2011 HSC Notes from the Marking Centre – Indonesian Background Speakers
Contents
- Introduction
- Section I – Listening and Responding
- Section II – Reading and Responding
- Section III – Writing in Indonesian
Introduction
This document has been produced for the teachers and candidates of the Stage 6 course in Indonesian Background Speakers. It contains comments on candidate responses to the 2011 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 relevant syllabus, the 2011 Higher School Certificate examination, the marking guidelines and other support documents developed by the Board of Studies to assist in the teaching and learning of Indonesian Background Speakers.
General comments
Teachers and candidates should be aware that examiners may ask questions that address the syllabus outcomes in a manner that requires candidates to respond by integrating their knowledge, understanding and skills developed through studying the course.
Candidates need to be aware that the marks allocated to the question and the answer space (where this is provided on the examination paper) are guides to the length of the required response. A longer response will not in itself lead to higher marks. Writing far beyond the indicated space may reduce the time available for answering other questions.
Candidates need to be familiar with the Board’s Glossary of Key Words, which contains some terms commonly used in examination questions. However, candidates should also be aware that not all questions will start with or contain one of the key words from the glossary. Questions such as ‘how?’, ‘why?’ or ‘to what extent?’ may be asked or verbs may be used which are not included in the glossary, such as ‘design’, ‘translate’ or ‘list’.
In better responses, candidates combined their understanding of stimulus text(s) with their opinion. They expressed ideas in a new form, being aware of the purpose, context and audience were writing for. In better responses, candidates also demonstrated a thorough knowledge of the prescribed texts by linking them to the theme in their analysis. In addition, they analysed how language is used to convey the ideas contained in the texts.
Section I – Listening and Responding
Part A
Question 1
Specific comments
- In better responses, candidates identified the underlying reason why Mrs Aminah thought that wedding celebrations in the past were superior to today. Candidates elaborated on this by citing examples, such as everyone in the community – from relatives and friends to neighbours – was involved in the wedding preparation, ceremony and celebration. In addition, young people were able to meet each other and develop a social network. These candidates went on to contrast this situation with today where the celebrations are handed over to a wedding planner and, as a consequence, community ties are weakened.
- In better responses, candidates identified the radio host as representing the younger generation. His language was informal and contained a lot of English words, such as wedding planner and single. In addition, he used colloquial words such as sobat-sobit. In contrast, Mrs Arminah used formal register including some regional terminology such as rewang. This reflected the older generation who grew up with very little exposure to English.
In weaker responses, candidates incorrectly identified Mrs Arminah as employing the colloquial language used by radio host’s language.
- Identifing several changes in Mrs Arminah’s tone and providing evidence – either from the words she used or her tone of voice – enabled candidates to fulfil the demands of this question. In better responses, candidates pointed to her angry tone in the beginning when she mocks the host’s comment praktis, tak mau repot dan enjoy! She then changed to joy and nostalgia when reminiscing about weddings in the past, such as when she says kami bertukar kabar, ngrumpi mungkin dan bergurau. Finally her regret is revealed as she says seandainya roda waktu bisa diputar balik, then sighs.
Question 2
Specific comments
Candidates were assessed on how well they compared and contrasted information and ideas. In better responses, candidates manipulated the language of the original text for a changed audience.
Candidates are reminded to base their response on the information, opinions and ideas in both texts, and not be sidelined by popular terms like ‘global warming’ which, although it appeared in the first text, was not the focus of the question.
In better responses, candidates synthesised the information in both texts and demonstrated an understanding of the term ‘double-edged sword’. They drew on the information in the second text that expounded the many negative consequences of unrestrained and thoughtless development such as cutting down the jungle, resulting in the extinction of many species, and the erection of buildings which destroy vegetation leading to erosion and floods. They contrasted this with the example of an environmentally friendly development at Komplex Pemukiman Hijau Asri where solar cells supply renewable energy and air conditioner use is minimised by strategically placing windows to maximise ventilation, along with a variety of other measures.
Section II – Reading and Responding
Part A
Question 3
Specific comments
- Most candidates successfully identified the view of the first youth towards the pile of corn as an opportunity for a good life, which can be seized. Some candidates correctly identified the failure of the second youth to see the potential in the pile of corn because of its lack of relevance to his quest for a city lifestyle.
- In better responses, candidates explained Rendra’s criticism of education on the grounds that, although education is important, if it is irrelevant and not practical then it is ineffective and useless. Candidates demonstrated a complete appreciation of Rendra’s criticism of the education provided by giving supporting evidence such as pendidikan telah memisahkannya dari kehidupan and …yang pandangan hidupnya berasal dari buku dan tidak dari kehidupan which results in ia melihat dirinya sendiri miskin dan gagal.
- As this question asked candidates to analyse as well as identify the language and literary techniques used by the poet, the most successful responses chose a variety of language techniques to discuss and gave accurate examples of them from the poem. They also related these to the need for an individual to be anchored in their own community in order to achieve success. Better responses referred to the juxtaposition of the views of the two youths. The first youth, who is anchored in his community, is successful (as indicated by positive words and images such as ia melihat panen, gadis-gadis bercanda etc). This is contrasted with the second youth who has left his village to be educated in the city and has become an outsider (as indicated by negative words and images such as ia melihat dirinya terluna-luna and miskin dan gagal. Metaphors such as layang-layang di ibukota indicate a sense of being lost and alienated. The didactic tone of the last part of the poem, with its repetition of rhetorical questions Apakah gunanya pendidikan … ? also emphasises the need for an individual to seek an education in their own community if they wish to succeed.
Candidates are required to use literary terminology accurately. Techniques, such as reflexive monologue, hiperbola, enjambment and intonasi were either not evident or irrelevant to this discussion.
Question 4
Many candidates demonstrated a comprehensive knowledge of the short story Kalau Anak-Anakku Pulang Pakansi and successfully contrasted the different perceptions of the child/parent relationship explored in the story. Many articulated the irony at the core of this relationship. To the father his children were a form of wealth (harta) but the children, who know the weakness of the father in attempting to treat all children fairly, take advantage of this and send him into debt. In better responses, candidates articulated the differing attitudes of parents and children towards each other, integrating the discussion of literary techniques with accompanying textual references that explain the theme.
There are three main techniques deserving comment: the first-person account which leads us to side with the father’s point of view, the characterisation of the father and, to a lesser extent, the mother as proud but indulgent parents, the children as thoughtless and selfish (especially Tjal who uses the money he is sent for the annual trip home to go on a holiday to Bali and Win who betrays his father by ordering new clothes despite being made aware of his father’s precarious economic situation) and the inner and direct conflicts faced by the father in his relationship with the children.
Weaker responses revealed a lack of accurate knowledge of the characters and events in the story, a misuse of literary terminology and a tendency to comment on techniques (such as hyperbole and simile) that did not advance the portrayal of the relationships between parents and children.
Part B
Question 5
Specific comments
Most candidates articulated the central issue as the fact that youth from the villages with similar education levels to those in the big cities find it difficult to either find a job in their field or to get hired over their city-educated cousins. A wide range of responses and a great variety of ideas were presented to either account for this discrimination or inequality: from stereotyping to corruption and nepotism, lack of social graces, access to IT, better teachers and even suitable jobs in their area. Others even criticised the argument presented in the editorial and gave personal examples that suggested youth from the village could succeed.
Candidates are reminded that just restating or rephrasing the ideas in the original article will not fulfil the demands of the question.
Section III – Writing in Indonesian
General comments
In the writing section, many candidates wrote for a specific context, purpose and audience, demonstrating originality, creativity and an excellent control of the Indonesian language.
Question 6
Specific comments
This question provided an opportunity for many candidates to speak from personal experience, with the better responses explaining why they were writing a letter to their friend and not just posting an entry on Facebook. They gave detailed, interesting and original reflections on how dependent they were on electronics and how this had usually, but not always, been a positive experience and a ‘wake-up call’. In weaker responses, candidates confused electronics with electrical devices and concentrated on ‘outbound’ experiences rather than reflecting on their personal feelings and impressions, although using the experience in the ‘wild’ was often used effectively as a springboard for reflection.
Question 7
In better responses, candidates described a range of cultural and historical icons in the Jogyakarta area such as Borobudur, Prambanan, Kota Gede, the kraton and batik making among others and reflected on what the presence and preservation of these icons meant for Indonesian society and them personally.
NSW Government