FIELD                        HUMANITIES

 

Review of Nameof Subfield or DomainEnglish Level 3 achievement standards

 

Subfield                        English

Domain

Id

Subject reference

English Oral LanguageEnglish Written Language

9072590720-90724, 90726

3.63.1-3.5, 3.7

English Written LanguageEnglish Oral Language

90720-90724, 9072690725

3.1-3.5, 3.73.6

 

The Ministry of Education and the Secondary Education Group Assessment business unit of NZQA have completed a review of the achievement standards listed above that were registered in October 2003.

 

New Registration date                        MMMM November 2005

 

Date new versions published                        MMMM November 2005

 

Planned review date                        MMMM March 2008

 

Summary of review and consultation process

 

This review is part of the planned cycle of review that takes place after the first year of use of the achievement standards.

·         Initial feedback and comments were collated from teachers/schools, moderators, examiners, markers, material developersdevelopers, and other stakeholders.

·        This information was reviewed by a subject expert panel and recommendations were made in March 2005.

·        The recommendations were sent out for full consultation to secondary schools, tertiary institutions, and others in the education sector, in April/May 2005.

·        Feedback from this full consultation has informed the changes described below.

 

Main changes resulting from the review

 

AS90720, English (3.1) - No significant change.

 

AS90721-90723, English (3.2-3.4)

·        Credits decreased from 4 to 3.

·        The introductory paragraph was changed to emphasise the general nature of the previous reading.

·        The criterion was reviewed to better clarify the difference between achievement with merit and achievement with excellence. The inclusion of specified aspect(s) in the criterion at each achievement level grade aligns these achievement standards with those at Levels 1 &and 2. 

·        EN Explanatory note (EN) 3 was added to give a definition for the word perceptive.

·        EN 4 the wording was changed for consistency across the standardachievement standards in this set.

Guidance as to the form an essay should take was included here to improve clarity.  The critical essay will include an introduction clearly stating the focus and scope of the argument, a range of points supported by accurate and relevant examples/evidence, and a reasoned conclusion.  The essay would be expected to show accurate use and control of the writing conventions.

 

AS90722, English 3.3

·        EN 2 was changed to match the other standardachievement standards in this set.

·        EN 4 has been subsumed into ENs2 and 4: Students will need to communicate ... control of writing conventions is covered in EN2.

 

AS90723, English 3.4

·        Current EN3EN 3 is now included in EN4EN 4.

 

AS90724, English 3.5

·        Title has been changed to: Read and respond critically to unfamiliar prose and poetry texts, to align with the titles of English 1.6 and 2.6.

·        Parallel changes made to the purpose statement and the criterion at each levelgrade.

·        Analytically was added at achievement with merit level and perception replaced detailed insight at achievement with excellence level for consistency with other standardachievement standards in the set.

·        Increased credits from 2 to 3. The skills of of 3.5this achievement standard underpin all English study and the independent demonstration of these skills needs a higher credit value.

·        EN 2 was changed to remove the confusion added by including visual features in an standardachievement standard confined to prose and poetry.

·        EN 3 was added to provide a definition for analytically.

·        EN 4 was added to provide a definition for perception.

 

AS90725, English 3.6

·        Increased credits from 3 to 4, to recognise the teaching and learning time required to enable students to develop this skill, to recognise its importance, and to acknowledge its place in the curriculum.

 

AS90726, English 3.7

·        Title changed findings to conclusions to clarify the intention of the achievement standard.  As a result, from in written form was changedto in writing to fit in within the character limitnumber requirements. 

·        Changed findings to conclusions to clarify the intention of the standard. The title now reads: Complete independent research on a language or literature topic and present conclusions in writing.

·        Parallel changes to the purpose statement and the third criterion at each levelgrade.

·        Collapsed the fourth achievement criterion into the third to remove the confusion noted over the repetition of conclusions.

·        Increased credits from 3 to 4 to recognise the need to reward the process as well as the product.

·        Deleted original from the achievement with excellence level grade of the third criterion, as feedback showed this as to be problematic.

·        Added to the third criterion: Structure and organise conclusions in an appropriate written format for consistency with Level 2. 

·        Changed the criterion to provide clear progression between the levelsgrades.

·        Amended EN 2 to align with EN 2 of English 2.8: The subject of research must be related to the student's study of English language or literature texts in English and be of sufficient depth and breadth to provide opportunity for conclusions to be drawn and presented.

·        Added EN 7 to provide a definition for perceptive.

·        Changed EN 9 to provide a definition for integrated judgements.

·        Expanded EN 11 to inform students and teachers about the clarity of argument and expression in the writing.

·        Amended EN 12 to remove specific reference to external achievement standards. The intent of this EN is as a guideline to students and teachers about the clarity of argument, and command and control of expression in the writing expected at this level.

 

 

Impact on Accreditation and Moderation Action Plan (AMAP)

 

None.

 

Impact on existing qualifications

 

 

None.

 

Impact of changes on NCEA Exclusions List

None.

None.

 

Summary of main changes to achievement standards' Ids, classification, titles, levels, and credits

 

The following summary shows the changes made to the achievement standards as a result of the review.  All changes are in bold.

 

Key to review category

 

A

Dates changed, but no other changes are made - the new version of the standard carries the same Id and a new version number

B

Changes made, but the overall outcome remains the same - the new version of the standard carries the same Id and a new version number

C

Major changes that necessitate the registration of a replacement achievement standard with a new Id

D

Achievement standard will expire and not be replaced

 

Subfield            English

Domain            English Written Language

Id

Title

Level

Credit

Review Category

90720

Produce an extended piece of writing in a selected style

3

4

A

90721

Respond critically to written text(s) studied

3

4

3

B

90722

Respond critically to Shakespearean drama studied

3

4

3

B

90723

Respond critically to oral or visual text studied

3

4

3

B

90724

Respond critically to unfamiliar prose and poetry texts

Read and respond critically to unfamiliar prose and poetry texts

3

2

 

3

B

90726

Complete independent research on a language or literature topic and present findings in written form

Complete independent research on a language or literature topic and present conclusions in writing

3

3

 

4

B

 

Subfield            English

Domain            English Oral Language

Id

Title

Level

Credit

Review Category

90725

Construct and deliver an oral presentation

3

3

4

B