1.5 Assessment Information

Introduction

This assessment activity requires you to develop a writing portfolio in which you gather evidence of your ability to write in Spanish. You will keep all of your writing throughout the year and then select two to three pieces of writing that you decide are the best and most effective. Quality is more important than quantity and the length of each piece of writing should be appropriate for the type of text. However, your two to three pieces of writing will add up to a combined total of at least 300 words. Your ability to write a variety of texts for genuine purposes to communicate effectively in Spanish will be assessed from these pieces of writing.

Conditions of assessment

Throughout the year, you will keep a variety of written work in Spanish from which you will select your pieces of writing for assessment. All of your writing will be based on the topics and language you are studying at the time.

Before you begin collecting your writing, your teacher will discuss the requirements of the standard and what you need to show in your writing portfolio.

Your teacher may also give you feedback about your writing. You may then rework this writing before you file it. If you wish to rework your writing again later in the year before you submit it in your portfolio, this may be done in negotiation with your teacher.

For the final assessment, choose the pieces of writing that you think are the best and most effective and that show your writing ability in a variety of texts.

All of your writing must be your own work.

Your submission must consist of three to five pieces of writing and a variety of text types. But remember, at all times, quality is more important than length.

Your teacher will confirm the date for each written assignment.

Your final writing portfolio will show you can:

· communicate opinion(s) and/or information and/or ideas that are relevant to the tasks

· convincingly and successfully select and use a range of written language features that connect information and/or ideas and are fit for purpose and audience

· use language without including inconsistencies that interfere with communication.

RESOURCES

You can use a range of commonly used real life resources to support drafting and reworking including

· search engines

· word lists

· spell and grammar checkers

· dictionaries

· text books

· grammar notes

· people – friends, family, native speakers

Unmodified extracts from any external source should not be included without acknowledgement of sources and will not be considered for the final achievement judgement. Simply put, it must be your own work.

CONDITIONS

· All work must be your own. Extracts from external sources should not be included without acknowledging the sources. Any extracts from external sources will not be considered in the final achievement judgement

· Language from the language samples may not be used unless it is significantly reworked.

· Your teacher may give you general feedback about your writing. You may rework this writing before you file it. If you wish to rework your writing again later in the year before you submit it in your portfolio, this may be done in negotiation with the teacher.

· Before you begin the portfolios, and while you are collecting samples of your writing, ensure that you understand all of the requirements of the standard and the success criteria for the assessment.

· Your work will be retained for assessment reference, confirmation of judgements and verification purposes. Your teacher will keep the texts selected for assessment until quality assurance processes have been completed.

· You will have equal access to resources.

· You need to use the resources to help you write new and original text. For example, copying pieces from previously marked work would not provide new and original work. You need to understand what plagiarism means and you need to know how to reference your work.

· Refer to school assessment policy regarding Authenticity and Appeals.

· Please ask if you have any queries or concerns regarding this NCEA

Level 1 Languages Achievement Standard Internal Assessment

Each piece will not be marked separately but considered in terms of how it contributes to the final portfolio. Final grades will be decided using professional judgement based on a holistic examination of the evidence provided against the criteria in the Achievement Standard.

EXPLANATORY NOTES

write refers to composing and organising text in a linguistically and culturally appropriate format and style, and may include

• drafting
• reworking over a period of time

write on areas of most immediate relevance refers to using language, related to basic personal information and past/present/future experiences, in order to express personal information, ideas and opinions in culturally appropriate written Spanish

Communication is achieved overall, despite inconsistencies, such as:

• format
• spelling
• lexical choice
• level of formality
• language conventions
• language features

Convincing means that there is development of the information, ideas and opinions, which is generally credible and connected. The writer selects and uses a range of language and language features that are fit for purpose and audience.

Communication is not significantly hindered by inconsistencies

Effective means that there is development of the information, ideas and opinions, which is controlled and integrated. The writer capably selects and successfully uses language and language features that are fit for purpose and audience.

Communication is not hindered by inconsistencies.

Variety refers to texts selected from a range of different text types, which have been created for different purposes.

NZQA Guidelines to this assessment