How to study English Language - approaches?

[thushan]

Hey guys who have just finished Englang 3/4:

I'm starting English Language 3/4 next year and am just wondering how I can approach my study to this subject. Should I study it as I would a science-memory subject (eg. Biology) or in another way? Any help would be much appreciated!

Btw I have done the 1/2

[AccFur]

Spoken and written text, i guess you can 'rote-learn' by reading definitions etc like a science subject and apply it to context.

For the essay, it is best to start as soon as you start learning the content, such as finishing an area of study.

Make sure you understand the metalanguage used.

Remember to keep a logbook of media examples throughout the year!! << very important. makes your end of year exam revision easier.

[carolynt]

Just make sure you don't have a dud teacher to ruin the subject for you..

[thushan]

Hopefully I get Mr Rayner as my teacher - the chief assessor

[carolynt]

Oh yes he was at the VATE thing. I didn't find him very intereesting.

[thushan]

Yeah, he does tend to get a little boring, but if you listen to him carefully you learn so much

[carolynt]

Yeah, he does tend to get a little boring, but if you listen to him carefully you learn so much

I guess

[Ghost!]

I've got a really good method for learning and revising English Language definitions, I'll post it here when I get back from camp.

[buzzlightyear]

during the year, build up a bank of quotes (notable figures & linguists) and examples that relates to unit 3. find contemporary examples. these will be used in sacs and the essay in the exam.

[stonecold]

Hopefully I get Mr Rayner as my teacher - the chief assessor

He was friends with my teacher, and she was a complete nut.

My teacher teaches other teachers the course, and she is a twit.

And lets be completely honest about this: the people who are involved with the course and VCAA would have nothing to do with teaching the subject.

I'd be suss about this 'Tim Raynor' guy.

[thushan]

Oh, common misconception - the exam writers cannot take units 3 and 4, but assessors (including the chief assessor) can take units 3 and 4 without any problem. Chief examiners do not see a VCAA paper until after the students have already sat the paper.

Mr Rayner can take 3/4, but someone like Syd Boydell (Physics exam writer) cannot take 3/4.

[Slumdawg]

Oh, common misconception - the exam writers cannot take units 3 and 4, but assessors (including the chief assessor) can take units 3 and 4 without any problem. Chief examiners do not see a VCAA paper until after the students have already sat the paper.

Mr Rayner can take 3/4, but someone like Syd Boydell (Physics exam writer) cannot take 3/4.

This is very true. Chief assessors can teach the 3/4 the same year they are assessing. Only restrictions are on exam writers.

[stonecold]

And what does the assessor of a subject do/know may I ask?

Do they know how the exam is going to be marked?

Edit:  This is VCAA's definition

Chief Assessor - An expert appointed by the VCAA in each study to supervise the marking of the external examination/s in that study.

Obviously they would be knowledgeable, but they would offer no significant advantage as otherwise they would not be allowed to teach.

[Slumdawg]

And what does the assessor of a subject do/know may I ask?

Do they know how the exam is going to be marked?

Edit:  This is VCAA's definition

Chief Assessor - An expert appointed by the VCAA in each study to supervise the marking of the external examination/s in that study.

Obviously they would be knowledgeable, but they would offer no significant advantage as otherwise they would not be allowed to teach.

I don't know if you're asking me or not, but I'll answer anyway haha. The chief assessor basically instructs the other assessors on how to mark the exams at these big conferences they have to ensure all assessors are marking in a similar way. The chief assessor also creates the "assessor's report", hence they're responsible for writing answers and deciding what is acceptable and what isn't for a response. So they carry a lot of power. They themselves decide how the exam will be marked, of course there are assistants and everything which help them to decide what should be accepted in exams and what shouldn't. umm the major advantage would be that they would probably teach you the way they think you should answer questions, and since they instruct all the assessors you could bet it would be exactly the way that will get you the top marks. So it's a pretty big advantage. However not all chief assessors are from top private schools so it's not like the rich kids get all the benefits of this.

[stonecold]

And what does the assessor of a subject do/know may I ask?

Do they know how the exam is going to be marked?

Edit:  This is VCAA's definition

Chief Assessor - An expert appointed by the VCAA in each study to supervise the marking of the external examination/s in that study.

Obviously they would be knowledgeable, but they would offer no significant advantage as otherwise they would not be allowed to teach.

I don't know if you're asking me or not, but I'll answer anyway haha. The chief assessor basically instructs the other assessors on how to mark the exams at these big conferences they have to ensure all assessors are marking in a similar way. The chief assessor also creates the "assessor's report", hence they're responsible for writing answers and deciding what is acceptable and what isn't for a response. So they carry a lot of power. They themselves decide how the exam will be marked, of course there are assistants and everything which help them to decide what should be accepted in exams and what shouldn't. umm the major advantage would be that they would probably teach you the way they think you should answer questions, and since they instruct all the assessors you could bet it would be exactly the way that will get you the top marks. So it's a pretty big advantage. However not all chief assessors are from top private schools so it's not like the rich kids get all the benefits of this.

Thanks.

Well seeing as my teacher got her advice from this guy, I can tell you the following:

-You will not get 15/15 on an essay if it has spelling errors.
-Apparently your examples don't need to be in the phonetic alphabet, and normal alphabet is fine (Derrick Ha says otherwise, and I agree with him.  Students who bother to research and learn their examples properly should be rewarded, however it appears examiners are too lazy to know the phonetic alphabet.  I would still use it.  It makes you look pro and would pressure the examiner into giving you a better essay mark)

I'll try and think of more.  Kinda tired atm.