English EAL/D 2024 HSC exam pack

General feedback

Students should:

• read all stimulus texts carefully
• carefully read the requirements of each question, such as the number of texts students are asked to refer to
• familiarise themselves with the terms used in questions, such as discuss, explain and analyse
• develop a thorough understanding of the ideas and concepts from the Module A description to inform their responses to the unseen texts
• use the mark value as a guide to the length and depth of response required.

Question 1

In better responses, students were able to:

• identify specific experiences of childhood, as shown in the visual text, for example, being carefree and playing, in contrast to more complex experiences
• effectively explain how the experience of childhood is represented using relevant textual examples (visual techniques) such as the symbolism of the simple hoop compared with the maze which represents a complex experience, or the earthy tones of green and yellow representing the experience of exploring the outdoors in childhood.

Areas for students to improve include:

• identifying different visual techniques and explaining how they shape meaning about the experience of childhood
• avoiding simply describing the visual text.

Question 2

In better responses, students were able to:

• establish that the speaker was impacted by interacting with nature
• effectively explain how nature impacts the speaker. For example, the persona feeling positively connected to nature
• immerse themselves in the natural world through multiple senses
• select and effectively use textual evidence (more than one example) to support their explanation.

Areas for students to improve include:

• clearly linking textual evidence to the question
• increasing the understanding of poetic devices such as metaphor to interpret the poem.

Question 3

In better responses, students were able to:

• establish that Antonia and Sofia began to grow apart because they were not in any classes together
• use detailed, well-selected textual evidence and examples to show Antonia’s and Sofia’s growing separation as depicted throughout the passage
• analyse a range of techniques that effectively portray the growing separation, for example, explaining the effect of the truncated sentence, ‘They separate. And in each of them something wholly new begins to grow’ to demonstrate how the broken sentence mirrors the severance in the relationship
• effectively use connectives, such as ‘however’ or ‘furthermore’, to organise their ideas.

Areas for students to improve include:

• focusing on the whole text rather than just the beginning and/or the end
• increasing an understanding of language techniques and explaining the effect, rather than listing them
• focusing on analysing the growing separation rather than describing the separation.

Question 4

In better responses, students were able to:

• establish that Rooke’s ocean swim was an intense experience
• maintain focus on the intensity of the swim experience
• refer to ideas from the module description to enable a greater depth of analysis
• evaluate the writer’s craft with well selected, detailed textual examples, for example, Rooke’s employment of the simile, ‘We ride the strong rip-current … as if it were a conveyer belt’ to develop strong kinaesthetic imagery of being pulled out to sea
• identify a range of language techniques and analyse the ways they shape meaning
• effectively using connectives and paragraphing to organise ideas.

Areas for students to improve include:

• using a range of well-chosen textual evidence to answer the question
• increasing an understanding of language devices
• focusing on the whole text rather than the beginning and/or the end.

Students should:

• respond explicitly to the question as a whole, ensuring it is addressed consistently throughout the response
• develop a personal and detailed understanding of the ways the concept is identified in the question and how human experiences are explored in the prescribed text
• reflect on the ways the prescribed text enables the responder to broaden their understanding of the concept in the question, and gain insights about human experiences and what it means to be human
• consider how the textual form, features and language of the prescribed text contribute to the representation of human experiences and how this meaning is shaped
• develop a comprehensive and holistic understanding of the prescribed text
• compose a sustained and logically structured response.

In better responses, students were able to:

• consider how emotion and behaviour connect in an interrelated manner and the impact on both individual characters and relationships
• explore how significant events within texts impact the psychological responses of characters and their behaviours
• use well-selected examples across the entire text
• effectively evaluate the prescribed text with reference to character development, stylistic features and structural form, and how these conventions allow the author to achieve their aim.

Areas for students to improve include:

• exploring the ways in which both emotion and behaviour work together to influence a character’s decisions and individual development throughout a text
• avoiding repetition of the question without textual support to ensure an argument is created
• ensuring the topic sentences of body paragraphs address ideas within the question
• using quotes that are relevant to the argument
• avoiding a recount of the prescribed text
• analysing a range of language techniques to support their argument
• using appropriate to support their analysis of the author’s use of textual forms and features
• ensuring multiple characters, events and perspectives are explored to demonstrate a holistic application of the question to the set text.

In better responses, students were able to:

• sustain the use of their chosen form (discursive or imaginative), using a range of textual features appropriate to the form, to create meaning
• effectively express creativity through a personal writing style and voice
• effectively engage with ideas from the stimulus
• demonstrate controlled use of language appropriate to audience, context and purpose

Areas for students to improve include:

• addressing the stimulus meaningfully and in a sustained manner rather than repeating key terms in a cursory manner
• engaging with the question rather than one term.

Students should:

• evaluate the extent to which the prescribed text is powerful because it inspires us to reflect on censorship/ tradition/ discovery/ hardship/ creativity/ belonging/ rebellion/ hope
• develop a clear, relevant line of argument throughout the response by consistently drawing ideas and analysis back to the argument
• provide relevant and detailed textual evidence from the text to support ideas
• demonstrate a holistic understanding of the prescribed text by addressing the beginning, middle and end of the text rather than isolated sections
• analyse how distinctive forms and features of the prescribed text are skilfully used
• structure ideas in a logical sequence, synthesising ideas with effective conjunctions
• employ sophisticated/technical language and clear expression, appropriate to a formal essay
• avoid pre-prepared responses, especially to past HSC questions.

In better responses, students were able to:

• demonstrate a judgment of how the prescribed text is powerful because it inspires readers to reflect on censorship/ tradition/ discovery/ hardship/ creativity/ belonging/ rebellion/ hope
• clearly establish a relevant line of argument in the introduction and develop their argument throughout, depicting insightful ways their text explores ideas
• demonstrate a thoughtful interpretation of the question by offering insightful discussion about why the text is powerful in relation to censorship/ tradition/ discovery/ hardship/ creativity/ belonging/ rebellion/ hope, and explain how these notions apply to readers beyond the text
• demonstrate interpretation of the text through judicious examples that supported their line of argument and allowed them to analyse in a sophisticated manner
• analyse a range of techniques and features, distinctive to the textual form of their prescribed text
• use evaluation of relevant textual evidence to discuss how the prescribed text is powerful and invites us to reflect
• approach their analysis of the text as a whole, rather than selecting a few examples from parts of the text
• demonstrate a thoughtful and critical approach in their writing rather than using a formulaic approach
• use topic sentences and organise ideas logically and consistently within paragraphs
• organise and express ideas clearly and fluently, using effective conjunctions to synthesise ideas in and between paragraphs.

Areas for students to improve include:

• providing an evaluation that addresses the extent to which the prescribed text is powerful
• demonstrating a conceptual understanding of how the given terms (censorship/ tradition/ discovery/ hardship/ creativity/ belonging/ rebellion/ hope) apply to the prescribed text, rather than repeating key terms
• explaining why the prescribed text inspires reflection
• adapting their knowledge of the text to engage authentically with the question
• addressing the textual form and features of the text in a balanced approach
• considering the stylistic choices of the composer and their impact on the audience
• establishing a clear line of argument relevant to the question and sustaining it throughout
• avoiding thematic discussions or using key words from the question in a superficial way
• developing a cohesive response where ideas and/or texts are linked
• developing and expressing ideas using language appropriate to audience, purpose and form.

General feedback

Students should:

• understand the effect of common production techniques used in recordings, such as music, sound effects and sampling from other sources
• listen for detail and ensure only relevant information is used to answer the question
• make detailed notes in the space provided to capture accurate quotes relevant to each question in the listening exam
• identify techniques when the question asks for them.

Question 1

In better responses, students were able to:

• effectively identify at least two ways the hosts have engaged the audience, naming the language techniques and/or use of voice (tone, pace, pitch)
• provide a clear analysis of how specific techniques engaged the audience. For example, students identified the hosts’ use of rhetorical questions and emotive language including, ‘What if their real stories are more interesting or more amazing and more surprising than you ever imagined?’ and the use of high modality in, ‘… it’s a must listen.’ Both techniques effectively demonstrate the hosts’ use of pathos to persuade listeners to tune in
• write in full sentences with relevant information quoted from the recording as evidence.

Areas for students to improve include:

• avoiding general responses without explanation.

Question 2

In better responses, students were able to:

• describe in detail the influence of the other family members on Linda’s whole life
• use at least two relevant references from the recording to show the influence on Linda’s life during her childhood and throughout her whole life. For example, having many relatives including siblings, aunts, uncles, grandparents and cousins meant Linda was always taken care of and was kept on, ‘the straight and narrow.’ They also modelled the importance of education which influenced Linda’s career path she has dedicated her life to follow in their footsteps, caring for and educating children.

Areas for students to improve include:

• avoiding generalised statements about the influence of family on Linda’s life, including influences from Nan
• including quotations or detailed references to clearly show the influence of her family, explaining the impact.

Question 3

In better responses, students were able to:

• effectively identify the intimate and loving relationship between Linda and her Nan
• use at least two different pieces of textual evidence to illustrate how the relationship between the two was shown
• identify the techniques used in the textual evidence and analyse how these techniques communicate ideas about their relationship. For example, the employment of cumulative listing of, ‘baking, sewing and knitting’ to demonstrated the extensive time spent together in collaboration, and the emotive adjectives in the metaphor, ‘fill me with a warmth and comfort,’ to reflect Linda’s deep affection for Nan.

Areas for students to improve include:

• avoiding general statements about the nature of the relationship
• providing detailed responses with textual references
• providing clear analysis of how the techniques convey the relationship, rather than describing or explaining what the quotations reveal about the relationship.

Question 4

In better responses, students were able to:

• give a judgement about how effectively the music and sound effects engaged the audience
• accurately identify particular sound effects and music that were used
• articulately explain how both music and sound effects engaged the audience
• write a cohesive response with effective conjunctions.

Areas for students to improve include:

• analysing the music or sound effects, such as ‘sad music enables the audience to understand that the speaker felt sad’ or ‘cow sounds let the listener imagine the setting’
• providing details about sound effects used at different stages and how the music changed throughout the recording.