1. English Communications
SAETA 2014
English Communications

2. Assessment Two types of assessment:
School based assessment (70%) - moderated
Sample moderation for Text Analysis, Text Production & Communication Study.
Students selected by SACE Board.
External assessment (30%)
Folio for all students is externally marked.
No student or school names, SACE numbers only.
Verification forms to be signed by all students and kept by teacher at the school.

3. School-based assessment: overview
Best success for students was linked to comprehensive knowledge of course requirements by teachers
The importance of task design
The importance of the relationship between student cohort and assessment design criteria as outlined in the Subject Outline
Task design considering full range of performance standards

4. School-based assessment:overview
The importance and accuracy of teacher data prior to moderation
Assessment is not predicted – it must be accurate
No opportunity to adjust your assessment decisions
Use the SACE assessment grade calculator (
Verification – required prior to moderation

5. Assessment type 1: text analysis
Focus – development of a ‘personal and critical understanding of the ideas, values and beliefs represented in a range of texts. It is also important for students to recognise the connections between their own ideas, experiences, values, and beliefs, and those explored in texts.’

6. School based assessment: Text analysis
Importance of text choice and task design
Importance of adhering to the four prescribed text types – novel, poetry, film, drama
Importance of course design and selection of course assessment criteria
Consideration of student need, ability and interest

7. School based assessment: Text analysis
Importance of the provision of a range of diverse and challenging texts
Novels, poetry and film represented equally
Less evidence of response to dramatic text as performance
Less response to the option of independent novel choice

8. School based assessment: Text analysis
Refer to Subject Outline for the validity of text choice
Two written responses and one oral response
Multimodal presentations in the minority
Teachers offered a range of forms for response enabling students to demonstrate a ‘range’ of skills in relation to analysis and conventions of forms

9. School based assessment: text analysis
‘students should demonstrate understanding of the structure and language of particular textual forms, and identify the values, attitudes, and beliefs conveyed by these texts.’
Attainment at highest levels often revealed that one of the three analysis criterion had been addressed per response

10. School based assessment: text analysis
Ap2 – the ‘use of evidence from texts to develop and support a response’
Students should be encouraged to incorporate evidence in the form of quotations in their responses
Students should avoid retelling events or information at the expense of analysis
Move beyond ‘feature spotting’ into comprehensive analysis

11. School based assessment: Text analysis
An2 – the ‘analysis of connections between the ideas, experiences, values, and beliefs of students, and those explored in texts’ TEACH EXPLICITLY AND CONSIDER AS SOLE CRITERIA
Must be evident and match your plan
An1, 2 and 3 are equally important

12. School based assessment: Text analysis
Importance of task design and text choice
Consider as a group of two or more poems as opposed to individual texts
Song lyrics
Student selection from a range as opposed to same three texts for the class

13. Assessment type 2: text production
Three texts (1000 words or 6 minutes)
Three distinct purposes:
‘to entertain or engage’
‘to persuade or communicate a point of view’
‘to communicate observations or information’
Teachers to distinguish purposes in course and task design
Not restricted to list of suggested forms in Subject Outline
Emphasised that it is ‘essential that the form students choose should allow the text to achieve its intended purpose for the intended audience.’

14. School based assessment: Text production
Only one task must be a 90 minute supervised written assessment under test conditions without help from the teacher
Students may know the general requirements
Students may not know the topics/tasks/questions beforehand
Students should not be able to return to this task to edit or proofread it
Students should not have access to the internet
Use of computer – spelling-check/grammar check

15. Assessment type 3: communication study

16. School based assessment: communication study
Two parts:
1. A comparison of two examples of communication
Choice of ONE of five categories
2. a practical application
Choice of ONE of eight options
Throughout students should explore form, purpose, audience, language and context
Practical Application – demonstrate knowledge and understanding of a particular aspect of language and communication

17. School based assessment: communication study
Ensure that texts selected for the comparative task come from ONE if the five specified categories
Ensure that students are provided the opportunity to explore and compare the relationship between:
Form
Purpose
Audience
Language
Context
Remember comparison in responses and the importance of synthesis of text analysis

18. School based assessment: communication study
A demonstration of:
Knowledge and understanding
Analysis
application
Communication
Importance of KU2 – ‘knowledge and understanding of the ways in which creators and readers of familiar and unfamiliar texts use a range of language techniques and strategies to make meaning’
Students to consider purpose and effect

19. School based assessment: communication study
Practical Application
Eight choices
Ensure that you understand the specific expectations regarding the unique requirements for each option
Every option consists of two distinct components
Reflection is equally important to other aspects of tasks in this Assessment Type

20. School based assessment: communication study
Encourage student choice and control in selection of topic and form
Ensure equal consideration of production of text and reflection in terms of importance
Evidence of the practical application reflection
Provide more than notes – transcript, printed Powerpoint slides,
Recording

21. School based assessment: communication study
Application choice
Writing for Publication the most popular option
Workplace writing, film-making, investigating, language, multimedia web authoring, oral language and interacting
Language choices and decisions
Explicit understanding of the development of writing to publication standard
Less emphasis upon the processes

22. operATIONAL ADVICE FOR SCHOOL-BASED ASSESSMENT
Check SACE requirements carefully via website for submission dates and instructions
Work organised according to assessment type and labelled clearly with SACE numbers or names of students to ensure accurate confirmation
SACE nominate the sample
Less number of cases where non-nominated student work was submitted
Authentication made difficult due to incorrect and sometimes incomplete materials

23. operATIONAL ADVICE FOR SCHOOL-BASED ASSESSMENT
What to include:
Learning and assessment plan
Addendum if necessary
Context sheets assist
Missing work means a Variations in Materials for the Sample for Final Moderation form from the Learning Area Manual
Indicate if work has not been completed
Adjust marking to reflect the absence of work that has not been completed
Use performance standard criteria to determine reduction in marks – not a mathematical system of reduction

24. operATIONAL ADVICE FOR SCHOOL-BASED ASSESSMENT
Formative work or drafts are not required for submission
Refer to the Subject Outline for specific requirements for all Assessment Types and tasks
SACE single draft policy
Appropriate requested evidence of oral presentations in the form of transcripts, detailed notes in conjunction with recordings

25. operATIONAL ADVICE FOR SCHOOL-BASED ASSESSMENT
Adherence to the SACE Word-count policy or time limit
Plagiarism continues to be a concern in a minority of cases
Authentication of the originality of student work in progress is important to avoid the submission of plagiarised scripts

26. operATIONAL ADVICE FOR SCHOOL-BASED ASSESSMENT
Recommendation of internal moderation in order to ensure the consistency of marking standards
Particularly important for schools with multiple classes in a single assessment group
Consider the benefits of this decision if it is difficult to communicate regarding standards and meet to read student samples across classes