URGENT help re NAT 5 ENGLISH PLEASE ?

[54isanopendoor]

Dd, 15, sits her Nat 5 English Pre-Lim next week. She is ASD & Dyslexia & has had 3 attempts where she has walked into the room (& out), sat down (& out), opened paper (& out) but not managed to write anything so far. She cant have a scribe as she is electively mute under stress. School have put in place what they can but she is still unclear about some things so she is really stressed.

she won't / can't revise alone so I've been trying to help. She is sitting the 2nd longer paper & has been studying 6 poems & 2 short stories. She's struggling...

Can anyone advise please - how to tackle these Qu's.
We've looked at a past paper which seems different to 'what my teacher said' & she's now in meltdown. Teacher isn't very available so asking here.

I am desperate for her to sit (& hopefully scrape a pass in) the Prelim as she then has some evidence in case the actual Nat 5 is too big a hurdle for her.

I would phone the school and ask for a meeting with the head of the department OP. I think that's the only way to get through to school what she can/can't do?

Hi OP, where do you stay? DD has a tutor, albeit via zoom, for English who is experienced with kids who have additional support needs. She might be able to do in person for someone near her.
There's also a girl, not a teacher, but she's on facebook who does study packs for different subjects including English and also online tutoring. You can go for the study pack or the tutoring. her page is study with jen. We've bought her study packs and they are good.
you could also try youtube videos for your DD for some tips and advice. DD likes to learn that way.
Hope this helps you. Why is she doing her prelim so late?

Which poet is she studying for Scottish Text and what are her short stories for Critical Essay? If I have anything that might help I will happily send you it.

@Lidlfix
thank you !!
she is studying Carol Ann Duffy.
the one she finds most awful is: 'The Way my Mother Speaks'
She thinks this will be the main one in the 2023 Prelim paper so she's scared
(plus she's to compare it to another that she has to remember large chunks of)
She thinks she needs to explain what the poet means & why how they have achieved a certain response in the reader? shes' not sure if she needs to discuss metaphor, similies etc

the short stories are: 'The Telegram' and 'The Pedestrian'
With these, she's not sure what she needs to do.

@NicolaSturGONE thanks for good ideas x (we are south scotland)
Her year did their prelim in early Jan. She has not been able to do it as yet (see above re repeated attempts to stay in the room etc. She's really autistic)

@Randobelia her English teacher IS Dept Head so this is what we face & the Prelim (last chance) is 10 days time. I'm desperate for her to scrape through.
she has managed to sit her Paper 1 (the reading for analysis one) but it's not marked yet. If she can scrape a 'C' then she can leave English behind forever!

Have to drop DD in town, will crank up my lap top when I get back. Can you DM me your email address?

I have taught/tutored all those texts at various points.

Home again!

@Lidlfix
Have pm'd you.
Thank you x

Let me know (here) if they arrived ok (wasn't me that crashed a school's email sending a student I previously mentored a humongous attachments)

Hope it works out OP, sounds very hard

My son has ASN and did well in English using these study guides www.amazon.co.uk/Leckie-Snap-Revision-Higher-English/dp/0008306680/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?crid=1QJ4S5ILVJ003&keywords=carol+ann+duffy+nat+5+study+guide&qid=1679242038&sprefix=carole+ann+duffy+nat+5+study+guide%2Caps%2C89&sr=8-3 I highly recommend. The structure is clear and helps them to understand what they need to do. There is one for RUAE too. Can you do a practice exam set up at home to get them used to what they will need to do.

@Lidlfix THANK YOU xxx THANK YOU xxx THANK YOU xxx
(sorry for slow reply, other teen was having a MH crisis)

You're welcome, glad to have been able to help. Hope DD is ok.

@Lidlfix
She's got 1 final attempt tomorrow.
I'm going to PM you with 1 last Qu (sorry) in the hope you see it (& have time & inclination to reply too, as you've already been very kind & helpful) x

I'm so sorry I only saw this now . How did it go?

@Lidlfix
Sorry for delayed reply but I thought I'd wait until the end of the 'saga' as it were
Dd was unable to sit her N5 exam. School are going to submit evidence to the SQA. Her teacher (Head of Dept) thinks she 'should' be given a B but we'll see.
I will be grateful if she passes so we can leave English behind as a subject.
Thanks for all your help & advice / support at what was a stressful time for me x

Bet you're glad it's all over- for now. It really frustrates me the way our system disadvantages our young people who are most in need of support. Finger crossed for that B - a perfectly respectable end point in English.