2015 Notes from the Marking Centre – Modern Greek Continuers
Introduction
This document has been produced for the teachers and candidates of the Stage 6 Modern Greek Continuers course. It contains comments on candidate responses to the 2015 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 Continuers Stage 6 Syllabus
- the 2015 Higher School Certificate Modern Greek 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 Modern Greek in Stage 6.
Oral examination
Characteristics of better responses:
- language was manipulated effectively in response to a range of questions
- an excellent knowledge of vocabulary and language structures with a high level of grammatical accuracy was demonstrated
- a range of questions that included recall/informational, comparative, hypothetical and reflective were addressed well
- opinions were justified effectively.
Characteristics of weaker responses:
- language was not manipulated effectively and sentences were often incomplete
- language structures were used with inaccuracies in grammar and syntax
- articles, cases and tenses were used incorrectly.
Section I – Listening
Characteristics of better responses:
- a good understanding of the speaker’s perception of the relationship with his audience was demonstrated (Q4)
- a good understanding of the escalating change in the mother’s attitude to her son’s behaviour was demonstrated (Q5)
- how Anna conveyed her feelings, incorporating textual evidence was demonstrated (Q6)
- the purpose of the speaker was identified and an understanding of how it was achieved was demonstrated (Q7)
- a comprehensive understanding of the reasons the speaker was invited on the radio program was demonstrated and supported with references to the text (Q8).
Characteristics of weaker responses:
- a translation was provided without interpreting and evaluating information
- appropriate language techniques and references to the text were not provided (Q6 and Q7)
- generic responses did not address the questions effectively.
Section II – Reading and Responding – Part A
Characteristics of better responses:
- an understanding of language techniques such as pun/metaphor (Q9a) and tone, such as sarcastic/condescending/patronising (Q9c) were demonstrated
- appropriate examples with clear links to the question were provided to demonstrate how language is used (Q10e)
- a comprehensive understanding of the key issues in the text was demonstrated.
Characteristics of weaker responses:
- a global understanding of the passage was not evident and a translation rather than an interpretation was provided (Q9a and Q9d)
- the literal and metaphorical interpretations of οδηγούν were not identified (Q9a)
- the story was re-told rather than addressing how language is used (Q10e)
- a valid discussion about language was not developed
- techniques were listed (at times incorrectly) without providing appropriate examples as support.
Section II – Reading and Responding – Part B
Characteristics of better responses:
- most points were well developed and with some degree of creativity
- grammatical accuracy was demonstrated with only some minor errors
- correct text type was used and ideas were well structured.
Characteristics of weaker responses:
- some of the questions, statements and specific information from the stimulus text were addressed
- some understanding of the text was demonstrated but with limited development of ideas
- frequent errors in language structures (verbs, agreement) and use of anglicisms were evident.
Section III – Writing in Modern Greek
Characteristics of better responses:
- a very good understanding of the audience, purpose and context of the task was demonstrated
- an excellent understanding of language structures relevant to the task was demonstrated
- ideas and information were structured effectively
- correct text type was used.
Characteristics of weaker responses:
- some information, opinion or ideas relevant to the task were presented
- a rudimentary understanding of vocabulary and sentence structures was demonstrated by:
- inaccurate use of cases
- lack of agreement between article-noun and noun-adjective
- inaccurate formation of active and passive verbs
- confusion in writing accurately some Greek characters, in particular δ, θ, ψ, π, μ.
NSW Government