Croatian Continuers 2022 HSC exam pack (archive)

Students should:

• be prepared to communicate on a variety of topics relating to their personal world
• elaborate and provide relevant details to address the questions in a way that engages with the examiner
• express ideas and opinions that justify their point of view by providing depth and insight in their responses, rather than only giving short pre-prepared responses
• elaborate using a variety of vocabulary, phrases and expressions suitable to the question posed
• use a range of tenses and be prepared to reflect on the past, present and future
• manipulate the language to fulfil the requirements of the question
• avoid the repetition of the same vocabulary, phrases, expressions and grammatical structures
• be prepared to be interrupted by the examiner
• use Croatian to ask for repetition and/or clarification of the question.

In better responses, students were able to:

• use a range of vocabulary, for example, likovno, suvremeno, predmeti, slobodno, vrijeme
• apply correct sentence structure
• support opinions with examples such as, Kad sam bila u Hrvatskoj.

Areas for students to improve include:

• using appropriate vocabulary for topic in conversation, for example, vježbanje, aktivost, teretana
• revising correct sentence structure and using more complex sentences
• responding to questions asked and not giving pre-learnt answers irrespective of question
• avoiding giving a yes, no or minimal response
• avoiding using non-Croatian vocabulary or phrases in responses.

In preparation for the Discussion

Students should:

• choose a topic that has good quality reference texts and sources available
• prepare for the discussion by referring to at least three texts in their research
• ensure that one of the texts used in their research is a literary source.

During the Discussion examination

Students should:

• support their discussion with evidence from the texts that they have sourced
• express and justify opinions and points of view on the in-depth study topic
• reflect on their research findings to help them express opinions or develop new perceptions about their in-depth topic
• manipulate language to respond in a coherent and logical way to the questions asked
• use a variety of relevant vocabulary, grammar, sentence structures and expressions
• avoid responding with pre-prepared responses that do not address the question asked
• avoid relying on general knowledge about the in-depth topic.

In better responses, students were able to:

• choose sources that provided relevant information regarding the topic of the in-depth study
• compare the validity and reliability of their texts
• analyse and evaluate information about their topic
• demonstrate knowledge of the issues aligned with their topic of the in-depth study
• explain how their research impacted on their views and helped them gain a better understanding of the in-depth topic
• provide insightful conclusions regarding issues raised in their research
• manipulate the language to present their point of view
• use complex sentences and suitable idiomatic expressions to strengthen and support their opinions.

Areas for students to improve include:

• avoiding having too many sources
• avoiding mentioning sources at the beginning of the discussion and then not referring to them to support their ideas or opinions
• avoiding depending on unreliable websites for their research on their topic of in-depth study
• recounting information learned from their sources without expressing an opinion
• expressing a point of view rather than just listing facts without comment
• learning relevant vocabulary and expressions appropriate to topic of in-depth study.

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:

• identify how the speaker uses language features to highlight the attractions of the region, for example, the use of adjectives divna regija, gusta šuma, similes blistaju kao vodene zvijezdice and personification grandiozna ljepotica (Q3)
• identify that the intended audience of the speech was ‘future teachers’ (Q6a).

Areas for students to improve include:

• avoiding recounting what occurs in the text when the question asks ‘How does the speaker use language …’ (Q3)
• avoiding long unpunctuated sentences and paragraphs.

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:

• refer to specific vocabulary, for example, slavna slastica (Q7)
• use contextual cues to understand the meaning of words and expressions, for example, pjenasto in the context of a dessertmeans‘froth’and not ‘sand’ (Q7)
• understand that the dessert was developed in the 1920s era (Q7)
• refer to both content and language as required by the question (Q8).

Areas for students to improve include:

• using dictionaries to find the meaning of words or expressions, for example, distinguishing between ‘bakers’ and ‘bakeries’ (Q7)
• ensuring their interpretation makes sense in the context of the text
• providing recount of content to explain language used to express satisfaction with career choice (Q8)
• translating the text as a response to the question (Q8).

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:

• respond taking on the persona of a local resident (Q9)
• use the conventions of an email to a friend and respond using informal language
• understand and refer to the differing viewpoints of residents whilst providing their own opinion on the thoughts expressed in the text
• refer to the information in the advertisement as well as the viewpoint in the blog.

Areas for students to improve include:

• using the required text type, for example, an email not a letter
• avoiding writing about unrelated topics not mentioned in text
• addressing all parts of the text, such as the advertisement, as well as the views expressed in the blog
• using the first person when writing about their views regarding the advertisement viewpoints of the bloggers
• applying correct punctuation, for example, Hrvatska/hrvatski jezik, Dubrovnik/dubravačke ulice.

Students should:

• read the question carefully and address all parts of the question
• plan their response to ensure a clear structure and sequence their response logically for maximum effect
• use the appropriate register and conventions of the type of text required
• use the conventions of the style of writing required by the question
• use language appropriate for the context, purpose, and audience of the question
• support their ideas and opinions with appropriate examples
• 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
• use the dictionary effectively by selecting vocabulary to suit the context
• proofread and edit their work
• adhere to the suggested word length.

In better responses, students were able to:

• use the conventions of an article (Q10) or informal letter (Q11)
• address the audience appropriately using formal language (Q10)
• use informal, personal, and persuasive language when writing to grandparents (Q11)
• use descriptive expressions, for example, dugih frustrirajučih perioda, bezkonačno (Q10)
• use language techniques to engage the audience, for example, trebali bi, zašto ne bi? (Q10)
• define whether music was a profession or just a good time (Q10)
• encourage and convince their grandparents about how helpful technology can be for older people by providing a range of examples (Q11).

Areas for students to improve include:

• using correct register for the context and audience, for example, formal for the article (Q10) and informal for the letter (Q11)
• providing a range of relevant examples and avoiding repeating the same ideas throughout the response
• responding in the correct persona, for example, a musician (Q10) or a grandchild (Q11) as required by the task
• using a range of vocabulary and language features and structures.