STAGE 2 ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE
Assessment Type 1: Communication Study
Written Assessment
For this task you complete two pieces of writing:
1) An article for the school newsletter in which you present some of the advantages and/or
disadvantages of students going overseas for study purposes. This could be either a short
or long term period of study.
2) An analysis of the purpose, structure and language features of your article.
The combined word count for these two pieces should be a maximum of 500 words.
Complete these steps before writing your final responses:
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read a variety of school newsletter articles given out by the teacher
discuss their structure and language features
reconstruct an article in groups
watch a video about studying overseas and take notes
discuss the possible advantages and disadvantages of studying overseas
brainstorm ideas for your article
organise your ideas into an outline which consists of main ideas and elaboration in
point form.
Your newsletter article should include:
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a heading
a series of paragraphs
topic sentences
language that is vivid and makes the topic interesting for the readers
vocabulary appropriate to the topic.
Your analysis should answer the following:
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Who will read this article?
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What is the purpose of this article?
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How did you structure the article? Why? (comment on length of paragraphs, and
what you chose to write about first and what was written about later in the article)
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What technical, subject-specific words did you use?
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How did you make your article interesting and informative for the reader?
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Why did you use the chosen layout and format?
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Do you think that your article is successful in achieving its purpose? What changes
would you make if you were to write another such article?
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Stage 2 English as a Second Language annotated task for use from 2011
106752001 (Revised July 2010)
© SACE Board of South Australia 2010
Performance Standards for Stage 2 English as a Second Language
A
Knowledge and Understanding
Analysis
Application
Communication
Comprehensive knowledge and
sophisticated understanding of the ideas,
concepts, and issues in texts.
Comprehensive analysis
of the relationship
between the purpose,
structure, and language
features of a range of
texts.
Comprehensive selection and use of
information from a range of sources.
Consistently clear and
coherent writing and speaking,
with a sophisticated
vocabulary.
Highly effective location,
recording, analysis, and
synthesis of ideas,
information, and opinions
from a range of texts.
Comprehensive use of textappropriate language features to
make meaning.
Effective analysis of the
relationship between the
purpose, structure, and
language features of a
range of texts.
Effective and considered selection
and use of information from a range of
sources.
Usually clear and coherent
writing and speaking, with a
sound vocabulary.
Systematic meaning that is conveyed
and exchanged appropriately in
familiar and unfamiliar contexts.
Evidence of sound
grammatical control and
complexity.
Effective use of text-appropriate
language features to make meaning.
Proficient use of formal and
objective language.
Effective interaction with other people
in order to obtain or convey
information and opinions.
Effective use of interpersonal
language to sustain spoken
interaction.
Appropriate selection and use of
information from a range of sources.
Generally clear and coherent
writing and speaking, with an
appropriate vocabulary.
Comprehensive knowledge and
understanding of the relationship between
contexts and texts.
Thorough knowledge and understanding of
the ways in which texts are composed for
specific purposes and audiences.
Comprehensive knowledge and
understanding of context-specific or
technical vocabulary.
B
Well-considered knowledge and
understanding of the ideas, concepts, and
issues in texts.
Detailed knowledge and understanding of
the relationship between contexts and texts.
Effective and considered knowledge and
understanding of the ways in which texts
are composed for specific purposes and
audiences.
Effective and considered knowledge and
understanding of context-specific or
technical vocabulary.
C
Considered knowledge and understanding
of the ideas, concepts, and issues in texts.
Appropriate knowledge and understanding
of the relationship between contexts and
texts.
Some considered knowledge and
understanding of the ways in which texts
are composed for specific purposes and
audiences.
Some considered knowledge and
understanding of context-specific or
technical vocabulary.
D
Some recognition and understanding of the
ideas, concepts, and issues in texts.
Some recognition and understanding of the
relationship between contexts and texts.
Some recognition and awareness of the
ways in which texts are composed for
specific purposes and audiences.
Some recognition and understanding of
context-specific or technical vocabulary.
E
Limited recognition or awareness of the
ideas, concepts, and issues in texts.
Limited awareness of the relationship
between contexts and texts.
Limited recognition or awareness of the
ways in which texts are composed for
specific purposes and audiences.
Limited recognition or awareness of
context-specific or technical vocabulary.
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Effective and considered
location, recording,
analysis, and synthesis
of ideas, information,
and opinions from a
range of texts.
Appropriate analysis of
the relationship between
the purpose, structure,
and language features of
a range of texts.
Appropriate location and
recording, and some
analysis and synthesis of
ideas, information, and
opinions from a range of
texts.
Partial recognition of the
relationship between the
purpose, structure, and
language features of a
range of texts.
Some location,
recording, and
description of ideas,
information, and/or
opinions from a text.
Limited recognition of the
relationship between the
purpose, structure, and
language features of a
range of texts.
Attempted location and
recording and recount of
simple ideas,
information, or opinions
from a text.
Complex meaning that is conveyed
and exchanged appropriately in
familiar and unfamiliar contexts.
Productive interaction with other
people in order to obtain or convey
information and opinions.
Simple meaning that is conveyed and
exchanged appropriately in familiar
and unfamiliar contexts.
Some considered use of textappropriate language features to
make meaning.
Evidence of sophisticated
grammatical control and
complexity.
Precise use of formal and
objective language.
Fluent use of interpersonal
language to sustain spoken
interaction.
Evidence of appropriate
grammatical control and
complexity.
Appropriate use of formal and
objective language.
Appropriate interaction with other
people in order to obtain or convey
information and opinions.
Appropriate use of
interpersonal language to
sustain spoken interaction.
Partial selection and use of
information from a narrow range of
sources.
Occasionally clear and
coherent writing and speaking,
with a restricted vocabulary.
Partial meaning that is conveyed and
exchanged in a narrow range of
familiar and unfamiliar contexts.
Evidence of partial
grammatical control and
complexity.
Partial use of text-appropriate
language features to make meaning.
Restricted use of formal and
objective language.
Some interaction with other people in
order to obtain or convey simple
information and opinions.
Basic use of interpersonal
language to sustain spoken
interaction.
Limited selection and use of
information from a narrow range of
sources.
Limited clarity and coherence
in writing and speaking, with a
limited vocabulary.
Limited meaning that is conveyed and
exchanged in a narrow range of
familiar contexts.
Evidence of limited
grammatical control or
complexity.
Attempted use of text-appropriate
language features to make meaning.
Attempted use of formal and
objective language.
Attempted interaction with other
people in order to obtain or convey
simple information and opinions.
Attempted use of interpersonal
language to sustain spoken
interaction.
Stage 2 English as a Second Language annotated task for use from 2011
106752001 (Revised July 2010)
© SACE Board of South Australia 2010