2014 Notes from the Marking Centre – Modern Greek Extension
Introduction
This document has been produced for the teachers and candidates of the Stage 6 Modern Greek 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 Modern Greek Extension Stage 6 Syllabus
- the 2014 Higher School Certificate Modern Greek 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 Modern Greek in Stage 6.
Oral examination
Characteristics of better responses:
- a logical and well-structured argument was developed and presented
- ideas were communicated with confidence and fluency
- arguments were supported with the use of relevant information and ideas
- sophisticated vocabulary and sentence structures were used
- a consistently high level of grammatical accuracy was demonstrated.
Characteristics of weaker responses:
- an attempt was made to formulate an argument by linking some relevant ideas
- ideas were effectively communicated but they lacked grammatical accuracy
- the language used was comprehensible but repetitions and anglicisms were used.
Written examination
Section I – Response to Prescribed Text – Part A
Characteristics of better responses:
- a comprehensive understanding of the prescribed extract was demonstrated
- a thorough understanding of how Alex was portrayed in the extract was demonstrated and candidates supported their answers with appropriate references to the text
- a good understanding of how the film techniques reinforced the main message of the prescribed extract was demonstrated
- candidates identified that Alex would be able to deliver the speech
- a perceptive understanding of how the issue of the search for personal identity was explored in the extract was demonstrated
- some candidates explored two or more themes and supported their answers with appropriate references to the extract.
Characteristics of weaker responses:
- there was a lack of appropriate analysis
- candidates did not refer to the text
- the main message of the extract was not identified
- candidates did not engage in a detailed analysis of how the issue of the search for personal identity was explored in the extract
- some relevant information was provided to support their responses.
Section I – Response to Prescribed Text – Part B
Characteristics of better responses:
- a perceptive understanding of the issues raised in the prescribed text was demonstrated; for example, the developing friendship between Alex and Panos and what brought the two boys together
- there was coherency in language and sentence structure
- candidates used sophisticated vocabulary.
Characteristics of weaker responses:
- candidates tended to rely on retelling the story of the prescribed extract rather than interpreting
- there was a basic control of vocabulary and sentence structures
- there were inaccuracies in verb endings and noun agreements.
Section II – Writing in Modern Greek
Characteristics of better responses:
- a coherent and sophisticated argument was developed and presented
- candidates wrote effectively and perceptively for a specific audience, context and purpose
- there was depth and breadth in the treatment of relevant ideas
- a high level of grammatical accuracy was demonstrated
- sophisticated vocabulary and sentence structures were used.
Characteristics of weaker responses:
- some relevant information, ideas or opinions were presented
- there was evidence of poor dictionary skills
- candidates did not manipulate Greek language accurately or creatively
- there was lack of agreement between articles, adjectives and nouns and incorrect use of verb tenses
- some anglicisms were used.
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