Senior Secondary Curriculum – English Language
MODE OF ASSESSMENT

The assessment will consist of a public examination component and a school-based assessment component as outlined in the following table:

Component		Weighting	Duration
Public Examination	Paper 1 Reading	20%	1½ hours
	Paper 2 Writing	25%	2 hours
	Paper 3 Listening & Integrated Skills	30%	About 2 hours
	Paper 4 Speaking	10%	About 20 minutes
School-based Assessment (for school candidates only)		15%

PUBLIC EXAMINATION

Paper 1 Reading (1½ hours) (20%)

There are two parts in this paper, each worth 10% of the subject mark. All candidates must do Part A and then choose either Part B1, the easier section, or Part B2, the more difficult section. Candidates attempting Parts A and B2 will be able to attain the full range of possible levels, while Level 4 will be the highest level attainable by candidates attempting Parts A and B1.

Candidates will be required to respond to a variety of written texts of different lengths and levels of difficulty. A range of question types will be used, including multiple-choice items, short responses and more extended, open-ended responses.

Paper 2 Writing (2 hours) (25%)

There will be two parts in this paper.

Part A (10%)

The task in this part will be a short, guided one (about 200 words). Candidates will be provided with the situation and the purpose for writing, as well as some relevant information.

Part B (15%)

The task in this part will be longer and more open-ended (about 400 words). Candidates can choose one out of four questions.

 Paper 3 Listening and Integrated Skills (about 2 hours) (30%)

There are two parts in this paper, each worth 15% of the subject mark. All candidates must do Part A and then choose either Part B1, the easier section, or Part B2, the more difficult section. Candidates attempting Parts A and B2 will be able to attain the full range of possible levels, while Level 4 will be the highest level attainable by candidates attempting Parts A and B1.

Part A, the compulsory section, will consist of a variety of listening tasks.

Parts B1 and B2 will comprise integrated listening/reading and writing tasks of different levels of difficulty based on the same theme. Candidates will be required to process information by selecting and combining data from spoken / written sources in order to complete various listening / writing tasks in a practical work or study situation. All the information necessary to complete these tasks will be provided. At least one of the writing tasks will require candidates to produce an extended piece of writing (100 –200 words).

Paper 4 Speaking (10%)

Part A Group Interaction (preparation: 10 minutes; discussion: 8 minutes per group of four candidates)

Four candidates will be grouped together and will take part in a group discussion based on a given short text. These texts may include advertisements, book synopses, film reviews, letters, short news reports and so on. Candidates may be required to make suggestions, give advice, make and explain a choice, argue for and/or against a position, or discuss the pros and cons of a proposal.

Candidates will be given ten minutes for preparation and will be allowed to make notes. During the discussion they may refer to their notes.

Part B Individual Response (one minute per candidate)

Each candidate will respond individually to an examiner’s question(s), which will be based on the group discussion task. Candidates may be required to make and justify a choice, decide on and explain a course of action, argue for or against a position, and so on.

SCHOOL-BASED ASSESSMENT (SBA) (15%)

SBA is compulsory for all school candidates.

The SBA component comprises a reading/viewing programme where students will need to read/view two to four texts (‘texts’ encompass print, non-print, fiction and non-fiction material) over the course of three years, including at least one print and one non-print text, and write up some comments and personal reflections on them. Students then take part in a discussion with classmates on the texts they have read/viewed, or make an individual presentation and respond to their teacher’s questions, which will be derived from their written personal comments. The assessment will be based on the student’s oral performance. The reading/viewing/writing only serves as the means to this end and will not be assessed.

Teachers need to conduct two assessments, one in S5 and one in S6, and report two marks. Of the two marks reported, one mark should be based on a group interaction and one on an individual presentation.