. Supportive interlocutors, without “taking over” Unnecessarily prolonged performances can be detrimental to candidate performance Focus on pronunciation when preparing candidates

Assessment Judgements: National 5/Higher Performance Learning points from 2015/16 Assessment Judgements: National 5/Higher Performance Majority of centres applied Marking Instructions in line with national standards Most centres provided detailed commentaries in relation to candidates’ performances Issues with poor pronunciation / audio-recordings Breakdown of marks must be provided for verification to proceed Application of marks for ‘sustaining conversation’ section

Internal Verification Learning points from 2015/16 Internal Verification Vast majority of centres provided evidence of internal verification for Unit and IACCA Effectiveness of Internal Verification Cross-marking and reasoning behind decisions Use of the SQA Internal Verification toolkit

Number candidates (cumul.) Higher – 2016 Course report information H Gaelic (Learners) Number candidates (cumul.) % % cumul. A 34 40.5 A-B 56 26.2 66.7 A-C 71 17.8 84.5 A-D 75 4.8 89.3 No award 9 10.7 100 Entries 84

Where candidates performed well Higher – 2016 Course report information Where candidates performed well QP 1: Reading: Most candidates performed well Translation: Some candidates performed very well Directed Writing: best answers were able to extend the range of accurate responses over all the bullet points QP 2: Listening: monologue questions completed very well Literature: some excellent responses Points for development/ advice to future candidates

Number candidates (cumul.) Advanced Higher – 2016 Course report information AH Gaelic (Learners) Number candidates (cumul.) % % cumul. A 11 45.8 A-B 18 29.2 75.0 A-C 21 12.5 87.5 A-D 23 8.3 95.8 No award 1 4.2 100 Entries 24

Where candidates performed well Advanced Higher – 2016 Course report information Where candidates performed well QP 1: Reading: Most candidates coped very well Translation: Some very good translations QP 2: Listening: might have expected stronger performances Discursive Writing: responses were of a high standard Points for development/ advice to future candidates

Advanced Higher - Unit Assessments Refer to the SSU UASP and Unit Specifications for details Process of planning and researching a specialist study, and selecting and analysing evidence gathered. Designed to help prepare for Coursework elements:  a written portfolio of 1,200–1,500 words a talking performance (part of the discussion with a Visiting Assessor) Can use the log book in the UASP to record evidence of progress and for External Verification purposes Specialist Study Unit – reminder

  Specialist Study – sources of research/evidence Option At least two sources in the modern language, one of which must be written. Source 1 Source 2 Literature Written literary text in the modern language (eg novel, poetry, play, short story, etc) Source in modern language (eg film, documentary, newspaper or academic article, biography, another literary text, etc) Media Media text in the modern language (eg film or from television, radio, newspapers, magazines, online, etc) Written source in modern language (eg newspaper article, novel, academic article, etc) Language in work Written text in the modern language related to language in work (eg company/organisation/ government report, company/organisation/ government press release, newspaper or academic article, etc) Source in the modern language (eg documentary, newspaper or academic article, company report, journal, business article, interviews, surveys, questionnaires, information gathered during work experience, etc)

Workshop 1 – 1hr approx Specialist Study Unit (SSU) Review the published Powerpoint on SSU and discuss (15 min) For each exemplar: Review the task evidence/logbook with Assessment Standards and Judging Evidence Table Judge the candidate evidence (Pass/Fail, for each AS + overall) With your colleagues at your table, discuss: Has the candidate met the Assessment Standards and why? Does everyone agree? What further advice would you give to the centre (if any)? Can you identify examples of good practice? Judgement and feedback commentary from Principal Verifier/Deputy Principal Verifier after each candidate evidence Specialist Study Unit (SSU)

Workshop 2 – 2hrs approx Higher and N5 IACCA Review the revised Marking Instructions for N5 and Higher IACCA (15mins). Discuss. We will listen to several performances. Take notes as you listen (focus on content, accuracy, pronunciation, level of language, variety of language: verbs, tenses, etc) For each exemplar, we will focus on the Presentation and the Conversation separately: Referring to the Marking Instructions, note your mark for presentation / Conversation + Sustaining the Conversation How is ‘Sustaining the Conversation’ exemplified? What further advice would you give to the centre (if any)? Can you identify good practice? Does everyone agree at your table? Awarded marks and feedback commentary from PV/DPV after each section/performance. Higher and N5 IACCA

Workshop 2 – 2hrs approx National 4 - Added Value Unit Review the candidate evidence (15mins). Discuss reading answers. Referring to the JET, note whether you think evidence is pass/fail for Assessment Standard 1.1 Listen to audio- recording Discuss with colleagues at your table Refer to JET, note whether you think evidence is pass/fail for Assessment Standard 1.2 and 1.3 What further advice would you give to the centre (if any)? Can you identify good practice? Does everyone agree at your table? Feedback commentary from PV/DPV after each section

Any Questions? Thank you! Remember to collect your expenses claim form and return your lanyard Thank you!

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