2014 Notes from the Marking Centre – Vietnamese Continuers
Introduction
This document has been produced for the teachers and candidates of the Stage 6 Vietnamese Continuers 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 Vietnamese Continuers Stage 6 Syllabus
- the 2014 Higher School Certificate Vietnamese 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 Vietnamese Continuers in Stage 6.
Oral examination
Section I – Conversation
Characteristics of better responses:
- candidates fluently and accurately presented information and ideas and elaborated on a range of topics
- language was manipulated effectively in response to a range of questions
- a wide vocabulary and advanced sentence structures were used
- candidates expressed a point of view clearly without ambiguity
- candidates responded fluently and confidently with authentic intonation and pronunciation.
Characteristics of weaker responses:
- candidates gave irrelevant information
- common errors were made in time periods and dates
- incomplete sentences were often used.
Section II – Discussion
Characteristics of better responses:
- appropriate topics were chosen
- discussion was supported by referring to three texts, including a literary text
- resources were relevant and appropriate
- candidates made detailed perceptive references to the texts used to research their topic.
Characteristics of weaker responses:
- candidates had chosen topics which did not allow an in-depth discussion
- candidates relied on general knowledge
- candidates did not refer to three texts, including a literary text.
Written examination
Section I – Listening and Responding
Part A
Characteristics of better responses:
- answers were supported with evidence from the texts
- all relevant details were provided.
Characteristics of weaker responses:
- answers were not supported with close reference to the texts
- the texts were translated without answering the questions.
Part B
Question 6
Characteristics of better responses:
- the correct text type (letter) was used with appropriate salutations and structure
- the main elements of the stimulus text were identified and responded to
- candidates clearly showed how Tung is admired as a hero for what he achieved, that is, changing from a victim of storm number 3 to the leader of the storm emergency service during storm number 5
- candidates responded creatively with relevant information and opinions.
Characteristics of weaker responses:
- candidates explained why friends lost contact with Tung but did not mention that they were unsuccessful in their attempts to contact Tung after storm number 3
- limited evidence of understanding the aural stimulus text was demonstrated.
Section II – Reading and Responding
Part A
Characteristics of better responses:
- answers were supported with evidence from the text
- the language of the text was analysed effectively and the change in the Grandpa was justified.
Characteristics of weaker responses:
- candidates translated the texts rather than answering the requirements of the question.
Part B
Characteristics of better responses:
- the main points of the stimulus text were identified
- candidates responded creatively and relevantly to the main points of the stimulus text
- ideas were structured logically
- the correct text type email with appropriate salutations and closure, including correct names was written.
Characteristics of weaker responses:
- the father’s main concerns about his children’s daily survival were not identified
- a creative response was written without responding to issues raised in the text
- ideas were not organised logically.
Section III – Writing in Vietnamese
Characteristics of better responses:
- the correct text type was used
- the topic was fully explored and met the task requirements
- ideas were supported with justification and examples
- a well-structured, logical, organised article was written using paragraphs appropriately
- candidates wrote authentically and fluently, using conjunctions to sequence and link ideas.
Characteristics of weaker responses:
- the requirements of the question were not met
- responses lacked structure and were repetitive
- incorrect language and sentence structures were used.
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