Prelims are drawing near and while they are a great opportunity for pupils to show off what they know, we understand this can be anxious time for not only pupils but also their parents and guardians. Sometimes it is difficult to know how to help your child study for English and we often get asked “but how can you even study for English?” Here is some advice:

1. Ask your child about the texts they are studying:

• Ask about the characters – who are they? What are they like? What do they do? Do they cause conflict?
• Ask about the themes – is the text about love/relationships? Family dynamics? Racism?
• Help with key quotation revision – ask them about what key quotations reveal about character and theme

These interactions and questions will help consolidate their knowledge and confidence with the texts they are studying in English.

2. Help them revise question types and answer formulas for the Reading for Understanding, Analysis and Evaluation component of National 5 and Higher English:

• There are a number of question types asked at both levels: Own Words, Linking, Word Choice, Imagery, Sentence Structure, Tone, Effective intro/conclusion and Final Comparison (Higher only). These questions types all of layouts and key elements that candidates need to cover in order to gain marks – help your child to become confident in the answer layouts. Your child will have these in their notes and they can be found on our website under National 5 and Higher pages.

3. Encourage them to read and watch the news:

• Interacting with what is going on around them and in the world will help them to access the texts chosen by the SQA for the final exam.
• Focus on non-fiction opinion articles from newspapers such as The Herald, The Times and The Guardian.
• Ask them to explain what the articles they read are about in their own words

4.  Help them revise answer structures for their Scottish Text and Critical Essay:

• Candidates are taught SQA-recommended strategies for tackling questions in the Scottish text section of the Critical Reading paper, particulalry the final 8 marker (National 5) and 10 marker (Higher) questions – ask your child about the structures, ask if they can teach it to you – we learn 90% of what we teach other people!
• Pupils are also taught how to structure to Critical Essays to include all the information they need, such as quotations and analysis, in order to respond to questions set in the exam paper and maximise their marks.

5.  Help them revise for their final Scottish text question worth 8 marks at National 5 and 10 marks at Higher:

• This question tests candidates knowledge and understanding of the text as a whole.
• Ask them to explain the 8/10 mark question to you – we learn 90% of what we teach other people!
• Ask your child about connections that be made between different parts of their texts.

6. Make sure they are eating properly, having breaks to check Snapchat (or whatever young folk are doing these days!) and getting enough sleep!

• Prelims, final exams, assessments should never be a source of someone becoming ill – the only way anyone can show off to their full potential is if they are healthy and firing on all cylinders! We need to look after our young people.