Assessment

For Units 1–4 assessment tasks should be a part of the regular teaching and learning program and should not add unduly to student workload. Students should be clearly informed of the timelines and the conditions under which assessment tasks are to be conducted, including whether any resources are permitted.

Points to consider in developing an assessment task:

1. List the relevant content from the areas of study and the relevant key knowledge and key skills for the outcomes.
2. Develop the assessment task according to the specifications in the study design. It is possible for students in the same class to undertake different tasks, or variations of components for a task; however, teachers must ensure that the tasks or variations are comparable in scope and demand.
3. Identify the qualities and characteristics that you are looking for in a student response and map these to the criteria, descriptors, rubrics or marking schemes being used to assess level of achievement.
4. Identify the nature and sequence of teaching and learning activities to cover the relevant content, and key knowledge and key skills outlined in the study design, and to provide for different learning styles.
5. Decide the most appropriate time to set the task. This decision is the result of several considerations including:
• the estimated time it will take to cover the relevant content from the areas of study and the relevant key knowledge and key skills for the outcomes
• the possible need to provide preparatory activities or tasks
• the likely length of time required for students to complete the task
• when tasks are being conducted in other studies and the workload implications for students.

Opportunities for oral and multimodal assessment tasks

The language mode of speaking and listening represents critical skills for young people emerging from the secondary school environment. The Study Design allows teachers to determine the ways speaking and listening can be incorporated into assessment. Students can present an individual, formal speech to a class or to others, engage in a debate with other members of the class, or engage through a dialogue. Students can develop podcasts or some other digital form.

Samples of assessment tasks

Consider the scope of the area of study and the ways that it best fits the cohort. Determine which key knowledge and key skills will be formally assessed through the task, and how they map to the outcome statement. (Key knowledge and key skills that are not included in the formal assessment are usually explored in teaching and learning activities, and achievement is determined through observation and discussion.)

Sample assessment task 1

A folio of annotated texts

• Students collect a range of text types in either spoken or written mode. For example, if written mode is chosen, students may collect a newspaper article, advertorial, narrative text, open letter, recipe etc. and annotate the text types to identify and describe the various characteristic features of each, including the layout and conventions. Students describe and analyse how language choices are determined by mode, context and audience.
• Students do a PowerPoint presentation to present their findings or create a poster to show the distinct features.

Sample assessment task 2

An investigative report and / or essay:

• Students analyse their school reports to explore the nature of the language used. They may interview teachers and ask about the school’s guidelines regarding writing school reports. They could find out what sort of language choices are made to communicate students’ achievements and progress to parents, and what sort of changes, if any, teachers have encountered in reporting styles. Students might also interview other students, peers and parents to find out how they read and interpret school reports, and whether reports achieve the intended function of informing them about their learning.
• Students submit this interview in a report form or, using their findings, write an essay on the nature of language of school reports.

[Note: Teachers and students must ensure that they are aware of the ethical obligations and demonstrate ethical conduct when undertaking such investigation.]

Sample assessment task 3

Analysis of spoken and / or written texts.

• Select a suitable text for analysis
1. Frame short-answer questions. These questions can be based on checking students’ ability to identify, describe and analyse how the language choices (lexical and / or syntactical and / or semantical) have been influenced by the function, register, tenor, situational and / or cultural contexts. If a spoken text is chosen, questions on paralinguistic features or prosodic features can be included.
2. Using the short-answer questions as a scaffold, students construct an analytical commentary of another text in another mode.

Sample assessment task 1

Essay

Write an expository essay on a choice of topics related to language acquisition.

• Determine if students will develop their own essay topic, or if they will be teacher provided.
• Topics should allow students to demonstrate adequate skills and knowledge from the outcome.
• Students could discuss and investigate topics such as:
• Developmental stages of language acquisition and how this can be seen in authentic examples from fieldwork.
• Diverse theories of language acquisition and the evidence for these in authentic examples.
• The significance of feral children in our understanding of language development in children.
• Comparing and contrasting language acquisition in first and additional language learners, or language learners with barriers to learning (such as hearing disorders or other language delays).
• The structure and timing of this task should ensure students have equal opportunity to demonstrate their understanding of the outcome, and to apply high-level written skills.

Sample assessment task 2

Folio of annotated texts

• Throughout this area of study, students will have been exposed to, and collected, a range of samples of language use by language learners.
• As students develop their skills of identifying and describing characteristics and stages of language development, they should experiment with highlighting these within their annotations of the language samples they have collected or been provided. 
• The nature, structure and timing of this task will depend on the nature of the cohort being assessed, but should allow students to have equitable access to language samples for annotation, and ensure authentication of student work can be provided.

Sample assessment task 3

An investigative report

Throughout this area of study, students undertake a form of fieldwork or investigation into language acquisition, acquiring a range of data demonstrating evidence of language use of language learners. Students present the results of this fieldwork or investigation as a formal investigative report, in oral or written form.

The nature, structure and timing of this task will depend on the needs of the cohort and the ability to regularly authenticate student work.

1. Oral report

Students present their fieldwork as an oral or multi-modal presentation. The report should include:

• the research question and hypothesis
• the process of data collection
• a summary of findings
• an evaluation of the hypothesis based on the findings and response to the research question
• a discussion of the constraints of the fieldwork and its impact on the findings.


2. Written report

Students present their fieldwork in a formal written report. The report should include:

• the research question and hypothesis
• the process of data collection
• a summary of findings
• an evaluation of the hypothesis based on the findings and response to the research question
• a discussion of the constraints of the fieldwork and its impact on the findings.

Sample assessment task 4

Analysis of data

Throughout this area of study, students undertake a form of fieldwork or investigation into language acquisition, acquiring a range of data demonstrating evidence of language use of language learners. Students collect and collate a range of data from this fieldwork or investigation. At the end of the area of study, students present an analysis of this data in oral or written form to demonstrate their understanding of how it relates to the study of language acquisition.

The nature, structure and timing of this task will depend on the needs of the cohort and the ability to regularly authenticate student work.

1. Oral analysis
   

Students present their fieldwork data and analyse it via an oral or multi-modal presentation. An analysis of data should include:

• the context of data collection
  
• the purpose of the data collection
• the findings of the data collection in relation to the stages and characteristics of language acquisition and / or theories of language acquisition.


2. Written analysis
   

Students present their fieldwork data and analyse it via a written summary. An analysis of data should include:

• the context of the data collection
• the purpose of the data collection
• the findings of the data collection in relation to the stages and characteristics of language acquisition and / or theories of language acquisition.

Sample assessment task 1

Short-answer questions

Throughout this area of study students have examined the general historical journey of the English Language to Modern English, and have explored an elective option which placed different lenses over the study of English across time. Students should be able to demonstrate at varying levels of complexity their understanding of key factors and their impacts on language change over time.

A short-answer question task can allow students to demonstrate both breadth and depth of knowledge and apply this to short examples of language over time. The structure and timing of this task will depend on the needs of the cohort.

It is important that the range of questions in short-answer tasks allows all students to demonstrate understanding at their point of need. Consideration of the command terms within the range of short-answer questions will be important here.

Sample assessment task 2

Case study

Through their elective options, students have delved more deeply into an aspect of English across time. These investigations could form the basis of a case study assessment task, allowing students to synthesise and present their elective studies within the broader context of the development of the English language as a whole.

The nature, timing and structure of the case study task will require consideration of the needs of individual cohorts, but should allow students to demonstrate a breadth of key knowledge and skills across the area of study.

Students can present a case study in a written or oral format. The selection of an oral format provides many opportunities. The case study could be presented as a formal report to the class, using multimodal elements like slides or artefacts. A question and answer session with the class following the presentation could offer authentic opportunities for discussion.

The information provided by each student could then provide the basis of a collaborative timeline of events and language change.

Alternatively, an oral presentation could be recorded (either in an audio or audio visual format) outside of class time. Students could use digital elements to enhance their presentation of events and language change.

Sample assessment task 3

Analytical commentary

Throughout this area of study, students should have been exposed to a range of texts which reflect the development of English across time. In engaging with these texts, students should have applied skills in annotation and analysis, demonstrating how texts reflect their historical, political, technological and social contexts within the scope of the ways in which language has changed over time.

In this assessment, students develop an analytical commentary on one or more texts, commenting on the specific features which reflect key contextual factors and their links to language change within a range of subsystems.

The nature and timing of this task will depend on a consideration of cohort needs.

Sample assessment task 1

A case study

• investigate the language policies of one of the following countries (for example, Malaysia, South Africa, Kenya, India, Singapore, France) and prepare a report on the role of English in those countries. Use the following questions to guide you in writing the report.
  1. Has English been assigned a special role? Since when? Why?
  2. How widespread is the influence of English in these countries?
  3. What domains are heavily influenced by use of English language?
  4. compare with the monolingualism of Australia; what can you surmise about the links between language and national identity?

Present your findings to the class in a PowerPoint presentation

• explore the characteristic features of English-based varieties (for example, Singapore English or Indian English or Aboriginal English etc.) by finding written and spoken texts in these varieties; identify features (vocabulary, grammar, code-switching etc.) unique to this variety; and present a ‘profile’ of this variety of English to the class. As an extension, students can reproduce this text in Standard English and analyse the differences in the various subsystems, using the following as a guide.
  5. Lexical features: is there an example of code-switching?
  6. Semantics: are there any English words / phrases which have taken on different meanings in this variety?
  7. Syntax and grammar: are there sentences which would be considered ‘non-standard’? In what ways has the first language impacted on this variety of English?
  8. Phonology: are there any distinct phonological features evident?
  9. How does this variety compare to Standard English? Where does it lie on the English spectrum? What are some of the attitudes towards it?

Present your findings as a PowerPoint presentation.

Sample assessment task 2

Analysis of spoken and / or written text

• Find a suitable text. For example, a poem written in Aboriginal English or an extract from a narrative text that incorporates a variety of English.
1. Frame short answer questions to allow students to identify and explain how English, used in this variety, reflects the cultural identities and worldview of its speakers / users. Questions on specific subsystems can be framed to check their ability to identify and explain how the language choices (lexical and / or syntactical and / or semantical and / or discourse) have been influenced by the first language and situational and / or cultural contexts of its speakers / users.
2. Using the short answer questions as a scaffold, students can construct an analytical commentary of another text.

Sample assessment task 3

Investigative report

• Non-native speakers of English are increasingly playing a major role in not just the spread of English but also the global teaching of the language. Both ‘native’ and ‘non-native’ speakers have to be skilled (linguistically and culturally) when it comes to communicating with each other effectively in an international (or even local) context. All this is having significant repercussions for how English is being taught.
1. Which sort of English is the most appropriate for this multicultural and multilingual setting?
2. Are the inner-circle linguistic norms and cultural norms the appropriate variety? For example, if I am teaching English in Vietnam, should I use British, American or Australian textbooks?
3. Should I be a native speaker coming from one of the inner circle countries?
4. Do you think, at some point, the term ‘native speaker’ becomes redundant?
• Write a report on why schools should begin to teach non-standard varieties and encourage students to use a variety of English that they are familiar with.

Sample assessment task 4

An essay

David Crystal in his article 'A thousand years of English' states that: 'It therefore looks as if we are all facing a multidialectal future for English in the new millennium. To survive, we shall need a standard language to achieve national and international intelligibility, and a regional English … to express our local or ethnic identity … As … people fluently [are] switching between the standard language and the local variety … we should have to say that they are multilingual - but in English.'

Write an essay to show to what extent you agree that in future we will be multilingual in English and that a so-called  ‘English family of languages’ will replace foreign languages.

Step 1: Define the parameters of the outcome and the related assessment task options

Read the outcome and key knowledge and skills for Unit 3, Area of Study 1: carefully consider what evidence could be gathered to demonstrate student learning. It should be noted that each key knowledge and skill does not need to be individually identifiable in the task nor should the task focus on too narrow a range of key knowledge and skills.

Step 2: Examine the assessment advice

Unpack the performance descriptors as they provide a clear indication of qualities and characteristics that you are looking for in a student response.

For example, a written text for this outcome would need to demonstrate clear understanding of the characteristics and features of informal language in both spoken and written texts, and the ways context can affect informality.

Step 3: Design the assessment task

This task is an investigative report.

In groups or as individuals, students decide a field. For example:

• Politics (for example, the use of informal language in an expected formal setting)
• Gaming
• Sport
• Online discourse (such as on social media platforms or chat platforms like Discord)
• Their personal social setting

Students select a range of texts from different sources and in different modes. For example, if they have selected ‘Sport’, they could select written texts from The Age and the Herald Sun and transcripts from the ABC, SBS and Fox Sport.

They then annotate each selected text, identifying context (including audience), and key features and characteristics of informal language.

Using these texts, they address the research question:

How does context affect the selection and use of informal language?

They write a report, exploring their data and making findings. They include:

• research question(s)
• methodology (the texts they have selected and the annotations they have made)
• considering and comparing the selected texts for context, features and characteristics of informal language
• findings on the basis of the texts they have considered.

Step 4: Determining teaching and learning activities

The teacher plans a sequence of teaching and learning activities that are aimed at students developing the knowledge and skills. These activities include opportunities to plan, explore, draft, revise and complete written texts.

See teaching and learning for activities that could support students to prepare for this assessment.

Other considerations

When to assess the students

The teacher must decide the most appropriate time to set this task. This decision is the result of considerations, including:

• the estimated time it will take to cover the key knowledge and skills for the outcome
• when tasks are being conducted in other subjects and the workload implications for students
• where there are multiple classes in VCE English Language, a common School-assessed Coursework scheduling is advisable.

Marking the task

The marking scheme used to assess a student's level of performance should reflect the relevant aspects of the performance descriptors and be explained to students before starting the task.

Assessment mandated in the study design

For each outcome, any one or a combination of the following:

• a folio of annotated texts
• an essay
• an investigative report
• an analytical commentary
• short-answer questions.

Assessment tasks may be written, oral or multi-modal. The total suggested length of the student responses should be approximately 700–900 words or equivalent.

1. Folio of annotated texts

Students should be provided with a collection of unseen texts in both spoken and written modes. (Providing texts allows for consistency across a cohort and limits issues relating to authentication.) They are to annotate these for:

• language that reflects / is influenced by the situational context
• language that reflects / is influenced by the cultural context
• language used to achieve a particular purpose as listed in the key knowledge
• features of informal written and spoken language.

They should then use these annotations to write a brief analysis of each text, taking into consideration the expected word length of the assessment.

2. Essay

Offer students two or more essay questions from which they choose. Pair the questions with relevant stimulus (images and text – see below).

The most common essay question structure in VCE English Language is the propositional structure. This is a structure in which a position is proposed, in quotation marks, and students explore the veracity and / or credibility of the statement. For example:

• Informal language in Australia serves important purposes in both written and spoken modes.
  To what extent is this true in contemporary Australian society?
• Informal language can be more appropriate than formal language in particular contexts.
  Discuss how this is shown in contemporary Australian society.
• There are no contexts in contemporary Australia that we are required to use formal language. Discuss how this reflects contemporary Australian society.
• Although formal language can serve many purposes, it is mainly used in Australia to clarify information.
  To what extent is this true in contemporary Australian society?

Samples of stimulus

When selecting stimulus for essays, it is important to engage with contemporary examples of language. If the stimulus is historical or dated, it is critical that this language is related to the question the students are considering in relation to the stimulus.

Stimulus 1
Remember switching between formal and informal English does not change the meaning of something. We are just using different words to say the same thing.
If you don't use the right kind of English in the correct situation, it could lead to a misunderstanding or you may sound rude.

Stimulus 2
“Despite the concerns often expressed by language purists, nearly three decades of electronic communication have demonstrated that speakers learn to switch confidently and accurately between formal and informal language. It has even been suggested that text messaging may in fact enrich literacy, rather than hinder it.”
“There is evidence to show that language is becoming more informal and more efficient – both influenced by technology – and text messaging has led that transformation. It is an asset, not an issue.” Linguist Dr Antonella Strambi

Stimulus 3
“Every workplace is different in composition, industry and standards,” Kathryn MacMillan, managing director, CIRCLE Recruitment & HR, said. “For some workplaces swearing is totally unacceptable, whereas others have a more lenient view.

“In consulting to many workplaces over the years, I have had some jokingly say, ‘if we were unable to swear, no one would be speaking’, however, the consideration are the feelings of the recipient of the language. Organisations must consider that others may be offended, feel intimidated or harassed by the language.”

There are simple ways of avoiding any issues with language – be it swearing or slang – and that is to establish a code of conduct. By clearly outlining and communicating what is acceptable and what is not, a lot of potential problems can be eliminated before they even begin.

3. Analytical commentary

Students are provided with one unseen text (either written or spoken) and required to write an analytical commentary on the text.

There is no prescribed structure for an analytical commentary. Teachers should provide students with opportunities to trial different structures to be more able to respond to a given text. If students are responding specifically to the provided text, they can structure their writing in any way that is effective for them and appropriate for the text. Structures can include:

• Paragraphs based around subsystems. This has the benefit of ensuring that students cover at least two subsystems (as required in the exam) but it has the drawback of being potentially limiting in the scope of each paragraph.
• Paragraphs based around ‘big concepts’ such as register, discourse, purpose and context.
• Paragraphs analysing the text chronologically or in sections, depending on the text.

A brief introductory paragraph contextualising the text is recommended; however, a conclusion is not required.

4. Short-answer questions

Students are provided with one or two unseen texts (either written or spoken or both) and required to answer a series of short-answer question on the text(s).

There should be a range of questions to allow students to demonstrate both breadth and depth of knowledge, as well as to allow all students to demonstrate their understanding of the key knowledge of the area of study.

5. Investigative report

Students investigate the expectations of formal language in a particular context like the editorial of a newspaper. Students could explore the Trove website and select editorials over a span of time (editorials written 100 years ago, 50 years ago, 25 years ago and 10 years ago, for example, with contemporary editorials from recent editions of newspapers). They could then compare how formality in language has changed over time.

Students are expected to develop a research question, collect and collate data, and evaluate their findings.

Teachers would need to regularly check student progress for authentication.

1. Essay

Sample essay topics:

‘Some aspects of situational and cultural contexts have greater influence over an individual’s language choices than others.’

Is this true in the context of contemporary Australian society? Refer to at least two subsystems of language in your response.

‘Formal written and spoken language are essential components of English in contemporary Australian society.’

To what extent do you agree? Refer to at least two subsystems of language in your response.

‘Language has the power to both influence and reflect community attitudes.’

Discuss, with reference to contemporary Australian society. Refer to at least two subsystems of language in your response.

Samples of stimulus

Stimulus 1

From immunisationfacts.gov.au

Stimulus 2

‘Like it or not, the language we use has implications for how we’re judged. And because SE [Standard English] is considered to be both prestigious and the “educated” form of a language, to not know SE is to be socially disadvantaged, put at the mercy of wider prejudices about non-standard forms.’ Mark Brenchley and Ian Cushing, Grammar Bites

Stimulus 3

‘Two Blokes Got Into A Biffo At A Bunnings Sausage Sizzle & That’s What I Call Pure Aussie Beef’ Pedestrian TV headline, Dec 2022

Stimulus 4

‘Terms like “mate” are a bit blokey for me although I know some bonza – very down-to-earth – women who carry it off with aplomb. Even if you are in the “mate, I love using mate” camp, the rules on when to use the term have stretched. It can be used as much as a threat as a term of endearment.’ Jan 2023 Carolyn Webb ‘I am uncomfortable using the word mate. Am I un-Australian’. Published in the Sydney morning Herald

Stimulus 5

‘Ioane Sa'ula plays the character Vince, and the teenager from Griffith, in NSW, is the reason why this 10-part series has a Polynesian flavour."[Uce] wasn't on the script at all, until we all had dinner with Claudia [Karvan] and I told her that I'd probably be more comfortable if I said this," Sa'ula said.’ Samoan slang enters Australian mainstream. ABC news Jan 2021

These examples of stimulus would pair well with a question about identity and / or changing attitudes to language use.

2. Folio / Journal

Throughout the study, students have focused on contemporary examples of language and language in use.

• Ask students to keep a record of relevant media cuttings and various language use to demonstrate their knowledge.
• An example might be when a politician says something that causes an outcry, ask students to consider the media response and what this shows us about language and the attitudes we hold towards it.
• Other examples might be their peers writing them text messages using teenspeak, commentary on various terms for inclusion in Australia, Classic Australian slang making it into mainstream TV or news, variety of accent and idiolects on Australian TV or radio.
• Once students collect these ask what their example demonstrates about language variety in Australia.

3. Analytical commentary

Throughout this area of study, students should have been exposed to a range of texts which reflect the development, diversity and current status of Australian English. In engaging with these texts, students should have applied skills in annotation and analysis, demonstrating how texts reflect the Australian identity and the diverse way it is conveyed and reflected in written and spoken Australian texts.

In this assessment, students develop an analytical commentary on one or more texts, commenting on the specific features which reflect Australian English and construct identity. The text may be a spoken transcript, written text or a recording of an Australian English variety or varieties.

4. Short-answer questions

Throughout this area of study, students have examined the history and features that correspond with notions of Australian English. Students have also studied ethnolects and Australian Aboriginal English. Students should be able to demonstrate their understanding of key features of language varieties in Australian society and the attitudes towards them.’

A short-answer question task allows students to demonstrate both breadth and depth of knowledge and to apply this knowledge to short examples of language over time. This task also allows them to demonstrate knowledge of metalinguistic terms.

It is important that the range of questions in short-answer tasks allows all students to demonstrate understanding at their point of need. Consideration of the command terms within the range of short-answer questions will be important here. Questions should grow in difficulty throughout the text and cover a breadth of the study design and a range of metalanguage.

The VCAA performance descriptors are advice only and provide a guide to developing an assessment tool when assessing the outcomes of each area of study. The performance descriptors can be adapted and customised by teachers in consideration of their context and cohort, and to complement existing assessment procedures in line with the VCE and VCAL Administrative Handbook and the VCE assessment principles.

VCE performance descriptors can assist teachers in:

• moderating student work,
• making consistent assessment,
• helping determine student point of readiness (zone of proximal development), and
• providing more detailed information for reporting purposes.

Using VCE performance descriptors can assist students by providing them with informed, detailed feedback and by showing them what improvement looks like.

Teachers can also explore the VCE performance descriptors with their students, unpacking the levels of expected performance so students have a clear understanding of what can be possible in terms of development and achievement.

When developing SAC tasks, teachers are advised to adapt the VCAA VCE performance descriptors to relate to the SAC task used and their school context. Teachers should use their professional judgment when deciding how to adapt the rubrics, considering the VCE assessment principles, the requirements of the relevant study design, the relevant outcome, key knowledge, key skills and assessment tasks, and the student cohort.

• Develop the SAC task and assessment rubric simultaneously.
• Assess the outcome through a representative sample of key knowledge and key skills. Not all key knowledge and key skills will be formally assessed in a SAC task – some key knowledge and key skills are observable in classroom engagement and learning – but all criteria in any assessment tool must be drawn directly from the study design.
• Select the components of the VCE Performance descriptors that are most appropriate and most relevant for the selected outcome and SAC task.
• Attempt to capture the skill level of a range of students within the cohort: the lowest expected quality of performance should be something most or all students can do, and the highest expected quality of performance should be something that extends the most able students. Similarly, ensure that the range of qualities identified in the rubric shows the lower and the upper range of what an individual student could show in terms of the outcome, key knowledge and the key skills.
• Where necessary, add specific key knowledge and / or key skills to provide context to the expected qualities of performance.
• Where necessary, remove expected qualities of performance that may not be relevant to the selected outcome and developed SAC task.
• Show a clear gradation across the expected qualities of performance, indicating progression from one quality to the next.
• Use consistent language from the study design outcome, key knowledge and key skills.
• Ensure command terms reflect the cognitive demands of the outcome. Refer to the glossary of command terms for a list of terms commonly used across the Victorian Curriculum F–10, VCE study designs and VCE examinations.
  

Units 3 and 4 performance descriptors

• Unit 3, Outcome 1
  
• Unit 3, Outcome 2
  
• Unit 4, Outcome 1
  
• Unit 4, Outcome 2