State of Israel
Ministry of Education
Pedagogical Affairs
Language Department
Teaching English and Diplomacy and International Communication in English
FAQs Regarding the Literature Bulletin
October, 2015
Question
Answer
Are the 11th graders of this year eligible for the
internal exam made up by teachers?
Yes.
Does the exam the teacher writes have to include
all the six literary pieces?
The students have to study the required number
of literary texts and HOTS and the teacher
decides which to test. It should follow the format
of the Bagrut exams in Literature (Table of
Specifications in the Revised Literature
Handbook).
Will there be random sampling as in the past for
the Unit Logs?
Yes. The random sampling will be according to
what is written in the Revised Literature
Handbook.
Will teachers be allowed to choose the option of
having their pupils take the Bagrut exam written
by machon Szold (which the mishne pupils take)?
If yes, will the teachers mark the exams?
No. This year 11th grade students can only be
tested on an exam written and marked by the
teachers. 12th grade students will be taking the
Bagrut exam written by Szold and the exam will
be marked by Bagrut markers.
Will teachers be paid for writing/checking the
internal exams?
No. This is true for all subjects.
Will the written exams be checked by inspectors
(before they are given as tests)? If so, when will
they have to be ready?
The English Inspectorate will be providing
criteria for the writing of the exams. They will
not be checked by the Inspectors before they are
given to the students. However, as with the Unit
Logs, there will be random sampling according to
the guidelines in the Revised Literature
Handbook.
October, 2015 (continued)
Question
Answer
What does it mean to report "only one grade" for
the Log? Which grade?
Last year it was required to write 7-8 grades for
the Unit Logs. This year only one final grade
needs to be written, according to the guidelines in
the Revised Literature Handbook.
“Meaningful learning” (namely the Literature
module) was supposed to be 30% of the final
grade, yet it is written that “for school-based
assessment” (26%). Which is the correct one?
For English it is 26%.
If our school opts for the exam, can we teach and
test any approved pieces from the TLC list? In
other words, can we teach our log pieces?
Yes. As long as they are approved texts you can
teach them and test the students on them.
Can each teacher decide whether she wants to do
the exam or the Unit Logs?
Yes.
How can I get information about making the
school planned initiative?
Details will soon be posted on the site of the
English Inspectorate.
Our school is doing the exam rather than the Unit
Logs. Our question is whether this year, 2015-16,
we will be writing our own literature exam in the
Bagrut format. That is, will the exam be on the
same chosen pieces that we were supposed to be
tested on in the official Bagrut F and D exams?
Yes. For students in the 11th grade, you will be
writing your own exam in the Bagrut format.
However, you can choose which literary texts you
want to teach, as long as they have been
approved.
So now does every teacher write his own module
D/F Bagrut test?
The teacher/English staff can choose either to do
the Unit Logs, the test, or to write a different
literature program. If a teacher chooses the test
option, s/he writes her/his own exam.
We are three teachers in the 12th grade, five-point This year, students in the 12th grade will be taking
level. Do the three of us have to come up with the the external Szold Literature Bagrut exam.
same test?
For the literature initiative, will we be able to do
fewer pieces and complete all work in one year as
other subjects do?
You cannot teach fewer pieces. Also, it is
necessary to include the integration of the HOTS.
It is highly recommended that the literature
program NOT be completed in one year.
The program must receive the recommendation of
the regional English Inspector as well as the
approval of the accompanying committee
(‫ )ועדה המלווה‬of the school.
2
October, 2015 (continued)
Question
Answer
For this year, our advanced group is taking the
literature exam in the 11th grade as always. How
are they going to be tested? Do we get an exam
for the literature from the Inspectorate in the
Ministry of Education or do we have to write our
own exam?
Since the program started last year, students who
are in the 11th grade this year will do the schoolbased assessment exam. That is, an exam that is
written and checked by the English staff.
The advanced group is considered special groups
so when can they start taking their Bagrut exams?
According to the Hozer Mafmar, which is based
on the policy of the Ministry of Education,
students who are now in the 11th grade can take
their Bagrut exams starting in moed summer of
the 11th grade.
There has been a question about a change in the
value of the external test and the annual grade
(magen). In the past the final Bagrut grade was
the average of the two grades - 50/50.
According to the Bagrut reforms for all subjects,
the final grade for ALL external exams will be
calculated as follows: 70% of the grade of the
exam and 30% of the annual grade (magen). For
English, this is relevant for modules A, C, E and G.
According to the Hozer Mafmar, 12th grade
students do same format as last year but what
about length of exams for them. I understood
from the Table of Specifications that these
modules are longer. Is that for 12th graders this
winter?
The new times of the length of the exams are for
all modules, old and new, starting this winter.
Will there be ANY changes for the 12th graders of The only change for 12th graders is that for some
this school year (2015-2016)?
of the modules, the length of the exams will be
longer.
What's the difference between a Log and an exam
now, since teachers also prepare the exam and
teaching process is the same?
The learning process is the same. The difference
is in how the students are assessed.
Will the calculation of the literature program of
both (exam and Log) be the same now since
teachers are preparing the exams and teaching
process is the same?
This information can be found in the Revised
Literature Handbook.
Will the Literature Bagrut exam have the same
regulations as before?
- an official date of exam
- external ‫משגיחים‬
No. The school decides when to have the exam
and it is done in class with the English teacher
present.
3
October, 2015 (continued)
Question
Answer
Will there be moed bet for the internal Literature
exams?
There is no moed bet for school-based
assessment.
Since teachers prepare exams now, will module B
change (Log/exam)?
No. For module B there is only the option of the
Unit Logs.
Can I teach my three-point students a piece that is
approved for the 4-point program?
In principle you can as long as the literary piece
is approved and is not too difficult for your threepoint students.
In the Hozer Mafmar it is written: "When the Unit
Log is finished and graded (for 10th and 11th
graders), it is no longer kept in a complete Log
the way it was in the past." Does this mean we do
not have to keep any samples of unit logs at
school?
It is correct that students' work is no longer kept
in a complete Log the way it was in the past (and
is still true for 12th graders this year), however,
teachers MUST keep three different samples of
unit logs that represent three levels (above
average, average, below average) on each literary
piece taught for each class. Details can be found
in the Revised Literature Handbook.
If a student wants to move from 3 to 4 points
level exam without the risk of losing his
eligibility for a Bagrut certificate, can he first
finish the 3 point modules + the Oral exam for 3
points (internal) and then move ahead and do
modules D and E + 4 point- Oral exam
(external)?
Yes. Students can move from one level to a
higher level. If a student wants to get to the fourpoint level after graduating, s/he will take
modules D and E.
Can Tov and Mabar students be tested in the
winter moed, in the 11th grade?
Yes, three-point students who are in the 11th
grade can be tested in the winter moed.
Do 11th graders taking modules A or C this year
do the old format or the new format?
11th graders do the new format of modules A and
C.
There is no oral exam for students who have
graduated high school.
4