Section I – Listening and Responding
Students should:
- make notes in the Candidate’s Notes column on the right-hand side of the page
- read the question carefully and respond to all parts of the question
- support their responses with relevant evidence from the text
- transcribe their response on to the lines, using the space allocated beneath the question
- use the number of lines as an indication of the required length of the response
- support their responses with reference to relevant content and language, using their own words
- avoid translating the text as part of their response.
In better responses, students were able to:
- demonstrate that Kalle was able to help Lovisa start her school assignment by suggesting to her to focus on real people (real life heroes) who have inspired her rather than thinking about superheroes that only exist in movies (Q2b)
- provide all the reasons why different groups of people (the Finnish, people internationally, children) appreciate the Finnish band Score, for example political lyrics, variety of instruments and lively performances and colourful costumes (Q3a)
- present both the positive and negative effects on the community of the band’s visit (Q3b)
- explain that the challenge for Gunnar is that he not only has to cook for the Royal family but he also needs to entertain, be creative and cater for different dietary needs of the guests (Q5b)
- show that Johanna has a more traditional concept of family connected to blood ties whereas Lucas has a more open view of family and that friends can be considered family as well (Q6b).
Areas for students to improve include:
- avoiding translating and listing details from the text
- focusing on key words in the question, for example ‘how’, ‘why’, ‘explain’, ‘compare’, ‘support your answer …’.
Section II – Reading and Responding – Part A
Students should:
- read the title, questions and the whole text before responding
- use only the lines or space beneath the question for the response
- support their responses with reference to content and language, using their own words
- be succinct in their responses, addressing the relevant details required by the question and avoiding repetition
- focus on key words in the question, for example, ‘how’, ‘why’, ‘explain’, ‘justify’ and respond in relation to the context of the text
- read the whole text in order to demonstrate understanding of relevant information and ideas
- identify the key issue(s) and provide examples to substantiate their response when asked to analyse or evaluate information
- draw a conclusion or justify a point of view using their own words
- provide a succinct response of main points or ideas when asked to summarise
- avoid providing a literal translation of text
- use the dictionary appropriately to find the correct meaning of the word(s) or expressions in context.
In better responses, students were able to:
- focus on the key word of the question ‘impact’ in their response (Q7a)
- refer to the content and language of both texts (Q8)
- support their comparison by giving relevant examples from both texts, for example, referring to language as informative in first text and emotive in the second text; the effects and purpose of the formal and informal registers of the two texts; writing key words in capital letters for effect; exclamations ‘ “Too late, too little” we say!’ and rhetorical questions, “Did you Know …?’ and using emotive language, such as ‘killed’, innocent’, ‘catastrophe’ (Q8).
Areas for students to improve include:
- providing examples to support their comments about the content and language (Q8).
Section II – Reading and Responding – Part B
Students should:
- respond to the question asked in relation to the text
- read the entire text in order to respond fully to the question
- use the conventions of the type of text required by the question
- demonstrate understanding of the whole text in their response and not just respond to questions asked in the text
- focus on all relevant information and key points raised in the text in order to respond to comments made, requests for advice, issues discussed and observations made
- use the appropriate register throughout the response
- provide a creative and authentic response in relation to the text and question
- use a variety of vocabulary and expressions and a range of grammatical structures
- plan effectively to organise their thoughts, paying attention to purpose, audience, context and the type of text required in question
- edit their work to ensure clarity of the response.
In better responses, students were able to:
- demonstrate understating of both stimulus texts
- sequence their response to show understanding of the chronology of events before and after their response
- note that Arvid had had no time to go to the beach yet
- refer to the experience of working with Gunilla.
Areas for students to improve include:
- addressing all the prompts in both blog posts
- responding with the text type conventions of a blog post
- avoiding responding with a letter or a chat
- writing legibly for clarity.
Section III – Writing in Language
Students should:
- read the question carefully and address all parts of the question
- plan their response to ensure a clear structure and sequence
- use the appropriate register and conventions of the type of text required
- commence and conclude appropriately
- manipulate the language to suit the requirements of the task
- use a variety of tenses, phrases and structures appropriate to the requirements of the question
- proof read and edit their work
- adhere to the suggested word length.
In better responses, students were able to:
- apply the text conventions of a review (Q10) or short story (Q11)
- structure their response in a coherent manner to ensure clarity
- use appropriate language to reflect their surprise about the film being reviewed (Q10)
- have an introduction, highlight of story and a conclusion (Q11)
- use adverbial phases and subordinate clauses to add richness and depth to their writing.
Areas for students to improve include:
- writing tidily and legibly
- organising their responses coherently
- writing in the text type re quired by the question
- checking use of correct vocabulary and spelling
- revising sentence structures, for example adverbial placement in subordinate clauses.
- revising verb tenses and correct usage in the context of a response.
