June 2017 & 2018 English A Paper 2 Compared

C.S.E.C.  ENGLISH A JUNE 2017 EXAM	SECTIONS	C.S.E.C.  ENGLISH A JUNE 2018 EXAM
Summary (30 marks)	A	Summary (25 marks)
2 COMPREHENSION PIECES (2 passages or 1 passage & 1 poem) (30 marks)	B	Letter/Report Writing (30 marks)
Short Story or Description (35 marks)	C	Short Story (25 marks)
Argumentative Essay (35 marks)	D	Argumentative/ Persuasive Essay/ Speech (25 marks)

A Further Breakdown of Both Exams

2017 Exam Paper 02:

The duration of the exam is 2 hrs, 30 mins

It is worth 76% of the total assessment
Section 1 - summary (compulsory question) [30 marks]

Section 2 - 2 compulsory short answer comprehensions [15 marks per comprehension = 30 marks]

Section 3 - short story, 3 questions, do 1 [35 marks]

Section 4 - argumentative essay, 2 questions, do 1 [35 marks]

Total = 130 marks

2018 Exam Paper 02:

The duration of the exam is 2 hrs, 55 mins

It is worth 50% of the total assessment


Section A - Summary (compulsory question)  [25 marks]

Section B -  Exposition: This informative discourse can the the form of an email, letter, report, notice, or article (compulsory question) [30 marks]

Section C - Short Story, 2 questions, do 1 [25 marks]

Section D - argumentative/persuasive essay/speech (compulsory question)  [25 marks]

Total = 105 marks

Sample Questions from the 2018 Exam

Section A (Sample Answer)

Section B (Sample Answer)

Section C

Section D

A Breakdown of the CSEC English A SBA

A number of persons have reviewed the SBA outline that I have posted to this blog and they have also asked a number of questions based on the new CSEC English A SBA.

This post is my attempt to further breakdown/explain the CSEC English A SBA.

This information was gathered from a CSEC Webinar that was conducted in September. Click HERE to see the syllabus outline of the SBA.

THE SBA OUTLINE

Students will be in groups of 4 or 5.

FUNCTION OF THE GROUP

1. Students will assist each other by proof reading each others work
2. Have group discussions and brainstorm ideas
3. Assist each other in research
4. Write the written report together

NB: Group work is not optional. It is a part of the process of the SBA.

Students and/ or teachers can create a number of themes (drug abuse, violence against women, natural disasters, etc ). Themes can also be created by students based on their interests.

Each group will select a theme. Each student in the group will select a sub-theme based on the group theme.

Teachers can guide students to identify sub-themes through brainstorming the theme.

 For example:

The Main Theme: Drug Abuse

The Sub-Themes can be:

* drug abuse treatments
* the effects of drug abuse
* how drug abuse contributes to crime
* how drug abuse affects teenagers

RESEARCH

After sub-themes have been selected, students will now find their three (3) pieces of data/artefacts that further explains the theme. These pieces of data (artefacts) can come in the following formats: a document (articles, tables, pictures, audio (a recording), video, an interview etc). Student will select materials that is they can write a reflection on.

One of the three pieces must be print. Your audio can be placed on a CD or Flash Drive

Students should not do any interviews or questionnaires for this research. 

REFLECTION 

Students will then write their reflection of how the document/ artefact shaped their thinking about the sub-topic they are exploring.

Students will then examine how the language  helped them to further understand the sub-theme/topic.

Students will write THREE entries in which the student reflects on the issue/topic/ theme/ event selected should be completed in their portfolio.

The final piece of reflection should state how doing this SBA or Sub-theme helped the student to become a better person or improved his/her attitude. (This can be done at the end of the year.)

The entire group will have 12 pieces of data/artefacts in total. Students must use their own pieces of material. Students should not have the same reflections. Each reflection must be individual.

These reflections should be written in class.

STRUCTURE OF THE REFLECTION

PARAGRAPH 1

State how the data/artefact has inspired you, affected you, impacted on you, and what does it remind you of.

PARAGRAPH 2

Students will comment on the use of language. They will state if the language formal, informal, jargons, slangs, technical or distant tone. State how the language aid in your understanding of the sub-theme/topic.

PARAGRAPH 3

State how the sub-theme/topic helps you to become a better person , shape your attitude, etc. (This should be done at the end of the term.)

WRITTEN REPORT (300 words)

This is a report on the research process. This also states the outcome of the research.

You can answer these questions in your written report.

*What steps have you taken to get your work done?
*How did you collect the data?
*Are you happy with the pieces you have done?
*Are you happy working as a group?
*Did you learnt individually or as a group?
*Did you meet as a group?
*Do you think the group was effective working together?

This report should be written as a group.

ORAL PRESENTATION (3-5 minutes)

What you have decided to do as your contribution to your theme/sub- theme. Students can write a poem, drama piece, or prose piece. Students creative response after a brief overview of the research process.

A brief plan of the oral presentation must be submitted in the portfolio. This must be a part of the presentation.

This should be done in Standard English. Teachers will mark the presentation. The presentation must be recorded and place it on a CD or Flash Drive.

PLAN OF INVESTIGATION (100 words)

An introduction to the issue/topic/theme/event (A satisfactory response should be no more than 100 words).

(a) Why did you choose this issue/topic/theme/event?

(b) What are the expected benefits to you as a student of English?

(c) How do you intend to collect relevant information on your issue/topic/theme/event and use this in your presentation?



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Outline of the CSEC English B 2018-2023 Exam

The English B examination is offered at the General Proficiency level. The Assessment comprises three papers, Paper 01, Paper 02, and Paper 031 or Paper 032.

Papers 01 and 02 are assessed externally. Paper 031 is the School-Based Assessment (SBA) and is assessed internally by the teacher and moderated by CXC.

Paper 032 is an alternative to the SBA and is intended for candidates registered as private candidates.

The CSEC examination, also known as CXC, is a Caribbean based assessment that includes a wide range of subjects, including English Language and Literature. The syllabus starts in grade 10 and ends in the third term of grade 11, with examinations across the Caribbean islands. The information that is seen below pertains to the 2018 - 2023 syllabus. For more information, go to www.cxc.org.

ENGLISH B (English Literature)
Paper 01:

The duration of the exam is 1 hr, 45 minutes (changed from 1 hr, 30 minutes)

• It is worth 29% of the total assessment (changed from 36%)
• All questions are compulsory 
• It consists of 3 comprehensions
• Possible types of comprehensions are: drama / poetry / prose
• There are 5-7 questions on each comprehension
• Each comprehension is worth 20 marks
• Total = 60 marks

ENGLISH B PAPER 02:

   

The duration of the exam is 2 hrs: 10 minutes (10 minutes added)

It is worth 50% of the total assessment (changed from 64%)

SECTION 1

• Section 1 examines 1 Shakespearean drama and one modern drama
• This section contains 2 questions (changed from 4 questions)
• 1 question from the Shakespearean text and 1 from the modern drama
• Answer 1 question  
• Type of Question- Type A (meaning a single text is used to answer the questions)
• Each question is worth 35 marks

SECTION 2

• Section 2 examines poems (from the selection of 20 poems)
• This section has 2 questions
• 1 question is generic, or based on poems of the students choice (from the selection)
• 1 question names the two poems that are to be compared
• Answer 1 question
• Type of Question- Type B (meaning a comparison question- compare two poems)
• Each question is worth 35 marks

SECTION 3

• The student is asked to compare a West Indian text with other novels in English OR  to compare West Indian short stories with other short stories in English 
• This section contains 4 questions (changed from 6 questions)
• 1 question is type A, meaning a single text is used to answer the questions
• 1 question is from each prescribed novel, equaling 2 questions
• Next is 2 type B questions, meaning a comparison
• 1 question is generic, or based on stories of the students choice from the prescribed list
• 1 question based on two named short stories from the prescribed list
• Answer 1 question
• Types of Question- Type A & B
• Each question is worth 35 marks  

Section D of the English A 2018 Exam

SECTION D  

(Suggested time:  45 minutes)  

You MUST answer this question.  

Your answer should be approximately 250 to 300 words in length.  

You MUST write in Standard English.  

Write your answer on the RULED PAGES provided, pages 20-21.  You are expected to write within the word limit.  

In your answer you will be assessed on the  

(a) clarity, organization and development of your argument 
(c) correctness of grammar, sentences, paragraphs, vocabulary, spelling and punctuation.   

5.  You are a member of a school board that is considering reforms.  One of the suggestions is that all schools should make provisions for students who have disabilities of any kind. 

Write the speech you would make to the board, giving your views on the statement.    
                                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                        (25 marks) 

CSEC English A Section B Question 2 – Sample Letter

No 67 Happy View,
St James.

October 12, 2014

The Manager,
The Fair Trade Commission,
Green Hill,
Barbados.

Dear Sir/Madam,

I write to complain against Best Line Supermarkets from which I purchased a box of cereal on October 10, 2014.  I have two areas of concern: the treatment I received, and the quality of the product.

The item was on sale and I paid $8.45 for it.  On arrival home I realized that the product had expired since September.  I returned the package, with the bill, and was directed to speak with the supervisor.  He simply said that it was my duty to check any product I wanted to buy.

I went to the manager, explained the issue and expressed my disappointment.  I also requested a refund but he too told me that I should have checked the date before making the purchase.  In addition, he said that their policy is no exchange or refund on sale items.  He promised to speak to his colleague, then he dismissed me and went to the telephone.  I believe this treatment is unjust and would like you to intervene to rectify this matter.

Yours sincerely,


Hadia Rogers

Section A of the 2018 CSEC English A Exam

SECTION A  

(Suggested time: 40 minutes)  

You MUST answer this question.  

Write your answer on the RULED PAGES provided, pages 4 and 5.  There may be more space than you need.  

1. Read the following article on tattoos carefully and list FIVE MAIN points discussed, then write a summary of the article in NOT MORE THAN 120 words.  If this limit is exceeded, only the first 120 words of your answer will be read and assessed.   

As far as possible, use your own words.  Your summary must be in continuous prose.  You may use your answer booklet to jot down a plan.  In your answer, you will be assessed on how well you: 

(a) identified the main ideas and opinions in the extract
(b) organized and expressed these ideas and opinions in your own words 
(c) used appropriate grammar, sentence structure, vocabulary, spelling and punctuation.  


Tattoos  

        Since the beginning of civilization, they have served as marks of identification, spiritual protection and decoration. Now at the cusp of another millennium, tattoos and other varieties of body markings are resurfacing as a popular form of individual self-expression.  
      Tattoos are timeless and can be as unique as the bearers they adorn. They don't fade away like favourite T-shirts, or get lost or broken like school rings. They stay with you forever, until death. They become a part of you from the day you sit in the artist's chair, etching your emotions alongside the needle's sting, transforming an instant of your life into a symbol for the world to see.  
     Tattoos and other body markings arrived in the Caribbean with African slaves and indentured workers from China and India. They were sometimes the only permanent keepsakes of peoples snatched from their ancestral places. The Caribbean's original Amerindian inhabitants also used tattoos to mark spiritual milestones. The Taino of the Northern Caribbean Islands, for instance, used vegetable dyes to affix images of their guardians onto their skin. These images also indicated an individual's lineage, or his or her social position. Each tattoo was both a personal history book and a mark of belonging.  
    Over the centuries, however, tattoos and other forms of bodily adornment have mutated, exchanging religious and cultural significance for individualist associations. Sometimes that mark of individuality has been confused with rebellion and non-conformity, often alluding to a stain of bad character. Tattoo-wearers have seemed wild, dangerous, even just plain bad.  
     But today, tattoos have come full circle. Celebrities, writers, lawyers, housewives, all proudly display their marks of rebellion. An entirely new perception of the art of tattooing has arisen, which is more than just a preoccupation with style. This rediscovered form of expression has spawned an entire subculture of individuals among us. They carry this common bond of distinction through their daily routines. Via the images on their forearms, shoulders, ankles, or torsos, they connect to each other, announcing to the world that it is OK to be unique and different.  

Adapted from "Pictures made flesh". Caribbean Beat, July/August 2003.  

                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                              Total 25 marks  

CSEC ENGLISH SCHOOL BASED ASSESSMENT (SBA) OUTLINED

 Paper 031,  School-Based Assessment –  (SBA – 21% of Total Assessment)  

One  SBA will be required to complete both aspects of the English Syllabus: English A and English B. 

A student who does English A only OR English B only OR English A and B will be required to submit ONLY one SBA.  The SBA will be credited for both English A and B. 

The SBA is expected to be done by each student working as an individual, and as a member of a small group approved by the teacher where:   

1. individual refers to each student, who has responsibility for his/her own portfolio;   

2. group refers to 4 – 5 students sharing a general topic, who work together to discuss and solve problems, explain ideas, learn from peers, improve oral skills, and practise social skills and leadership roles.    

The marks assigned to a student will consist of:   

1. his/her individual mark (Plan of Investigation, Oral Presentation, Reflection, Participation Measure);   

2. the mark assigned to the group ( Quality of Group Behaviour, Written Report).   

PORTFOLIO  

Each student will create a Portfolio on an issue/topic/theme/event selected by the students in the group and approved by the teacher.  The issue/topic/theme/event will also be orally presented.  The issue/topic/theme/event selected should allow for meaningful research and presentation.   

The Portfolio should include the following:  

1. PLAN OF INVESTIGATION:

An introduction to the issue/topic/theme/event (A satisfactory response should be no more than 100 words).  

(a) Why did you choose this issue/topic/theme/event? 

(b) What are the expected benefits to you as a student of English? 

(c) How do you intend to collect relevant information on your issue/topic/theme/event and use this in your presentation?  

2. PARTICIPATION MEASURE – A measure of the candidate’s individual participation assessed by self and teacher.  

3. INDICATORS OF GROUP ACTIVITY :

A minimum of THREE pieces of material, for example, print, audio, visual media must be collected and presented in the Portfolio and should address the issue/topic/theme/event selected.  

One of the three pieces must be print.  

These pieces will form the basis for the process of enquiry and group work activities (cognitive, psychomotor, affective) in which students will become aware of and practise English language skills.  

4. REFLECTION :

THREE entries in which the student reflects on the issue/topic/ theme/ event selected should be completed.

In the first entry the student must indicate how each piece of material helped to shape his or her thinking about the issue/topic/ theme/event. 

The second entry should discuss the use of language in the material selected and the third entry should state how the process of doing the SBA helped the student to become a better person.

The reflection should be written in class under the teacher’s supervision.   

5. WRITTEN REPORT:

A written report of the investigation should be a summary of the processes, procedures and outcomes of the research. 

It should include the material collected, reasons for selection and analysis of the material. 

A satisfactory report should be about 250300 words in total.  

6. ORAL PRESENTATION:

A personal response related to issue/topic/ theme/ event should be delivered orally in 3 to 5 minutes.  

The oral presentation should be delivered predominately in standard English and in a genre of the student’s choosing, for example, drama, poetry, prose, role play, speech, argument, exposition.  

The student should deliver a brief overview of the presentation including the genre chosen, the sources used and a comment on the kind of language used. 

A brief plan of the Oral Presentation must be submitted in the Portfolio. 

CLICK HERE FOR A BREAKDOWN OF THE ENGLISH A 

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CSEC ENGLISH A EXAM OUTLINE 2018-2025

FORMAT OF THE EXAMINATIONS: ENGLISH A

The English A examination is offered at the General Proficiency level.  The Assessment comprises three papers, Paper 01, Paper 02, and Paper 031 or Paper 032.

Papers 01 and 02 are assessed externally.

Paper 031 is the School-Based Assessment (SBA) and is assessed internally by the teacher and moderated by CXC.

Paper 032 is an Alternative to the SBA and is intended for candidates registered as private  candidates.
   

Paper 01:
The duration of the exam is 1 hr, 30 mins

It is worth 29% of the total assessment (This has been changed from 24%)

The paper contains 60 compulsory multiple choice items

Section 1 has 25 discreet items (This has been changed from 20)

The comprehension passages come in the form of examples from: (novels, short stories, biographies, diaries, letters); 

• one expository extract (encyclopaedia extract, reports, instructions, newspaper articles, texts of speeches, transcript of conversations); 

• one argumentative extract (for example, an advertisement, a speech or a letter to the editor); 

• one visual extract (for example, table, chart, form, diagram, map, cartoon, advertisement).

In Section 1, marks will be awarded for the ability to understand meaning conveyed through word choice, grammar, syntax, sentence structure, punctuation and paragraphing.  

Section 2 has 35 questions from comprehension passages (This has been changed from 40)

In Section 2, marks will be awarded for the ability to:  
(a) obtain information accurately; 
(b) grasp insights from reading literature; and 
(c) recognise and evaluate opinions expressed in various forms.   

1 mark is allotted per question
Total = 60 marks


Paper 02:
The duration of the exam is 2 hrs, 45 mins (This has been changed from 2 hrs, 30 mins)

It is worth 50% of the total assessment (This has been changed from 76%)

Section 1:

1 Question-   Summary (Compulsory Question) - [25 marks]
(This has been changed from 30 marks)

Marks will be awarded under Profile Dimension 1, as follows:  
 In Section One, marks will be awarded for the ability to:  

(a) use appropriate grammatical forms, and suitable punctuation and paragraphing to convey  meaning clearly and with facility;  


(b) communicate factual information clearly, concisely, and adequately in written instructions, reports and summaries in appropriate language.  

Section 2:

2 Questions- Exposition (Answer One Question)- [30 marks] 


This question will require candidates to respond to given stimulus material. The response may take the form of an email, letter, report, notice, or article. 

The question will change from year to year, but will focus on the skills of communicating factual information concisely.  

In Section Two, marks will be awarded for the candidate’s ability to:  

(a) communicate factual information clearly, concisely, and adequately in written instructions, reports and summaries in appropriate language;  


(b) obtain information accurately.  

Section 3:

2 Questions- short story, (Answer One Question)- [25 marks]
(This has been changed from 35 marks)


Section 4:
1 Question - Argumentative Essay, (Compulsory Question)- [25 marks] 
(This has been changed from 35 marks and two questions)

In Section Four, marks will be awarded for the ability to communicate personal opinion clearly and cogently in language which effectively persuades or dissuades. 

Total = 105 marks (This has been changed from 130 marks)



Marks will be awarded under Profile Dimension 2, as follows:    

In Section One and Two, marks will be awarded for the ability to:  

(a) use appropriate grammatical forms, and suitable punctuation and paragraphing to convey meaning clearly and with facility;  

(b) use appropriate language and communicate factual information clearly, concisely and adequately in writing letters, reports and summaries.   In Section Three, marks will be awarded for the ability to give aesthetic satisfaction to others in personal, creative and imaginative language. 


Details Based on The New English A SBA will be coming soon.