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Languages at King Solomon High School
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UNITS REQUIRED FOR ADVANCED GCE
Unit 1 Listening and Writing AS 30% A2 15% Retrieving and conveying information on the basis of recorded TL material (responses mainly in TL) UNIT DESCRIPTION AND MARK SCHEME Unit description Students will be required to prepare a topic dealing with an aspect of culture and/or society in the relevant country of the target language, and to present this topic and discuss it with the examiner. The topic may be chosen from any of the General Topic Areas or students may choose to study a literary text for this unit. Examples of appropriate topics can be found in the Oral training guide. The prepared topic or text may be related to a topic or text prepared for Unit 5 Paper 1 or Paper 2, provided that the focus of study and material used are completely different. In preparation for this unit of assessment, students will need to research their chosen area and undertake extended reading from a variety of sources in order to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the contemporary society and/or cultural heritage of the target-language countries or communities. Students will present the topic for 1–2 minutes and during the subsequent discussion, will be required to give factual information and to express opinions. They will be permitted to take into the examination a list of 5–10 target-language headings, as a prompt to remind them of key aspects of the topic. Examiners will also be expected to test students on their ability to engage in a conversation that goes beyond the target-language headings but remains within the chosen topic area. The test will be conducted by a teacher in May and will be recorded on tape. Alternatively, centres may, in certain languages*, request a visiting examiner in May only. However, a supplementary fee will be charged. The topic title and headings form will be provided to the examiner in advance of the examination and submitted to Edexcel with the tape (see Appendix 1). All tests will be assessed by Edexcel. Assessment Students will be assessed for: quality of language (grammar and structures as detailed in this specification, pronunciation, intonation, accuracy, vocabulary, idiom, range and ability to move away from predictable areas); response (initiative and development); knowledge and understanding (information, research, organisation, relevance, presentation and opinion). Up to 60 marks will be awarded positively using the grids on the following page.
Mark Knowledge and understanding (A04) 18–20 Very detailed, wide-ranging and well-researched knowledge; wealth of relevant opinion and evidence, demonstrating understanding; excellent control of ideas. 15–17 Good detailed knowledge; evidence of thorough research; opinion and evidence generally sound. Ideas well organised. 12–14 Fair knowledge but insecure in some areas; opinion and information adequate. Some uncertainty and lack of research. Not always able to organise ideas. 9–11 Limited knowledge; degree of hesitation and uncertainty in opinion and evidence offered; loses thread at times; gaps in knowledge indicating lack of research; some irrelevance; starting to be repetitive. 5–8 Very limited knowledge; frequently irrelevant and/or repetitive; little appropriate opinion and evidence offered. 1–4 Very little substance offered; scarcely any evidence of research or knowledge of chosen topic. 0 No rewardable language. ADVICE AND GUIDANCE Use of Spanish. Candidates are encouraged to use their own words. Transcribing information from the text (often without understanding) should be discouraged. It is also necessary to stress that correct Spanish grammar must be used in the answers candidates are usually not able to use such a common verb as hacer, using haga instead of hace and hacaba instead of hacía. Spanish vocabulary. Dictionaries are not allowed in this examination, so it is essential that candidates should build up their vocabulary knowledge during their preparation, ensuring that they have covered the relevant sections in the General Topic Areas. They should also remember that language learning is a cumulative process and should revise their GCSE vocabulary, such as planchar, hacer las compras, etc. Knowledge of Spain. The Assessment Objectives for this Unit no longer require candidates to include an awareness of the target-language country/countries while writing their personal responses. Nevertheless, the Listening passages will all be taken from authentic sources, so it is still essential that candidates have a general knowledge of Spanish geography, life and culture. It was necessary to recognise, for example, the Spanish islands of Mallorca and Menorca. General listening skills. Candidates are encouraged to practise listening to authentic Spanish recordings in preparation for this examination and to consider Spanish speech patterns. This could help avoid such errors as writing sin haberlo especificado as sina ver lo especificado. Word limits. The two personal responses to Texto 3 and the guided summary for Texto 4 have word limits. Credit cannot be given for material that appears beyond the stated length. Conciseness in answering questions is important. For example, it is not necessary to repeat the question when formulating an answer. Time management. Candidates have control over their cassettes: they may stop, rewind and replay at will. But they should be trained to use the time sensibly. Most candidates finished the examination in the allotted time, but there was evidence that some rushed the last question and did not do it full justice. Tidiness. It is essential that candidates should write clearly and tidily. Writing the answers first in pencil, and then writing over in ink is to be discouraged. Candidates should also do their best to ensure that the answers fit within the spaces provided.
Unit 2 Reading and Writing AS 40% A2 20% Retrieving and conveying information on the basis of printed TL material (responses mainly in TL, including continuous writing) UNIT DESCRIPTION AND MARK SCHEME Unit description Students will be required to read authentic, printed, target-language material and to retrieve and convey information by responding to a range of mainly target-language test-types. The questions will elicit non-verbal responses, target-language answers, and English answers requiring transfer of meaning from the target language. Students will also be required to write 140–160 words in the form of a letter, report or article in the target language based on a short printed target-language stimulus. Students must demonstrate the ability to communicate accurately in the target language using correct grammar and syntax. The material will be drawn from the General Topic Areas 1–3 and will be related to the contemporary society/cultural heritage of the target-language countries or communities. The sources will be contemporary ones, such as magazines, newspapers, reports and books, and will total 600–800 words. Assessment Students will be assessed for: comprehension of printed target-language material; knowledge and understanding of contemporary target-language society and culture; election and effective communication of relevant information; quality of language including grammar and structures as detailed in this specification; ability to write in continuous prose in the target language. The skills of reading and writing will each be allocated half of the marks for the paper. Reading Passages 1–3: up to 28 marks will be awarded positively for correct information successfully retrieved and conveyed. Superfluous information, information not contained in the printed target-language material, and self-contradictory combinations of correct and incorrect information will not gain credit. Passage 4: up to 12 marks will be awarded for the correct transfer of meaning from the target language into English (Qu.4). These reading tasks relate to AO2. Total for reading skill: 40 marks Writing task Passage 5: The question will be assessed according to the two grids on page 20, as follows: Content: up to 20 marks. Quality of language: up to 20 marks. Total for writing skill: 40 marks. Total for the paper: 80 marks. Continuous target-language writing
ADVICE AND GUIDANCE All candidates should be familiar with instructions for answering the different types of questions. It is advisable for them to have seen past papers to make sure they understand fully what is required. Basic grammar mistakes still cause many candidates major problems. It is recommended that candidates are able to use “gustar” and the preterite tense, and make adjectives agree successfully, as a bare minimum for AS. If they can then master subjunctive constructions, compound tenses and other colloquial usage, this will be of great benefit to them. Candidates need to be familiar with a variety of writing registers and should target their reading to this end. Equally, when they practise writing they should be encouraged to write factually about events and to offer their own views and opinions on the issues raised.
Unit 3 Prepared Oral Topic AS 30% A2 15% TL discussion of prepared topic (opinions/information on culture/society of TL country required) Unit description Students will be required to prepare a topic dealing with an aspect of culture and/or society in the relevant country of the target language, and to present this topic and discuss it with the examiner. The topic may be chosen from any of the General Topic Areas or students may choose to study a literary text for this unit. Examples of appropriate topics can be found in the Oral training guide. The prepared topic or text may be related to a topic or text prepared for Unit 5 Paper 1 or Paper 2, provided that the focus of study and material used are completely different. In preparation for this unit of assessment, students will need to research their chosen area and undertake extended reading from a variety of sources in order to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the contemporary society and/or cultural heritage of the target-language countries or communities. Students will present the topic for 1–2 minutes and during the subsequent discussion, will be required to give factual information and to express opinions. They will be permitted to take into the examination a list of 5–10 target-language headings, as a prompt to remind them of key aspects of the topic. Examiners will also be expected to test students on their ability to engage in a conversation that goes beyond the target-language headings but remains within the chosen topic area. The test will be conducted by a teacher in May and January and will be recorded on tape. Alternatively, centres may, in certain languages*, request a visiting examiner in May only. However, a supplementary fee will be charged. The topic title and headings form will be provided to the examiner in advance of the examination and submitted to Edexcel with the tape (see Appendix 1). All tests will be assessed by Edexcel. Assessment Students will be assessed for: quality of language (grammar and structures as detailed in this specification, pronunciation, intonation, accuracy, vocabulary, idiom, range and ability to move away from predictable areas); response (initiative and development); knowledge and understanding (information, research, organisation, relevance, presentation and opinion). Up to 60 marks will be awarded positively using the grids on the following page. *Please refer to the Edexcel Information Manual for further information. Quality of language (A03)
UNIT DESCRIPTION AND MARK SCHEME
ADVICE AND GUIDANCE Oral forms submitted by the candidates should contain only a title and brief headings in the target language. The purpose of this is to provide guidance to the examiner and a reminder to the candidate of those aspects of the subject that s/he wishes to discuss. They must not contain lists of facts, dates, statistics or useful vocabulary. Examiners have been instructed to discount any material that is written on the oral form and re-produced in the discussion when arriving at an assessment of performance. No materials other than the oral forms are allowed in the examination room. This includes supplementary notes and visual aids. Reading of any part of the test, including the introduction, constitutes a breach of examination regulations. The correct timing of the tests must be observed. Marks are deducted when tests are significantly short, and candidates whose tests are longer than necessary are subjected to excessive demands and consequently may also lose marks. Care must be taken with the recording of the tests. It is essential that the examiner and the candidate can be clearly heard and that there is an absence of interference or external noise. Examiners should ensure that the tape does not run out before the test is concluded. All tapes must be checked before they are dispatched to examiners, and if a candidate has not been recorded, the examination must be taken again. The appropriate paper work must be used and forwarded with the tapes. At the start of each tape the centre name and number must be announced, and the name and number of each candidate must be stated in English at the start of each test. Tapes must be clearly labelled with the name and number of the centre and the names and numbers of the candidates, and should be rewound to the start of side A.
Unit 4 Oral Discussion of Issues A2 15% Starting on a prepared issue UNIT DESCRIPTION AND MARK SCHEME Unit description Students will be required to demonstrate a definite stance on a chosen issue and to use the language of debate and argument to discuss the issue with the examiner. They will be required to undertake research into their chosen issue, which no longer needs to relate to the culture and/or society of the target-language countries or communities. The issue may be chosen from the General Topic Areas, but must not be related to the Unit 3 topic or to Unit 5. Students will additionally have to Demonstrate the ability to continue a discussion which moves on and away from the student’s chosen issue. Students will outline the issue for about 1 minute, adopting a Definite stance towards the issue and will then have to defend and justify their opinions for up to 4 minutes. The examiner will then initiate a spontaneous discussion in which a minimum of two further issues will be covered. These issues may be related to the chosen issue, and will not require specialised factual knowledge or have to be based in the target-language culture. Examiners must ensure that students are not aware in advance of the further issues that will be discussed. Students will be required to take into the examination a brief statement of the chosen issue and may refer to this in the test. In consultation with the teacher, students may also, if they wish, select a short target-language newspaper/magazine article dealing with the issue to take into the examination room and refer to at the beginning of the conversation. The test will be conducted by a teacher in May and will be recorded on tape. All tests will be assessed by Edexcel. Centres may, in certain languages* request a visiting examiner, but a supplementary fee will be charged. The statement of the chosen issue will be provided to the examiner in advance of the examination and submitted to Edexcel with the tape. Students will be required to fill in a Declaration of Issue Form on which they also state their chosen topics for Units 3 and 5 (see Appendix 2). Assessment Students will be assessed for: quality of language (grammar and structures as detailed in this specification, pronunciation, intonation, accuracy, vocabulary, idiom and range of lexis); justification and debate (knowledge of issue, debate, argument and justification, ability to relate to wider issues); grasp of the chosen issue and response (initiative, development, abstract language and ability to deal with unpredictable areas). Up to 60 marks will be awarded positively using the grids on the following page. *Please refer to the Edexcel Information Manual for further information. UA006082 – Specification – Edexcel AS/A GCE in Modern Foreign Languages – Issue 5 – January 2006
ADVICE AND GUIDANCE The topic declaration form must be completed indicating the issue and the stance that the candidate intends to take, the topic presented for Unit 3 and the topics or texts studied for Unit 5. The candidate must also sign it. The current version of the declaration form must be used. No materials other than the topic declaration form and, if required, an article in the target language are allowed in the examination room. This includes supplementary notes and visual aids. Reading of any part of the test, including the introduction, constitutes a breach of examination regulations. At least two further issues must be introduced and must not be known to the candidate in advance. Careful attention must be paid to the timing of the different parts of the test, five minutes for the initial issue and ten minutes for the unpredictable areas. Candidates must choose a controversial issue that lends itself to debate. The views of the candidates must be challenged so that they can demonstrate their ability to argue a case and justify their opinions. Care must be taken with the recording of the tests. It is essential that the examiner and the candidate can be clearly heard and that there is an absence of interference or external noise. Examiners should ensure that the tape does not run out before the test is concluded. All tapes must be checked before they are dispatched to examiners, and if a candidate has not been recorded, the examination must be taken again. The appropriate paper work must be used and forwarded with the tapes. At the start of each tape the centre name and number must be announced, and the name and number of each candidate must be stated in English at the start of each test. Tapes must be clearly labelled with the name and number of the centre and the names and numbers of the candidates, and should be rewound to the start of side A. Care should be taken with the packaging and dispatch of tapes. A number of them were broken when examiners received them.
Unit 5 Coursework A2 15% 2 pieces of extended TL writing on chosen topics based on culture/society of TL country (450-500 words and 900-1000 words) UNIT DESCRIPTION AND MARK SCHEME
ADVICE AND GUIDANCE Candidates must demostrate by means of their coursework assigments knowlegeg and undertandidng of the culture and/or society of Spanish (hispanic) countries or communities: teh ability to organise and develop their ideas on the chosen topic, and the ability to write accurately and effectively in Spanish. Titles should be appropriate and well-focused. Moderators will only reward what is submitted within the limit of 450 and 1000 words. Short Essays;
Long Essays;
Unit 6 (a) Listening and Writing A2 5% Retrieving and conveying information on the basis of recorded TL material ( TL responses and English summary) UNIT DESCRIPTION AND MARK SCHEME
ADVICE AND GUIDANCE Using one's own words. Candidates should practise finding synonyms and expressing material using their own words. This is a comprehension test. not a dictation. Use of Spanish. It is necessary to stress that correct Spanish grammar must be used in the answers. This year there appeared to be an increasing carelessness in the use of accents and a surprising number of candidates were not able to use pronouns such as le, los, se correctly. In particular, there is no excuse at this level for not being able to use the basic verb forms correctly. Time management. This is an important element. Candidates have control over their own cassettes: they may stop, rewind and replay the recording at will. But there is a final time limit of 45 minutes. Candidates should use their time sensibly and devote enough time to the second question, worth 20 marks.. Word limit. The summary has a word limit of 80-100 words. Many candidates wrote more than this. Credit cannot be given for any material beyond the stated length. Use of pencil. It is appreciated that some candidates prefer to make notes in pencil, but the final answer must be written in ink. It is preferable to keep rough notes separate from the final answers presented. Tidiness. Scripts poorly presented or with handwriting difficult to read are on the increase. We recommend centres to avoid this. (b) Reading and Writing A2 5% Retrieving and conveying information on the basis of printed TL material (TL responses and a short translation from English into the TL) ADVICE AND GUIDANCE Candidates are required to read autentic printed Spanish material and to retrieve and convey information by responding to a range of questions in Spanish and by carrying out a short translation exercise from English into Spanish based on the comprehension stimulus passage. (c) Writing in Registers A2 10% Creative writing, including a journalistic option OR discursive essay OR task-based assignment (1 TL answer required) ADVICE AND GUIDANCE Candidates are required to respond to one question from either Creative Writing (three questions, one a journalistic option) or Discursive Essay (four questions) -in 230-250 words in Spanish. |
