English and Literacy

English

If you like to discuss issues, read or watch texts or consider important things happening in the world then English is for you!  Studying English will allow you to develop your literacy skills – reading, writing, talking and listening – to a high standard.  You will also develop your critical thinking skills to allow you to effectively understand, analyse and evaluate literature and non-fiction texts.  The range of activities in which you will participate will help you to enhance your organisational and communication skills but, most importantly, are essential to all aspects of the working world.

We cover a range of materials across the BGE (S1, S2 and S3) and then offer National 4 and National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher courses in the Senior Phase. In S1, S2 and S3 courses are designed to allow you to study a range of literature including novels, short stories, poetry, drama, non-fiction and media texts. You will also develop your knowledge of language and writers’ craft and apply this when creating texts of your own. You will explore a variety of types of writing including imaginative, personal-reflective, functional and discursive writing – a lot of which will help you across other subject areas and help prepare you for when you move into the senior phase.

When you do move into the senior school there is a course suited to everyone, whether it is National 4, National 5, Higher or Advanced Higher.  There is a real progression across these courses with what you’re learning in one impacting upon and building your skills for the next.  The courses consist of two main areas: Creation and Production (Talking and Writing) and Analysis and Evaluation (Readingand Listening).   Don’t worry – nothing will be unfamiliar as we will have given you a chance to exercise your skills in S1, S2 and S3.  It’s more difficult obviously but work hard and you will meet your goals.

Remember why we are here – to prepare you for the world outside of school.   If you stick in and get a qualification in English it will be essential to any career path as this will prove that you have the required literacy skills and that you are able to communicate effectively. Some of the most common careers for people who study English are: Teaching, Media, Finance,

Public Relations, Advertising, Events Management, Journalism, Marketing and Publishing;  but it’s necessary for everyone.  We look forward to seeing you in our classrooms!

Media Studies

Starting in 2015 we are offering Media Studies to S5 and S6 pupils who have already completed the National 4 and National 5 English courses and who would like to continue building their communication skills.  This would only be available to those students not studying English to the next level, it would replace the study of English in S5 or S6.

Throughout the course you will be introduced to a variety of media and cinematic techniques, building upon skills you have already developed in the junior school.  Those skills are very closely linked to the ones covered in English.  They include analysing and evaluating the effective of texts (in this case film and TV), creating new texts and discussing different methods of communication.

The Media specific elements include exploration of camera angles, music, direction, framing and mise-en-scene, among others.  This is still a work-intensive course – there will be an amount of writing involved and a hard-working approach is vital.  You will not be sitting watching movies all year!