2013 Notes from the Marking Centre – Serbian Continuers
Introduction
This document has been produced for the teachers and candidates of the Stage 6 Serbian 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:
- the Serbian Continuers Stage 6 Syllabus
- the 2013 Higher School Certificate Serbian Continuers examination
- the marking guidelines
- Advice for students attempting HSC languages examinations, and HSC Languages oral examinations – advice to students
- Advice for HSC students about examinations
- other support documents developed by the Board of Studies, Teaching and Educational Standards NSW to assist in the teaching and learning of Serbian Continuers in Stage 6.
Oral examination
Characteristics of better responses:
- language manipulated effectively in response to a range of questions
- wide and appropriate vocabulary and sophisticated sentence structures used across a range of topics
- opinions and ideas presented fluently and articulately and appropriately justified
- topics for study supported with in-depth analysis of literary and other texts
- comparisons and evaluations used to support and justify point of view.
Characteristics of weaker responses:
- English words, expressions and structures used
- incorrect cases and prepositions used
- made errors of pronunciation such as incorrect stress on vowels
- answers lacked depth and detail
- topic for Discussion was too narrow or too broad
- there were limited references to texts in the Discussion or lack of appropriate supporting literary texts.
Written examination
Section I – Listening
Characteristics of better responses:
- responses were detailed and relevant
- interpreted rather than translated text, such as how justified Milica’s decision was to return home in Question 3; or the likelihood of Marko being offered the position in Question 6.
Characteristics of weaker responses:
- provided little relevant information
- evidence to support response not provided.
Section II – Reading and Responding
Part A
Characteristics of better responses:
- clearly identified how the author felt in Question 7
- provided relevant supporting textual evidence
- identified similarities as well as differences in Dragana’s and Petar’s viewpoints in Question 8.
Characteristics of weaker responses:
- insufficient detail provided
- specific reference to texts was not made.
Part B
Characteristics of better responses:
- all relevant details from the text included
- excellent understanding of entire text demonstrated
- variety of appropriate language and structures used
- language manipulated authentically and creatively.
Characteristics of weaker responses:
- did not include relevant references to original text
- language and structures were inaccurate
- punctuation, especially the use of commas, was inaccurate
- lack of appropriate paragraphing
- used Latin script.
Section III – Writing in Serbian
Characteristics of better responses:
- gave relevant information and ideas for the task
- manipulated language authentically and creatively, using complex structures
- used language, punctuation and paragraphs authentically.
Characteristics of weaker responses:
- used simple sentence structures
- made errors of punctuation and congruence
- used a limited range of vocabulary.