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AnglophoneWritingAssessments:Contexts,Purposes,andApproaches
Dippingmyfeetintothewaters
LesPerelmanMassachusettsInstituteofTechnology
50thAnniversaryDartmouthInstituteandConferenceFriday,August12,2016
SessionE
Handouts
AdvancedPlacementLanguage&CompositionExam(USA)2016
AP® English Language and Composition 2016 Free-Response Questions
© 2016 The College Board. College Board, Advanced Placement Program, AP, AP Central, and the acorn logo are registered trademarks of the College Board. Visit the College Board on the Web: www.collegeboard.org. AP Central is the official online home for the AP Program: apcentral.collegeboard.org.
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ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION SECTION II
Total Time—2 hours, 15 minutes
Question 1
Suggested reading and writing time—55 minutes. It is suggested that you spend 15 minutes reading the question, analyzing and evaluating the sources,
and 40 minutes writing your response. Note: You may begin writing your response before the reading period is over.
(This question counts for one-third of the total essay section score.)
Over the past several decades, the English language has become increasingly globalized, and it is now seen by many as the dominant language in international finance, science, and politics. Concurrent with the worldwide spread of English is the decline of foreign language learning in English-speaking countries, where monolingualism—the use of a single language—remains the norm.
Carefully read the following six sources, including the introductory information for each source. Then synthesize information from at least three of the sources and incorporate it into a coherent, well-developed essay that argues a clear position on whether monolingual English speakers are at a disadvantage today.
Your argument should be the focus of your essay. Use the sources to develop your argument and explain the reasoning for it. Avoid merely summarizing the sources. Indicate clearly which sources you are drawing from, whether through direct quotation, paraphrase, or summary. You may cite the sources as Source A, Source B, etc., or by using the descriptions in parentheses.
Source A (Berman) Source B (Thomas) Source C (Erard) Source D (Oaks) Source E (table) Source F (Cohen)
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Source A
Berman, Russell A. “Foreign Language for Foreign Policy?” Inside Higher Ed. Inside Higher Ed, 23 Nov. 2010. Web. 8 May 2013.
The following is excerpted from an article on a Web site devoted to higher education.
These are troubled times for language programs in the United States, which have been battered by irresponsible cutbacks at all levels. Despite the chatter about globalization and multilateralism that has dominated public discourse in recent years, leaders in government and policy circles continue to live in a bubble of their own making, imagining that we can be global while refusing to learn the languages or learn about the cultures of the rest of the world. So it was surely encouraging that Richard Haass, president of the Council on Foreign Relations and a fixture of the foreign policy establishment, agreed to deliver the keynote address at the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages Annual Convention in Boston on November 19.
Haass is a distinguished author, Oberlin- and Oxford-educated, and an influential voice in American debates. The good news is that in his talk, “Language as a Gateway to Global Communities,” Haass expressed strong support for increased foreign language learning opportunities. He recognized the important work that language instructors undertake as well as the crucial connection between language and culture: language learning is not just technical mastery of grammar but rather, in his words, a “gateway” to a thorough understanding of other societies. . . .
Haass claims that in an era of tight budgets, we need convincing arguments to rally support for languages. Of course that’s true, but—and this is the bad news—despite his support for language as a gateway to other cultures, he countenances only a narrowly instrumental defense for foreign language learning, limited to two rationales: national security and global economy. At the risk of schematizing his account too severely, this means: more Arabic for national security and more Mandarin, Hindi, and, en passant, Korean for the economy. It appears that in his view the only compelling arguments for language-learning involve equipping individual Americans to be better vehicles of national interest as defined by Washington. In fact, at a revealing moment in the talk, Haass boiled his own position down to a neat choice: Fallujah or Firenze. We need more Arabic to do better in Fallujah, i.e., so we could have been more effective in the Iraq War (or could be in the next one?), and we need less Italian because Italy (to his mind) is a place that is only about culture.
In this argument, Italian—like other European languages—is a luxury. There was no mention of French as a global language, with its crucial presence in Africa and North America. Haass even seems to regard Spanish as just one more European language, except perhaps that it might be useful to manage instability in Mexico. Such arguments that reduce language learning to foreign policy objectives get too simple too quickly. And they run the risk of destroying the same foreign language learning agenda they claim to defend. Language learning in Haass’s view ultimately becomes just a boot camp for our students to be better soldiers, more efficient in carrying out the projects of the foreign policy establishment. That program stands in stark contrast to a vision of language learning as part of an education of citizens who can think for themselves.
Haass’s account deserves attention: he is influential and thoughtful, and he is by no means alone in reducing the rationale for foreign language learning solely to national foreign policy needs. . . .Yet even on his own instrumental terms, Haass seemed to get it wrong. If language learning were primarily about plugging into large economies more successfully, then we should be offering more Japanese and German (still two very big economies after all), but they barely showed up on his map.
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The much more important issue involves getting beyond instrumental thinking altogether, at least in the educational sphere. Second language acquisition is a key component of education because it builds student ability in language as such. Students who do well in a second language do better in their first language. With the core language skills—abilities to speak and to listen, to read and to write—come higher-order capacities: to interpret and understand, to recognize cultural difference, and, yes, to appreciate traditions, including one’s own. Language learning is not just an instrumental skill, any more than one’s writing ability is merely about learning to type on a keyboard. On the contrary, through language we become better thinkers, and that’s what education is about, at least outside Washington.
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Source B
Thomas, David. “Why Do the English Need to Speak a Foreign Language When Foreigners All Speak English?” MailOnline [UK]. Associated Newspapers Ltd, 23 Jan. 2012. Web. 8 May 2013.
The following is excerpted from an online article in a British newspaper.
Department for Education figures show that fewer and fewer of us are learning a foreign language, while more and more foreigners are becoming multi-lingual. This, say distraught commentators, will condemn us pathetic Little Englanders to a life of dismal isolation while our educated, sophisticated, Euro-competitors chat away to foreign customers and steal all our business as a result.
In fact, I think those pupils who don’t learn other languages are making an entirely sensible decision. Learning foreign languages is a pleasant form of intellectual self-improvement: a genteel indulgence like learning to embroider or play the violin. A bit of French or Spanish comes in handy on holiday if you’re the sort of person who likes to reassure the natives that you’re more sophisticated than the rest of the tourist herd. But there’s absolutely no need to learn any one particular language unless you’ve got a specific professional use for it.
Consider the maths. There are roughly 6,900 living languages in the world. Europe alone has 234 languages spoken on a daily basis. So even if I was fluent in all the languages I’ve ever even begun to tackle, I’d only be able to speak to a minority of my fellow-Europeans in their mother tongues. And that’s before I’d so much as set foot in the Middle East, Africa and Asia.
The planet’s most common first language is Mandarin Chinese, which has around 850 million speakers. Clearly, anyone seeking to do business in the massive Chinese market would do well to brush up on their Mandarin, although they might need a bit of help with those hundreds of millions of Chinese whose preferred dialect is Cantonese.
The only problem is that Mandarin is not spoken by anyone who is not Chinese, so it’s not much use in that equally significant 21st century powerhouse, India. Nor does learning one of the many languages used on the sub-Continent help one communicate with Arab or Turkish or Swahili-speakers.
There is, however, one language that does perform the magic trick of uniting the entire globe. If you ever go, as I have done, to one of the horrendous international junkets which film studios hold to promote their latest blockbusters, you’ll encounter a single extraordinary language that, say, the Brazilian, Swedish, Japanese and Italian reporters use both to chat with one another and question the American stars.
This is the language of science, commerce, global politics, aviation, popular music and, above all, the internet. It’s the language that 85 per cent of all Europeans learn as their second language; the language that has become the default tongue of the EU; the language that President Sarkozy of France uses with Chancellor Merkel of Germany when plotting how to stitch up the British.
This magical language is English. It unites the whole world in the way no other language can. It’s arguably the major reason why our little island has such a disproportionately massive influence on global culture: from Shakespeare to Harry Potter, from James Bond to the Beatles.
All those foreigners who are so admirably learning another language are learning the one we already know. So our school pupils don’t need to learn any foreign tongues. They might, of course, do well to become much, much better at speaking, writing, spelling and generally using English correctly. But that’s another argument altogether.
Daily Mail.
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Source C
Erard, Michael. “Are We Really Monolingual?” New York Times. New York Times, 14 Jan. 2012. Web. 8 May 2013.
Unfortunately, we do not have the permission to reproduce “Are We Really Monolingual?” by Michael Erard on this web site.
The article was published in the New York Times.
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Source D
Oaks, Ursula. “Foreign-Language Learning: What the United States Is Missing Out On.” Blog.NAFSA.org. NAFSA: Association of International Educators, 20 April 2010. Web. 8 May 2013.
The following is excerpted from a Weblog maintained by NAFSA, a leading professional association based in the United States and dedicated to international education.
It seemed a notably strange coincidence that the day after the Chronicle of Higher Education’s fascinating article about foreign-language acquisition and its remarkable contributions to the human mind and to society, Inside Higher Ed reported that George Washington University’s arts and sciences faculty had voted by an “overwhelming” margin not only to remove its foreign languages and cultures course requirement, but also to set up the new requirements in such a way that introductory foreign language courses can no longer count toward fulfilling any degree requirement in the college. At the same time, GW’s curricular reform is apparently “designed to promote student learning in areas such as global perspectives and oral communications.”
One wonders how “global perspectives” can happen without foreign language. But Catherine Porter (a former president of the Modern Language Association), writing in the Chronicle, puts it rather more bluntly. The lack of foreign-language learning in our society, she states, is “a devastating waste of potential.” Students who learn languages at an early age “consistently display enhanced cognitive abilities relative to their monolingual peers.” This isn’t about being able to impress their parents’ friends by piping up in Chinese at the dinner table—the research is showing that these kids can think better. Porter writes: “Demands that the language-learning process makes on the brain . . . make the brain more flexible and incite it to discover new patterns—and thus to create and maintain more circuits.”
But there’s so much more. Porter points out, as many others have, that in diplomatic, military, professional and commercial contexts, being monolingual is a significant handicap. In short, making the United States a more multilingual society would carry with it untold benefits: we would be more effective in global affairs, more comfortable in multicultural environments, and more nimble-minded and productive in daily life.
One of Porter’s most interesting observations, to me, was about how multilingualism enhances “brain fitness.” My own journey in languages is something for which I cannot claim any real foresight or deliberate intention, but by the age of 16, I spoke English, Hungarian, and French fluently. I’ve managed, through travel and personal and family connections, to maintain all three. One thing I know for sure is that when I get on the phone with my mother and talk to her in Hungarian for 20 minutes, or if I have to type out an email to a friend in Paris, afterwards I feel like I’ve had a mental jog on the treadmill: strangely energized, brain-stretched, more ready for any challenge, whether it’s cooking a new dish or drafting an op-ed. And the connective cultural tissue created by deep immersion in another language cannot be overstated. When I went to Hungary during grad school to research my thesis, I figured: no problem, it’s my native tongue. Yes, but I first learned it when I was a toddler, and never since then. The amount of preparation I had to do to be sure I didn’t miss nuance or cultural cues and didn’t draw conclusions based on erroneous translation, was significant, but well worth it. Time and again, I’ve realized how language can transform our interactions with one another. Porter’s article is a wake-up call that neglecting foreign-language learning is hurting our country in more ways than we realize.
Used with permission of NAFSA: Association of International Educators.
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Source E
“Population 5 Years and Older Who Spoke a Language Other Than English at Home by Language Group and English-Speaking Ability: 2007.” Table in “Language Use in the United States: 2007.” United States Census Bureau. United States Census Bureau, April 2010. Web. 8 May 2013.
The following is adapted from a table in a report from the 2007 American Community Survey (United States Census Bureau) on language use in the United States.
Population 5 Years and Older Who Spoke a Language Other Than English at Home by Language Group and English-Speaking Ability: 2007
(For information on confidentiality protection, sampling error, nonsampling error, and definitions, see www.census.gov/acs/www/)
Characteristic Total people English-speaking ability
Very well Well Not well Not at allNUMBER
Population 5 years and older 280,950,438 (X) (X) (X) (X)
Spoke only English at home 225,505,953 (X) (X) (X) (X)
Spoke a language other than English at home 55,444,485 30,975,474 10,962,722 9,011,298 4,494,991
Spoke a language other than English at home 55,444,485 30,975,474 10,962,722 9,011,298 4,494,991
Spanish or Spanish Creole 34,547,077 18,179,530 6,322,170 6,344,110 3,701,267
Other Indo-European languages 10,320,730 6,936,808 2,018,148 1,072,025 293,749
Asian and Pacific Island languages 8,316,426 4,274,794 2,176,180 1,412,264 453,188
Other languages 2,260,252 1,584,342 446,224 182,899 46,787
(X) Not applicable. Note: Margins of error for all estimates can be found in Appendix Table 1 at <www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/language/ appendix.html>. For more information on the ACS, see <www.census.gov/acs/www/>. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2007 American Community Survey.
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Source F
Cohen, Paul. “The Rise and Fall of the American Linguistic Empire.” Dissent 59.4 (2012): 20-21. Web. 10 Sept. 2013.
Unfortunately, we do not have the permission to reproduce “The Rise and F all of the American Linguistic Empire” by Paul Cohen on this website.
The article was published in Dissent magazine.
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Question 2
Suggested time—40 minutes.
(This question counts for one-third of the total essay section score.)
On June 11, 2004, Margaret Thatcher, the former prime minister of Great Britain, delivered the following eulogy to the American people in honor of former United States president Ronald Reagan, with whom she had worked closely. Read the eulogy carefully. Then, in a well-developed essay, analyze the rhetorical strategies that Thatcher uses to convey her message.
We have lost a great president, a great American, and a great man, and I have lost a dear friend.
In his lifetime, Ronald Reagan was such a cheerful and invigorating presence that it was easy to forget what daunting historic tasks he set himself. He sought to mend America’s wounded spirit, to restore the strength of the free world, and to free the slaves of communism. These were causes hard to accomplish and heavy with risk, yet they were pursued with almost a lightness of spirit, for Ronald Reagan also 10
embodied another great cause, what Arnold Bennett once called “the great cause of cheering us all up.” His policies had a freshness and optimism that won converts from every class and every nation, and ultimately, from the very heart of the “evil empire.”1 15
Yet his humour often had a purpose beyond humour. In the terrible hours after the attempt on his life, his easy jokes gave reassurance to an anxious world. They were evidence that in the aftermath of terror and in the midst of hysteria one great heart at 20
least remained sane and jocular. They were truly grace under pressure. And perhaps they signified grace of a deeper kind. Ronnie himself certainly believed that he had been given back his life for a purpose. As he told a priest after his recovery, 25
“Whatever time I’ve got left now belongs to the big fella upstairs.” And surely, it is hard to deny that Ronald Reagan’s life was providential when we look at what he achieved in the eight years that followed.
Others prophesied the decline of the West. He 30
inspired America and its allies with renewed faith in their mission of freedom.
Others saw only limits to growth. He transformed a stagnant economy into an engine of opportunity.
Others hoped, at best, for an uneasy cohabitation 35
with the Soviet Union. He won the Cold War, not only without firing a shot, but also by inviting enemies out of their fortress and turning them into friends.
I cannot imagine how any diplomat or any 40
dramatist could improve on his words to Mikhail Gorbachev2 at the Geneva summit. “Let me
tell you why it is we distrust you.” Those words are candid and tough, and they cannot have been easy to hear. But they are also a clear invitation to a new 45
beginning and a new relationship that would be rooted in trust.
We live today in the world that Ronald Reagan began to reshape with those words. It is a very different world, with different challenges and new 50
dangers. All in all, however, it is one of greater freedom and prosperity, one more hopeful than the world he inherited on becoming president.
As Prime Minister, I worked closely with Ronald Reagan for eight of the most important years 55
of all our lives. We talked regularly, both before and after his presidency, and I’ve had time and cause to reflect on what made him a great president.
Ronald Reagan knew his own mind. He had firm principles and, I believe, right ones. He expounded 60
them clearly. He acted upon them decisively. When the world threw problems at the White House, he was not baffled or disorientated or overwhelmed.
He knew almost instinctively what to do. When his aides were preparing option papers for 65
his decision, they were able to cut out entire rafts of proposals that they knew the old man would never wear. When his allies came under Soviet or domestic pressure, they could look confidently to Washington for firm leadership, and when his enemies tested 70
American resolve, they soon discovered that his resolve was firm and unyielding.
Yet his ideas, so clear, were never simplistic. He saw the many sides of truth. Yes, he warned that the Soviet Union had an insatiable drive for military 75
power and territorial expansion, but he also sensed that it was being eaten away by systemic failures impossible to reform. Yes, he did not shrink from denouncing Moscow’s evil empire, but he realized that a man of good will might nonetheless emerge 80
from within its dark corridors. So the president resisted Soviet expansion and
pressed down on Soviet weakness at every point until the day came when communism began to collapse
Line
5
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beneath the combined weight of those pressures and 85
its own failures. And when a man of good will did emerge from the ruins, President Reagan stepped forward to shake his hand and to offer sincere cooperation.
Nothing was more typical of Ronald Reagan than 90
that large-hearted magnanimity, and nothing was more American.
Therein lies perhaps the final explanation of his achievements. Ronald Reagan carried the American people with him in his great endeavours because there 95
was perfect sympathy between them. He and they loved America and what it stands for: freedom and opportunity for ordinary people.
1 A phrase used by Reagan to describe the Soviet Union
2 The leader of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1985 to 1991
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Question 3
Suggested time—40 minutes.
(This question counts for one-third of the total essay section score.)
In 1891, Irish author Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) observed, “Disobedience, in the eyes of anyone who has read history, is man’s original virtue. It is through disobedience that progress has been made, through disobedience and through rebellion.”
Wilde claims that disobedience is a valuable human trait and that it promotes social progress. Write an essay that argues your position on the extent to which Wilde’s claims are valid. Use appropriate examples from your reading, experience, or observations to support your argument.
STOP
END OF EXAM
AP® English Language and Composition 2016 Scoring Guidelines
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AP® ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 2016 SCORING GUIDELINES
© 2016 The College Board. Visit the College Board on the Web: www.collegeboard.org.
Question 1 The essay’s score should reflect the essay’s quality as a whole. Remember that students had only 15 minutes to read the sources and 40 minutes to write; the essay, therefore, is not a finished product and should not be judged by standards appropriate for an out-of-class assignment. Evaluate the essay as a draft, making certain to reward students for what they do well. All essays, even those scored 8 or 9, may contain occasional lapses in analysis, prose style, or mechanics. Such features should enter into your holistic evaluation of an essay’s overall quality. In no case should you give a score higher than a 2 to a paper with errors in grammar and mechanics that persistently interfere with your understanding of meaning. ___________________________________________________________________________________________
9 – Essays earning a score of 9 meet the criteria for the score of 8 and, in addition, are especially sophisticated in their argument, thorough in development, or impressive in their control of language.
8 – Effective Essays earning a score of 8 effectively argue a position on whether monolingual English speakers are at a disadvantage today. They develop their argument by effectively synthesizing* at least three of the sources. The evidence and explanations used are appropriate and convincing. Their prose demonstrates a consistent ability to control a wide range of the elements of effective writing but is not necessarily flawless.
7 – Essays earning a score of 7 meet the criteria for the score of 6 but provide more complete explanation, more thorough development, or a more mature prose style.
6 – Adequate Essays earning a score of 6 adequately argue a position on whether monolingual English speakers are at a disadvantage today. They develop their argument by adequately synthesizing at least three of the sources. The evidence and explanations used are appropriate and sufficient. The language may contain lapses in diction or syntax, but generally the prose is clear. 5 – Essays earning a score of 5 argue a position on whether monolingual English speakers are at a disadvantage today. They develop their argument by synthesizing at least three sources, but how they use and explain sources may be uneven, inconsistent, or limited. The student’s argument is generally clear, and the sources generally develop the student’s position, but the links between the sources and the argument may be strained. The writing may contain lapses in diction or syntax, but it usually conveys the student’s ideas. 4 – Inadequate Essays earning a score of 4 inadequately argue a position on whether monolingual English speakers are at a disadvantage today. They develop their argument by synthesizing at least two sources, but the evidence or explanations used may be inappropriate, insufficient, or unconvincing. The sources may dominate the student’s attempts at development, the link between the argument and the sources may be weak, or the student may misunderstand, misrepresent, or oversimplify the sources. The prose generally conveys the student’s ideas but may be inconsistent in controlling the elements of effective writing.
AP® ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 2016 SCORING GUIDELINES
© 2016 The College Board. Visit the College Board on the Web: www.collegeboard.org.
Question 1 (continued)
3 – Essays earning a score of 3 meet the criteria for the score of 4 but demonstrate less success in arguing a position on whether monolingual English speakers are at a disadvantage today. They are less perceptive in their understanding of the sources, or their explanation or examples may be particularly limited or simplistic. The essays may show less maturity in their control of writing.
2 – Little Success Essays earning a score of 2 demonstrate little success in arguing a position on whether monolingual English speakers are at a disadvantage today. They may merely allude to knowledge gained from reading the sources rather than citing the sources themselves. The student may misread the sources, fail to develop a position, or substitute a simpler task by merely summarizing or categorizing the sources or by merely responding to the prompt tangentially with unrelated, inaccurate, or inappropriate explanation. The prose often demonstrates consistent weaknesses in writing, such as grammatical problems, a lack of development or organization, or a lack of control.
1 – Essays earning a score of 1 meet the criteria for the score of 2 but are undeveloped, especially simplistic in their explanation, weak in their control of writing, or do not allude to or cite even one source.
0 – Indicates an off-topic response, one that merely repeats the prompt, an entirely crossed-out response, a drawing, or a response in a language other than English. — Indicates an entirely blank response. ∗ For the purposes of scoring, synthesis means using sources to develop a position and citing them accurately.
AP® ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 2016 SCORING GUIDELINES
© 2016 The College Board. Visit the College Board on the Web: www.collegeboard.org.
Question 2
The essay’s score should reflect the essay’s quality as a whole. Remember that students had only 40 minutes to read and write; the essay, therefore, is not a finished product and should not be judged by standards appropriate for an out-of-class assignment. Evaluate the essay as a draft, making certain to reward students for what they do well. All essays, even those scored 8 or 9, may contain occasional lapses in analysis, prose style, or mechanics. Such features should enter into your holistic evaluation of an essay’s overall quality. In no case should you give a score higher than a 2 to an essay with errors in grammar and mechanics that persistently interfere with your understanding of meaning. ___________________________________________________________________________________________
9 – Essays earning a score of 9 meet the criteria for the score of 8 and, in addition, are especially sophisticated in their argument, thorough in their development, or impressive in their control of language.
8 – Effective Essays earning a score of 8 effectively analyze* the rhetorical strategies that Thatcher uses to convey her message. They develop their analysis with evidence and explanations that are appropriate and convincing, referring to the passage explicitly or implicitly. The prose demonstrates a consistent ability to control a wide range of the elements of effective writing but is not necessarily flawless.
7 – Essays earning a score of 7 meet the criteria for the score of 6 but provide more complete explanation, more thorough development, or a more mature prose style.
6 – Adequate Essays earning a score of 6 adequately analyze the rhetorical strategies that Thatcher uses to convey her message. They develop their analysis with evidence and explanations that are appropriate and sufficient, referring to the passage explicitly or implicitly. The writing may contain lapses in diction or syntax, but generally the prose is clear. 5 – Essays earning a score of 5 analyze the rhetorical strategies that Thatcher uses to convey her message. The evidence or explanations used may be uneven, inconsistent, or limited. The writing may contain lapses in diction or syntax, but it usually conveys the student’s ideas. 4 – Inadequate Essays earning a score of 4 inadequately analyze the rhetorical strategies that Thatcher uses to convey her message. These essays may misunderstand the passage, misrepresent the strategies Thatcher uses, or analyze these strategies insufficiently. The evidence or explanations used may be inappropriate, insufficient, or unconvincing. The prose generally conveys the student’s ideas but may be inconsistent in controlling the elements of effective writing.
AP® ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 2016 SCORING GUIDELINES
© 2016 The College Board. Visit the College Board on the Web: www.collegeboard.org.
Question 2 (continued)
3 – Essays earning a score of 3 meet the criteria for the score of 4 but demonstrate less success in analyzing the rhetorical strategies that Thatcher uses to convey her message. They are less perceptive in their understanding of the passage or Thatcher’s strategies, or the explanations or examples may be particularly limited or simplistic. The essays may show less maturity in their control of writing.
2 – Little Success Essays earning a score of 2 demonstrate little success in analyzing the rhetorical strategies that Thatcher uses to convey her message. The student may misunderstand the prompt, misread the passage, fail to analyze the strategies Thatcher uses, or substitute a simpler task by responding to the prompt tangentially with unrelated, inaccurate, or inappropriate explanation. The prose often demonstrates consistent weaknesses in writing, such as grammatical problems, a lack of development or organization, or a lack of control.
1 – Essays earning a score of 1 meet the criteria for the score of 2 but are undeveloped, especially simplistic in their explanation, or weak in their control of language.
0 – Indicates an off-topic response, one that merely repeats the prompt, an entirely crossed-out response,
a drawing, or a response in a language other than English. — Indicates an entirely blank response. * For the purposes of scoring, analysis means explaining the rhetorical choices an author makes in an attempt to achieve a particular effect or purpose.
AP® ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 2016 SCORING GUIDELINES
© 2016 The College Board. Visit the College Board on the Web: www.collegeboard.org.
Question 3 The essay’s score should reflect the essay’s quality as a whole. Remember that students had only 40 minutes to read and write; the essay, therefore, is not a finished product and should not be judged by standards appropriate for an out-of-class assignment. Evaluate the essay as a draft, making certain to reward students for what they do well. All essays, even those scored 8 or 9, may contain occasional lapses in analysis, prose style, or mechanics. Such features should enter into your holistic evaluation of an essay’s overall quality. In no case should you give a score higher than a 2 to an essay with errors in grammar and mechanics that persistently interfere with your understanding of meaning. ___________________________________________________________________________________________
9 – Essays earning a score of 9 meet the criteria for the score of 8 and, in addition, are especially sophisticated in their argument, thorough in their development, or particularly impressive in their control of language.
8 – Effective Essays earning a score of 8 effectively argue a position on the extent to which Wilde’s claims are valid. The evidence and explanations used are appropriate and convincing, and the argument* is especially coherent and well developed. The prose demonstrates a consistent ability to control a wide range of the elements of effective writing but is not necessarily flawless.
7 – Essays earning a score of 7 meet the criteria for the score of 6 but provide a more complete explanation, more thorough development, or a more mature prose style.
6 – Adequate Essays earning a score of 6 adequately argue a position on the extent to which Wilde’s claims are valid. The evidence and explanations used are appropriate and sufficient, and the argument is coherent and adequately developed. The writing may contain lapses in diction or syntax, but generally the prose is clear. 5 – Essays earning a score of 5 argue a position on the extent to which Wilde’s claims are valid. The evidence or explanations used may be uneven, inconsistent, or limited. The writing may contain lapses in diction or syntax, but it usually conveys the student’s ideas. 4 – Inadequate Essays earning a score of 4 inadequately argue a position on the extent to which Wilde’s claims are valid. The evidence or explanations used may be inappropriate, insufficient, or unconvincing. The argument may have lapses in coherence or be inadequately developed. The prose generally conveys the student’s ideas but may be inconsistent in controlling the elements of effective writing.
3 – Essays earning a score of 3 meet the criteria for the score of 4 but demonstrate less success in arguing a position on the extent to which Wilde’s claims are valid. The essays may show less maturity in their control of writing.
AP® ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 2016 SCORING GUIDELINES
© 2016 The College Board. Visit the College Board on the Web: www.collegeboard.org.
Question 3 (continued) 2 – Little Success Essays earning a score of 2 demonstrate little success in arguing a position on the extent to which Wilde’s claims are valid. The student may misunderstand the prompt or substitute a simpler task by responding to the prompt tangentially with unrelated, inaccurate, or inappropriate explanation. The prose often demonstrates consistent weaknesses in writing, such as grammatical problems, a lack of development or organization, or a lack of coherence and control.
1 – Essays earning a score of 1 meet the criteria for the score of 2 but are undeveloped, especially simplistic in their explanation and argument, weak in their control of language, or especially lacking in coherence and development.
0 – Indicates an off-topic response, one that merely repeats the prompt, an entirely crossed-out response, a drawing or a response in a language other than English. — Indicates an entirely blank response. * For the purposes of scoring, argument means asserting a claim justified by evidence and/or reasoning.
UKAQAASEnglishLanguage(New)
ExampleExamination
SPECIMEN MATERIAL
Data Booklet
AS ENGLISH LANGUAGE (7701/1) Paper 1: Language and the Individual
2
Text A (for Question 1 and Question 3)
3
Turn over �
4
Text B (for Question 2 and Question 3)
5
END OF TEXTS
6
There are no texts printed on this page
7
There are no texts printed on this page
8
There are no texts printed on this page
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COPYRIGHT-HOLDERS AND PUBLISHERS Permission to reproduce all copyright material has been applied for. In some cases, efforts to contact copyright-holders have been unsuccessful and AQA will be happy to rectify any omissions of acknowledgements in future papers if notified. Text A: www.mumsnet.com Text B: www.mirror.co.uk/money/personal-finance/boys-now-spending-much-girls-1962555. Bond image: Pictorial Press Ltd/Alamy and Mirrorpix. Additional images © Thinkstock. Copyright © 2014 AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.
2015 Morning Time allowed: 1 hour 30 minutes Materials For this paper you must have: • an AQA 12-page answer booklet • data booklet to accompany the question paper. Instructions • Use black ink or black ball-point pen. • Write the information required on the front of your answer book. The Examining Body for this paper is AQA. The Paper Reference is 7701/1. • Answer all questions. • Do all rough work in your answer book. Cross through any work that you do not want to be marked. Information • The maximum mark for this paper is 70. • The marks for questions are shown in brackets. • There are 25 marks for Question 1, 25 marks for Question 2 and 20 marks for Question 3. • You will be marked on your ability to:
– use good English – organise information clearly – use specialist vocabulary where appropriate.
Advice • It is recommended that you spend 20 minutes reading and preparing the texts. It is
recommended that you spend 25 minutes writing your Question 1 answer, 25 minutes writing your Question 2 answer and 20 minutes writing your Question 3 answer.
AS ENGLISH LANGUAGE (7701/1) Paper 1: Language and the Individual
SPECIMEN MATERIAL
2
Textual Variations and Representations
Answer all questions. Text A – This is the first page of a forum on school proms from the website www.mumsnet.com. See pages 2 and 3 of the data booklet.
Text B – This is from an article on prom outfits from The Mirror website. See pages 4 and 5 of the data booklet.
Analyse how Text A uses language to create meanings and representations. [25 marks]
Analyse how Text B uses language to create meanings and representations. [25 marks]
Compare and contrast Text A and Text B, showing ways in which they are similar and different in their language use.
[20 marks]
END OF QUESTIONS
Copyright © 2014 AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.
0 2
0 3
0 1
AS
ENGLISH LANGUAGE
(7701/1)
Paper 1: Language and the Individual
Mark scheme
Specimen Material
Final Version
Mark schemes are prepared by the Lead Assessment Writer and considered, together with the relevant questions, by a panel of subject teachers. This mark scheme includes any amendments made at the standardisation events that all associates participate in and is the scheme that was used by them in this examination. The standardisation process ensures that the mark scheme covers the students’ responses to questions and that every associate understands and applies it in the same correct way. As preparation for standardisation each associate analyses a number of students’ scripts: alternative answers not already covered by the mark scheme are discussed and legislated for. If, after the standardisation process, associates encounter unusual answers that have not been raised they are required to refer these to the Lead Assessment Writer. It must be stressed that a mark scheme is a working document, in many cases it is developed further and expanded on the basis of students’ reactions to a particular paper. Assumptions about future mark schemes on the basis of one year’s document should be avoided: whilst the guiding principles of assessment remain constant, details will change, depending on the content of a particular examination paper. Further copies of this mark scheme are available from aqa.org.uk
Copyright © 2014 AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved. AQA retains the copyright on all its publications. However, registered schools/colleges for AQA are permitted to copy material from this booklet for their own internal use, with the following important exception: AQA cannot give permission to schools/colleges to photocopy any material that is acknowledged to a third party, even for internal use within the centre.
MARK SCHEME – AS ENGLISH LANGUAGE PAPER 1 – 7701/1 – SPECIMEN
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English Language Mark Scheme
How to Mark
Aims When you are marking your allocation of scripts your main aims should be to: x recognise and identify the achievements of students x place students in the appropriate mark band and in the appropriate part of that mark band
(high, low, middle) for each Assessment Objective x record your judgements with brief notes, annotations and comments that are relevant to the
mark scheme and make it clear to other examiners how you have arrived at the numerical mark awarded for each Assessment Objective
x put into a rank order the achievements of students (not to grade them – that is done later using the rank order that your marking has produced)
x ensure comparability of assessment for all students, regardless of question or examiner. Approach It is important to be open minded and positive when marking scripts. The specification recognises the variety of experiences and knowledge that students will have. It encourages them to study language in a way that is relevant to them. The questions have been designed to give them opportunities to discuss what they have found out about language. It is important to assess the quality of what the student offers. Do not mark scripts as though they were mere shadows of some Platonic ideal (or the answer you would have written). The mark schemes have been composed to assess quality of response and not to identify expected items of knowledge.
Assessment Objectives This component requires students to: AO1: Apply appropriate methods of language analysis, using associated terminology and
coherent written expression AO3: Analyse and evaluate how contextual factors and language features are associated with the
construction of meaning AO4: Explore connections across texts, informed by linguistic concepts and methods. The Marking Grids The specification has generic marking grids for each Assessment Objective that are customised with indicative content for individual tasks. These have been designed to allow assessment of the range of knowledge, understanding and skills that the specification demands. Within each Assessment Objective there are five broad levels representing different levels of achievement. Do not think of levels equalling grade boundaries.
MARK SCHEME – AS ENGLISH LANGUAGE PAPER 1 – 7701/1 – SPECIMEN
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On the left hand-side of the mark scheme, in bold, are the generic descriptors that identify the performance characteristics at 5 distinct levels.
On the right hand side are statements of indicative content. These give examples of the kind of things students might do that would exemplify the level. They are neither exhaustive nor required – they are simply indicative of what would appear at this level. You will find that they sometimes indicate areas of content that can be handled with increasing sophistication and subtlety. You will also find statements that only characterise work at the bottom or top of the range. Depending on the part of the examination, the levels will have different mark ranges assigned to them. This will reflect the different weighting of Assessment Objectives in particular tasks and across the examination as a whole. You may be required to give different marks to bands for different Assessment Objectives. Using the Grids These levels of response mark schemes are broken down into five levels, each of which has descriptors. The descriptors for the level show the performance characteristics of the level. There is the same number of marks in each level for an individual Assessment Objective. The number of marks per level will vary from two to four between different Assessment Objectives depending upon the number of marks allocated to the various Assessment Objectives covered by a particular question. Having familiarised yourself with the descriptors and indicative content, read through the answer and annotate it (as instructed below) to identify the qualities that are being looked for and that it shows. You can now check the levels and award a mark. Step 1 Determine a level Start at the lowest level of the mark scheme and use it as a ladder to see whether the answer meets the descriptors for that level. The descriptors for the level indicate the different qualities that might be seen in the student’s answer for that level. If it meets all the descriptors for the lowest level then go to the next one and decide if it meets this level, and so on, until you have a match between the level descriptors and the answer. With practice and familiarity you will find that for better answers you will be able to skip through the lower levels of the mark scheme quickly. When assigning a level you should look at the overall quality of the answer and not look to pick holes in small and specific parts of the answer where the student has not performed quite as well as the rest. If the answer covers different aspects of different levels of the mark scheme you should use a best-fit approach for defining the level and then use the variability of the response to help decide the mark within the level; ie if the response fulfils most but not all of level 3 with a small amount of level 4 material, it would be placed in level 3 but be awarded a mark near the top of the level because of the level 4 content. Step 2 Determine a mark Once you have assigned a level you need to decide on the mark.
It is often best to start in the middle of the level’s mark range and then check and adjust. If there is a lot of indicative content fully identifiable in the work you need to give the highest mark in the level. If only some is identifiable or it is only partially fulfilled, then give the lower mark.
MARK SCHEME – AS ENGLISH LANGUAGE PAPER 1 – 7701/1 – SPECIMEN
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The exemplar materials used during standardisation will also help. There will be an answer in the standardising materials that will correspond with each level of the mark scheme. This answer will have been awarded a mark by the Lead Examiner. You can compare the student’s answer with the example to determine if it is of the same standard, better or worse than the example. You can then use this to allocate a mark for the answer based on the Lead Examiner’s mark on the example. You may well need to read back through the answer as you apply the mark scheme to clarify points and assure yourself that the level and the mark are appropriate. In addition to the generic descriptors (presented in bold text), paper-specific indicative descriptors (presented in plain text) are provided as a guide for examiners. These are not intended to be exhaustive and you must credit other valid points. An answer that contains nothing of relevance to the question must be awarded no marks. Annotating scripts It is vital that the way you arrive at a mark should be recorded on the script. This will help you with making accurate judgements and it will help any subsequent markers to identify how you are thinking, should adjustment need to be made. To this end you should: x identify points of merit with 9 or 99 if they are from the top 2 levels
(ensure that you don’t go into automatic ticking mode where you tick rhythmically every 10 lines – ticks should engage with the detail of a student’s thinking and analysis)
x write notes in the margin commenting on the answer’s relationship to the AOs/grid/key words/focus
x indicate extended irrelevance with a vertical line x identify errors of factual accuracy, or where clarity is in doubt, with a question mark x identify errors of spelling or punctuation by underlining, eg sentance x write a summative comment at the end for each Assessment Objective x indicate the marks for each Assessment Objective being tested at the end of the answer in
the margin in sequence. Please do not write negative comments about students’ work or their alleged aptitudes; this is unprofessional and it impedes a positive marking approach.
Distribution of Assessment Objectives and Weightings The table below is a reminder of which Assessment Objectives will be tested by the questions and tasks completed by students and the marks available for them. Assessment
Objective AO1 AO3 AO4 Total
Question 1 10 15 25 Question 2 10 15 25 Question 3 20 20 70
MARK SCHEME – AS ENGLISH LANGUAGE PAPER 1 – 7701/1 – SPECIMEN
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Textual Variations and Representations Questions 1 and 2 x Award a mark out of 10 for AO1, place in the right-hand margin and ring.
x Award a mark out of 15 for AO3, place in the right-hand margin and ring.
eg AO1 Summative Comment 7 AO3 Summative Comment 11
Question 3 x Award a mark out of 20 for AO4, place in the right-hand margin and ring.
eg AO4 Summative Comment 16
Transfer each ringed mark to the box on the front of the answer booklet. Add together and put the total mark in the box in the top right-hand corner. Initial your mark.
MARK SCHEME – AS ENGLISH LANGUAGE PAPER 1 – 7701/1 – SPECIMEN
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Section A: Textual Variations and Representations
01 Analyse how Text A uses language to create meanings and representations
AO1: Apply appropriate methods of language analysis, using associated terminology and coherent written expression Level/Marks PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS
INDICATIVE CONTENT These are examples of ways students’ work might exemplify the performance characteristics in the question above. They indicate possible content and how it can be treated at different levels.
Level 5
9‒10
Students will: x apply linguistic methods and
terminology, identifying patterns and complexities
x apply different levels of language analysis in an integrated way, recognising how they are connected
x apply levels of language analysis with rare errors
x guide the reader
Students are likely to describe features such as: x clause types x clause order x clause linking x cohesion x antithesis x visual design, structure and webpage
navigation
Level 4
7‒8
Students will: x apply linguistic methods and
terminology with precision and detail x apply two or more levels of language
analysis x apply levels of language analysis
with occasional errors x develop a line of argument
Students are likely to describe features such as: x tenses: present, past x superlative adjectives x ellipsis x noun phrases x noun types x sentence types: simple, compound-complex x semantic fields x dysphemism x discourse markers
Level 3
5‒6
Students will: x apply linguistic methods and
terminology consistently and appropriately
x label features that have value for the task
x label features with more accuracy than inaccuracy
x communicate with clear topics and paragraphs
Students are likely to describe features such as: x word classes: verbs, adjectives, nouns x pronouns x interrogatives/questions x imperatives x declaratives x connotations x hyperlinks, tabs x colloquialisms x initialisms x graphological features: emoticons, bold font
Level 2
3‒4
Students will: x use linguistic methods and
terminology inconsistently and sometimes without value for the task
x generalise about language use with limited/unclear evidence
x label features with more inaccuracy than accuracy
x express ideas with organisation emerging
Students are likely to: x refer to elements of language that do not
illuminate the analysis x make unsupported generalisations about
nature of sentences x use a linguistic register of very general terms
eg sentence and word x quote imprecisely to illustrate descriptions x mislabel word classes and sentences x discuss formality, complexity at a generalised
MARK SCHEME – AS ENGLISH LANGUAGE PAPER 1 – 7701/1 – SPECIMEN
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level
Level 1 1‒2
Students will: x quote or identify features of
language without linguistic description
x present material with limited organisation
Students are likely to: x quote relevant examples without any linguistic
examples
0 Nothing written
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01 Analyse how Text A uses language to create meanings and representations.
AO3: Analyse and evaluate how contextual factors and language features are associated with the construction of meaning in Text A
Level/Marks PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS
INDICATIVE CONTENT These are examples of ways students’ work might exemplify the performance characteristics in the question above. They indicate possible content and how it can be treated at different levels.
Level 5
13‒15
Students will: x explore use of language and
representations according to context
Students are likely to: x explore affordances and constraints of message
board context x explore how values and attitudes are conveyed
eg “It’s crazy” x explore the representation of the mumsnet site as
helpful and authoritative eg “The country’s most popular meeting place for parents”, “We’re hiring”
x evaluate the representation of the mumsnet community eg “We don’t allow personal attacks”
Level 4
10‒12
Students will: x analyse how language choices
create meanings and representations
x analyse how aspects of context work together to affect language use
Students are likely to: x analyse how audience is positioned eg “Yes
Kayano …” x analyse how language is used to represent
school proms: personal, humorous eg “Although the helicopter is way OTT!”
x analyse representations of children eg “DD”, “precious teens”
x analyse self-representation of users eg “MuckyCarpet”, “old puritan”
Level 3
7‒9
Students will: x interpret significance of specific
choices of language according to context
x link specific language choices with an aspect of context
Students are likely to: x interpret vocabulary used to describe school
proms eg “limo hire”, “tiaras” x examine use of first- second- and third-person
address x describe use of interactive features eg “Add
message”, “Flip this thread” Level 2
4‒6
Students will: x identify distinctive features of
language and significant aspects of context
Students are likely to: x identify and exemplify purposes of the text to
express, persuade x identify language reflecting parent/family member
users eg “my DD”, “my sister’s school” x identify language about proms/message board
features (lexis, emoticons, shortenings, ellipsis ) Level 1
1‒3
Students will: x paraphrase or describe content of
texts x misunderstand text or context
Students are likely to: x give factual information about message board,
producers and users x show literal understanding of information x rely on lengthy quotations
0 Nothing written about the text or topic
MARK SCHEME – AS ENGLISH LANGUAGE PAPER 1 – 7701/1 – SPECIMEN
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02 Analyse how Text B uses language to create meanings and representations
AO1: Apply appropriate methods of language analysis, using associated terminology and coherent written expression Level/Marks
PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS
INDICATIVE CONTENT These are examples of ways students’ work might exemplify the performance characteristics in the question above. They indicate possible content and how it can be treated at different levels.
Level
5
9‒10
Students will: x apply linguistic methods and
terminology, identifying patterns and complexities
x apply different levels of language analysis in an integrated way, recognising how they are connected
x apply levels of language analysis with rare errors
x guide the reader
Students are likely to describe features such as: x parallel clauses x clause types x clause order x clause linking x antithesis x cohesion x visual design, structure and webpage navigation
Level 4
7‒8
Students will: x apply linguistic methods and
terminology with precision and detail x apply two or more levels of language
analysis x apply levels of language analysis with
occasional errors x develop a line of argument
Students are likely to describe features such as: x tenses: present x noun phrases x noun types x sentence types: simple, compound-complex x semantic fields x euphemism x discourse markers x address x ellipsis x asyndetic listing x metaphor
Level 3
5‒6
Students will: x apply linguistic methods and
terminology consistently and appropriately
x label features that have value for the task
x label features with more accuracy than inaccuracy
x communicate with clear topics and paragraphs
Students are likely to describe features such as: x word classes: verbs, adjectives, nouns x pronouns x interrogatives/questions x declaratives x connotations x hyperlinks x colloquialisms x graphological features: emoticons, bold font
Level 2
3‒4
Students will: x use linguistic methods and terminology
inconsistently and sometimes without value for the task
x generalise about language use with limited/unclear evidence
x label features with more inaccuracy than accuracy
Students are likely to: x refer to elements of language that do not
illuminate the analysis x make unsupported generalisations about nature
of sentences x use a linguistic register of very general terms eg
sentence and word x quote imprecisely to illustrate descriptions
MARK SCHEME – AS ENGLISH LANGUAGE PAPER 1 – 7701/1 – SPECIMEN
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x express ideas with organisation emerging
x mislabel word classes and sentences x discuss formality, complexity at a generalised
level Level
1 1‒2
Students will: x quote or identify features of language
without linguistic description x present material with limited
organisation
Students are likely to: x quote relevant examples without any linguistic
examples
0 Nothing written 02 Analyse how Text B uses language to create meanings and
representations. AO3: Analyse and evaluate how contextual factors and language features are associated with the construction of meaning in Text B
Level/Marks PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS
INDICATIVE CONTENT These are examples of ways students’ work might exemplify the performance characteristics in the question above. They indicate possible content and how it can be treated at different levels.
Level 5
13‒15
Students will: x explore use of language and
representations according to context
Students are likely to: x explore journalistic style and representation of
topic eg “they head to beauty salons for head-to-toe treatments”
x explore how values and attitudes are conveyed eg directly quoted authority “Debenhams spokesman Ed Watson said …”
x explore patterns of metaphor eg “snowballed”, “budding”
x explore the representation of the Mirror Money site as helpful and authoritative eg “Advice you can count on”
x explore representations of gender “boys get a glam makeover to keep up with the girls”
x explore intertextual and design features
Level 4
10‒12
Students will: x analyse how language choices
create meanings and representations
x analyse how aspects of context work together to affect language use
Students are likely to: x analyse how audience is positioned eg “See
more stories you’ll love” x analyse how language is used to represent
school proms eg “American-style prom nights” x analyse representations of gender eg “prom
kings”, “polished, groomed look”, “would-be bride”
x analyse effects of coinage eg “monobrow”, “’Promzilla’”
Level 3
7‒9
Students will: x interpret significance of specific
choices of language according to context
x link specific language choices with an aspect of context
Students are likely to: x interpret vocabulary used to represent school
proms “High School Musical-style prom nights” x interpret vocabulary used to represent costs eg
“spending 24% more on their outfit than a year ago”
x examine use of third-person reporting eg “by
MARK SCHEME – AS ENGLISH LANGUAGE PAPER 1 – 7701/1 – SPECIMEN
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Ruki Sayid”
Level 2
4‒6
Students will: x identify distinctive features of
language and significant aspects of context
Students are likely to: x identify language reflecting potential audience
of Text B as financially concerned web surfers x identify and exemplify purposes to express,
inform and entertain x identify language about proms/message board
features (lexis, emoticons, shortenings, ellipsis)
Level 1
1‒3
Students will: x paraphrase or describe content of
texts x misunderstand text or context
Students are likely to: x give factual information about online newspaper
article, producers and audiences x show literal understanding of information x rely on lengthy quotations
0 Nothing written about the text or topic
MARK SCHEME – AS ENGLISH LANGUAGE PAPER 1 – 7701/1 – SPECIMEN
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03 Compare and contrast Text A and Text B, showing ways in which they are similar and different in their language use.
AO4: Explore connections across texts, informed by linguistic concepts and methods
Level/Marks PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS
INDICATIVE CONTENT These are examples of ways students’ work might exemplify the performance characteristics in the question above. They indicate possible content and how it can be treated at different levels.
Level 5
17-20
Students will: x explore the significance of
connections found across texts
Students are likely to: x explore effects of internet contexts on language
use, representations and meanings x explore effects of social/cultural contexts on
language use, representations and meanings x explore creation of discourses about school
proms and their participants x explore effects of financial contexts on
language use, representations and meanings x explore effects of celebrity contexts on
language use, representations and meanings
Level 4
13-16
Students will: x examine connections between texts
by linking language and context
Students are likely to: x examine internet contexts and visual
presentation x examine media contexts: web-based
forum/online newspaper report and language use
x examine educational contexts and language use
x examine financial contexts and language use x contrast use of sentence types and functions
Level 3
9-12
Students will: x make connections across texts by
identifying similar or different uses of language/content/context
Students are likely to: x compare use of first, second and third-person
discourses x describe degrees of interactivity x compare how language is used to describe
social norms and behaviour x compare vocabulary used to describe proms x compare and contrast other uses of language
Level 2
5-8
Students will: x make connections at a literal level
Students are likely to: x compare audiences/users x compare topics x contrast writers/producers x contrast genres
Level 1
1‒4
Students will: x discuss relevant aspects of texts
without making connections explicitly
Students are likely to: x make one/two explicit connections (4) x make implicit connections by using similar
topics for paragraphs (3) x write about each text separately (2) x write about one text only (1)
0 Nothing written about the text or topic
MARK SCHEME – AS ENGLISH LANGUAGE PAPER 1 – 7701/1 – SPECIMEN
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Copyright © 2014 AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.
AQA Education (AQA) is a registered charity (registered charity number 1073334) and a company limited by guarantee registered in
England and Wales (company number 3644723). Registered address: AQA, Devas Street, Manchester M15 6EX
20 October 2014
AS
ENGLISH LANGUAGE
(7701/2)
Paper 2: Language Varieties
Mark scheme
Specimen Material
Final Version
Mark schemes are prepared by the Lead Assessment Writer and considered, together with the relevant questions, by a panel of subject teachers. This mark scheme includes any amendments made at the standardisation events that all associates participate in and is the scheme that was used by them in this examination. The standardisation process ensures that the mark scheme covers the students’ responses to questions and that every associate understands and applies it in the same correct way. As preparation for standardisation each associate analyses a number of students’ scripts: alternative answers not already covered by the mark scheme are discussed and legislated for. If, after the standardisation process, associates encounter unusual answers that have not been raised they are required to refer these to the Lead Assessment Writer. It must be stressed that a mark scheme is a working document, in many cases it is developed further and expanded on the basis of students’ reactions to a particular paper. Assumptions about future mark schemes on the basis of one year’s document should be avoided: whilst the guiding principles of assessment remain constant, details will change, depending on the content of a particular examination paper. Further copies of this mark scheme are available from aqa.org.uk
Copyright © 2014 AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved. AQA retains the copyright on all its publications. However, registered schools/colleges for AQA are permitted to copy material from this booklet for their own internal use, with the following important exception: AQA cannot give permission to schools/colleges to photocopy any material that is acknowledged to a third party, even for internal use within the centre.
MARK SCHEME – AS ENGLISH LANGUAGE PAPER 2 – 7701/2 – SPECIMEN
3 of 14
English Language Mark Scheme
How to Mark
Aims When you are marking your allocation of scripts your main aims should be to: • recognise and identify the achievements of students • place students in the appropriate mark band and in the appropriate part of that mark band
(high, low, middle) for each Assessment Objective • record your judgements with brief notes, annotations and comments that are relevant to the
mark scheme and make it clear to other examiners how you have arrived at the numerical mark awarded for each Assessment Objective
• put into a rank order the achievements of students (not to grade them – that is done later using the rank order that your marking has produced)
• ensure comparability of assessment for all students, regardless of question or examiner. Approach It is important to be open minded and positive when marking scripts. The specification recognises the variety of experiences and knowledge that students will have. It encourages them to study language in a way that is relevant to them. The questions have been designed to give them opportunities to discuss what they have found out about language. It is important to assess the quality of what the student offers. Do not mark scripts as though they were mere shadows of some Platonic ideal (or the answer you would have written). The mark schemes have been composed to assess quality of response and not to identify expected items of knowledge.
Assessment Objectives This component requires students to: AO1: Apply appropriate methods of language analysis, using associated terminology and
coherent written expression AO2: Demonstrate critical understanding of concepts and issues relevant to language use AO5: Demonstrate expertise and creativity in the use of English to communicate in different
ways. The Marking Grids The specification has generic marking grids for each Assessment Objective that are customised with indicative content for individual tasks. These have been designed to allow assessment of the range of knowledge, understanding and skills that the specification demands. Within each Assessment Objective there are five broad levels representing different levels of achievement. Do not think of levels equalling grade boundaries.
MARK SCHEME – AS ENGLISH LANGUAGE PAPER 2 – 7701/2 – SPECIMEN
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On the left hand-side of the mark scheme, in bold, are the generic descriptors that identify the performance characteristics at 5 distinct levels.
On the right hand side are statements of indicative content. These give examples of the kind of things students might do that would exemplify the level. They are neither exhaustive nor required – they are simply indicative of what would appear at this level. You will find that they sometimes indicate areas of content that can be handled with increasing sophistication and subtlety. You will also find statements which only characterise work at the bottom or top of the range. Depending on the part of the examination, the levels will have different mark ranges assigned to them. This will reflect the different weighting of Assessment Objectives in particular tasks and across the examination as a whole. You may be required to give different marks to bands for different Assessment Objectives.
NB In Section A, there is no additional indicative content for AO1. This is because the types of skills being tested in the essay questions are generic: applying linguistic methods, using a linguistic register and structuring an answer. The performance characteristics will suffice to help you locate the level of the work presented. Using the Grids These level of response mark schemes are broken down into five levels, each of which has descriptors. The descriptors for the level show the performance characteristics of the level. There is the same number of marks in each level for an individual Assessment Objective. The number of marks per level will vary from two to four between different Assessment Objectives depending upon the number of marks allocated to the various Assessment Objectives covered by a particular question. Having familiarised yourself with the descriptors and indicative content, read through the answer and annotate it (as instructed below) to identify the qualities that are being looked for and that it shows. You can now check the levels and award a mark. Step 1 Determine a level Start at the lowest level of the mark scheme and use it as a ladder to see whether the answer meets the descriptors for that level. The descriptors for the level indicate the different qualities that might be seen in the student’s answer for that level. If it meets all the descriptors for the lowest level then go to the next one and decide if it meets this level, and so on, until you have a match between the level descriptors and the answer. With practice and familiarity you will find that for better answers you will be able to skip through the lower levels of the mark scheme quickly. When assigning a level you should look at the overall quality of the answer and not look to pick holes in small and specific parts of the answer where the student has not performed quite as well as the rest. If the answer covers different aspects of different levels of the mark scheme you should use a best-fit approach for defining the level and then use the variability of the response to help decide the mark within the level; ie if the response fulfils most but not all of level 3 with a small amount of level 4 material, it would be placed in level 3 but be awarded a mark near the top of the level because of the level 4 content. Step 2 Determine a mark Once you have assigned a level you need to decide on the mark.
MARK SCHEME – AS ENGLISH LANGUAGE PAPER 2 – 7701/2 – SPECIMEN
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It is often best to start in the middle of the level’s mark range and then check and adjust. If there is a lot of indicative content fully identifiable in the work you need to give the highest mark in the level. If only some is identifiable or it is only partially fulfilled, then give the lower mark. The exemplar materials used during standardisation will also help. There will be an answer in the standardising materials that will correspond with each level of the mark scheme. This answer will have been awarded a mark by the Lead Examiner. You can compare the student’s answer with the example to determine if it is of the same standard, better or worse than the example. You can then use this to allocate a mark for the answer based on the Lead Examiner’s mark on the example. You may well need to read back through the answer as you apply the mark scheme to clarify points and assure yourself that the level and the mark are appropriate. In addition to the generic descriptors (presented in bold text), paper-specific indicative descriptors (presented in plain text) are provided as a guide for examiners. These are not intended to be exhaustive and you must credit other valid points. An answer that contains nothing of relevance to the question must be awarded no marks. Annotating scripts It is vital that the way you arrive at a mark should be recorded on the script. This will help you with making accurate judgements and it will help any subsequent markers to identify how you are thinking, should adjustment need to be made. To this end you should: • identify points of merit with 9 or 99 if they are from the top 2 levels
(ensure that you don’t go into automatic ticking mode where you tick rhythmically every 10 lines – ticks should engage with the detail of a student’s thinking and analysis)
• write notes in the margin commenting on the answer’s relationship to the AOs/grid/key words/focus
• indicate extended irrelevance with a vertical line • identify errors of factual accuracy, or where clarity is in doubt, with a question mark • identify errors of spelling or punctuation by underlining, eg sentance • write a summative comment at the end for each Assessment Objective • indicate the marks for each Assessment Objective being tested at the end of the answer in
the margin in sequence. Please do not write negative comments about students’ work or their alleged aptitudes; this is unprofessional and it impedes a positive marking approach.
MARK SCHEME – AS ENGLISH LANGUAGE PAPER 2 – 7701/2 – SPECIMEN
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Distribution of Assessment Objectives and Weightings The table below is a reminder of which Assessment Objectives will be tested by the questions and tasks completed by students and the marks available for them.
Assessment Objective AO1 AO2 AO5 Total
Questions 1/2 10 20 30 Question 3 20 20 40 70
Section A: Language Diversity Questions 1 and 2 • Award a mark out of 10 for AO1, place in the right-hand margin and ring.
• Award a mark out of 20 for AO2, place in the right-hand margin and ring.
eg AO1 Summative Comment 7 AO2 Summative Comment 16
Section B: Language Discourses Question 3 • Award a mark out of 20 for AO2, place in the right-hand margin and ring.
• Award a mark out of 20 for AO5, place in the right-hand margin and ring.
eg AO1 Summative Comment 15 AO2 Summative Comment 16
Transfer each ringed mark to the box on the front of the answer booklet. Add together and put the total mark in the box in the top right-hand corner. Initial your mark.
MARK SCHEME – AS ENGLISH LANGUAGE PAPER 2 – 7701/2 – SPECIMEN
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01 Discuss the idea that a person’s language might be affected by
their occupation. In your answer you should discuss concepts and issues from language study. You should use your own supporting examples and the data in Text A, below. Text A is part of a conversation among staff in a restaurant kitchen. [30 marks]
AO1: Apply appropriate methods of language analysis, using associated terminology and coherent written expression
Level/Marks PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS
Level 5
9‒10
Students will: • apply linguistic methods and terminology, identifying patterns and complexities
• guide the reader
Level 4
7‒8
Students will: • apply linguistic methods and terminology with precision and detail
• develop a line of argument
Level 3
5‒6
Students will: • apply linguistic methods and terminology consistently and appropriately
• communicate with clear topics and paragraphs
Level 2
3‒4
Students will: • use linguistic methods and terminology inappropriately and/or inconsistently
• express ideas with organisation emerging
Level 1
1‒2
Students will: • quote or identify features of language without linguistic description
• present material with limited organisation
0 Nothing written
MARK SCHEME – AS ENGLISH LANGUAGE PAPER 2 – 7701/2 – SPECIMEN
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01 Discuss the idea that a person’s language might be affected by their occupation. In your answer you should discuss concepts and issues from language study. You should use your own supporting examples and the data in Text A, below. Text A is part of a conversation among staff in a restaurant kitchen. [30 marks]
AO2: Demonstrate critical understanding of concepts and issues relevant to language use
Level/Marks PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS
INDICATIVE CONTENT These are examples of ways students’ work might exemplify the performance characteristics in the question above. They indicate possible content and how it can be treated at different levels.
Level 5
17‒20
Students will: • demonstrate an individual
overview of issues • assess views, approaches,
interpretations of linguistic issues
Students are likely to: • weigh up the interplay of contextual factors on
occupational language • explore issues of power in occupational language • explore playfulness and rule-breaking • explore occupational language other than spoken
interaction
Level 4
13‒16
Students will: • identify different views,
approaches and interpretations of linguistic issues
Students are likely to: • explore the varied functions of occupational
language • explain the effects of participants/roles in
occupational interactions • comment on interactional routines in other
occupations • comment on structure of interaction in Text A
Level 3
9‒12
Students will: • show detailed knowledge of
linguistic ideas, concepts and research
Students are likely to: • explain grammatical features of Text A • explain grammatical features of language in other
occupations • illustrate grammatical features of language in other
occupations • illustrate grammatical features in Text A
Level 2
5‒8
Students will: • show familiarity with linguistic
ideas, concepts and research
Students are likely to: • show awareness of research by name-dropping or
undeveloped/confused references • outline the idea of occupational register • identify vocabulary linked to other occupations (6) • describe semantic fields in Text A (5)
Level 1
1‒4
Students will: • discuss issues anecdotally
without specialist linguistic knowledge
Students are likely to: • discuss examples of language used in occupations
without linguistic comment (4) • give examples of language used in occupations (3) • discuss language in occupations without examples
(2) • discuss occupational behaviour without focus on
language (1) 0 Nothing written about language
concepts or issues Nothing written about language concepts or issues
MARK SCHEME – AS ENGLISH LANGUAGE PAPER 2 – 7701/2 – SPECIMEN
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02
Discuss the idea that women and men use language differently. In your answer you should discuss concepts and issues from language study. You should use your own supporting examples and the data in Table 1, below. Table 1 gives details of the turns, speaking time and interruptions at a staff meeting. [30 marks]
AO1: Apply appropriate methods of language analysis, using associated terminology and coherent written expression
Level/Marks PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS
Level 5
9‒10
Students will: • apply linguistic methods and terminology, identifying patterns and complexities
• guide the reader
Level 4
7‒8
Students will: • apply linguistic methods and terminology with precision and detail
• develop a line of argument
Level 3
5‒6
Students will: • apply linguistic methods and terminology consistently and appropriately
• communicate with clear topics and paragraphs
Level 2
3‒4
Students will: • use linguistic methods and terminology inappropriately and/or inconsistently
• express ideas with organisation emerging
Level 1
1‒2
Students will: • quote or identify features of language without linguistic description
• present material with limited organisation
0 Nothing written
MARK SCHEME – AS ENGLISH LANGUAGE PAPER 2 – 7701/2 – SPECIMEN
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02
Discuss the idea that women and men use language differently. In your answer you should discuss concepts and issues from language study. You should use your own supporting examples and the data in Table 1, below. Table 1 gives details of the turns, speaking time and interruptions at a staff meeting. [30 marks]
AO2: Demonstrate critical understanding of concepts and issues relevant to language use
Level/Marks PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS
INDICATIVE CONTENT These are examples of ways students’ work might exemplify the performance characteristics in the question above. They indicate possible content and how it can be treated at different levels.
Level 5
17‒20
Students will: • demonstrate an individual
overview of issues • assess views, approaches,
interpretations of linguistic issues
Students are likely to: • explore heterogeneity of female/male speakers • explain gender similarities hypothesis • explore other kinds of language use than spoken
interaction • assess dominance and difference approaches explicitly
Level 4
13‒16
Students will: • identify different views,
approaches and interpretations of linguistic issues
Students are likely to: • illustrate effect of situation and use • illustrate effect of other characteristics of speakers: age,
class, ethnicity • explore different interpretations of female/male
conversational behaviours eg tags as showing uncertainty or wielding power
• illustrate research on gender and other variables, eg effect of status by Woods
Level 3
9‒12
Students will: • show detailed knowledge
of linguistic ideas, concepts and research
Students are likely to: • characterise female speech as rapport-based,
collaborative • characterise male speech as report-based, competitive
etc • label and illustrate use of particular features: eg turns,
tags, vocabulary • illustrate research on gender and interaction eg Goodwin
on commands Level 2
5‒8
Students will: • show familiarity with
linguistic ideas, concepts and research
Students are likely to: • identify researchers by name, eg Coates, and general
reference to research • give confused references, eg Cameron for Tannen • describe specific features of female and male
communication, eg “don’t you”, “absolutely divine” (7) • outline a view of female/male language as simply
different (6) • interpret findings from the data table (5)
MARK SCHEME – AS ENGLISH LANGUAGE PAPER 2 – 7701/2 – SPECIMEN
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Level 1
1‒4
Students will: • discuss issues anecdotally
without specialist linguistic knowledge
Students are likely to: • discuss examples of women’s and men’s communication
without linguistic comment (4) • give examples of women’s and men’s communication (3) • discuss women’s and men’s communication without
examples (2) • discuss female/male behaviour with no language focus
(1) 0 Nothing written about language
concepts or issues Nothing written about language concepts or issues
MARK SCHEME – AS ENGLISH LANGUAGE PAPER 2 – 7701/2 – SPECIMEN
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03 Text B is the start of an article in which a newspaper columnist discusses a celebrity who changed her local accent. Write an opinion article in which you discuss the issues surrounding people changing their accents. Before writing your article you should state your intended audience. [40 marks]
AO2: Demonstrate critical understanding of concepts and issues relevant to language use
Level/Marks PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS
INDICATIVE CONTENT These are examples of ways students’ work might exemplify the performance characteristics in the question above. They indicate possible content and how it can be treated at different levels.
Level 5
17‒20
Students will: • demonstrate an individual
overview of issues • assess views, approaches,
interpretations of linguistic issues
Students are likely to: • weigh up use of repertoires, code-switching • assess ideas about identity and solidarity • discuss linguistic arbitrariness of attitudes to
accents • explore changing attitudes to RP and regional
accents Level 4
13‒16
Students will: • identify different views,
approaches and interpretations of linguistic issues
Students are likely to: • explain the social origins of attitudes to accents:
associations with class and location • show knowledge of specific research findings, eg
Giles’ matched guise work, any quantitative findings
• examine convergence and divergence • identify different options for speakers: eg take
elocution lessons, use a repertoire Level 3
9‒12
Students will: • show detailed knowledge of
linguistic ideas, concepts and research
Students are likely to: • discuss practical advantages of speaking
RP/benefits of regional accents in the world of work
• outline negative connotations of RP: haughty, unfriendly, cold
• outline positive connotations of non-standard accents: warm, trustworthy, friendly
• make reference to linguistic terms and ideas: eg overt and covert prestige
Level 2
5‒8
Students will: • show familiarity with linguistic
ideas, concepts and research
Students are likely to: • outline positive connotations of RP: authority,
competence, intelligence etc • outline negative connotations of non-standard
accents: lower class, less intelligent • identify RP as a standard or regionally neutral
accent • identify attitudes to accents as positive or negative
(5)
MARK SCHEME – AS ENGLISH LANGUAGE PAPER 2 – 7701/2 – SPECIMEN
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Level 1
1‒4
Students will: • discuss issues anecdotally
without specialist linguistic knowledge
Students are likely to: • identify some accents • rely on and repeat ideas of Text B • make a generalised discussion of accents without
linguistic comment • give a general discussion of celebrities with little
reference to language (1)
0 Nothing written about language concepts or issues
Nothing written about language concepts or issues
MARK SCHEME – AS ENGLISH LANGUAGE PAPER 2 – 7701/2 – SPECIMEN
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03 Text B is the start of an article in which a newspaper columnist discusses a celebrity who changed her local accent. Write an opinion article in which you discuss the issues surrounding people changing their accents. Before writing your article you should state your intended audience. [40 marks]
AO5: Demonstrate expertise and creativity in the use of English to communicate in different ways
Level/Marks PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS
INDICATIVE CONTENT These are examples of ways students’ work might exemplify the performance characteristics in the question above. They indicate how form and register can be treated at different levels.
Level 5
17–20
Students will: • use form creatively • show close attention to
register, effective for context • write accurately
Students are likely to: • guide the reader • argue well-documented viewpoints • use engaging and entertaining style
Level 4
13–16
Students will: • use form convincingly • use and sustain register,
effective for context • show strong control of
accuracy
Students are likely to: • produce an effective opening and conclusion • write accessibly and transform linguistic ideas for
audience • write for context of a non-specialist audience,
recognising entertainment and informative functions
Level 3
9–12
Students will: • use form competently • use register, sometimes
effective for context • show firm control of accuracy
Students are likely to: • produce an effective opening and lively sub-editorial
material • use a linguistic register but with overly academic
elements • write for stated audience/context
Level 2
5–8
Students will: • use form appropriately • use appropriate address for
context • make occasional errors
Students are likely to: • use article format eg a functional headline,
sub-editorial material • address the reader but use overly informal style
Level 1
1–4
Students will: • use form limited to simple
elements • shape language broadly for
context • make intrusive errors
Students are likely to: • write in paragraphs • write essay-like response
0 Nothing written Nothing written
Copyright © 2014 AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.
AQA Education (AQA) is a registered charity (registered charity number 1073334) and a company limited by guarantee registered in
England and Wales (company number 3644723). Registered address: AQA, Devas Street, Manchester M15 6EX
13 January 2016
2015 Morning Time allowed: 1 hour 30 minutes Materials For this paper you must have: • an AQA 8-page answer booklet. Instructions • Use black ink or black ball-point pen. • Write the information required on the front of your answer book. The Examining Body for this paper is AQA. The Paper Reference is 7701/2. • There are two sections: - Section A: Language Diversity - Section B: Language Discourses • Answer either Question 1 or Question 2 from Section A and Question 3 from Section B. • Do all rough work in your answer book. Cross through any work that you do not want to be marked. Information • The maximum mark for this paper is 70. • The marks for questions are shown in brackets. • There are 30 marks for either Question 1 or Question 2 and 40 marks for Question 3. • You will be marked on your ability to:
– use good English – organise information clearly – use specialist vocabulary where appropriate.
Advice • It is recommended that you spend about 40 minutes writing your Section A answer and 50 minutes writing your Section B answer.
AS ENGLISH LANGUAGE (7701/2) Paper 2: Language Varieties
SPECIMEN MATERIAL
2
Section A
Language Diversity
Answer one question in this section. Either
Discuss the idea that a person’s language might be affected by their occupation. In your answer you should discuss concepts and issues from language study. You should use your own supporting examples and the data in Text A, below. Text A is part of a conversation among staff in a restaurant kitchen.
[30 marks] Text A
Jack: check on one no starters Al (.) one risotto (.) one chicken [background noise] Ed: yeah Al: yeah Jack: Al get us a bottle of Chablis (.) table two Al: I'm not (.) [laughter] don't you chuffin' start mate Ed: are you gonna wash any dishes tonight Jack: right ready for starters on two Al: yeah yeah yeah yeah Transcription Key: (.) indicates a normal pause [italics] contextual indicator Words between vertical lines are spoken simultaneously
Source: Private Data
Turn over for the next question
0 1
5
3
Turn over �
or Discuss the idea that women and men use language differently. In your answer you should discuss concepts and issues from language study. You should use your own supporting examples and the data in Table 1, below. Table 1 gives details of the turns, speaking time and interruptions at a staff meeting.
[30 marks] Table 1
Speaker Average turns
per meeting Average no. of
seconds per turn Average ‘did interrupt’ per
meeting
Average ‘was interrupted’ per
meeting Woman A 5.5 7.8 0.5 3.0 Woman B 5.8 10.0 0.0 3.0 Woman C 8.0 3.0 1.0 3.2 Woman D 20.5 8.5 2.0 7.5 Man E 11.3 16.5 2.0 2.6 Man F 32.3 17.1 8.0 6.7 Man G 32.6 13.2 6.6 6.3 Man H 30.2 10.7 4.3 5.0 Man I 17.0 15.8 4.5 2.5
Source: B Dubois and I Crouch, ‘The question of tag questions in women’s speech: they don’t really
use more of them, do they?’ Language in Society, 4, 03, pp289-294. Reproduced with permission.
Turn over for Section B
0 2
4
Section B
Language Discourses
Answer the question in this section Text B is the start of an article in which a newspaper columnist discusses a celebrity who changed her local accent.
Text B
Alreet pet, there's nowt wrong with trying to sound posh... JAN MOIR defends James Middleton's new girlfriend for dropping her Geordie accent Excuse me, pet. What in the name of stottie cake has happened to Donna Air’s accent? Interviewed on Daybreak television this week, the Geordie actress and personality appears to have mislaid the jaunty cadences of her native Newcastle somewhere on the road from La-Di-Dah to Snootsville. ‘I’m just heah to talk about Cowes Week today,’ she rather grandly told presenter Kate Garraway, who had been impertinent enough to ask Lady Donna d’Airs et Graces about her romance with James Middleton.
Source: Daily Mail
Write an opinion article in which you discuss the issues surrounding people changing their accents. Before writing your article you should state your intended audience.
[40 marks]
END OF QUESTIONS ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COPYRIGHT-HOLDERS AND PUBLISHERS Permission to reproduce all copyright material has been applied for. In some cases, efforts to contact copyright-holders have been unsuccessful and AQA will be happy to rectify any omissions of acknowledgements in future papers if notified. Text A: Private Data Table 1: Betty Lou Dubois and Isabel Crouch, ‘The question of tag questions in women’s speech: they don’t really use more of them, do
they?’ Language in Society, 4, 03, pp 289-294. Reproduced with permission. Text B: Text © Daily Mail. Image © Getty Copyright © 2014 AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.
0 3
Airs and graces: Donna with James Middleton
AustralianScalingTestWdevelopedby
AustralianCouncilforEducationalResearch
THEACERCRITERIAFORASSESSMENTOFWRITTENEXPRESSIONInassessingwrittenexpressionmarkersatACERwillconsiderthefollowingissues:THOUGHTANDCONTENT(thequalityofwhatissaidinthepieceofwriting)* whatismadeofanddevelopedfromthetask* thekindsofthoughtsandfeelingsofferedinresponsetothetaskSTRUCTUREANDORGANISATION(thequalityofthestructureandorganisationdevelopedtopresentwhatissaidinthewriting)* theshapeandformofthepiece* thesequenceandcohesionofthepieceEXPRESSION,STYLEANDMECHANICS(thequalityofthelanguageusedtoorganiseandpresentwhatissaid)* theeffectivenessandappropriatenessofthelanguage* theexpressivenessandfluencyofthelanguage* thecontrolofthemechanicsofEnglish
NationalAssessmentProgram-LiteracyandNumeracy(NAPLAN)
WritingTest2016
AustralianCurriculum,AssessmentandReportingAuthority(ACARA)
It is cruel to keep animals in cages.
What do you think? Do you agree or disagree? Perhaps you can think of ideas for both sides of this topic.
Write to convince a reader of your opinions.
Start with an introduction. An introduction lets a reader know what you are going to write about. Write your opinions on this topic. Give reasons for your opinions. Explain your reasons for your opinions. Finish with a conclusion. A conclusion is a way to sum up your writing so that a reader is convinced of your opinions.
Remember to:
opinions
All images except chicken used under licence from Shutterstock.com: kangaroo © Ruth Black, 2011; tiger © Stephen Coburn, 2011; canary © Judy Drietz, 2011; dolphins © Kimberly Hall, 2011; lion © Keith Levit, 2011; eagle © teekaygee, 2011; panda © Mike Flippo, 2011.
6
The Marking CriteriaStudents’ writing is assessed using an analytic criterion-referenced marking guide, consisting of a rubric containing ten marking criteria and annotated sample scripts. The ten criteria are:
1 Audience The writer’s capacity to orient, engage and persuade the reader
2 Text structureThe organisation of the structural components of a persuasive text (introduction, body and conclusion) into an appropriate and effective text structure
3 Ideas The selection, relevance and elaboration of ideas for a persuasive argument
4 Persuasive devices The use of a range of persuasive devices to enhance the writer’s position and persuade the reader
5 Vocabulary The range and precision of contextually appropriate language choices
6 CohesionThe control of multiple threads and relationships across the text, achieved through the use of referring words, ellipsis, text connectives, substitutions and word associations
7 Paragraphing The segmenting of text into paragraphs that assists the reader to follow the line of argument
8 Sentence structure The production of grammatically correct, structurally sound and meaningful sentences
9 Punctuation The use of correct and appropriate punctuation to aid the reading of the text10 Spelling The accuracy of spelling and the difficulty of the words used
The following table shows the range of score points for each criterion:
Audience Text structure
Ideas Persuasive devices
Vocabulary Cohesion Paragraphing Sentence structure
Punctuation Spelling
0-6 0-4 0-5 0-4 0-5 0-4 0-3 0-6 0-5 0-6
2013
Persuasive Writing Marking Guide
5
Assessing Writing in the National Assessment Program
The NAPLAN writing taskThe writing task for the 201 writing assessment is a persuasive writing task. It is the same task for all students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9.
The writing task is provided to the students on a full-colour stimulus sheet. It contains the topic, task instructions and colour images to support the students. The topic and task instructions are read aloud to the students by the teacher. Students have 5 minutes to plan, 30 minutes to write and 5 minutes to edit.
The task instructions
What do you think? Do you agree or disagree? Perhaps you can think of ideas for both sides of this topic. Write to convince a reader of your opinion.
Start with an introduction. An introduction lets a reader know what you are going to write about.Write your opinion on this topic. Give reasons for your opinion. Explain your reasons for your opinion.Finish with a conclusion. A conclusion sums up your reasons so that a reader is convinced of your opinion.
Remember to: plan your writing
choose your words carefully to convince a reader of your opinionpay attention to your spelling and punctuation check and edit your writing so it is clear for a reader
DefinitionThe following definition has shaped the development of the task and the persuasive writing marking criteria.
The purpose of persuasive writing is to persuade a reader to a point of view on an issue. Persuasive writing may express an opinion, discuss, analyse and evaluate an issue. It may also entertain and inform.
The style of persuasive writing may be formal or informal but it requires the writer to adopt a sense of authority on the subject matter and to develop the subject in an ordered, rational way. A writer of a persuasive text may draw on their own personal knowledge and experience or may draw on detailed knowledge of a particular subject or issue.
The main structural components of the persuasive text are the introduction, development of argument (body) and conclusion.
Within the broad persuasive genre and within the context of the given topic, writers may make decisions about themes and subjects they choose to write about and the details they use to develop their ideas. The task does not specify a preference for particular content on the given topic.
6
The Marking CriteriaStudents’ writing is assessed using an analytic criterion-referenced marking guide, consisting of a rubric containing ten marking criteria and annotated sample scripts. The ten criteria are:
1 Audience The writer’s capacity to orient, engage and persuade the reader
2 Text structureThe organisation of the structural components of a persuasive text (introduction, body and conclusion) into an appropriate and effective text structure
3 Ideas The selection, relevance and elaboration of ideas for a persuasive argument
4 Persuasive devices The use of a range of persuasive devices to enhance the writer’s position and persuade the reader
5 Vocabulary The range and precision of contextually appropriate language choices
6 CohesionThe control of multiple threads and relationships across the text, achieved through the use of referring words, ellipsis, text connectives, substitutions and word associations
7 Paragraphing The segmenting of text into paragraphs that assists the reader to follow the line of argument
8 Sentence structure The production of grammatically correct, structurally sound and meaningful sentences
9 Punctuation The use of correct and appropriate punctuation to aid the reading of the text10 Spelling The accuracy of spelling and the difficulty of the words used
The following table shows the range of score points for each criterion:
Audience Text structure
Ideas Persuasive devices
Vocabulary Cohesion Paragraphing Sentence structure
Punctuation Spelling
0-6 0-4 0-5 0-4 0-5 0-4 0-3 0-6 0-5 0-6
7
Using the marking rubricEach assessment criterion is displayed on a separate page. The top of each page shows the criterion number and name. The skill focus defines the underlying skill being assessed.
Each score category has a category descriptor. A category descriptor is a broad statement describing the particular skill level. This is the overall statement that should be used to make the judgement.
Additional information is included to help shape the judgement. However, this information is not an exhaustive list. Rather, it is indicative of features that may be present in students’ writing.
Notes on the bottom of the page provide clarifying detail where necessary.
Sample scripts which exemplify the standard for the category scores are listed. The number in brackets is the page reference of the script.
Sample scripts and their annotations exemplifying the category scores follow the marking rubric. The annotations of the sample scripts describe how the marking criteria have been applied. Together, the criteria and the sample scripts and their annotations are the means by which consistent marker judgements are made. Both are equally important to the marking process.
Discussion scripts with annotations have been included to guide the marking of types of writing that may be encountered.
The Note on Text Structure section gives information about the structural components of the persuasive text type.
Finally, a glossary of terms associated with the marking guide and a spelling reference list are provided.
8
Skill focus: The writer’s capacity to orient, engage and persuade the reader.
Category descriptor Additional information Sample scripts
0symbols or drawings which have the intention of conveying meaning
PletRi DoLiSal (18)
1
response to audience needs is limited
text contains simple written content
text is very short
OR
a longer text (more than one sentence) where meaning is difficult to access
OR
copied stimulus material, including prompt topic
Some anmals cou’d die (20)
animals getting cewd (22)
2
shows basic awareness of audience expectations through attempting to orient the reader
provides some information to support reader understanding
text may be short but is easily read
reader may need to fill gaps in information
it cruel to keep animals (24)
animals will feel sad (28)
any other animal (30)
3
orients the reader
- an internally consistent persuasive text that attempts to support the reader by developing a shared understanding of context
contains sufficient information for the reader to follow the text fairly easily
They won’t face danger (32)
they try to break out (36)
I agree and don’t agree (38)
Some toys and games are educational (40)
4
supports reader understanding
AND
begins to engage and persuade reader through language choices
writer’s choices may
- create an appropriate relationship with reader (e.g. polite, formal, social distance, personal connection)
- reveal values and attitudes
- persuade through control of tenor
- appeal to reason, emotions and/or cultural values
- subvert expectations (challenge readers’ values)
- acknowledge wider audience
My idea of a perfect zoo (42)
All animals started off (46)
Cages and Zoos (50)
5
supports, engages and persuades the reader through deliberate language choices and persuasive techniques
Under Certain Circumstances (54)
Food, water and other nessasary supplies (58)
The lion’s glorious hair (62)
6
controls writer/reader relationship
- establishes strong, credible voice
- crafts writing to influence reader by precise and sustained language choices and persuasive techniques
- takes readers’ values and expectations into account
If humans can have a voice why can’t animals. (66)
zoos can have useful purposes (70)
things should be regulated (74)
1. Audience
Criteria
9
Skill focus: The organisation of the structural components of a persuasive text (introduction, body and conclusion) into an appropriate and effective text structure.
Category descriptor Additional information Sample scripts
0no evidence of any structural components of a persuasive text
symbols or drawings
inappropriate genre, e.g. narrative, description, recount, procedure
PletRi DoLiSal (18)
1
minimal evidence of persuasive structure
- structural components not clearly identifiable
OR
- one component only, e.g. an introduction or body
text may be
- a statement such as an opinion and/or reason (may be followed by recount or description)
- a list of statements or beliefs
Some anmals cou’d die (20)
animals getting cewd (22)
it cruel to keep animals (24)
animals will feel sad (28)
any other animal (30)
They won’t face danger (32)
they try to break out (36)
2
text contains two clearly identifiable structural components
OR
all components are present but weak
introduction or conclusion are clearly differentiated from the body
often presents as a more developed body with underdeveloped introduction and conclusion
I agree and don’t agree (38)
Some toys and games are educational (40)
My idea of a perfect zoo (42)
3
text contains an introduction, a body and conclusion
OR
detailed longer text with two developed components and one weaker component
structural components are developed
body is developed with reasons and supporting evidence
All animals started off (46)
Under Certain Circumstances (54)
Food, water and other nessasary supplies (58)
4
coherent, controlled and complete argument
all components are well developed
- introduction with clear position statement
AND
- body with reasons and detailed supporting evidence
AND
- conclusion that reinforces the writer’s position
conclusion may reflect on issues raised and/or recommend action
The lion’s glorious hair (62)
Cages and Zoos (50)
If humans can have a voice why can’t animals. (66)
zoos can have useful purposes (70)
things should be regulated (74)
2. Text structure
10
Skill focus: The selection, relevance and elaboration of ideas for a persuasive argument.
Category descriptor Additional information Sample scripts
0 no evidence or insufficient evidence
symbols or drawings PletRi DoLiSal (18)
1
Text contains one idea
OR
ideas appear unrelated to each other
OR
ideas are unrelated to topic on prompt
Some anmals cou’d die (20)
2
one idea with simple elaboration
OR
ideas are few and related but not elaborated
OR
many simple ideas that are related but not elaborated
animals getting cewd (22)
it cruel to keep animals (24)
animals will feel sad (28)
any other animal (30)
3
ideas are supported with some elaboration
OR
many unelaborated ideas that relate plausibly to argument (four or more)
OR
one idea with more developed elaboration
may also contain ineffective or unrelated ideas
may be assertions/opinions
They won’t face danger (32)
they try to break out (36)
I agree and don’t agree (38)
Some toys and games are educational (40)
My idea of a perfect zoo (42)
All animals started off (46)
4
ideas are elaborated and contribute effectively to the writer’s position
ideas may include
- benefits to the whole group (more than just personal)
- reflection on the wider world/universal issues
ideas may be elaborated by, e.g.
- a range of issues both for and against the stated position
- a refutation of other positions or opinions
- explaining cause and effect
Cages and Zoos (50)
Under Certain Circumstances (54)
Food, water and other nessasary supplies (58)
The lion’s glorious hair (62)
5
ideas are generated, selected and crafted to be highly persuasive
If humans can have a voice why can’t animals (66)
zoos can have useful purposes (70)
things should be regulated (74)
3. Ideas
11
Skill focus: The use of a range of persuasive devices to enhance the writer’s position and persuade the reader.
Category descriptor Additional information Sample scripts
0
no evidence or insufficient evidence symbols or drawings
writes in wrong genre
copies topic only
PletRi DoLiSal (18)
Some anmals cou’d die (20)
1
uses a statement or statements of personal opinion
OR
uses one or two instances of persuasive devices (may be same type)
opinion may appear confused or contradictory
uses only simple devices (I think … very, very)
I reckon ... should ... because forms one instance of a persuasive device
animals getting cewd (22)
animals will feel sad (28)
any other animal (30)
They won’t face danger (32)
2
uses three or more instances of persuasive devices that support the writer’s position (at least two types)
may have more devices than required but these are ineffective
it cruel to keep animals (24)
they try to break out (36)
I agree and don’t agree (38)
Some toys and games are educational (40)
My idea of a perfect zoo (42)
3
uses some devices that persuade
use is effective but not sustained (may also include some ineffective use)
there are many devices that can be used to persuade a reader
- effective devices are appropriate to the style of argument and may appeal to one or more of the reader’s reason, values or emotions
All animals started off (46)
Cages and Zoos (50)
Food, water and other nessasary supplies (58)
4
sustained and effective use of persuasive devices
Under Certain Circumstances (54)
The lion’s glorious hair (62)
If humans can have a voice why can’t animals (66)
zoos can have useful purposes (70)
things should be regulated (74)
NOTESAbout a page of writing is needed to consider sustained use.
4. Persuasive devices
12
Skill focus: The range and precision of contextually appropriate language choices.
Category descriptor Additional information Sample scripts0 symbols or drawings PletRi DoLiSal (18)1 very short script few content words Some anmals cou’d die (20)
2
mostly simple words
may include two or three precise words or word groups
single nouns
- water, award, house, reason, news, people, world
simple noun groups
- a very helpful man, a tin cage, television programs
single verbs
- like, run, look, need, think, played
simple verb groups
- did it the proper way, looked around the room
adjectives and adverbs
- cold, always, really, very, friendly, rich
simple comparisons
- as much as she can, the best teacher I ever had, one of the fastest
animals getting cewd (22)
it cruel to keep animals (24)
animals will feel sad (28)
any other animal (30)
They won’t face danger (32)
they try to break out (36)
I agree and don’t agree (38)
Some toys and games are educational (40)
3
four or more precise words or word groups
single precise words
- citizen, urge, budget, consider, solution, protect, supportive, research
modal adjectives and adverbs
- ultimate, certain, extreme, possibly, definitely, rarely
precise word groups
- duty of care, quick-minded person, a positive impact on society
modal groups
- it would seem that, it is unlikely that
technical
- habitat, life expectancy, politician, global warming, financial crisis
nominalisations
- probability, likelihood, shortsightedness
figurative language, e.g. alliteration, metaphor, simile, personification
My idea of a perfect zoo (42)
All animals started off (46)
The lion’s glorious hair (62)
4
sustained and consistent use of precise words and word groups that enhance the meaning (may be some inappropriate or inaccurate word choices)
Cages and Zoos (50)
Under Certain Circumstances (54)
Food, water and other nessasary supplies (58)
If humans can have a voice why can’t animals (66)
5
a range of precise and effective words and word groups is used in a fluent and articulate manner
language choice is well matched to style of argument
zoos can have useful purposes (70)
things should be regulated (74)
NOTESWords are generally classified into two classes:Content words (or lexical items) describe objects and concepts. This class of words consists of nouns, verbs, adverbs, adjectives, noun groups, phrasal verbs and verb groups.Grammatical word classes (or structural words) consist of prepositions, articles, conjunctions, pronouns and interjections.About a page of writing is needed to consider sustained use.
5. Vocabulary
13
Skill focus: The control of multiple threads and relationships across the text, achieved through the use of referring words, ellipsis, text connectives, substitutions and word associations.
Category descriptor Additional information Sample scripts0 symbols or drawings PletRi DoLiSal (18)
1
links are missing or incorrect
short script
often confusing for the reader
Some anmals cou’d die (20)
animals getting cewd (22)
animals will feel sad (28)
2
some correct links between sentences (do not penalise for poor punctuation)
most referring words are accurate
OR
longer text with cohesion controlled only in parts
reader may occasionally need to re-read and provide their own links to clarify meaning
May use
- simple word associations motorbike rider/stunts, bandaid/ stick
- small selection of simple connectives and conjunctions and, if, so, when, because, not only ... but also, then, but, or
it cruel to keep animals (24)
any other animal (30)
They won’t face danger (32)
they try to break out (36)
I agree and don’t agree (38)
Some toys and games are educational (40)
3
controlled use of cohesive devices supports reader understanding
meaning is clear on first reading and text flows well in a sustained piece of writing
May use
- word associations, e.g. synonyms safe haven/habitat/sanctuary/ enclosure collocation black market/mistreatment/unethical
- other connectives however, although, therefore, additionally, instead, even though, finally, in saying this
there may be occasional lapses in referring words that track plural nouns, e.g. animals … it
My idea of a perfect zoo (42)
All animals started off (46)
Cages and Zoos (50)
Under Certain Circumstances (54)
Food, water and other nessasary supplies (58)
The lion’s glorious hair (62)
4
a range of cohesive devices is used correctly and deliberately to enhance reading and support underlying relationships
an extended, highly cohesive piece of writing showing continuity of ideas and tightly linked sections of text
consistent use of cohesive devices, e.g. referring words, ellipsis, text connectives, substitutions and word associations that enhance meaning
If humans can have a voice why can’t animals (66)
zoos can have useful purposes (70)
things should be regulated (74)
NOTESAbout a page of writing is needed to consider sustained use.
6. Cohesion
14
Skill focus: The segmenting of text into paragraphs that assists the reader to follow the line of argument.
Category descriptor Additional information Sample scripts
0
no correct use of paragraphing
script may be a block of text
may be random breaks
may be a new line for every sentence (where break is not used to separate ideas)
PletRi DoLiSal (18)
Some anmals cou’d die (20)
animals getting cewd (22)
it cruel to keep animals (24)
animals will feel sad (28)
any other animal (30)
They won’t face danger (32)
they try to break out (36)
1
writing is organised into paragraphs that are mainly focused on one idea or set of like ideas to assist the reader to digest chunks of text
contains at least one correct paragraph break
ideas are separated (paragraphs may contain some unrelated ideas)
paragraphs may be used to separate the body from the introduction and/or conclusion (two or three paragraphs)
I agree and don’t agree (38)
Some toys and games are educational (40)
Under Certain Circumstances (54)
2
all paragraphs are focused on one idea or set of like ideas
- at least one paragraph is logically constructed and contains a topic sentence and supporting detail
paragraphs are mostly correct
not all topic sentences are successful
body needs at least two paragraphs
may use an extended one-sentence paragraph that contains an elaborated idea
My idea of a perfect zoo (42)
All animals started off (46)
zoos can have useful purposes (70)
3
paragraphing supports argument
paragraphs are ordered and cumulatively build argument across text
paragraphs are deliberately structured to pace and direct the reader’s attention
single sentence may be used as a final comment for emphasis
Cages and Zoos (50)
Food, water and other nessasary supplies (58)
The lion’s glorious hair (62)
If humans can have a voice why can’t animals (66)
things should be regulated (74)
NOTESFor the purposes of the task, intended paragraphs can be indicated by any of the following conventions:
indentation of a new linespace between blocks of textstudent annotations, e.g. P for paragraph or NP for new paragraph, tram lines, square brackets, asteriskavailable space on previous line left unused, followed by new line for paragraph beginning.
7. Paragraphing
15
Skill focus: The production of grammatically correct, structurally sound and meaningful sentences.
Category descriptor Additional information Sample scripts
0 no evidence of sentences drawings, symbols, a list of words, text fragments
PletRi DoLiSal (18)
1
some correct formation of sentences
some meaning can be construed
in general control is very limited
very short script (one sentence)
most sentences contain the same basic structures
may be overuse of the conversational ‘and’ or ‘then’
Some anmals cou’d die (20)
it cruel to keep animals (24)
2
correct sentences are mostly simple and/or compound sentences
meaning is predominantly clear
a short script that consists only of correct complex sentences (where there are no simple sentences)
text may include complex sentences that use one basic structure (two, if one is a projected clause)
two or more correct sentences required
animals getting cewd (22)
animals will feel sad (28)
any other animal (30)
They wont face danger (32)
3
most simple and compound sentences are correct
AND
some complex sentences are correct
meaning is predominantly clear
simple sentences may show some extension
experiments with basic structures in complex sentences
- requires two or more types (three or more, if one is a projected clause)
four or more correct sentences required
they try to break out (36)
I agree and don’t agree (38)
Some toys and games are educational (40)
My idea of a perfect zoo (42)
Cages and Zoos (50)
4
most simple, compound and complex sentences are correct
OR
all simple, compound and complex sentences are correct but do not demonstrate variety
meaning is clear
more routine use and greater control of elaborating clauses and phrases in simple, compound and complex sentences
allow for an occasional minor error
usually requires a sustained piece of writing
All animals started off (46)
Under Certain Circumstances (54)
Food, water and other nessasary supplies (58)
If humans can have a voice why can’t animals (66)
5
sentences are correct (allow for occasional error in more sophisticated structures)
demonstrates variety
meaning is clear and sentences enhance meaning
shows control over a range of different structures (quantity, quality and variety)
VARIETY
clause types and patterns
- verbless, adjectival, adverbial, multiple, non-finite
dependent clause position
length and rhythm
increased elaboration and extension
stylistically appropriate choices
The lion’s glorious hair (62)
zoos can have useful purposes (70)
6
all sentences are correct (allow for occasional slip, e.g. a missing word)
writing contains controlled and well-developed sentences that express precise meaning and are consistently effective
things should be regulated (74)
NOTESSome students do not accurately identify their sentence boundaries with punctuation. In these cases it will be necessary to read the intended sentence. Run-on sentences should not be regarded as successful (overly repeated ‘and’, ‘so’ etc).Verb control and preposition errors should be considered as sentence errors.‘Most’ is approximately 80%.
8. Sentence structure
16
Skill focus: The use of correct and appropriate punctuation to aid reading of the text.
Category descriptor Additional information Sample scripts
0no evidence of correct sentence punctuation
SENTENCE PUNCTUATION INCLUDES
capital letters to begin sentences
full stops, question marks and exclamation marks to end sentences
OTHER PUNCTUATION INCLUDES
commas in lists
commas to mark clauses and phrases
apostrophes for contractions
apostrophes for possession
capital letters and commas used within quotation marks
quotation marks for text extracts, highlighted words and words used with ironic emphasis (‘sneer’ quotes)
brackets and dashes
colons and semicolons
points of ellipsis
NOUN CAPITALISATION INCLUDES
first names and surnames
titles: Mr, Mrs, Miss, Ms
place names: Paris, Italy
institution names: Valley High
days of week, months of year
street names: Ord St
book and film titles
holidays: Easter, Ramadan
historic events: World War II
PletRi DoLiSal (18)
it cruel to keep animals (24)
1
correct use of capital letters to start sentences OR full stops to end sentences (at least one correct sentence marker)
punctuation is minimal and of little assistance to the reader
Some animals cou’d die (20)
animals getting cewd (22)
animals will feel sad (28)
2
some correct use of sentence level punctuation (at least two accurately punctuated sentences - beginning and end)
OR
one correctly punctuated sentence AND some other punctuation correct where it is required (refer to list in additional information)
provides some markers to assist reading
They won’t face danger (32)
All animals started off (46)
3
sentence level punctuation mostly correct (minimum of 80% of five sentences punctuated correctly) AND some other correct punctuation (two or more different examples of other punctuation)
OR
accurate sentence punctuation with correct noun capitalisation and no stray capitals, nothing else used (four or more sentences)
provides adequate markers to assist reading
any other animal (30)
they try to break out (36)
I agree and don’t agree (38)
My idea of a perfect zoo (42)
Cages and Zoos (50)
Under Certain Circumstances (54)
4
all sentence punctuation correct (no stray capitals)
AND
mostly correct use of other punctuation, including noun capitalisation
provides accurate markers to enable smooth and efficient reading
Some toys and games are educational (40)
The lion’s glorious hair (62)
If humans can have a voice why can’t animals. (66)
things should be regulated (74)
5
writing contains accurate use of all applicable punctuation
provides precise markers to pace and control reading of the text
zoos can have useful purposes (70)
Food, water and other nessasary supplies (58)
NOTESIn first draft writing, allowances can be made for the very occasional omission of sentence punctuation at Categories 4 and 5.‘Mostly’ is approximately 80% but it is not intended that every use of punctuation is calculated rigorously.Do not penalise for different heading styles. The following styles are all considered acceptable:
- only the first letter capitalised (It is cruel to keep animals in cages or zoos) - the first letter of all major words capitalised (It Is Cruel to Keep Animals in Cages or Zoos)- all words capitalised (It Is Cruel To Keep Animals In Cages Or Zoos)- all letters capitalised (IT IS CRUEL TO KEEP ANIMALS IN CAGES OR ZOOS)
‘Splice’ commas used to join two sentences are INCORRECT, e.g. The dog ate my home work, it was hungry. Do not score this as correct sentence punctuation or comma use.
9. Punctuation
17
Skill focus: The accuracy of spelling and the difficulty of the words used.
Category descriptor Additional information Sample scripts
0 no conventional spelling
SIMPLE WORDSwords with two letters (an, be, it, on, up, my)single-syllable words with
- short vowel sounds (cat, men, fit, not, fun) - consonant digraphs (shop, thin, much, chips) - consonant blends (clap, drop, grab, bring, must, help, left) - double final consonants (egg, will, less) - high frequency (all, day, feet, food, you, park, bird, her, good, for, how, our)
high frequency short two-syllable words - into, undo, goingCOMMON WORDS
single-syllable words with - two two-consonant blends and/or digraphs (crack, speech, broom, drift) - three-consonant blends (stretch, catch)
common long vowels (sail, again, away, mean, light, fly, shiny, broke, only, close, hurt, use, chair)multi-syllabic words with even stress patterns (litter, plastic, between)common homophones (too/two, there/their, write/right, hear/here, brake/break)common words with silent letters (know, wrong, comb) single-syllable words ending in ould, ey, oughsuffixes that don’t change the base word (jumped, sadly, adults, happening)most rule-driven words: drop e, double letter, change y to i (having, spitting, heavier, easily)
DIFFICULT WORDS uneven stress patterns in multi-syllabic words (chocolate, mineral)uncommon vowel patterns (drought, hygiene)difficult subject-specific content words (disease, habitat, predator)difficult homophones (practice/practise, board/bored) suffixes where base word changes (prefer/preferred, relate/relation)consonant alternation patterns (confident/confidence)many three- and four-syllable words (invisible, organise, community)multi-syllabic words ending in tion, sion, ture, ible/able, ent/ant, ful, el/al, elly/ally, gle (supervision, furniture, powerful, sentinel, brutally, rectangle)
CHALLENGING WORDS unusual consonant patterns (guarantee)longer words with unstressed syllables (responsibility) suffixes to words ending in e, c or l (physically, changeable, plasticity)foreign words (lieutenant, nonchalant)
PletRi DoLiSal (18)
1
few examples of conventional spelling
Limited evidence (less than 20 words written)
Some anmals cou’d die (20) animals getting cewd (22)
2
correct spelling of
- most simple words
- some common words (at least two)
errors evident in common words
it cruel to keep animals (24)animals will feel sad (28)
3
correct spelling of
- most simple words
- most common words (at least 20)
any other animal (30)They won’t face danger (32)I agree and don’t agree (38)
4
correct spelling of
- simple words
- most common words
- some difficult words (at least two)
incorrect difficult words do not outnumber correct difficult words
they try to break out (36)
Some toys and games are educational (40)
5
correct spelling of
- simple words
- most common words
- at least 10 difficult words
incorrect difficult words do not outnumber correct difficult words
My idea of a perfect zoo (42)All animals started off (46)Cages and Zoos (50)Under Certain Circumstances (54)
Food, water and other nessasary supplies (58)The lion’s glorious hair (62) If humans can have a voice why can’t animals. (66)zoos can have useful purposes (70)
6
correct spelling of all words
AND
at least 10 difficult words and some challenging words OR at least 15 difficult words if no challenging words
allow for a very occasional minor slip (one or two)
things should be regulated (74)
10. Spelling
NAPLAN marking criteria VELS level
Audience
Supports and engages the reader through deliberate language choices and persuasive techniques. Some lapses in precision of language.
Develops a critical understanding of the ways writers and producers of texts try to position readers to accept particular views … ideas and information. (5) Adjusts writing in response to purpose, content and audience needs. (5) Practises writing expressively about … opinions and ideas, and constructing considered arguments to persuade others to share a point of view. (6)
Text structure All components of the text are well developed, although the introduction is too long and begins to develop the argument, rather than introduce it. Topic sentences introduce each paragraph.
Extends knowledge of the structure of a variety of text forms (such as persuasive texts). (5)
Ideas Ideas are generated, selected and crafted to contribute effectively to the writer’s position.
Writes arguments that state and justify a personal viewpoint. (5) Identifies the main issues in a topic and provides supporting detail and evidence for opinions. (5) Practises writing expressively and in detail about challenging ideas. (5) Writes persuasive texts dealing with complex ideas and issues and controls the linguistic structures and features that support the presentation of different perspectives on complex themes and issues. (6) Uses writing to explore different perspectives on complex and challenging issues. (6)
Persuasive devices Sustained and effective use of persuasive devices. Effective rebuttal and use of qualification (Whilst such cages are often seen as cruel there are advantages…) and cause effect reasoning (If society were to commit …). Effective use of rhetorical question (So where do you draw the line…?) and the use of But and And for at the beginning of sentences for rhetorical purposes. Use of quotations less effective as they are not integrated into writer’s sentences and source of quotations not identified.
Explores the power of language and the ways it can influence roles and relationships and represent ideas, information and concepts. (5) Selects subject matter and begins to use a range of language techniques to try to position readers to accept particular views. (6)
Vocabulary
A range of precise and effective words and word groups used in a fluent and articulate manner.
Uses a range of vocabulary and selects for precise meaning. (4) Experiments with techniques to influence others, including vocabulary. (5)
Cohesion
Although not a highly cohesive piece, there is controlled use of cohesive devices to support reader understanding. Some unreferenced pronouns (eg. paragraph 4: They also study the behaviour ...; and He added …) and lack of integration of quotations detract from
Identifies and uses different parts of speech, including nouns, pronouns, adverbs, comparative adverbs and adjectives, and uses appropriate prepositions and conjunctions. (4) Controls tenses and subject-verb
cohesion. and noun-pronoun agreement. (5)
Paragraphing All paragraphs are focused on one idea or set of like ideas.
Writes texts containing logically ordered paragraphs that express opinions and includes ideas and information about familiar topics. (3)
Sentence structure
Generally controls a range of different structures but there are some long and unwieldy sentences (eg. paragraph one: But the use of cages also has effects…).
Uses a variety of sentence structures. (4)
Punctuation
Sentence punctuation correct, good use of commas to mark clauses and phrases, and correct use of quotation marks. Errors in use of both possessive and contraction apostrophes.
Uses punctuation to support meaning, including exclamation marks and quotation marks, and accurately uses full stops, commas and question marks. (3)
Spelling
Correct spelling of difficult and challenging words, with a very occasional minor slip.
Proofreads and corrects spelling errors. (5)
National Writing Project Offers High-Quality Writing Assessment Services
Despite the central importance of writing in our academic, civic, and professional life outside of school,
writing has long been the neglected “R” inside of school (National Commission on Writing, 2003). Current research shows that teachers have little class time to teach narrative, informative, and argumentative writing (Applebee & Langer, 2011, National Center for Education Statistics, 2008). This reality presents a challenge as states, districts, schools, and teachers implement the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for English Language Arts as well as college- and career-ready standards, which establish new rigorous expectations for writing.
A recent research synthesis reveals that high-quality formative writing assessments—those that provide useful feedback to students, teach students to assess their own writing, monitor students’ writing progress, and enable teachers to apply best practices for assessing writing—help raise students’ overall writing achievement (Graham, Harris, & Hebert, 2011).
Over the past 8 years, the National Writing Project created and refined the Analytic Writing Continuum (AWC) Assessment System, originally based on the framework of the Six +1 Trait Writing Model (Bellamy, 2005), for research and instructional purposes. Unlike the holistic scores used in most large-scale writing assessments, which offer limited information about how improvements in student writing may be achieved, the AWC provides accurate assessment of both holistic and important performance attributes of writing.
The AWC is a well-tested system, used at 9 national events to score more than 40,000 student writing samples. The AWC system directly measures writing performance in an objective, unbiased manner. It includes extensively tested and highly refined definitions of the constructs measured, as well as anchors, scoring and training commentaries, as well as training and calibration processes. The system applies a 6-point scale for both holistic and analytic scoring of the following attributes of writing: Content, Structure, Stance, Sentence Fluency, Diction, and Conventions (Swain & LeMahieu, 2012).
◊ Focuses on core attributes of student writing
◊ Provides writing assessment to guide instructional decision-making, professional development, research, and program evaluation:
◊ Offers 6 analytic scores and 1 holistic assessment◊ Uses 6-point scale sensitive for detecting changes
in student writing performance◊ Allows for use in Grades 3–12
◊ Connects local scores to a national writing assessment infrastructure
◊ Employs a national network of expert teachers of writing to score student work
◊ Exhibits strong technical qualities:◊ High inter-rater reliability with 90% agreement
across attributes, and test-retest reliability ◊ Evidence of validity identified through
examination of factor structures, relationship to other writing assessments, studies of classroom, and professional development use
THE ANALYTIC WRITING CONTINUUM AT A GLANCE
“In my thirty-year career in writing assessment, the NWP’s Analytic Writing Continuum is the only analytic measure of student writing I have found
both to be highly reliable and to measure the authentic and central constructs of student writing. The AWC combines carefully constructed categories
that provide valid measures with a rigorous and proven training procedure that ensures reliability.” — Les PereLmAN, Director of Writing Across the Curriculum,
massachusetts Institute of Technology and President, The Consortium for research and evaluation of Writing
The National Writing Project is a nationwide network of educators working together to improve the teaching of writing in the nation’s schools and in other settings. NWP provides high-quality professional development programs to teachers in a variety of disciplines and at all levels, from early child-hood through university. Through its network of nearly 200 university-based sites located in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, NWP develops the leadership, programs, and research needed for teachers to help students become successful writers and learners. For more information, visit www.nwp.org.
Conclusion Using both holistic and analytic procedures, the AWC Assessment System is a robust instrument that measures important aspects of writing consis-tently across multiple raters and scoring sessions. It serves as a tool to support teachers’ growth as writers and as teachers of writing. More broadly, the AWC provides a common language and metric around which professional development can be structured, encouraging the growth of professional communities, greater teacher knowledge, and improved student learning outcomes.
Evidence of Inter-Rater Reliability At each scoring event, at least 15% of papers are randomly selected to be read by two independent raters. Over the past 8 years, inter-rater reliability rates have ranged from 89 to 93 percent across attributes.
Evidence of Test-Retest Reliability To monitor the consistency with which standards of the AWC are applied across the years, a total of 500 papers (20–25 at each score point from 1 through 6 at each grade level) have been scored by two independent raters each year from 2008 to 2011. For each attribute, the frequency distributions of scores from multiple years of scoring were plotted on a single coordinate plane (i.e., all resemble the holistic graph below). The graphs show little variation in scores, indicating exceptional consistency in the application of standards across time.
“my teachers were passionate to use the AWC on a district-wide basis. They felt that the assessment system was
far superior to any other they had ever worked with; it has dual potential for
summative and formative evaluation.” — KImberLy CuevAs, 7–12 eLA Program
Coordinator, Washoe County school District, Nv, 2011
ReferencesApplebee, A.N., & Langer, J.A. (2011). A snapshot of writing instruc-
tion in middle schools and high schools. English Journal, 100 (6), 14–27.
Bellamy, P.C. (2005). Seeing with New Eyes: Using the 6 +1 Trait Writing Model. Portland, OR: Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory.
Graham, S., Harris, K., and Hebert, M. A. (2011). Informing writing: The benefits of formative assessment. A Carnegie Corporation Time to Act report. Washington, DC: Alliance for Excellent Education.
National Center for Education Statistics (2008, April 3). The nation’s report card: Writing 2007 (NCES 2008468) [National Association of Education Progress report]. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education.
National Commission on Writing (2003). The neglected “R”: The need for a writing revolution (report). New York: College Entrance Examination Board.
Swain, S. & LeMahieu, P. (2012). Assessment in a culture of inquiry: The story of National Writing Project’s Analytic Writing Continuum. In N. Elliot and L. Perelman (Eds). Writing assessment in the 21st Cen-tury: Essays in honor of Edward White. New York: Hampton Press.
ServiceS Offered
Use the AWc Assessment System to
◊ Obtain high-quality information about student writing performance, with sensitivity to differences between groups or change over time
◊ enhance grant proposals or add valid, reliable student performance data to research projects
◊ Offer scoring opportunities as professional development for teachers
contract NWP to
◊ ensure technical rigor of scoring involving experienced teachers of writing◊ Host a local scoring event ◊ send papers to be scored at a national event ◊ Create and use local assessment systems and materials, all linked to a
nationally anchored and validated writing assessment
For more information, contact: research@nwp.orgLinda Friedrich, Ph.D., Director, research and evaluation; Sherry Swain, Ph.D., senior research Associate; Hee Jin Bang, Ph.D., senior research Associate
Inter-rater reliability rates by attribute for 9,129 double-scored papers
(22% of total N=40,583) from 2005 to 2011
Percent Holistic Content Structure Stance SentenceFluency Diction Conventions
Agreement 93 91 91 89 89 91 89
Cumulative
RelativeFrequency
distributionsof
Holisticscoresacross
allgradelevels
(N=498),
2008–2011.
Two raters’ scores are summed to produce a scale ranging from 2–12. The curves lie nearly directly on top of one another, indicat-ing exceptional scale consistency (i.e., consistent standards applied) across time.
“After scoring, I know more about how students need to develop. I can assess where they are and where they need to grow. I can
figure out what they need to know; every one of them needs something different.”
— LINDA buCHANAN, ed.D., resource Teacher, Tupelo, ms, 2009