Studying Languages at · 2020. 9. 5. · 3 Studying a Language at VCE – Transition Information for VSL Year 9-10 students INTRODUCTION Dear Student, The Victorian School of Languages

Studying a Language at VCE – Transition Information for VSL Year 9-10 students 1

Arabic

Bosnian

Chin Hakha

Chinese (Mandarin)

Chinese Language, Culture & Society

Classical Greek

Croatian

Dutch

Filipino

French

German

Greek

Hebrew

Hindi

Hungarian

Indonesian

Italian

Japanese

Karen

Khmer

Korean

Latin

Macedonian

Persian

Polish

Portuguese

Punjabi

Romanian

Russian

Serbian

Sinhala

Spanish

Tamil

Turkish

Vietnamese

Studying

Languages at

VCE

Transition Information for

VSL Year 9-10 students


Victorian School of Languages

Address: PO Box 1172

Thornbury VIC 3071

Phone: (03) 9474 0500

Home Page: http://www.vsl.vic.edu.au

E-mail: [email protected]

Studying a Language at VCE – Transition Package for VSL Year 9-10 students

Prepared by: Angela Natoli, Assistant Principal: Curriculum & Professional Development

Acknowledgements

The school is indebted to the VCAA and VTAC for making material available for inclusion. At

the time of publication every attempt was made to confirm the accuracy of the content. Students

are reminded to check the VCAA and VTAC publications as they become available.

Copyright 2020

mailto:[email protected]


INTRODUCTION

Dear Student,

The Victorian School of Languages welcomes you to exciting years ahead of language study at the VCE

level. The Studying a Language at VCE- Transition Information for Year 9-10 students is especially

designed to inform you about the requirements for successfully completing your VCE.

The study of a Language other than English contributes to the overall education of individual students,

most particularly in the area of communication, but also in the areas of cross-cultural understanding,

cognitive development, literacy and general knowledge. It provides access to the culture of communities

which use the language and promotes understanding of different attitudes and values within the wider

Australian community and beyond. Australia as a trading nation also needs citizens who can speak other

languages.

In order to successfully complete the VCE, students must know the requirements and criteria of each

course; so we therefore encourage all future VCE students to read the information carefully. Another

invaluable resource and one you should become familiar with is the VCAA website:

www.vcaa.vic.edu.au

Wishing you all the very best for successful VCE studies at the Victorian School of Languages.

Frank Merlino Angela Natoli

Principal Assistant Principal

Curriculum & Professional Development

http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/


CONTENTS PAGE

Introduction………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 3

Your strengths and interests………………………………………………………………………………………… 5

VSL VCE Languages and VCAA Language Study Codes………………………………………………………… 7

About the Victorian Certificate of Education VCE………………………………………………………………… 8

VCE (Baccalaureate)…………………………………………………………………………………………………. 10

What must I do to get my VCE……………………………………………………………………………………… 11

Information for VSL VCE Students

- Languages……………………………………………………………………………………………………. 12

- Enrolment……………………………………………………………………………………………………. 12

- Attendance…………………………………………………………………………………………………… 12

- Approved Dictionaries………………………………………………………………………………………. 13

- Satisfactory Unit Completion………………………………………………………………………………. 13

- Statistical Moderation…………………………………………………………………………..................... 14

- External Examinations……………………………………………………………………………………… 14

- Special Entry requirements for VCE Units 3 & 4 Second Languages…………………………………… 15

Characteristics of Different Kinds of Writing………………………………………………………………………. 16

Part 1 of the Oral Examination (General Conversation) – Sample questions…………………………………….. 18

Written Examination: Tips for Listening Comprehension…………………………………………………………. 19

Access past Exam Papers and Examiners Reports………………………………………………………………….. 20


VTAC Year 10 Guide

VICTORIAN TERTIARY ADMISSIONS CENTRE 40 Park Street, South Melbourne, VIC 3205


VSL VCE Languages and VCAA Language Study Codes

The Victorian School of Languages offers VCE face-to-face classes in the following

languages. Check the latest VSL Student Circular for VCE class locations.

Victorian Second Languages

Unit 1 & Unit 2

Arabic LO021/LO022

French LO091/LO092

German LO101/LO102

Greek LO221/LO222

Indonesian SL LO401/LO402

Italian LO141/LO142

Japanese SL LO461/LO462

Korean SL LO471/LO472

Spanish LO271/LO272

Vietnamese SL LO311/LO312

First Languages

Unit 1 & Unit 2

Chinese FL LO041/LO042

Indonesian FL LO131/LO132

Japanese FL LO151/LO152

Korean FL LO371/LO372

Vietnamese FL LO541/LO542

Chinese Second Language &

Chinese Second Language Advanced

Unit 1 & Unit 2

Chinese Second Language

LO0391/LO0392


Advanced

Not Available

Chinese Language, Culture and Society Unit 1 & Unit 2

LO501/LO502

VCE Languages

Unit 1 & Unit 2

Classical Greek LO001/ LO002

Latin LO171/LO172

CCAFL Languages (Collaborative Curriculum and Assessment Framework for Languages – Nationally Assessed)

Unit 1 & Unit 2 Unit 1 & Unit 2

Bosnian LO501/LO502 Persian LO321/LO322

Chin Hakha LO531/LO532 Polish LO231/LO232

Croatian LO051/LO052 Portuguese LO331/LO332

Dutch LO071/LO072 Punjabi LO491/LO492

Filipino LO451/LO452 Romanian LO421/LO422

Hebrew LO111/LO112 Russian LO241/LO242

Hindi LO361/LO362 Serbian LO251/LO252

Hungarian LO121/LO122 Sinhala LO341/LO342

Karen LO551/LO552 Tamil LO431/LO432

Khmer LO161/LO162 Turkish LO291/LO292

Macedonian LO201/LO202

You can also study the following languages via Distance Education:

Arabic, Chinese, Classical Greek, French, German, Greek, Hindi, Indonesian,

Italian, Japanese, Latin & Spanish

Contact the VSL Head Office on (03) 9474 0500 for the criteria and enrolment process.


ABOUT THE VICTORIAN CERTIFICATE OF EDUCATION (VCE)

What is the VCE?

The VCE is a senior secondary certificate that provides pathways to tertiary education, advanced

certificate courses and the workforce.

It is a world-class credential that enables students to study a broad range of subjects. It is recognised

nationally and internationally.

Most students in Victoria receive their VCE when they complete secondary schooling. Many students

outside Australia also study the VCE, including in China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Timor-Leste and

Vanuatu.

When can I start my VCE?

VCE can be started in Year 10. Our School Policy is that students can only accelerate up one year level

from their day school year level. Hence in Year 10 only Unit 1 & 2 languages can be accessed at the

VSL.

What studies can I choose?

You have a variety of study options in the VCE through which you can pursue your interests and build

your skills.

There are more than 90 VCE studies and over 20 VCE VET programs across the humanities, sciences,

mathematics, technology, the arts and languages, as well as vocational studies.

The VCE languages available at the Victorian School of Languages at the VCE level are listed in this

booklet or access the website.

What can I choose from at my school?

Each school decides which VCE studies and VET programs it will offer. Your home school will advise

you on study choice and if a VCE study is not available, it may be possible to do it outside of your

school,

You may want to consider Virtual School Victoria or the Victorian School of Languages, or you can

speak to your VCE coordinator about other options. For example at a VSL centre or at the VSL

Distance Education Section for Languages and at the VSV for other subjects.

Victorian School of Languages – www.vsl.vic.edu.au – for Language subjects

Virtual Schools Victoria – www.vsv.vic.edu.au - for other subjects

Speak to your careers counsellor for advice on your options.

What should I consider when choosing my studies?

When making your choice you should consider studies that:

Interest you

You are good at

Lead to a job that interests you

Prepare you for further training or tertiary courses

You should speak to your careers counsellor before making a final decision.

http://www.vsl.vic.edu.au/http://www.vsv.vic.edu.au/


How is the VCE organised?

The VCE course is made up of studies and units, some of which must be studied as a sequence.

A study is a subject, for example, English or French. It is made up of four units (Units 1, 2, 3 and 4),

each of which is a semester in length.

For most students, the VCE is completed over two years. Students typically study Units 1 and 2 in their

first year, and Units 3 and 4 in their second year of the VCE.

You can study Units 1 and 2 of a study as stand-alone units. However, you must enrol in Units 3 and 4

of a study as a sequence. This sequence needs to be completed in the same year if a study score is to be

calculated.

Students usually study between 20 and 24 units (five or six studies) in Years 11 and 12. You can take

longer than two years to finish the VCE if you need to. Some students start the VCE in Year 10, and

some study Units 3 and 4 in Year 11.

Units 3 and 4 are normally taken in your final year at school. If you are planning to take Units 3 and 4

studies in Year 11, remember that these are more difficult than Units 1 and 2.

With regard to language studies it is recommended that Unit 1 and 2 be completed before

undertaking Units 3 and 4 so that you have the best possible opportunity to do your personal best

in your language study.

You should talk to your teachers or careers counsellor about how to structure your VCE program to

best meet your needs.

What must I do to get my VCE Certificate?

Regardless of how many units you do in total, to achieve your VCE you must successfully complete 16

units, including:

three units from the English group, two of which must be a Unit 3 and 4 sequence

at least three sequences of Unit 3 and 4 studies, which can include further sequences from the

English group.

Your teacher can explain the differences between the English group studies or you can find out more on

the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) website.

You can complete the remaining units, including the three sequences at the Unit 3 and 4 level, in any

study that interests you. This could even be an additional English group study on top of the units you

take to meet the minimum English requirement.

Your teacher determines if you have satisfactorily completed a unit, based on the work you submit and

your adherence to VCAA and school rules.


How do I get an ATAR? An Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) is calculated by VTAC using VCE study scores. The

Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre (VTAC) uses the ATAR when offering university places. To get

an ATAR you must complete both Units 3 and 4 of an English study (from the group above) and three

other Units 3 and 4 studies in addition to the English requirement. You must also get a study score for

these.

The ATAR is calculated by the Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre (VTAC) on the basis of study

scores and is presented as a ranking between 0.00 and 99.95.

If you want to obtain an ATAR, you need to have at least four study scores, one of which must be from

the English group. VTAC places restrictions on certain combinations of VCE and VET studies so if

you intend to apply for an ATAR at the end of your VCE, talk to your VCE coordinator about these

rules.

Tertiary institutions look at the ATAR and the combinations of VCE studies students have completed

before offering places.

You can find out more information about the ATAR, subject combinations and course choices through

VTAC.

About the GAT All students studying at least one Unit 3 and 4 VCE study (or scored VCE VET study) must sit the

General Achievement Test (GAT). The GAT measures your general knowledge and skills in written

communication, mathematics, science, technology, humanities, the arts and social sciences. The GAT is

an important part of VCE assessment.

Although it doesn’t count towards your VCE results or your ATAR, the GAT plays an important role in

checking that your school assessments and external examinations have been accurately assessed.

Therefore, if you are enrolled in Units 3 and 4 of any VCE study or any VCE VET scored program –

whether in Year 11 or Year 12 – you must sit the GAT. Your GAT results will be reported with your

Statement of Results. The GAT exam is held in the middle of the year.

The GAT may also be used to determine Derived Examination Scores for students who are ill or

affected by other personal circumstances at the time of a VCE external assessment and whose result is

unlikely to be a fair or accurate indication of their learning or achievement.

VCE (Baccalaureate) You might be eligible for the VCE – Baccalaureate in recognition of the depth, breadth and

achievement level of your studies. To receive the VCE – Baccalaureate you must complete the VCE

with:

a score of 30 or above for English, Literature or English Language, or a study score of 33 for

English as an Additional Language

a VCE Languages study

VCE Mathematical Methods or Specialist Mathematics

study scores for at least two other Unit 3 and 4 sequences.

Your school can give you more information about the VCE – Baccalaureate.

Upon satisfactory completion of the VCE (Baccalaureate) program of study, the student will receive an

appellation on their VCE certificate. If a student has previously satisfied their VCE and received a VCE

certificate, they will not automatically receive a subsequent VCE Baccalaureate certificate.


WHAT MUST I DO TO GET MY VCE?

What is a study score? If you obtain at least two graded assessments and achieve an S for both Units 3 and 4 in a study in the

same year, you will receive a study score. A study score is a number between 0 and 50 that indicates

your ranking in terms of all students doing that study in that year.

To obtain the VCE you need to satisfy the VCE program requirements described previously. Your school

will decide whether or not you have satisfactorily completed the units in your VCE program. Satisfactory

completion is reported as an ‘S’. Not meeting the requirements for satisfactory completion is reported as

an ‘N’.

Each unit of VCE study has a set of outcomes that must be achieved in order to get an ‘S’ result for that

unit. The outcomes describe what you are expected to know and be able to do by the time you have

completed the unit.

Outcomes include key knowledge and skills. Each unit of a VCE study has between two and four

outcomes.

How will I be assessed in Units 1 and 2?

Assessment in Units 1 and 2 are marked by your school. Your teachers will set a range of assessments

to see how you are progressing. The assessments have deadlines and you will need to plan and submit

your work on time. Deadlines can only be extended in special circumstances. If you fail to meet your

school’s deadline, you may not satisfactorily complete a unit.

For Units 1 and 2 you will receive either S (Satisfactory), or N (Non-Satisfactory). Your school may

give you a grade for each unit, but only the S counts towards your VCE.

How will I be assessed in Units 3 and 4?

For Units 3 and 4 you will have grades calculated from A+ to E, UG (Ungraded), or NA (Not

Assessed) for your assessment tasks, as well as an S or N.

There are three graded assessments for each VCE study at Unit 3 and 4 level, which consist of two

school assessments (Overall graded assessment task scores for both Units 3 and Unit 4) and one

examination. This includes a written and oral component for Language studies.

Depending on the study, these may be School-based Assessments and/or external assessments. At the

Units 3 and 4 levels the VCAA supervises the assessment of all students.

How do I achieve marks in the VCE? School-based assessments are set by your teacher and include School-assessed Coursework (SAC) that

is completed at school. These are marked at your school. The VCAA checks the marks to make sure

that all schools in Victoria are marking to the same standard. You can read about the rules for

marking/assessment on the VCAA website, or you can ask your teachers.

External assessments are set and marked by the VCAA. They are the same for all students taking the

same VCE study. Usually this will be an exam – whether written or oral. Your external assessments are

marked by assessors who are experts in their area of study. All VCE studies are marked to the same

standard and there are multiple checks to make sure that marking is fair. They involve statistical

procedures and multiple checks on each aspect of your assessment. The GAT is also part of this

process.

Exams are held each year in October and November. You will receive plenty of notice about the exact

dates of your exams from your school.


INFORMATION FOR VSL VCE STUDENTS

1. Languages There are 49 languages available for VCE enrolment. Students may study more than one language;

however, for satisfactory completion of the VCE, students cannot count the same units of:

Chinese First Language, Chinese Second Language, Chinese Language, Culture and Society, and Chinese Second Language Advanced

Indonesian First Language and Indonesian Second Language Korean First Language and Korean Second Language Japanese First Language and Japanese Second Language Vietnamese First Language and Vietnamese Second Language.

Students who are enrolled to study the same language in both a VCE Languages study and a Certificate

II or III VET language qualification (either simultaneously or sequentially) will receive credit for only

the VCE Languages study.

2. Enrolment Upon enrolment all students must agree that they will obey the school rules and instructions for the

VCE and accept any disciplinary provisions.

Your Home School is responsible for all matters related to your enrolment with the VCAA. When

enrolling with the VSL, students must take an Assessing School Enrolment Notification form to their

home school VASS or VCE Co-ordinator and check their student details carefully to ensure that their

Language enrolment is included. Students must inform their VSL Centre if they change any details or

if they wish to transfer to another Centre, or to withdraw from a Unit.

All VCE forms are legal documents so it is important that you enrol using the name and surname as on

your Birth Certificate. Any change of name must be accompanied with the official paperwork from

Births, Deaths & Marriages Victoria.

If you are studying only one VCE subject, that is, a language with the Victorian School of Languages and

you are not attending a school or accredited VCE provider, then your VSL Centre is responsible for your

enrolment as your Home School.

We advise students to complete a sequence of language studies from Unit 1 to Unit 4 in order to achieve

the best possible result in VCE. Continuity of language study is essential for Second Language students.

International students have a separate enrolment form and a process that is monitored by the DET

International Education Division.

3. Attendance Regular attendance is essential.

All VCE units involve at least 50 hours of scheduled classroom instruction. A student needs to attend

sufficient class time to complete work. The school sets minimum class time and attendance rules.

It is vital that students have regular attendance in order to complete coursework for VCE. The Victorian

School of Languages requires 80% attendance for the successful completion of VCE. All absences must

be explained by a note from the parent or guardian and be accompanied by a medical certificate if possible.

Unexplained absences of three sessions or more during a semester could lead to an unsatisfactory N score

for the Unit. Where a student has completed work but there has been a substantial breach of attendance

rules, and the school therefore decides to assign a ‘Not Satisfactory’ (N) for the unit, the school must

assign an ‘N’ result for one or more outcomes and thus the unit.


4. Approved dictionaries

Students are permitted to use an approved bi-lingual or monolingual dictionary in Language written tasks.

A VCAA approved dictionary is EITHER an English-Language, Language-English dictionary (which

may be in two separate volumes) OR a monolingual dictionary in the language being assessed.

The dictionary must be printed and should not contain any highlighting or annotation.

Electronic dictionaries are not permitted.

Dictionaries are not permitted in the oral component of any Language examination.

5. Satisfactory Unit Completion For satisfactory completion of a Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) unit, students must

demonstrate their achievement of the set of outcomes as specified in the study design. The decision about

satisfactory completion of outcomes is based on the teacher’s judgment of the student’s overall

performance on a combination of set work and assessment tools related to the outcomes. Students should

be provided with multiple opportunities to develop and demonstrate the key knowledge and key skills

required for the outcomes for the unit.

The assessment of levels of achievement is separate from the decision to award an S for satisfactory

completion of a unit. VCE unit results (S or N) contribute to satisfactory completion of the certificate and

not to study score calculation.

Final School-based Assessment scores contribute to the calculation of a study score. Where the

assessment item developed combines the demonstration of outcomes (S or N) and levels of achievement

(scored assessment), best practice would support students who did not meet the outcome through the

completion of the assessment item being afforded additional opportunities to demonstrate the outcome.

For example, a teacher may consider work previously submitted, provided it meets the requirements.

Students may not resubmit work to improve a School-based Assessment score.

5.1 Satisfactory VCE unit result

The student will receive an S (satisfactory) for a unit if the teacher determines that the student has:

produced work that demonstrates achievement of the outcomes submitted work that is clearly their own observed the rules of the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) and the school

(for example, attendance or submission of work policies).

5.2 Not satisfactory VCE unit result

The student will receive an N (not satisfactory) for the unit when one or more of the following occurs:

the work does not demonstrate achievement of the outcomes the student has failed to meet a school deadline for the assessment task, including if an extension of

time has been granted for any reason, including Special Provision

the work cannot be authenticated there has been a substantial breach of rules.

A J result is used for a student who is no longer attending, but has not officially withdrawn. It is not used

for students who have partially completed work or whose attendance record breaches school rules. In

such cases a N result will be used.


6. Statistical moderation School based Assessment is an important part of the VCE. To ensure fairness when Study scores are

calculated, it is important that School based assessments made by all schools are comparable. The VCAA

uses statistical moderation to express student’s achievement from all schools on the same scale. This

provides fairness for students across the State. To ensure comparability of School-based Assessment from

different schools the VCAA will apply statistical procedures to each moderation group, study by study.

Statistical moderation realigns the level and spread of each school’s assessments of its students in a

particular study to match the level and spread of the same students’ scores on a common external score.

Because the external score is based on examinations done by all students across Victoria, it is a common

standard against which schools’ assessments can be compared.

7. External Examinations GAT (General Achievement Test)

All VCE students enrolled in Unit 3 and 4 Languages are required to sit the General Achievement

Test. Information regarding this test is available from home schools.

Oral and Written Language Examinations

Students must present for the examinations at the designated date, time and venue.

Students will receive individual examination notification from the VCAA via their home (day)

school. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that they are in regular contact with the VCE or VASS

co-ordinator at their day school and ensure that they receive the examination notifications. The written

examination timetable is available on the VCAA website- Generally mid-May.

Special Examination Arrangements

Students with significant health impairment, physical disability, hearing or visual impairment, learning

disability or severe language disorder should speak to their home school Principal or VSL Area Manager

regarding special examination arrangements.


8. Special Entry requirements for VCE Units 3 & 4 Second Languages

VCE Second Language studies in Chinese, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean and Vietnamese cater for

students who have learnt all they know of the language in an Australian school or similar environment.

All enrolments in VCE Second Language studies Unit 3 and 4 must be approved by the VCAA.

The criterion for eligibility for a VCE Second Language study is the number of years the student has

been educated in a school where the language is the medium of instruction. Students who have learnt all

they know of the language in an Australian school are eligible for VCE Second Language enrolment.

VCE Second Languages

VCE Second Language studies in Chinese, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean and Vietnamese cater for

students who have learnt all they know of the language in an Australian school or similar environment.

All enrolments in VCE Second Language studies in Units 3 and 4 must be approved by the VCAA.

Chinese Second Language A student is not eligible for Chinese Second Language if they

have either:

completed12 months or more of education in a school where Chinese is the medium of instruction

had three years (36 months) or more of residence in any of the VCAA-nominated countries or regions (China, Taiwan, Hong

Kong and Macau).


Advanced

A student is eligible for Chinese Second Language Advanced if:

they have completed no more than seven years of education in a school where Chinese is the medium of instruction

the highest level of education attained in a school where Chinese is the medium of instruction is no greater than the

equivalent of Year 7 in a Victorian school.

Indonesian Second Language A student is eligible for Indonesian Second Language if they have

had no more than seven years of education in a school where

Indonesian or Malay is the medium of instruction.

Japanese Second Language A student is eligible for Japanese Second Language if they have


Japanese is the medium of instruction.

Korean Second Language A student is eligible for Korean Second Language if they have had

no more than seven years of education in a school where Korean is

the medium of instruction.

Vietnamese Second Language A student is eligible for Vietnamese Second Language if they have


Vietnamese is the medium of instruction.

Chinese Language, Culture and

Society

A student is not eligible for Chinese Language, Culture and Society

if they have done either of the following:

undertaken six months or more of education in a school where Chinese is the medium of instruction

resided for 24 months or more in any VCAA-nominated countries or regions.


CHARACTERISTICS OF DIFFERENT KINDS OF WRITING The following descriptions outline the main characteristics of different kinds of writing. They are intended

as a guide only; students would not be expected to include all aspects in their writing. Authentic writing

will require using a combination of styles.

Personal writing:

Uses a personal voice.

Establishes a relationship/intimacy/empathy between the writer and the reader.

Usually employs first and/or second person; subjective; informal, familiar style/register; often includes emotive language.

Emphasises ideas, opinions, feelings, impressions rather than factual, objective information.

May use the act of writing to help the author understand and unravel his/her own feelings or ideas.

May, in certain contexts, use contracted language, such as is used in speech. Purpose: the author is conveying something personal to the reader.

Informative writing:

Aims to convey information from the writer to the reader as clearly, completely and accurately as possible.

Usually uses objective style and impersonal expressions, although the writer may use an informal style to establish a relationship of ‘friendly helper’ with the reader.

Normally has no particular point of view to convey; if a point of view is involved, the writing becomes either persuasive or evaluative.

Generally uses facts, examples, explanations, analogies and sometimes statistical information, quotations and references as evidence.

Chooses language, structure and sequence to make the message clear and unambiguous, so the sequencing of information is usually logical and predictable.

Probably uses few adjectives, adverbs and images, except as examples or analogies in explanation. Purpose: The author is conveying information.

Imaginative writing:

Creates visual and/or emotional appeal.

Usually creates a strong sense of context (physical surroundings and atmosphere) and situation.

Normally includes description (person, place, emotion, atmosphere), so careful selection of language such as adjectives and adverbs (or their equivalents) is important.

Uses techniques such as variation in sentence length, juxtaposition of different sentence length, careful control of structure and sequencing, to add to the overall effect by creating the desired atmosphere or conveying the required

emotion.

May break normal sequencing for added impact, such as in a flashback or in a final disclosure which puts a different interpretation on preceding passages.

Purpose: The author is creating a piece of fiction designed to entertain, amuse, or create an impression, picture,

or feeling in the reader.

Descriptive writing:

Creates a vivid impression of a person, place, object or event: a particular mood, atmosphere: vivid pictures of characters.

Engages a reader’s attention: brings writing to life.

Includes precisely chosen vocabulary with evocative adjectives and adverbs, similes and metaphors.

Is focused, interesting and compelling.

Uses sensory description-what is heard, seen, smelt, felt, tasted: with sensory details to increase the reader’s experience.

Uses active verbs and varied sentences; structured and ordered.

Creates a dominant impression.

Evokes feelings and attitudes- connotative language.

Makes comparisons-similes, metaphors, personification.

Develops the experience, focusing on key details, powerful verbs and precise nouns. Purpose: The author is painting a picture through words to make the reader see what they have seen.


Evaluative writing:

Aims to weigh two or more items/ideas in order to convince the reader rationally and objectively that a particular point of view is correct.

Aims to reach a conclusion acceptable to an unbiased reader through the logical presentation and discussion of facts and ideas.

Presents two or more important aspects of an issue or sides of an argument and discusses these rationally and objectively; using evidence to support the contrasting sides or alternatives.

Uses objective style; appeals to reason not emotion; creation of an impression of balance and impartiality is essential.

Often includes expressions of cause, consequence, opposition and concession. Purpose: The author is giving a balanced view of both sides of a case.

Reflective writing:

Relates not only events, but feelings, what has been learnt, and how it will affect future behavior.

Includes description and analysis of an experience.

Provides exploration and explanation of events and contexts.

Includes consideration of the larger context, meaning and implications of an experience or action.

Identifies and challenges personal values and beliefs, assumptions, feelings and actions.

Includes opinion, with supporting evidence.

Uses personal voice (e.g. I, me, you, we, us) when providing opinion.

Uses verbs related to feeling, thinking and analysing.

May include comment on hypothetical situations, and speculation about the future.

May move between past tense (recounting the actual events) and present tense (making more general observations).

Is perceptive; demonstrating analysis, synthesis and evaluation. Purpose: The author is looking back on experiences/actions in order to analyse ideas and practices that relate to

them personally.

Narrative writing:

Tells a story in chronological order.

Entertains, to gain and hold the readers’ interest.

Teaches or informs; changes attitudes/social opinions.

Sequences: setting, characters, initiating event, conflict/goal, events resolution, theme; series of actions.

May set up problems to be resolved.

Is imaginary or factual; has characters with defined with defined personalities/identities.

Dialogue often included.

Tense may change.

Descriptive languages to enhance the story.

May include complication involving the main character; conflict; points of view. Purpose: The author is telling a story/retelling event to entertain or to teach.

Persuasive writing:

Aims to covert the reader to a particular point of view or attitude in order to convince him or her to act or respond in a certain way.

Manipulates the reader’s emotions and opinions in order to achieve a specific purpose, that is, to achieve a desired outcome or effect which is important to and selected by the writer.

Persuasive techniques chosen are strongly influenced by the nature of the target audience; that is, the language (vocabulary, sentence structures, style/register), structure and sequencing of the piece are framed with the particular

audience and purpose in mind.

Requires choice of the best word (with the precise shade of meaning and overtones of approval/disapproval, virtue/vice etc.), so range of vocabulary and dictionary technique are important.

Aims in certain instances (for example, advertisements) to keep the target audience unaware of being manipulated and adopts an appearance of objectivity and rationality by using indirect, subtle techniques; confidential, intimate register.

Sometimes uses exaggeration, extravagant language, and humour to create a conspiratorial relationship between the writer and the reader.

Often uses the second person for direct address and appeal.

Sometimes employs direct speech and questions to intensify the relationship with the audience.

May use techniques such as the use of technical or scientific language and superlatives or quantitative statements to lend authority to the content.

Purpose: The author is taking a stance and trying to persuade the reader.


PART 1 OF THE ORAL EXAMINATION (GENERAL CONVERSATION) – SAMPLE QUESTIONS

Preparing answers to the sample questions below will make you feel more confident with Part 1 of the oral examination.

Attention: Ensure you answer the general questions in the correct tense. E.g. If the questions relates to the future you

would respond using either a future or conditional tense etc.

The five general topics covered during the oral examination are as follows:

* FAMILY and FRIENDS * SCHOOL * WORK (part time job)

* LEISURE/PASTIMES * FUTURE ASPIRATIONS

NOTE: You will need to expand upon all of the answers that you give to the questions below.

FAMILY AND FRIENDS

Tell me a little about your family?

What kinds of activities do you like doing with your family/friends?

What kind of relationship do you have with your parents, brothers and sisters? Explain.

If you have a problem who do you go to for advice-Mum or Dad? Why?

How many siblings do you have?

What chores do you do to help your parents at home?

Do you have a family pet?

SCHOOL

What subjects are you studying this year?

What is your favourite subject? Why?

What subject/s don’t you like?

How do you travel to school?

How are you finding your studies this year?

Tell me a little about your ‘ideal’ teacher.

Other than your school subjects, what other activities are you involved in at school?

What are the benefits of having/not having a school uniform?

LEISURE AND PASTIMES

Describe an activity you do in your spare time?

What do you like doing on the weekends?

What do you do on a ‘typical’ Sunday?

What sports do you like?

Do you like cooking? What is your specialty dish?

Tell me about the last movie you watched.

What kind of music do you like/who is your idol?

WORK

Do you have a part-time job?

Where do you work? What are your hours?

What are the advantages & disadvantages of working part time for a student doing Year 12?

Why do many students want to work while they are still at school?

What do you do with your earnings?

Do you think that working can have negative effects on your grades?

What part-time work would you like to be doing?

Many students work to be independent. What does being independent mean to you?

FUTURE ASPIRATIONS

What would you like to do after completing Secondary school?

What course would you like to do at University? Why?

Why do you want to continue your studies next year?

What sort of work or career path are you interested in? What factors have influenced your career choice?

Are you interested in travelling? Where would you like to travel to and why?


WRITTEN EXAMINATION: TIPS FOR LISTENING COMPREHENSION

Listening comprehension is one of the most challenging aspects of learning any

new language. Unlike reading, which provides you with a script which you can

hold, cultivating your listening skills is more like dealing with a moving target

and thus requires a higher level of attention and concentration. Listening,

nonetheless, can be profoundly rewarding when you feel that you can follow a

dialogue, news broadcast, presentation etc. So we would like to suggest some

helpful tips about how to get the most out of your listening experience.

• MAKE ASSUMPTIONS AND VERIFY THEM

Before you listen to a text, carefully read the questions you will have to answer. This will enable you to come up

with some assumptions about the general content of the text, based on the elements you recognise in the questions

and can guess from the context of those questions.

When you listen to the text for the first time, you will be able to verify these initial assumptions. You can confirm

them based on increased understanding gained from the second listening.

• LISTEN FOR KEY WORDS

Your ability to make assumptions about the content of the text sometimes depends on your ability to identify key

words and phrases that are familiar to you. These key words and phrases will serve as anchors and help you to

create a meaningful context. This will help you to work out or guess the meaning of some unfamiliar elements in

the text.

• GLOBAL COMPREHENSION FIRST

As you listen to the entire text the first time, don’t let yourself be distracted by new words; rather, keep your focus

on getting a general idea about the content – the gist or essence of the text. Begin by listening for answers to the

basic “what? who? when? where?” questions and then expand into more details as you listen further.

• UTILISE YOUR WORLD KNOWLEDGE

As a student, you have a wealth of general knowledge that can be of tremendous value to you as you listen to

anything new. Your strategy while listening should involve activation of this knowledge. When listening to a

weather broadcast, for example, use your general knowledge to anticipate what will be said. Look for information

on rain, storms, sunny days, highs and lows, etc. When listening to a program in which a movie is being reviewed,

listen for possible information on the film’s themes, background information about the film, its strengths and

weakness, etc.

• TAKE NOTES WHILE LISTENING

While you listen, you may consider jotting down some information or key words from the text. You can do this in

English or the LANGUAGE, but remember that these are simply notes and don’t have to be elaborate sentences.

The point here is not to slow you down but to give you something to help you focus on the listening material.

• LISTEN, LISTEN, and LISTEN

Like all language skills, listening requires a great deal of practice and extensive exposure to authentic listening

texts. When you begin your language learning experience, you spend most of your time listening to your teacher

and to the audio/video materials accompanying your textbook. As your abilities increase, you need to have more

sustained exposure to listening selections outside the classroom. Make sure you devote ample time for listening

and listen as often and as long as you can. Remember that, when it comes to developing language skills, once is

not enough. The best way to become a proficient listener is to listen, listen and listen.


ACCESS PAST EXAM PAPERS AND EXAMINERS REPORTS

In order to achieve your personal best result for your Language study there are many strategies that can

be utilised. Most importantly practice provides you with the best revision, and ensures you cover as many

aspects and possible topics that could be asked of you during the exam.

Accessing past exam papers provides you with practice not only for your Language exam but how to

manage your time during the exam.

Reading the past examiners reports provides you with feedback of what students completed well and

where they did not meet required criteria. Reading the reports is most beneficial so you can ensure that

you are not making the same mistakes as students in previous years when attempting your final exam.

Access Past exam papers/examiners reports at the following address:

http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/vce/exams/examsassessreports.html

Handy TIP

Plan ahead: check key dates for VCE on the VCAA website:

www.vcaa.vic.edu.au

NOTES:

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We wish you all the very best with your VCE studies.
http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/vce/exams/examsassessreports.htmlhttp://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/

Documents

Studying Languages at · 2020. 9. 5. · 3 Studying a Language at VCE – Transition Information for VSL Year 9-10 students INTRODUCTION Dear Student, The Victorian School of Languages