NZQA
Approved
Internal assessment resource English 3.8A for Achievement Standard 91479
PAGE FOR TEACHER USE
Draft
Internal Assessment Resource
English Level 3
This resource supports assessment against:
Achievement Standard 91479
Develop an informed understanding of literature and/or
language using critical texts
Resource title: Let’s get critical, critical!
4 credits

This resource:
 Clarifies the requirements of the Standard
 Supports good assessment practice
 Should be subjected to the school’s usual assessment quality assurance
process
 Should be modified to make the context relevant to students in their school
environment and ensure that submitted evidence is authentic
Date version published by
Ministry of Education
December 2012
Quality assurance status
These materials have been quality assured by NZQA.
NZQA Approved number A-A-12-2012-91479-01-6103
Authenticity of evidence
Teachers must manage authenticity for any assessment
from a public source, because students may have
access to the assessment schedule or student exemplar
material.
To support internal assessment from 2013
Using this assessment resource without modification
may mean that students’ work is not authentic. The
teacher may need to change figures, measurements or
data sources or set a different context or topic to be
investigated or a different text to read or perform.
This resource is copyright © Crown 2012
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Internal assessment resource English 3.8A for Achievement Standard 91479
PAGE FOR TEACHER USE
Internal Assessment Resource
Achievement Standard English 91479: Develop an informed
understanding of literature and/or language using critical texts
Resource reference: English 3.8A
Resource title: Let’s get critical, critical!
Credits: 4
Teacher guidelines
The following guidelines are supplied to enable teachers to carry out valid and
consistent assessment using this internal assessment resource.
Teachers need to be very familiar with the outcome being assessed by Achievement
Standard English 91479. The achievement criteria and the explanatory notes contain
information, definitions, and requirements that are crucial when interpreting the
standard and assessing students against it.
Context/setting
This assessment activity requires students to write a formal essay on either a
literature text or a language topic (the primary source). They will use at least two
critical texts (the secondary sources) from different time periods or perspectives to
inform and develop their understanding of the text or topic.
Conditions
Critical texts can include articles, reviews, commentaries, or documentaries.
Use of plagiarism-identifying websites, such as Turnitin, or a Google search may help
to monitor students’ use of secondary sources.
Different time periods of secondary sources should be used to develop critical
analysis.
Ensure students are familiar with using critical texts and have developed information
literacy skills. See Note 5 in the Achievement Standard explanatory notes.
Resource requirements
None.
Additional information
Opportunities also exist to connect students’ research to the assessment of other
internal standards such as:
•
Achievement Standard English 3.4 (91475): Produce a selection of fluent and
coherent writing which develops, sustains, and structures ideas
•
Achievement Standard English 3.7 (91478): Respond critically to significant
connections across texts, supported by evidence.
This resource is copyright © Crown 2012
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Internal assessment resource English 3.8A for Achievement Standard 91479
PAGE FOR TEACHER USE
Wherever such integration between different parts of the programme occurs, ensure
that the work presented for each assessment is sufficiently developed to meet the
criteria for each standard. In all such cases you should refer closely to each relevant
Achievement Standard, including its explanatory notes and the conditions of
assessment guidelines.
This resource is copyright © Crown 2012
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Internal assessment resource English 3.8A for Achievement Standard 91479
PAGE FOR STUDENT USE
Internal Assessment Resource
Achievement Standard English 91479: Develop an informed
understanding of literature and/or language using critical texts
Resource reference: English 3.8A
Resource title: Let’s get critical, critical!
Credits: 4
Achievement
Develop an informed
understanding of literature
and/or language using critical
texts.
Achievement with Merit
Develop an informed and
convincing understanding of
literature and/or language
using critical texts.
Achievement with
Excellence
Develop an informed and
perceptive understanding of
literature and/or language
using critical texts.
Student instructions
Introduction
This assessment activity requires you to write a formal essay on either a literature
text or a language topic (the primary source). You will use at least two critical texts
(the secondary sources) from different time periods or perspectives to inform and
develop your understanding of the text or topic.
You will be assessed on how well you show an informed understanding of the
primary text or topic using critical texts.
Teacher note: Specify a completion timeframe and a date for submission.
Task
Choose a literature text or language topic.
Identify and read a range of critical works including secondary sources such as
articles, reviews, commentaries, and documentaries about your text or topic.
Secondary sources may be found on the Internet (for example, Google Scholar), in
databases (such as EPIC), or in libraries.
Choose at least two critical works (from different time periods or perspectives) to
inform your understanding. For example, you could use A. C. Bradley’s criticism of
Othello written in 1904 to contrast with F. R. Leavis’ critical position on the same play
written in 1952, to explore the character of Othello.
This resource is copyright © Crown 2012
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Internal assessment resource English 3.8A for Achievement Standard 91479
PAGE FOR STUDENT USE
You will use critical texts through:

developing a hypothesis or theory to frame an investigation

selecting and using appropriate strategies for locating critical texts and
processing information from secondary sources (for example, database
searching)

reading to locate and select with discrimination information that presents ideas or
viewpoints that help inform your investigation

evaluating the reliability and usefulness of selected information in relation to the
investigation

synthesising information from the primary sources and the critical texts.
Write a formal essay of at least 600 words that develops a coherent reading, critique,
and interpretation that includes judgements, commentary, and details and/or
examples. Include a bibliography in which you acknowledge the sources you have
used.
In your essay, aim to provide evidence of understanding that is discerning,
sophisticated, insightful, and/or original.
This resource is copyright © Crown 2012
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Internal assessment resource English 3.8A for Achievement Standard 91479
PAGE FOR TEACHER USE
Assessment schedule: English 91479 Let’s get critical, critical!
Evidence/Judgements for Achievement
Evidence/Judgements for Achievement with
Merit
Evidence/Judgements for Achievement with
Excellence
The student develops an informed understanding
of a literature and/or language topic using at least
two critical texts.
The student develops an informed and
convincing understanding of a literature and/or
language topic using at least two critical texts.
The student develops an informed and perceptive
understanding of a literature and/or language topic
using at least two critical texts.
The student uses critical texts in a process that
involves:
The student uses critical texts in a process that
involves:
The student uses critical texts in a process that
involves:

developing a hypothesis or theory to frame an
investigation

developing a hypothesis or theory to frame
an investigation

developing a hypothesis or theory to frame an
investigation

selecting critical texts

selecting critical texts

selecting critical texts

selecting information and evaluating its
reliability and usefulness in relation to the
investigation

selecting information and evaluating its
reliability and usefulness in relation to the
investigation

selecting information and evaluating its reliability
and usefulness in relation to the investigation



synthesising information from primary sources
and critical texts.
synthesising information from primary
sources and critical texts.
synthesising information from primary sources
and critical texts.
The student writes a formal essay that develops a
coherent reading, critique, and interpretation that
includes judgements, commentary, and details
and/or examples.
“A. C. Bradley and F. R. Leavis had contrasting
views on Othello: Bradley felt Othello was
blameless, and Leavis felt Othello was
responsible. Othello is a very interesting character
who is a mixture of both positions.”
The examples above relate to only part of what is
required, and are just indicative.
The student writes a formal essay that develops
a coherent reading, critique, and interpretation
that includes judgements, commentary, and
details and/or examples. The essay provides
evidence of understanding that is discerning.
“While A. C. Bradley viewed Othello as ‘the most
romantic figure among Shakespeare’s heroes’,
F. R. Leavis completely disagreed and felt
Othello was totally responsible for the tragedy of
Desdemona’s death. The tragedy of Othello is a
mixture of both positions.”
The examples above relate to only part of what is
required, and are just indicative.
The student writes a formal essay that develops a
coherent reading, critique, and interpretation that
includes judgements, commentary, and details and/or
examples. The essay provides evidence of
understanding that is discerning, sophisticated,
insightful, and/or original.
“While A. C. Bradley viewed Othello as ‘the most
romantic figure among Shakespeare’s heroes’,
F. R. Leavis completely disagreed and felt Othello
was totally responsible for the tragedy of
Desdemona’s death. This disregards the complex
role of Iago’s plot in the downfall and tragedy of
Othello himself, and Iago’s manipulation of Othello
and other characters for his own Machiavellian ends.”
The examples above relate to only part of what is
required, and are just indicative.
Final grades will be decided using professional judgement based on a holistic examination of the evidence provided against the criteria in the
Achievement Standard.
This resource is copyright © Crown 2012
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