[English] expected qualities

Thu Jul 12 13:20:13 EST 2012

Wondering if there’s any other assessors on this thread who care to comment on the descriptor in question... Personally, and professionally I might add, I find this an interesting issue. If these descriptors hold any weight at all in the assessment process then don’t we have an obligation to understand them; or if they are poorly written then at least identify their shortcomings and deal with it...?

The key questions once again are:  What is the basis of the text?  For instance, what is the basis of, say, Cat’s Eye? And what is meant by an appropriate strategy for dealing with it (ie the topic) and why is there no need for a strategy (appropriate or otherwise) below the 9-10 range?

Thanks 

Russell

From: rdf4 at bigpond.com 
Sent: Tuesday, July 10, 2012 8:14 PM
To: VCE English Teachers' Mailing List 
Subject: Re: [English] expected qualities

Hi Gail

Thanks for contributing to this thread. 

Just to be clear, it’s dot point 2 in the 8-10 range I’m referring to. I suppose good, clear writing is what I’m concerned about here. Firstly,  if someone could explain to me what the basis of the text is, why it is considered so important then maybe we could then discuss profitable ways of teaching to it. For instance, what is the basis of the text Cat’s Eye by Margaret Atwood?  Secondly,  what is meant by an appropriate strategy and why aren't students below the 9-10 range considered to need one, appropriate or otherwise?

I don’t have any anxieties about the discrepancy rates or lack thereof, just thinking that we need to know exactly what is going on in the language and syntax of this descriptor. Gail’s point about students thinking they are meeting the [wider] implications surely become an issue when no such implications are referred to in the examination criteria.

Russell

From: Reynolds, Gail G 
Sent: Tuesday, July 10, 2012 4:57 PM
To: VCE English Teachers' Mailing List 
Subject: Re: [English] expected qualities

Hi Russell,

I think the point of the phrase is that the weaker students will often go off into tangents separating their exploration of the iissues from the text itself; so for example a Year of Wonders  response might wander off into a discussion of the plague in general terms, say, how many were killed in London, which is irrelevant to the text which is set (apparently) in Eyam an isolated small village well away from London.  The student themselves may think they are meeting the wider implications criteria, but they are not addressing the text.  The phrase which worries you is a reminder to the Assessors that these discussions need to be in a context which has a substantial link to the content of the text. (Remember that these criteria are not the ones given on the exam paper but intended for the assessors -- a process I think is somewhat duplicitous ... but that is another issue altogether)

You should also consider that the assessors make 'on balance' decisions in a process which is holistic marking, ie markers don't tick off criteria as such, but use them as a guide for their marking. An experienced assessor will use these criteria to differentiate scripts, but two responses may receive the same marks although the degree to which they meet each of the stated criteria may show greater strength in one area over another when compared one to the other.  It sounds complex, but English has a very low discrepancy rate (assessors disagreeing) 

Gail

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From: english-bounces at edulists.com.au [english-bounces at edulists.com.au] on behalf of rdf4 at bigpond.com [rdf4 at bigpond.com]
Sent: Tuesday, 10 July 2012 11:13 AM
To: VCE English Teachers' Mailing List
Cc: english at edulists.com.au
Subject: Re: [English] expected qualities

Hello Julie and thanks for your response...

I don’t have an issue with the key words you identify... though I have a nagging feeling that the phrase “ from the basis of the text” is redundant. I mean the exam topic itself invariably refers to the text.  Unless it’s referring to something else, I don’t understand why it’s there.  Also your point about “understanding the text in the wider world”... isn't this a C&P feature rather than a R&R one? My understanding of an R&R response is that it deals with the world of the text, not real world elements...
I also wonder what is meant by “an appropriate strategy for dealing with it” ... ie the topic; and why marks below 8 don’t need a strategy, appropriate or otherwise. From your point of view what would such an appropriate strategy be?  Perhaps others also have thoughts on this?

Thanks again,

Russell

From: Julie 
Sent: Monday, July 09, 2012 8:50 PM
To: VCE English Teachers' Mailing List 
Cc: mailto:english at edulists.com.au 
Subject: Re: [English] expected qualities

Hi Russell,

The key words in this description, for me, are: 'implications', 'exploring' and 'complexity'.  The thinking associated with these words is quite sophisticated.  While we hope that all students respond 'from the basis of the text' it is usually clear that the best responses take the ideas so much further. The basic response 'describes' the ideas in the topic while the best response moves way beyond this and understands the text in the wider world.  

It is hard to explain but when you see the difference in student responses the difference is more obvious.

Regards, 
Julie Squires

On 09/07/2012, at 12:42 PM, <rdf4 at bigpond.com> wrote:

  Hi 

  I’m looking at the 2011 Expected Qualities (Reading and Responding) for exam markers and wonder what people understand by the term... “Demonstrates an understanding of the implications of the topic...exploring its complexity from the basis of the text.”  I note that this expected quality is only referred to in the 8-10 mark range.  One would like to think that most students would use the text as the basis for their response; or am I missing the point...?

  http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/vce/studies/english/2008eng-crit-descriptors.pdf

  Russell

  From: Lorraine Paul 
  Sent: Sunday, July 08, 2012 7:58 PM
  To: english at edulists.com.au 
  Subject: Re: [English] VCE English Teachers and Coordinators

  Thanks Mary. I teach in an independent school. It's nice when you have forums like this. All the best!
  Lorraine 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  From: mary.mason at bigpond.com
  To: english at edulists.com.au
  Date: Sun, 8 Jul 2012 09:21:46 +1000
  Subject: Re: [English] VCE English Teachers and Coordinators

  Lorraine - I’m sorry. You need to have an edumail address to access the site. You can be a crt teacher or an employee in a state school.

  Mary

  From: english-bounces at edulists.com.au [mailto:english-bounces at edulists.com.au] On Behalf Of Lorraine Paul
  Sent: Saturday, 7 July 2012 11:15 PM
  To: english at edulists.com.au
  Subject: Re: [English] VCE English Teachers and Coordinators

  Hello Mary,

  Is this open only to  State School Teachers ?
  Lorraine 

  ! 
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  Date: Thu, 7 Jun 2012 12:58:49 +1000
  From: mcclenaghan.douglas.j at edumail.vic.gov.au
  To: english at edulists.com.au
  Subject: Re: [English] VCE English Teachers and Coordinators

  Hello Mary

  Yes, I am certainly interested in this. Sign me up.

  Yours

  Douglas McClenaghan

  >>> Mary Mason<mary.mason at bigpond.com> 7/06/2012 11:13 AM >>>

  Dear VCE teachers

  I am working with a group for the Department of Education on designing course materials for Years 11 and 12 VCE English for State School Teachers. We are also working on a site on! the Ultranet for teachers new to VCE English. This site will provide excellent materials for teachers; provide opportunities for them to ask questions of experienced VCE teachers; participate in a forum with other teachers; and opportunities to access virtual discussions/lectures on aspects of the course. We are also hopeful that there could be a forum on it for collaborative research for VIT projects. We would like to have about 30 teachers from state schools ,who are presently teaching  VCE, who would be willing to trial and help us to build the site so it will be helpful for teachers. Participation  will count towards professional development time and will, I think, be most interesting. If you are a CRT teacher you are welcome to join as well. I know it is diffi! cult sometimes for you to pick up professional development hours. Please contact me directly on my email: mary.mason at bigpond.com if you are able to participate. The trial will be  in Term 3 and will  involve you loggi! ng into the site, participating in some of the forums, and feeding back to us your comments.

  Best wishes

  Mary Mason

  Consultant to the Ultranet

  Important - This email and any attachments may be confidential. If received in error, please contact! us and delete all copies. Before opening or using attachments check t hem for viruses and defects. Regardless of any loss, damage or consequence, whether caused by the negligence of the sender or not, resulting directly or indirectly from the use of any attached files our liability is limited to resupplying any affected attachments. Any representations or opinions expressed are those of the individual sender, and not necessarily those of the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development.

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http://www.edulists.com.au - FAQ, resources, subscribe, unsubscribe
VCE English Teachers' Mailing List kindly supported by
http://www.vate.org.au - Victorian Association for the Teaching of English VATE and
http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/vce/studies/english/index.html - Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority
Important - This email and any attachments may be confidential. If received in error, please contact us and delete all copies. Before opening or using attachments check them for viruses and defects. Regardless of any loss, damage or consequence, whether caused by the negligence of the sender or not, resulting directly or indirectly from the use of any attached files our liability is limited to resupplying any affected attachments. Any representations or opinions expressed are those of the individual sender, and not necessarily those of the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development.

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http://www.edulists.com.au - FAQ, resources, subscribe, unsubscribe
VCE English Teachers' Mailing List kindly supported by
http://www.vate.org.au - Victorian Association for the Teaching of English VATE and
http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/vce/studies/english/index.html - Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority

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http://www.edulists.com.au - FAQ, resources, subscribe, unsubscribe
VCE English Teachers' Mailing List kindly supported by
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