Heritage Chinese (Mandarin) – 2012 HSC Specimen Examination Paper
Introduction
This package contains:
- a specimen examination paper (PDF) for the 2012 Higher School Certificate examination in Heritage Chinese (Mandarin) (including a transcript of spoken texts)
- mapping grids, showing how each question in the examination relates to the syllabus outcomes and content, and to performance bands
- sample marking guidelines for the oral examination
- sample marking guidelines for Sections I and II of the written examination (PDF)
- the performance band descriptions for Heritage Chinese (Mandarin).
The 2012 HSC specimen papers have been produced in accordance with the Board’s Principles for Setting HSC Examinations. Questions are closely related to the outcomes of the course, and the papers as a whole are structured to allow for appropriate differentiation of student performance at all levels on the performance scale.
The papers have been designed so that students have a clear understanding of what they are required to do in each question and in working through the paper for Heritage Chinese (Mandarin). Key words in questions, such as ‘summarise’, ‘synthesise’ and ‘analyse’, have been used consistently in accordance with the glossary published in the Board’s Glossary of Key Words. The questions are written to ensure that the demands of the questions are clear and accessible to all students and allow them to demonstrate what they know, understand and can do.
This specimen paper contains examples of the types of questions that could be asked within the examination specifications in the new Heritage Chinese (Mandarin) syllabus. Examinations will be based on the syllabus and will test a representative sample of syllabus outcomes. Therefore, the range and balance of outcomes tested in HSC examinations in 2012 and subsequent years may differ from those in the specimen paper. In subsequent examinations, the style and structure of the questions may differ from those in this specimen paper. As a suite, the specimen papers for all Heritage language courses indicate a range of possible variations in terms of structure and question style.
The mapping grid is an important feature of the development of the examination. It helps to ensure that the examination as a whole samples a range of content and outcomes, and allows all students the opportunity to demonstrate their level of achievement.
Marking guidelines are developed at the same time as the examination questions and show the criteria to be applied to the responses to questions, together with the marks to be awarded in line with the quality of the responses. Where appropriate, a sample answer is provided. The sample answer is one example of the type of response that would be sufficient to gain full marks, and is included as an indication of the scope and depth required. For extended-response questions, performance is described at a number of levels of performance, each covering a range of marks. Marking guidelines will generally require some refinement at the marking centre to take account of unanticipated responses that students present. In many cases, the standard described at each mark range will be made clear during test-marking by the selection of sample scripts to provide annotated benchmark scripts.
There are a number of points to note in considering the Heritage Chinese (Mandarin) specimen paper:
- The Heritage Chinese (Mandarin) specimen paper is one of four Heritage language specimen papers. The syllabuses share a common structure and the specimen examinations were developed as a suite.
- The examination specifications allow variation in a number of aspects of section 1 of the examination, Responding to texts, such as the number of texts and the lengths of the responses in Chinese (Mandarin), the number of spoken and/or audiovisual texts, and the number of responses requiring a response in English. The four Heritage language specimen papers, as a suite, reflect a range of examination possibilities. Aspects of HSC examinations in 2012 and subsequent years will differ from the specimen paper.
- Spoken and written texts are interspersed throughout Section 1: Responding to texts and reflect the modern standard language in its contemporary context. Some questions may be related to both a spoken and a written text.
- The inclusion of audiovisual texts in the examination specifications for Section 1: Responding to texts allows for the integration of technology into the delivery of examinations in the future.
- The criteria for judging performance are based on the syllabus outcomes and have been included as a rubric at the beginning of each section.
- In Section 1: Responding to texts, one of the criteria for judging performance in the rubrics used to assess responses is ‘communicate relevant information and ideas in either comprehensible Chinese (Mandarin) or English as required’. In this context, the word ‘comprehensible’ refers to the student’s ability to communicate responses in understandable Chinese (Mandarin) or understandable English.
- For those marking guidelines related to questions requiring candidates to ‘summarise’, marks will be allocated for the student’s demonstration of the ability to identify the main points of a text and express this information succinctly.