2014 Notes from the Marking Centre – Italian Extension
Introduction
This document has been produced for the teachers and candidates of the Stage 6 Italian Extension course. It contains comments on candidate responses to the 2014 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 Italian Extension Stage 6 Syllabus
- the 2014 Higher School Certificate Italian Extension 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 Italian in Stage 6.
Oral examination
Characteristics of better responses:
- a logical and well-structured argument was developed and presented within the time allocation, supported by a range of relevant ideas and examples
- ideas were communicated confidently and fluently, with authentic intonation and pronunciation
- sophistication of vocabulary and sentence structure was demonstrated as well as a consistently high level of grammatical accuracy
- the point of view was quickly introduced before getting into the body of the discussion
- arguments and examples were clearly linked to the question asked, using appropriate linking words.
Characteristics of weaker responses:
- candidates used prepared material that lacked relevance to the question
- not all parts of the question were addressed
- ideas were limited or irrelevant
- candidates often repeated arguments.
Written examination
Section I – Response to Prescribed Text
Part A
Question 1
Characteristics of better responses:
- Don Giulio’s reaction to the recent events was considered (part a)
- candidates considered Concettina’s role in helping Don Giulio to firstly ascertain his sentiments, and her ability to articulate the issue with clarity (part b)
- a good understanding of the director’s purpose was demonstrated (part c)
- candidates considered a range of techniques including the use of colour (vibrant/dark), the sequence and quality of shots, and how music was used (part c)
- relevant evidence for ideas was provided and the connection to the issue of social justice was clear (part d).
Characteristics of weaker responses:
- candidates summarised the film techniques used without connecting them to the director’s purpose (part c)
- candidates did not analyse the relevance of the given statement in reference to the scenes chosen (part d)
- the given scenes in the question were referred to but not another scene in the film (part d).
Part B
Question 2
Characteristics of better responses:
- candidates wrote as if they were the character of Mirco as an adult
- adequate references to events in the film were made
- there was an awareness of the issues set for study relevant to the chosen and other scenes
- language was used authentically and with grammatical accuracy to complete the task.
Characteristics of weaker responses:
- fewer connections were made to other events in the film and to the issues set for study
- there were grammatical inaccuracies
- the form of address used was not appropriate.
Section II – Writing in Italian
Characteristics of better responses:
- the correct text type was used
- a variety of techniques such as rhetorical questions and correct register were used
- a range of examples to support and link back to the question were given
- ideas were expressed using complex sentences and a solid range of vocabulary
- a synthesis of ideas was presented.
Characteristics of weaker responses:
- English syntax was used
- candidates often used inappropriate words when expressing concepts related to issues
- there was grammatical inaccuracy, for example in the use of gerunds, the subjunctive and direct/indirect object pronouns, in agreements and in the choice of tenses.
NSW Government