Joanne Zeaiter

SECONDARY
CURRICULUM 2A –
ASSESSMENT 2

Student ID:
19862415
 Part A:
The Craft of Writing Assessment Task Notification
English Advanced – Year 12
Context: Throughout this unit of work, students have been investigating the complexities involved in the
craft of writing and how authors compose stories that use these ideas to represent the world around them.
In particular, students explore the possibilities of narrative techniques such as characterisation, point of
view and figurative language. This task asks students to develop their understanding of the human
experience using various elements learnt from of the Craft of Writing unit.

Weighting: 25% Timing: Term 3

Outcomes assessed
EA12-1 independently responds to, composes and evaluates a range of complex texts for understanding,
interpretation, critical analysis, imaginative expression and pleasure
EA12-3 critically analyses and uses language forms, features and structures of texts justifying
appropriateness for specific purposes, audiences and contexts and evaluates their effects on meaning
EA12-4 strategically adapts and applies knowledge, skills and understanding of language concepts and
literary devices in new and different contexts
EA12-5 thinks imaginatively, creatively, interpretively, critically and discerningly to respond to, evaluate
and compose texts that synthesise complex information, ideas and arguments
EA12-7 evaluates the diverse ways texts can represent personal and public worlds and recognises how
they are valued
Nature of the task

This task will ask students to compose a short story which showcases their understanding of point of view
and character using figurative language that shapes readers perspectives.

Part (a) – Short story

“The beginning of things, of a world especially, is necessarily vague, tangled, chaotic, and
exceedingly disturbing. How few of us ever emerge from such beginning! How many souls perish
in its tumult! The voice of the sea is seductive; never ceasing, whispering, lamouring, murmuring,
inviting the soul to wander for a spell in abysses of solitude; to lose itself in mazes of inward
contemplation. The voice of the sea speaks to the soul. The touch of the sea is sensuous,
enfolding the body in its soft, close embrace.”

Kate Chopin in The Awakening

Students are to use this quote from “The Awakening” as a stimulus for an imaginative, discursive or
persuasive piece of writing which reflects on a character’s sense of self and connection to the world –
Write 500 words.
Some concepts to consider include:
 Life, consciousness and existence
 Morality and self-sacrifice
 Society and human nature

Part (b) – Justification

“Novels are ambiguous and multi-faceted, not because they’re perverse, but because they attempt
to grapple with what was once referred to as the human condition, and they do so using a medium
which is notoriously slippery – namely, language itself.”

Margaret Atwood in Spotty-Handed Villainesses

Using this quote, explain how you have used at least ONE stylistic or literary feature that you have
explored during this study of The Craft of Writing to illustrate the complexities of the human condition in
part (a) – Write 300 words.
Marking criteria
You will be assessed on how well you:
 Analyse the stimulus to respond to the text studied throughout the unit using we-selected
supporting evidence
 Experiment with language conventions to uniquely address ideas of the world and human condition
 Develop imaginative and reflective compositions through a complex response
Feedback provided

Teacher will individually discuss the marks students receive as well as feedback provided.
Students are encouraged to give assessment to another peer after being handed back as to
receive additional feedback from others

Marking guidelines

A student: Mark range

 Composes an insightful response to the stimulus that addresses the question 17–20
using well-selected and appropriate evidence from the text studied
 Communicates unique perspective using point of view that invites audiences to
contemplate the human condition
 Demonstrates skilful understanding of language dimensions through an
imaginative narrative approach to address ideas of the human and the world
 Composes an informed response to the stimulus that addresses the question 13–16
using well-selected evidence from the text studied
 Communicates engagement with perspective using point of view that invites
audiences to contemplate the human condition
 Demonstrates effective understanding of language dimensions through an
imaginative narrative approach to address ideas of the human and the world
 Composes a sound response to the stimulus using some evidence from the text 9–12
studied
 Communicates a developed point of view to contemplate the human condition
 Demonstrates sound understanding of language dimensions through a narrative
approach to address ideas of the human and the world
 Composes a basic response to the stimulus based some aspects from the text 5–8
studied
 Communicates a basic point of view to contemplate the human condition
 Demonstrates some understanding of language dimensions through to attempt
ideas of the human and the world
 Composes a limited response to the stimulus 1–4
 Attempts to communicate a point of view of the human condition
 Demonstrates limited understanding of language dimensions
 Part B: Critical Discussion

It is fundamental that a stage 6 English assessment task be designed using methods which
increase student understanding and capabilities. Effective assessment practice is thus essential
when considering the nature of the task in allowing the student to showcase their best
performance under HSC exam conditions. This critical discussion will reflect on the nature of
assessment design in concerns to student progress and feedback throughout their HSC year. This
will be investigated through a close analysis discussing the recline of student achievement due to
test anxiety, the effectiveness of constructive feedback, and the nature in designing authentic
tasks which inspire the student to challenge their perceptions.

Research from the last twenty years has found that students will subject their own self-efficacy to a
fear of failure when overwhelmed by assessments they deem to be unachievable; Students
purposefully adopt negative attitudes towards their HSC examinations in an attempt to lessen the
disappointment that they believe they will experience when confronted with low results. This issue
is still prominent within contemporary classrooms as many HSC students will purposefully avoid
their learning goals, ultimately having a “deleterious effect on their satisfaction with their progress,
self-esteem and life satisfaction” (Smith and Sinclair, 2000, p. 69). This is a common problem
which arises within students who participate in a high-stake testing environment (such as the HSC
and several assessments progressing towards it), that could prove to present consequences in
their overall academic success (Polesel, 2014). Assessments should hence be designed to offer
students a chance to familiarise themselves with HSC test procedures and expectations as to not
allow for self-doubt or anxiety to present itself during the examination.

Teachers should thus utilise the pedagogical strategy of Achievement Goal Theory when
designing assessments for senior stage 6 classrooms. This behavioural theory posits that
establishing positive goal behaviours is essential in improving student self-efficacy and
determination as to prepare them for their HSC (Shim et al., 2013). According to research by
Deemer (2004), a student’s approach to their personal academic goals is fundamental to how they
will react to school-based assessment tasks. A student can be engaged in ‘Mastery Goals’ which
is a form of achievement behaviour with the purpose of developing one’s competence” (p. 4). They
can also showcase ideas from ‘Performance Goals’ which reflect “one’s confidence or avoid the
demonstration of a lack of confidence” (p. 4-5). A student who presents such attitudes of
‘performance goals’ will ultimately disregard constructive feedback and instead compare their
results to that of their peers. This can lead to unmotivated attempts in completing their
assessments as to protect both their esteem and self-egotistical values. Teachers need to
establish proper use of Achievement Goal strategies in the beginning of their HSC journey as to
allow them to reconceptualise how they perceive intelligence; students must instead understand
that English is a creative process which holds numerous viewpoints pertaining to the one idea, and
hence should not be afraid to answer a response ‘incorrectly’ (Shim et al., 2013).

The practice of providing constructive feedback is an essential factor in allowing students to

prepare for their examinations, especially in their final years of schooling. It is common practice for
students to receive quality feedback on both formative and summative tasks provided by their
teacher. A positive impact on learning however can also be generated through ‘reflective dialogue’
amongst peer members to create reinforcement on their achievements and also highlight where
improvement is needed (Charteris, 2015). This idea sees an emphasis on the “importance of
[student] self-assessment and the need for [them] to make their own critical and informed
judgements” (p. 9) when feedback is genuine and shared between their peers who are advancing
through the same course. A teacher should not overlook the voices of the students and the
individual interpretations which they can provide for each other. This can subsequently generate
the confidence needed in order to make appropriate decisions on their own work when giving
advice to others.

Just as quality feedback is needed for students to develop, proper understanding of the
requirements and standards for the task is also necessary. According to Barlett (2015), students
are able to access a close understanding of the curriculum and outcomes they should meet when
the success criteria enables them to “dissect these outcomes into a series of available ‘chunks’”
(p. 131). In order to accomplish this, the marking criteria used throughout school-based
examinations should allow students to assess their own development and work to improve how
they approach future tasks. A well-developed marking criterion is thus one in which differentiates
the task to be completed using a “progression ladder” (p. 132) structure; students should be able
to gradually improve their work using the easily understood steps within the criteria as a guide and
have students inquire upon how to improve their assessment approach for future reference.

When constructing an assessment intended for a stage 6 classroom, it is fundamental that the
teacher considers the authenticity of the task towards student understanding of both the HSC and
of their surrounding world. For a genuine task to be created, students must be given the
opportunity to become “real writers” who are able to compose unique works whilst not being
limited to traditional essay structures. Carlson and Albright suggest that “if secondary schools
are to prepare [students] for the “real-world,” then classrooms need to provide them with
opportunities to experience real-world practicalities” (p. 102). They explain that the ‘writing
pedagogy’ is one which creates a genuine classroom dynamic that reflects life outside school
environments as to allow students to develop the ability in creating authentic and inspired
narratives. For schools to demonstrate these authentic assessment principles, English educators
need to adhere to the syllabus; this informs both staff and students of the necessary skills they
must display in order to achieve the outcomes expected within the HSC. An important outcome in
the English Advanced stage 6 syllabus states that a student should be able to “evaluate the
diverse ways texts can represent personal and public worlds and recognises how they are valued”
(NESA, p. 18). English educators, however, can often unintentionally limit the creative components
of a text that reflects their personal world and will instead prioritise methods of memorisation to
ensure students ‘simply’ pass their exams (Middleton and Curwood, 2020). A study conducted by
Middleton and Curwood (2020) closely evaluates English classrooms through the perspective of
Vygotsky’s (1978) Sociocultural theory. Student knowledge is thus seen to be constructed through
a ‘creative process’ as they are gradually exposed to classroom dialogue. Authentic assessment
needs to also be carefully designed in considerations to the time in which is given to students to
both complete the task and receive constructive feedback.

This idea is prevalent in the selection of texts for specific assessments throughout all of the
modules. In many schools, assessments are not designed to be expansive in allowing the student
to explore unique or creative avenues in their writing or the text. Research has shown that “often
the texts teachers select can affect student learning, as these texts encourage students to engage
in certain kinds of knowledge” (Jogie, 2014, p. 338). Similar to student efficacy, preparation
towards students undergoing high-stakes testing can negatively affect the depth of learning to be
at ‘surface’ level rather than exploring and interpreting the unique complexities of the material
studied (Polesel, 2014). New reforms to the writing module (now referred to as ‘The Craft of
Writing’) in the English HSC has changed the way in which students explore unique and
imaginative perspectives that are not simply memorised. Price (2020) comments that these new
approaches to “assessment is directed at the cognitive performance in which thinking about the
effect-wanted directs the imagination” (p. 2). School-based assessments hence need to aid
students in learning how to understand a text or idea, and then being able to reinterpret its
meaning through unique and imaginative ways. This may include changing the point of view of a
text which the stimulus originally provided, as the students are asked to challenge the way that
they re-imagine the narratives perspective.
To conclude, the nature of composing an appropriate assessment is important in establishing the
standards which students in stage 6 will have to demonstrate in working towards their HSC
examinations. It is therefore fundamental for an assessment to be designed with considerations to
how the student will approach the task, how they will utilise the feedback provided and how
effective it is in allowing them to produce authentic responses.
References

Bartlett, J. (2015). Outstanding assessment for learning in the classroom (Second ed.).

Carlson, L. D., & Albright, J. (2012). Composing a care of the self a critical history of writing
assessment in secondary English education. Rotterdam; Boston: Sense.

Charteris, J. (2015). Learner agency and assessment for learning in a regional New Zealand
high school. Australian and International Journal of Rural Education, 25(2), 2-13.

Deemer, S. A. (2004). Using Achievement Goal Theory to Translate Psychological Principles

into Practice in the Secondary Classroom. American Secondary Education, 32(2), 4.

Jogie, M. R. (2014). Desperate shadows of ‘Belonging’: Revealing pedagogical issues with

teaching prescribed English texts in the NSW Higher School Certificate
(HSC). Australian Educational Researcher, 42(3), 335-352.

Middleton, Miranda, & Curwood, Jen Scott. (2020). A brave new world: Teachers'
conceptions of the value of creativity in the new Stage 6 English syllabus.  The
Australian Journal of Language and Literacy, 43(2), 167-176.

NSW Education Standards Authority. (2017). Advanced English: Stage 6 Syllabus.

https://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/11-12/stage-6-learning-
areas/stage-6-english/english-advanced-2017

Polesel, John, Rice, Suzanne, & Dulfer, Nicole. (2013). The impact of high stakes testing on
curriculum and pedagogy: A teacher perspective from Australia. Journal of Education
Policy, 29(5), 640-657.
Price, K. (2019). The writing teacher: Rethinking assessment and transformative learning in
the creative writing classroom. New Writing (Clevedon, England), 1-8.

Shim, Sungok Serena, Cho, YoonJung, & Cassady, Jerrell. (2013). Goal Structures: The
Role of Teachers’ Achievement Goals and Theories of Intelligence. The Journal of
Experimental Education, 81(1), 84-104.

Smith, L, & Sinclair, K. E. (2000). Transforming the HSC: Affective implications.  Change
(Sydney, N.S.W.), 3(2), 67-79.