English
Third Level · Curriculum for Excellence
Third Level English is the start of genuine literary study. Pupils read whole novels, short stories, poetry, drama and non-fiction, and learn to analyse writers' techniques (word choice, imagery, tone, structure and characterisation) rather than only summarising plot.
Writing is taught in the two strands that carry through to National qualifications: creative writing (personal and imaginative) and discursive or persuasive writing built on evidence. Pupils learn to plan, structure paragraphs properly and redraft their own work.
Close reading is introduced formally, and it is usually the single biggest source of lost marks later, so learning to answer 'in your own words' and 'analyse the writer's use of language' questions properly starts here.
Important Topics
- Reading LiteratureNovels, short stories, poetry and drama, with attention to theme and character.
- Analysis of LanguageWord choice, imagery, tone, sentence structure and their effect on the reader.
- Close ReadingAnswering understanding, analysis and evaluation questions on an unseen text.
- Creative WritingPersonal and imaginative writing with a controlled structure and voice.
- Discursive & Persuasive WritingBuilding and supporting an argument, and handling counter-arguments.
- Talking & ListeningSolo presentations and group discussion assessed against clear criteria.
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