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2013 Notes from the Marking Centre – Spanish Extension

Introduction

This document has been produced for the teachers and candidates of the Stage 6 Spanish Extension 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:

  • monologues were well structured and logically sequenced, strongly supported by relevant examples
  • main points and supporting evidence were explicitly linked to the question chosen
  • all aspects of the question were addressed in the response
  • sophisticated vocabulary and a range of complex grammatical structures were used.

Characteristics of weaker responses:

  • monologues were poorly structured, limited to the obvious and lacking in supporting examples
  • the question was addressed inadequately, ignoring some aspects of what was being asked
  • content was repetitive, incomplete and/or confusing
  • vocabulary and grammatical structures were basic and had little variety.

Written examination

Section II – Responding to Prescribed Text

Part A

Characteristics of better responses:

  • responses were clearly explained and included all relevant information
  • all parts of the question were addressed
  • responses only included the information required to answer the question fully.

Characteristics of weaker responses:

  • responses were text translations, failing to focus on the specifics contained in the question
  • candidates demonstrated an understanding of the concepts but were unable to link them explicitly to the events in the film
  • responses included information not relevant to the question.

Part B

Characteristics of better responses:

  • the text type (ie a letter) was carefully considered and the language/information used was appropriate for the character from whose perspective they were writing
  • authentically produced the ‘voice’ of Alberto
  • included a variety of relevant information, demonstrating a perceptive and deep understanding of the prescribed text
  • used a variety of vocabulary, authentic expressions and grammatical structures to meet the demands of the task.

Characteristics of weaker responses:

  • responses did not adhere to the conventions of a letter or stay true to the time/era
  • responses demonstrated insufficient depth of knowledge of the prescribed text, with limited focus on Alberto’s feelings
  • candidates used basic vocabulary and grammatical structures repetitively, with many errors (verb ending/conjugations, noun-adjective agreements) and anglicisms.

Section III – Writing in Spanish

Characteristics of better responses:

  • responses demonstrated an understanding of the conventions of the text type
  • responses presented a clear and coherent argument, supported by a range of relevant ideas, which were treated in depth
  • candidates manipulated language effectively, with a consistently high level of grammatical accuracy and sophisticated vocabulary and structures.

Characteristics of weaker responses:

  • conventions of the text type were not evident
  • candidates used basic vocabulary and grammatical structures repetitively, with many errors (verb ending/conjugations, noun-adjective agreements) and anglicisms
  • responses did not read as a coherent piece of writing.
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