1. Home
2. HSC Syllabuses
3. Languages
4. Rules Governing the Conduct of the HSC Continuers Oral Examinations in Korean, Modern Hebrew and Vietnamese

Rules Governing the Conduct of the HSC Continuers Oral Examinations in Korean, Modern Hebrew and Vietnamese

1. Before the examination session commences, the examiner should check that the cassette recorder to be used is in good working order.
   
   
2. A separate cassette for each student will be supplied by the Board of Studies. Only if a supplied cassette is faulty should another cassette be used.
   
   
3. Students will be supervised from the waiting area to the examination room by a Board Supervisor.
   
   
4. The starting and finishing times for each student will be monitored and recorded.
   
   
5. The Board Supervisor will write the Student Number on the label of the cassette itself, as well as on the plastic case. This will then be given to the student to give to the examiner in the examination room. There is NO preparation time.
   
   
6. The student should be seated comfortably near the microphone, in such a way that an audible recording will be made.
   
   
7. There are two sections in this examination, Section I – Conversation, and Section II – Discussion. The student will attempt BOTH sections.
   
   
8. The examiner will start the cassette recorder by pressing the Play and Record buttons together. The examiner will allow fifteen seconds for the leader tape to pass the recording head. The examiner will then say: Please state your Student Number. The student will state his/her Student Number in ENGLISH. The examiner will stop the cassette recorder by pressing Stop, rewind the tape by pressing Rewind, play back the recording by pressing Play, and wait to hear that the Student Number has recorded. When the examiner has heard the Student Number played back, the examiner will stop the cassette recorder by pressing Stop. The examiner will advise the student that he/she is about to commence recording the examination. The examiner will start the cassette recorder again by pressing the Play and Record buttons together, and then say: The examination will now commence.
   
   
9. The examiner will then state Section I – Conversation, and commence the conversation with the student.
   
   
10. The language used will be Modern Standard [Language], as indicated in the [Language] Syllabus (cf Section 2.1, ‘The Language’)
    
    
11. Section I will take approximately seven minutes, irrespective of the number of questions asked.
    
    
12. The examiner will vary the questions for each student, thus ensuring that no two students have a common experience of the examination. Examiners will ensure that the range and depth of questions asked are sufficient to allow an accurate assessment of the student’s linguistic ability.
    
    
13. Throughout the examination, the examiner will avoid asking questions that could elicit information that could identify the student, his/her teacher or school.
    
    
14. At the end of Section I, the examiner will say: This is the end of Section I – Conversation. After a short pause, the examiner will say: Section II – Discussion will now commence. The examiner will then ask the student in [Language] for the subject of the in-depth study chosen for the Discussion.
    
    Section II will take approximately 8 minutes.
    
    The examiner will discuss the in-depth study with the student. The examiner will ask questions that will encourage the student to discuss the purpose for undertaking the study and that will allow the student to present his/her thoughts and opinions on the topic.
    
    
15. The student may support both the Conversation and Discussion with objects such as photographs, diagrams and maps. However, notes and cue cards are NOT permitted.
    
    
16. Examiners will NOT examine students known to them. This includes, for example, relatives, neighbours and students taught and/or tutored by them. It is the responsibility of the examiner to disclose to the Supervisor of Marking any potential conflict of interest.
    
    
17. The cassette recorder must NOT be stopped OR paused during the conduct of the examination.
    
    If, due to unforeseen circumstances, the cassette recorder is stopped or paused during the course of the examination, a precise written report of those circumstances must be submitted to the Board of Studies. The report must also include precise details of the way in which the student was affected by the interruption to the examination. A copy of the report should be enclosed with the student’s examination cassette.
    
    
18. After the student has completed Section II, the examiner will say: This is the end of the examination.
    
    Only then will the cassette recorder be stopped.
    
    
19. The examiner should rewind the tape and listen to a short section at the end of the examination to ensure that an audible recording of the examination has been made.
    
    
20. If a recording is inaudible, the student will be asked to remain in the examination room and the examiner will send for the Supervisor of Marking or a Senior Marker. If a second recording is deemed necessary, the examination should be recorded on a different cassette and marked Second Examination. A written report of the malfunction should be inserted into the cassette case, and BOTH cassettes should be returned to the Board of Studies.
    
    
21. It is the responsibility of the Board Supervisor of the examination centre to ensure that students who have completed the examination have no contact with students who are still to be examined.