Diploma examinations program. English 33 information bulletin

44 Pages·1994·4.6 MB·English

by  Alberta. Student Evaluation Branch

/;?J £Vr::slV.:v.;% Midiiriin Eiig!kk -ij hlforriM:
0 1620 0207 1148
in!
1994-95 School Year
E iS i j-1 E E . .I. ; i I s IW ?'? E E':;-' E >i
English 33
BffEfikfi Ikii^Usk S3
.1 E . >... I I '.?? j-$ E? ? Information
Ej;7jS:sE-i:>^5 Bulktm Bulletin
M M M M M y My M^ My My Mf M
Diplofild ExdifiifidtiOTis Pvo^vditi
Englkh 33 Infofmutkm BHikiin Engimh 33 InformuEm ButkUn • 33ngk
Hxkim Bxlhxiu Kugkki 33 kikirXixEim Bxkxiix Hx.gB^k 33 Bk^irm.st3}x. BiBkxm BxgBsh 33 Igk<rfHxBxf
3ig!kk 33 ixfommk}H ikiBiXm .Exgikk 33 InJxrmMkm. ikkkxm iB^gE-Ei 33 mfxrmxBxM BuHmm Engk
Ermxf:km BxEiytm EngHxh 33 iMfkrXiXkim BmBxEm ExgBxh 33 BEorm.a3ii.m .BxBxEx ExgB^h 33 BEdrmark^
3 B kormxkxu BxIkBi< iBMBxB 33 BMikEn BBiBkh 33 iBiorB%BkBB BxikBx Bbx3
xBrnikBi BHiktm EBxikk 33 InfBnBiMkB BuBBm ikxikE 33 infhxBnBkxi Buikim Eiixikk 33 InfbmxBki
BxgB:vk 33 igkBJBfUkB BHU>3m BngiBk 33 iBEfmuikm BkBkiB BxgiBk 33 igkfmBkBB BiBkBit BbxE.
BBixEBB Bxkekx ikqkkk 33 BikBBiBkBB BikieEx kHgB^^k 33 3r{krBMkxH Bxikkx ExqU^k 33 IxjBrBiskoi
BBgksk 33 IxEBm<B3QH Bx!Bk'B .Exgk-ik 33 IxforfBBkoB. IkBi^Bki
/dlberra
EDUC
Students .
LB
First! uBBrma^Bm BbBxBm kBgiBh 33 .ifkBrm{kB:i
3054 Student Evaluation EDUCATION
C2
D4244
1994/
1995
T2
^ CX LIBRIS
UNIVERSITATIS
ALBERT/ENSIS
This document was written primarily for:
Students •
Teachers •
Administrators •
Parents
General Public
Others (Specify)
Distribution: Superintendents of Schools • S chool Principals and Teachers • T he Alberta Teachers’ Association •
Alberta Education • G eneral Public upon Request
Copyright 1994, the Crown in Right of A lberta, as represented by the Minister of E ducation, Alberta Education,
Student Evaluation Branch, 11160 Jasper Avenue, Edmonton, Alberta, T5K 0L2. All rights reserved. Additional
copies may be obtained from the Student Evaluation Branch, 403—427-0010.
Contents
Page 1 Purpose of the Bulletin
Page! Important Dates in 1995
English 33 Diploma Examination Administration
English 33 Diploma Examination Scoring
Page 3 Notes of I nterest
Modifications to the English 33 Diploma Examinations
for 1995
Modifications to the English 33 Scoring Criteria for 1995
ModiHcations to the English 33 Scoring Procedures
Administration Time for the English 33 Diploma
Examination
Reminders to Students
Reminders to Teachers
Information for Markers
Page 8 Part A: Written Response
Description
Blueprint
Sample Assignments and Scoring Criteria
Suggestions for Students
Part B: Reading
Page 28
Description
Blueprint
Suggestions for Students
Page 32 English 33 Standards
Objectives of the Course
Standards
Credits
Page 35
Digitized by the Internet Archive
i in 2016
https://archive.org/details/diplomaexaminati1994albe
OF A.r \
UMiVER3<TY LIBRARV
Purpose of the Bulletin
The purpose of this bulletin is to provide students and teachers of
English 33 with information about the diploma examinations
scheduled for 1995.
This bulletin:
• includes descriptions of the English 33 diploma examinations that
will be administered in January, June, and August of 1995
• outlines the objectives to be tested
• provides the blueprints for both the written response and reading
sections of the examinations
• provides the scoring criteria that will be applied by markers to
student writing in 1995
• provides suggestions for students about writing the examinations
This bulletin also describes the changes that have been made to the
written-response sections and the scoring criteria since the last round
of diploma examinations in 1994.
We rely on teachers to share the contents of this bulletin with their
students, particularly the Reminders to Students and Suggestions for
Students sections and the new scoring criteria.
This bulletin also includes an explanation of the standards for
English 33. These descriptions of the acceptable standard and the
standard of excellence will give readers a g eneral impression of the
levels of achievement expected of students in English 33.
The information in this bulletin applies to the 1994—95 school term.
The bulletin will be updated in September 1995.
If y ou have questions or comments about the contents of this
bulletin, please contact one of the following persons:
Elana J. Scraba, Assistant Director Student Evaluation Branch
Humanities Diploma Examinations Alberta Education
Devonian Building, West Tower
Tom Dunn 11160 Jasper Avenue
English 33 Examination Manager Edmonton, Alberta T5K 0L2
Gloria Malick
Telephone: [phone]
English 33 Examiner Fax: [phone]
Teachers may also wish to refer to the document entitled General
Information Bulletin, Diploma Examinations Program (1994—95
School Year), which provides administrative information about the
diploma examinations for 1995. This publication is distributed to all
senior high school principals.
1
Important Dates in 1995
English 33 Diploma Examination Administration
Date Examination
Time*
Monday, January 16 1:00-3:30 P.M. Part A: Written Response
Wednesday, January 25 1:00-3:00 P.M. Part B: Reading
Monday, June 12 1:00-3:30 P.M. Part A: Written Response
1:00-3:00 P.M. Part B: Reading
Monday, June 26
Monday, August 14 9:00-11:30 A.M. Part A: Written Response
1:00-3:00 P.M. Part B: Reading
* P art A i s designed for a w riting time of 2 1 /2 hours. Part B i s
designed for a w riting time of 2 h ours. Students will have an
additional 1/2 hour to complete each part of the examination.
(See page 4.)
English 33 Diploma Examination Scoring**
Only
Examination
Group Leaders
Administration Markers
January 25
January 1995 January 26 to 30
July 3
June 1995
July 4 t o 9
August 1995
August 18
** Dates are tentative and will be confimed by telephone after markers
have been selected.
2
Notes of Interest
Modifications to the English 33 Diploma Examinations for 1995
Section III: Response to The assignment for Section III: Response to Visual Communication
Visual Communication and the expectation for student performance remain unchanged for
1995. We expect students to write sustained, unified, and coherent
compositions in response to this assignment.
However, the blueprint for Part A h as been changed for 1995.
Section III: Response to Visual Communication will be scored for
two reporting categories— Thought and Detail and Writing Skills.
Weightings of the Reporting The weightings of the reporting categories for Part A a re as follows:
Categories
Section I: Personal Response to Literature
Value: 25% of the total examination score
10%
Thought and Detail
55%%
Organization
•Matters of Choice
Matters of Correctness 5%
Changes from 1994: None
Section II: Functional Writing
Value: 15% of the total examination score
10%
Thought and Detail 5%
Writing Skills
Changes from 1994: None
Section III: Response to Visual Communication
Value: 10% of the total examination score
5%
Thought and Detail 5%
Writing Skills
Changes from 1994: Scoring Category changes
3
Modifications to the English 33 Scoring Criteria for 1995
Section III: Response to The scoring criteria for Section III: Response to Visual Communication
Visual Communication have been changed. Beginning in 1995, markers will judge the quality
of student compositions on the basis of Thought and Detail and
Writing Skills. (See pages 24 and 25.)
Modifications to the English 33 Scoring Procedures
Two Markers Beginning in January 1995, the written-response sections of all
Humanities diploma examinations will be scored using a t wo-
marker system. Each written response will receive two
independent readings. The two readers’ scores will be
averaged for each scoring category (for example, Thought and
Detail, Organization, Matters of Choice, Matters of
Correctness). The student’s total written-response score, as in
the past, will be the weighted total of the scores for all scoring
categories. Those papers that receive significantly different
scores from the first two readers will be given a t hird reading.
The new decision rules for determining the third reading and
marking procedures will ensure that fairness to students is
preserved.
Administration Time for the English 33 Diploma Examination
Part A i s designed to be completed comfortably by most students in 2
1/2 hours. However, since January 1994, students have been allowed
3 h ours to write Part A. Part B, which is designed for 2 h ours, will
have an administration time of 2 1 /2 hours.
Reminders to Students
Part A: Written Response “Planning and Drafting” pages are provided as an aid for you to
organize your ideas and plan your writing. The most successful
writing tends to be writing that is p lanned.
If y ou wish to make revisions to your writing on the “Revised Work”
pages of the examination booklet, please do so, but make these changes
clearly and neatly so that markers know what you have intended.
4
Remember that the standard for Matters of Correctness has been raised. It
is very important for you to take the time to proofread your work to catch
and correct any mechanical errors that you might have made in y our
writing. Take the time that is p rovided to ensure that you have corrected
any “slips of the pen” that you might have made. Make your corrections
directly on your “Revised Work” pages, but do so neatly.
Remember, also, that you may use an English language dictionary and
a t hesaurus when writing Part A. This should help you when you
check spelling and word choice.
Part B: Reading Most multiple-choice questions are quite challenging and require that
you carefully read the selections from the Readings Booklet and the
questions and alternatives from the Questions Booklet.
Take the time to read quotations in context and to check answers by re-
reading appropriate parts of the selections in the Readings Booklet.
This will likely pay off in an increased mark.
You may not use any reference materials when writing Part B; it is a
“closed book” test. Also, remember to bring an HB pencil and an
eraser with you into the examination room.
Rescores You may request a r escoring of your examination if y ou believe that
the mark you have received is not appropriate. Before applying for a
rescoring, be sure to check your Diploma Examination Results
statement to find out the distribution of your marks. Your mark on
the machine-scored section is not likely to change, but your mark on
the hand-scored section could change slightly. Remember that the
rescored mark will be your final mark whether it increases or
decreases.
Children in Need of If y ou are under 18 years of age and have indicated in your responses
Protective Services to Part A t hat you are a v ictim of physical or sexual abuse, the markers
are required by law to refer your paper to Social Services. Social
Services is required to investigate situations that suggest that children
might require protection.
Plagiarism
The model responses in the Samples of Students’ Writing documents
have been provided for instructional purposes only. If y ou memorize
sections from these responses and use them while writing Part A, you
will be guilty of plagiarism and will be in breach of examination
regulations and copyright laws.
5
Reminders to Teachers
Samples of Student Writing A S amples of Student Writing document that can be used by teachers
in their classrooms to illustrate provincial standards will be distributed
to all schools in the current school year. This document will include
the scoring criteria for English 33, the assignments for the January and
June 1994 English 33 Diploma Examinations, the papers chosen to
illustrate examples of “3 Satisfactory,” “4 Proficient,” and “5
Excellent” scoring criteria during the Januctry 1994 and June 1994
marking sessions, and the rationales that were prepared during
standards confirmation in January and June.
Examiners’ Reports After each January and June administration of the English 33 diploma
examination, copies of the Examiners' Report for that particular
administration are sent to teachers in all senior high schools in Alberta.
These reports contain provincial results along with examiners’
comments about student performance on Parts A a nd B o f the exam. A
detailed blueprint of Part B, classifying all multiple-choice questions
by reporting category, is included. This is a p articularly important
piece of information for teachers who wish to interpret the results of
the students in their schools as an ongoing form of program evaluation.
Sample questions from the examinations, accompanied by
commentary, are also included in the Examiners' Report.
Annual Reports Each year, copies of a d ocument entitled Annual Report, Diploma
Examinations Program, are sent to all superintendents and senior high
school principals in Alberta. The report contains information about the
results achieved by students who wrote diploma examinations in the
school year. They also contain special studies on topics of interest.
The first annual report (1989-90 school year) contains a s tudy
comparing achievement in various diploma examination courses; the
second (1990-91 school year) contains a s tudy comparing the
achievement of students who repeat diploma examination courses and
rewrite diploma examinations with their achievement the first time that
they wrote. It also compares the achievement of these students with
the achievement of students who write only once. The third report
(1991-92 school year) contains a s tudy on participation rates in
diploma examination courses. The fourth report (1992-93 school year)
contains a study of English 30 students’ application of conventions of
language (referred to as Matters of Correctness in the scoring criteria).
Each of these special studies will be of interest to teachers who are
involved in interpreting the diploma examination results of their
students. Additional copies can be obtained by phoning the Student
Evaluation Branch at 403-427-0010.
6