Why study Gàidhlig?

Learning Gàidhlig will help you to improve your existing reading, writing, listening and speaking skills, essential for learning, life and work. You will be able to communicate your thoughts and feelings to other people better, as well as deal with those of other people.

Learning Gàidhlig will also enhance your appreciation and understanding of Scottish culture and heritage.

The increased interest in Gàidhlig recently now means there are more career opportunities for people who can speak it. You could work in the performing arts, teaching, media and writing, or in TV and radio.

Career Pathways

To see what career areas this subject could lead to and the routes to get there, download and view these career pathways:

Communications and Media

Teaching and Classroom Support

What do I need to get in?

The school or college will decide on the entry requirements for the course. You would normally have achieved:

• National 5 Gàidhlig

What will I study?

This course offers you the opportunity to develop your skills in reading, listening, talking and writing in Gàidhlig. You will learn to understand how language works and how to communicate information and ideas. You will also study a wide range of various types of texts in a variety media. You will learn to think critically and creatively, and develop cultural awareness.

The course comprises three areas of study.

Reading and Writing; Listening

You will develop:

• reading, writing and listening skills in Gaelic
• your knowledge of detailed language in the contexts of society, learning, employability and culture.

Assignment – Writing

You will develop:

• writing and grammatical skills in Gaelic
• your knowledge and understanding of detailed language in the contexts of society, learning, employability and culture.

Performance – Talking

You will develop:

• talking and writing skills in Gaelic
• your knowledge and understanding of detailed language in the contexts of society, learning, employability and culture.

How will I be assessed?

Course Assessment

The course assessment has four components totalling 100 marks:

• Component 1: question paper 1: Leughadh (Reading) – worth 30 marks
• Component 2: question paper 1: Litreachas  (Literature) – worth 20 marks
• Component 3: question paper 2: Èisteachd (Listening) – worth 20 marks
• Component 4: Còmhradh (performance – talking) – worth 30 marks.

For the performance component, you will be asked to take part in a discussion on an aspect of Gaelic heritage and contemporary culture using detailed Gaelic language. Your performance will be set by the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) and marked internally by an SQA assessor.

The question papers will be set and marked externally by the SQA.

The grade awarded is based on the total marks achieved across all course assessment components.

The course assessment is graded A-D.  

Study Materials

• SQA Past Papers Gàidhlig National 5
• SQA Specimen Paper Gàidhlig National 5 (Reading)
• SQA Specimen Paper Gàidhlig National 5 (Literature)
• SQA Specimen Paper Gàidhlig National 5 (Listening)
• SQA Understanding Standards Gàidhlig

What can I go on to next?

If you complete the course successfully, it may lead to:

• Higher Gàidhlig

Further study, training or employment in:

• Communications and Media
• Hospitality, Leisure and Tourism
• Languages
• Teaching and Classroom Support

Which jobs are related to this subject?

• Gàidhlig - Related Careers

Where can my parents find out more?

Your school will give your parents an Options or Choices information booklet, which has detailed information on the curriculum and the individual subjects or courses you can study. It will also invite them along to a Parents’ Information Evening.

They can also read the information leaflet(s):

Nationals in a Nutshell - Gaidhlig (National 5)