Year 12 English Exam Preparation - 2015

Wednesday 29th October English and EAL Written Exam 9:00am-12:15pm Dance/Drama Studio (That’s only four weeks away!)

How the time is divided 15 minutes reading time (9:00-9:15am) 3 hours writing time (9:15am-12:15pm)

What you’re given The task book The answer book The answer book contains unruled (rough work only) pages for making notes, plans and drafts if required NB. You must not write outside the lines – online marking means that anything outside the lines will not be seen and therefore not marked

Answer Book Make sure that you know your VCAA Number – you’ll need to write it in numbers on your answer book.

What you have to write Three different written responses Section A – Text Response (Reading and Responding) Section B – Writing in Context (Creating and Presenting) Section C – Analysis of Language Use (Using Language to Persuade) These are three very different responses, each with specific requirements.

How much it’s worth in total The exam will contribute 50% to your Study Score. The rest of your Study Score comes from your SACs (25% Unit 3 & 25% Unit 4 – BUT these are moderated based on your (and the entire cohort’s) exam performance Each section is marked out of 10, twice, which adds up to the exam being marked out of a total of 60.

How it’s marked (Each section is marked by at least two different assessors, which means your paper is marked by a minimum of 6 different people). If there are discrepancies in marks, that section is marked by a third person. Any discrepancies beyond a third marking go to the executive marking panel for resolution.

Section A – Text Response Students will be required to write an extended response to one of the two texts selected for study from the English/EAL Text list. You will write on either Will You Please be Quiet, Please? (Raymond Carver) OR The Boy’s Life (Tobias Wolff).

Section A – Text Response There will be 2 topics on each of the set texts (there are 20 in total, studied in different schools across the state). Each topic will enable and require students to address the full range of key knowledge and skills.

19. Will You Please Be Quiet, Please? By Raymond Carver i. ‘In Carver’s stories, very little seems to be happening.’ Discuss. OR ii. ‘It is difficult to feel compassion for Carver’s characters.’ To what extent do you agree?

Section A – Text Response The choice between topics will enable students to develop their sustained discussion from an initial focus on one of the following aspects of key knowledge for Units 3 and 4 Outcome 1: the ideas, characters and themes constructed by the author/director and presented in the selected text; the way the author/director uses structures, features and conventions to construct meaning; the ways in which authors/directors express or imply a point of view and values; the ways in which readers’ interpretations of text differ and why. All topics will require student responses to address the full range of key knowledge and skills, and to be supported by detailed analysis and reference to the selected text.

Section A – Assessment Criteria detailed knowledge and understanding of the selected text, demonstrated appropriately in response to the topic development in the writing of a coherent and effective discussion in response to the task controlled use of expressive and effective language appropriate to the task.

Section A - Advice Remember that these are constructed texts (written by an author rather than real, historical texts) and your responses should acknowledge this.

Section A – Advice Your response should consist of an introduction, four body paragraphs and a conclusion. Each of your body paragraphs should include quotation(s) to support your contention. Your response should be in the range of 900-1200 words.

Assessor Advice Don’t take the topic at face value – explore & examine You must explore all elements presented in a topic Consider the breadth of opportunity to explore an idea from the text

Section B – Writing in Context Students will be required to select one of the four Contexts set by the VCAA for the year of the examination. You will look at ‘Whose Reality’. The task in each Context will require students to write an extended piece for a specified purpose and audience, exploring ideas and using detail from at least one text selected from the English/ESL Text list.

Section B – Writing in Context The texts you can use are: The Lot: In Words (Michael Leunig) Wag the Dog (dir. Barry Levinson) Students will be required to base their writing on unseen stimulus material or prompts associated with the ideas and/or arguments suggested by the four texts set for each Context.

Section B – Assessment Criteria understanding and effective exploration of the ideas and/or arguments relevant to the prompt/stimulus material effective use of detail and ideas drawn from the selected text as appropriate to the task development in the writing of a coherent and effective structure in response to the task, showing an understanding of the relationship between purpose, form, language and audience controlled use of language appropriate to the purpose, form and audience.

Section B - Advice Students must mark the Context they studied by ticking the correct box in the answer book, as well as writing the title of the selected text which is the main focus for their response at the top of the page. Other texts may be referred to in their piece of writing, but students must clearly indicate the title of their main text. Students should write in whatever way they consider effective and appropriate for the audience and purpose. They may write the response in an expository, persuasive or imaginative style of writing. Students must use the prompt as the basis for the ideas and/or arguments in their writing and they must draw directly from the ideas and/or arguments in the selected text or texts they studied for the Context. Your response should be in the range of 900-1200 words

Assessor Advice This is not a text response and should be different to Section A – ‘a simple text essay does not fulfil the expected qualities of this section’ An over-reliance on a text can undermine the ability to develop ideas related to the Context and prompt Your response must clearly (though not explicitly) draw on ‘detail and ideas’ from the selected text You can use material from other sources but your focus must be on depth rather than breadth Your response must deal with the provided prompt – pre-prepared, formulaic responses are unlikely to hit the mark

Context 2 – Whose Reality? Death of a Salesman .......................................... Arthur Miller Spies .............................................................. Michael Frayn The Lot: In Words ........................................... Michael Leunig The Player ..................................... Directed by Robert Altman Prompt ‘Losing touch with reality is often dangerous.’ Task Complete an extended written response in expository, persuasive or imaginative style. Your writing must draw from at least one selected text for this Context and explore the idea that ‘losing touch with reality is often dangerous’.

Section C – Analysis of Language Use Section C will require students to write an extended piece of prose, analysing the use of written language and visual features in the unseen text(s). Section C will be based on written and visual stimulus material. The task in this section will be compulsory.

Section C – Assessment Criteria understanding of the ideas and points of view presented analysis of ways in which language and visual features are used to present a point of view and to persuade readers controlled and effective use of language appropriate to the task.

Section C - Advice Students analyse the use of written and visual language in the presentation of a point of view in a text or texts. Brief background information will enable students to locate their analysis in the context of the issue being discussed.

Background Information

Assessor Advice You cannot comment on all elements of the text – students must make decisions about selecting the parts of the material that allow them to best demonstrate their understanding of the material as a whole, their understanding of the range of ways in which language positions readers and their skills at analysis.

Assessor Advice (cont.) You MUST deal with the visual material. If there is more than one image, you can choose to comment on one or all. Do not simply label persuasive techniques. Be thoughtful about the tone of the piece (and how it evolves). Avoid generalised comments – always focus on what the effect of using that language is for the reader.

Timing You have 15 minutes of reading time and 180 minutes of writing time in which to complete three polished responses.

Timing Time Allocation Elapsed Time Reading Time 15 minutes for all students Section A Planning: 5 min Writing: 50min Edit/Revise: 5 min 60 minutes Section B 65 minutes 115 minutes 120 minutes Section C 125 minutes 175 minutes 180 minutes

Reading the Exam Paper Section A – read the questions on your texts. Decide which topic you can best answer. Section B – read the prompt and task carefully. Using these, consider your teacher’s advice about the form that best suits you. Section C – examine the material closely. Note the author, source of the material, features such as headlines, italicised words or phrases, captions and pictures. Identify the main contention. Look for several ways in which the writing persuades you to agree with this.

Exam Dos… Check the times and dates of each exam. Twice! Keep to a schedule: better to do nearly all of three tasks than to finish two. Plan the order in which you’ll complete the tasks. Think about doing Section C first, since you’ll have read it during the reading time. Spell names correctly! (Characters, places and writers in particular!) Use many small examples and quotes – shows breadth of knowledge Answer the question!!! Read each task or question carefully Use the words of the text Write neatly rather than quickly Use writer’s/director’s surname Bring water Bring spare pens

Exam Don’ts PANIC! Even if it looks tough, plan and set down what you do know Use slang or colloquial expressions (unless they are quotes) Use writers’ or characters’ first names only Refer to authors too formally – Mr A. Jones is only OK in the introduction, after that he’s just Jones. Spend too long on one question Stay up all night studying – keep to your normal routine Revise the whole course – only revise what you need to do in the exam Use coloured inks or pencil – use a blue or black pen Scrawl – even if your handwriting is untidy, the examiner has to be able to read it to give you credit for what you know.