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2013 Notes from the Marking Centre – Modern Greek Continuers

Introduction

This document has been produced for the teachers and candidates of the Stage 6 Modern Greek Continuers course. It contains comments on candidate responses to the 2013 Higher School Certificate examination, indicating the quality of the responses and highlighting their relative strengths and weaknesses.

This document should be read along with:

Oral examination

Characteristics of better responses:

  • language was manipulated effectively in response to a range of questions
  • wide vocabulary and advanced sentence structures were used and high grammatical accuracy was demonstrated
  • candidates had depth in answers and demonstrated higher order thinking
  • candidates responded well to a variety of question styles that included open/closed, recall/informational, comparative, hypothetical and reflective
  • candidates justified their opinions effectively and were able to use a variety of verb tenses accurately.

Characteristics of weaker responses:

  • candidates did not manipulate language effectively and often ended responses with incomplete sentences
  • candidates did not use appropriate language structures and grammatical concepts
  • candidates used the wrong article for very basic words such as members of the family and school subjects
  • the verbs, ‘I like’, μου αρέσει and ‘I must’, πρέπει, were frequently incorrectly used
  • candidates did not demonstrate gender agreement and did not show correct use of case, especially the accusative and the genitive.

Written examination

Section I – Listening and Responding

Characteristics of better responses:

  • candidates demonstrated a thorough understanding of spoken texts
  • candidates deduced meaning and demonstrated a good understanding of the requirements of the question with examples (Q.6 and Q.8)
  • candidates demonstrated a perceptive understanding of what the conversation revealed about the two speakers and provided relevant examples (Q.7).

Characteristics of weaker responses:

  • candidates generally translated without demonstrating the ability to interpret and evaluate information
  • candidates confused the letters, «Η» with «Ι» and «Υ» with «Ε» (Q.1)
  • candidates misunderstood the phrase «και στα δικά σας» as one used at a christening (Q.2).

Section II – Reading and Responding

Characteristics of better responses:

  • in Part A, candidates provided all the necessary information required to demonstrate a good understanding of the texts. They gave appropriate examples to support their answers
  • candidates understood the purpose of the text (Part A)
  • candidates analysed tone and language techniques (Part A)
  • candidates demonstrated an excellent understanding of the whole text as well as the ability to manipulate language authentically and creatively (Part B)
  • candidates addressed the main points that emerged from the stimulus text as well as expressing an opinion with relevant examples (Part B).

Characteristics of weaker responses:

  • candidates did not comprehend the idea that modern technology was responsible for the ‘superficial’ relationship (Q.9)
  • candidates commented on the tone and partly on the techniques presented in the text without making appropriate reference to the text/article (Q.9d)
  • candidates could not identify the initial purpose of this person’s trip (Q.10a)
  • candidates showed a limited understanding of Elpida’s outlook on life and how it had changed, and provided only some examples from the text (Q.10c)
  • candidates only addressed some of the issues (Part B)
  • candidates used simple vocabulary and sentence structures (Part B).

Section III – Writing in Modern Greek

Characteristics of better responses:

  • candidates wrote effectively and appropriately in relation to the audience, purpose and context
  • candidates manipulated Greek vocabulary, language structures and features creatively and authentically.

Characteristics of weaker responses:

  • candidates used simple language structures and vocabulary
  • responses were characterised by grammatical and syntactical errors
  • there was evidence of poor dictionary use, such as Τα ατομά μου (my units) instead of τα μαθήματα μου; Είμαι γνωστοποιημένη για τα μειονεκτήματα (= I’m aware of the disadvantages)
  • there was a lack of agreement between the article and the noun and the adjective and the noun (eg μια γράμμα, της τελικές μου βαθμούς, τα οικογένεια, μια μήνυμα, αυτη τις περασμένη εβδομάδες)
  • candidates could not distinguish between active and passive voice (eg να μάθετε πώς να μαγηρέβεστε (να μάθετε πώς να μαγειρεύετε), θυμάω (θυμάμαι))
  • verb endings and noun endings were used incorrectly (eg φορεύουμε στολή, η κοπέλες, η καθηγητοί, όλοι η δασκάλη).
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