2015 Notes from the Marking Centre – Indonesian Background Speakers
Introduction
This document has been produced for the teachers and candidates of the Stage 6 Indonesian Background Speakers 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 Indonesian Background Speakers Stage 6 Syllabus
- the 2015 Higher School Certificate Indonesian Background Speakers 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 Indonesian in Stage 6.
Section I – Listening and Responding: Part A
Characteristics of better responses:
- an understanding of who puts pressures on Tono, including himself, was demonstrated
- a comprehensive understanding of how technology has affected Tono’s whole life and not just his school and/or social life was shown
- an understanding of the language techniques used to depict Tono’s feelings was evident
- responses were supported with relevant references to the text
- texts were paraphrased rather than simply translated.
Characteristics of weaker responses:
- candidates showed a limited understanding of how technology has affected Tono’s life
- candidates demonstrated a limited understanding of language techniques used
- responses were not supported with reference to the text.
Section I – Listening and Responding: Part B
Characteristics of better responses:
- close reference to both texts was made
- both texts were synthesised into the new text type required
- candidates compared and contrasted all aspects of the issues raised in both texts
- candidates wrote from the point of view of Iwan.
Characteristics of weaker responses:
- candidates focused on one text
- candidates referenced both texts but not in detail
- candidates misunderstood and/or misquoted the information in the listening texts
- candidates listed details from the text rather than comparing and contrasting the issues.
Section II – Reading and Responding: Part A
Characteristics of better responses:
- candidates recognised the significance of ‘the first son’ and ‘the first/eldest daughter-in-law’ within the family hierarchy (Q3)
- candidates included appropriate details to support their answers, such as Lan Fang’s willingness to do IVF (Q3)
- an analysis of the characters in the film, especially the two main characters, was included (Q4)
- the importance of the female character, Monita, in relation to the question was recognised (Q4)
- relevant scenes from the film were selected to support an argument (Q4)
- a thorough knowledge of the prescribed text and the contemporary issues was shown (Q4)
- the content and the textual features used were analysed and related back to the question (Q4).
Characteristics of weaker responses:
- candidates did not explain how tradition has affected Lan Fang’s attitude (Q3)
- irony, both in general and as it is understood in the prescribed text, was not understood (Q3)
- little or no knowledge of the prescribed texts was shown (Q3 and Q4)
- candidates did not use the correct textual features to support their argument (Q4)
- candidates identified isolated scenes from the prescribed text but did not relate them back to the question, the theme and the contemporary issues (Q4).
Section II – Reading and Responding: Part B
Characteristics of better responses:
- candidates closely referenced and linked the content of the stimulus text into their answers
- candidates addressed many of the specifics of the stimulus text while providing a rebuttal
- candidates addressed issues beyond the obvious, such as bad bosses and maltreatment, and included other factors such as loneliness, cultural differences and the human cost of leaving one’s family
- the contemporary issue in the stimulus text was understood
- responses were convincing and supported with relevant facts and examples
- sophisticated language was included.
Characteristics of weaker responses:
- candidates responded to only one aspect of the stimulus text
- the contemporary issues in the stimulus text were misunderstood
- the content of one of the prescribed texts was restated
- responses were not supported with relevant facts, and examples and were not convincing
- little or no elaboration of ideas was provided.
Section III – Writing in Indonesian
Characteristics of better responses:
- the requirement of the questions were fully understood
- the best of Indonesian values were identified and linked to the person chosen (Q6)
- candidates described what the person had done accurately (Q6)
- an explanation of how the person chosen had influenced youth in a good way was provided (Q7)
- original ideas were used and supported by relevant examples
- candidates wrote with sophistication and flair.
Characteristics of weaker responses:
- candidates only recounted what the person had done and with inaccuracies (Q6)
- a superficial understanding of the contemporary issues and the questions was shown
- a narrow range of ideas with examples that were clichéd and stereotypical was provided.
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