Ministère de l’Éducation, du Loisir et du Sport
Direction de l’évaluation des apprentissages
Frequently Asked Questions
About the Enriched ESL Uniform Examination
Épreuve unique du programme enrichi d’anglais, langue seconde
5e année du secondaire
Juin 2014, août 2014 et janvier 2015
136-540 – Compétence 2, Réinvestir sa compréhension des textes
136-550 – Compétence 3, Écrire et produire des textes
© Gouvernement du Québec, 2013
Le ministère de l’Éducation, du Loisir et du Sport autorise les commissions scolaires et les établissements
d’enseignement privés à reproduire ce document sur support papier ou électronique et à le transmettre
aux enseignantes et enseignants. Le Ministère en autorise aussi le dépôt dans un site extranet ou un
portail, mais il en interdit le dépôt dans un site Internet.
Il est interdit d’apporter quelque modification que ce soit à ce document. Ainsi, le contenu de la version
originale, y compris la mise en pages et la mention de la source, soit le ministère de l’Éducation, du Loisir
et du Sport, doit être maintenu.
TABLE OF CONTENT
1. How is the examination prepared? ......................................................................................... 5
2. Why are the topics mostly unfamiliar to students? ................................................................. 5
3. How are topics selected? ....................................................................................................... 5
4. In the list of authorized materials, what does “bilingual dictionary (English and another
language)” refer to? ................................................................................................................ 5
5. In the list of unauthorized materials, what does “homemade documents” refer to? ............... 6
6. Where do the audio documentaries used in the uniform examinations come from?.............. 6
7. Can students do additional research, for example, on the Internet? ...................................... 6
8. What is the role of the guiding question in the Preparation Booklet? ..................................... 6
9. Why don’t students write an opinion piece? ........................................................................... 6
10. Why do students write a feature article? ................................................................................ 6
11. Will students always write a feature article?........................................................................... 6
12. Why do students no longer have the choice between two reinvestment and writing tasks? .. 6
13. Why are students required to listen to the audio documentary a third time at the
beginning of the three-hour examination? .............................................................................. 7
14. Can students write their article in the first person? ................................................................ 7
15. In the Competency 2 rubric, what is the difference between the terms angle and
controlling idea? ..................................................................................................................... 7
16. In their article, do students have to address all aspects of the prescribed angle? ................. 7
17. To write their article, do students need to use information from the audio documentary
or can they rely solely on the texts in the Preparation Booklet?............................................. 7
18. Are students allowed to use the title of the examination or of the audio documentary
as the headline for their article? ............................................................................................. 7
19. Do students have to include all the possible “additional text components” in their articles,
i.e. a picture with a caption, a sidebar and a pull-quote? ....................................................... 8
20. Can students cut images out of the Preparation Booklet and glue them into their article? .... 8
21. Must images always have a caption? .................................................................................... 8
22. Should students write the final version of their article in columns? ........................................ 8
23. Why was the Competency 2 rubric reduced from two rows to one? ...................................... 8
24. What happens if students write their article using the general topic or the guiding
question instead of the prescribed angle?.............................................................................. 8
25. What happens if a student writes fewer than 400 words or well above 400 words? .............. 8
26. In the Competency 2 rubric, what does “tailor the content of their article to the purpose
and to the target audience” mean? ........................................................................................ 9
27. When evaluating, do teachers read the texts as teachers or as the target audience?........... 9
28. In the Competency 3 rubric, what is the difference between “impeding readability” and
“impeding understanding”? .................................................................................................... 9
29. In the Competency 3 rubric, what does “use of idiomatic language” mean?.......................... 9
30. Why can’t teachers allot marks other than those in the rubrics? ............................................ 9
31. Is it possible to provide an electronic version of the Guide de correction so that
teachers can find information faster when marking (using the “find” feature)? ...................... 9
32. What is patchwriting? ........................................................................................................... 10
33. What qualifies as copying? .................................................................................................. 10
34. Why aren’t students required to write a draft of their article? ............................................... 10
35. Are teachers “teaching to the test”? ..................................................................................... 10
36. Are the exemplars authentic student texts? ......................................................................... 10
37. Why doesn’t the Ministère provide exemplars on the topic addressed in the current
examination? ........................................................................................................................ 11
38. Where can teachers get additional information on the feature article? ................................ 11
Frequently Asked Questions
About the Enriched ESL Uniform Examination
1.
How is the examination prepared?
− A topic is selected.
− Extensive research is done in order to identify the main trends and/or issues
surrounding the topic and to find authentic texts that contain information that is
relevant to the proposed tasks and level-appropriate for students.
− A first version of the examination is created.
− The examination is validated by a committee made up of Enriched ESL teachers and
ESL education consultants from various regions and backgrounds (e.g. men and
women, private and public schools, urban and rural settings).
− Modifications are made to the examination in light of the feedback provided by the
validation committee.
− The audio documentary is prepared: interviews are conducted and recorded, the
script for the reporter is written and the audio documentary is produced in a recording
studio.
− The examination is validated by a second committee, with a profile similar to the first
one.
− Further modifications are made to the examination in light of the feedback provided
by the second committee.
− The examination undergoes a series of linguistic revisions and readings.
− Further modifications, if necessary, are made to the examination in light of the
feedback provided by the revisers and readers.
− The examination is sent to the Direction de la sanction des études, which carefully
looks at the examination and then oversees the duplication of the audio CD and the
printing, distribution and administration of the examination.
− Once the June examination has been administered, a follow-up is done to determine
whether modifications or clarifications are in order.
2.
Why are the topics mostly unfamiliar to students?
To evaluate Competency 2, Reinvests understanding of texts, it is essential to avoid topics
that students are too familiar with. If a topic is too familiar (e.g. social networking, music),
students will reinvest their prior knowledge more than their understanding of the texts
provided. Therefore, topics must be accessible but mostly unfamiliar to students.
3.
How are topics selected?
Topics must meet the following criteria:
− be accessible to students, although mostly unfamiliar
− feature trends, social issues, controversies or matters of public interest
− be broad enough to encompass several sub-topics
4.
In the list of authorized materials, what does “bilingual dictionary (English and
another language)” refer to?
“English and another language” means that students can use an English-French dictionary,
English-Spanish or English coupled with any other language.
Ministère de l’Éducation, du Loisir et du Sport
Anglais, langue seconde, programme enrichi
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Frequently Asked Questions
Juin 2014, août 2014 et janvier 2015
5.
In the list of unauthorized materials, what does “homemade documents” refer to?
A homemade document refers to any document that is not published by a publisher,
i.e. that is available only to a given segment of the population. For example, a grammar
book put together by a school or a school board is considered a homemade document, as
it is available only to the students of the school or school board.
6.
Where do the audio documentaries used in the uniform examinations come from?
All audio documentaries have been produced by the Ministère specifically for the uniform
examination. Interviews are set up and recorded in a studio or over the phone, and are
later incorporated into a documentary that is written and produced by the Ministère.
However, ready-made documentaries may also be purchased in the future.
7.
Can students do additional research, for example, on the Internet?
Students have to reinvest their understanding of the research materials provided. They can
do additional research to better understand the issues or out of curiosity, but they must
write their article using the research materials (print and audio) provided in the examination.
8.
What is the role of the guiding question in the Preparation Booklet?
The sole purpose of the guiding question is to guide students in their note-taking as they
read and listen to the research materials. The guiding question is not to be confused with
the reinvestment and writing task. The guiding question must be broad enough so as not to
give away the reinvestment and writing task, yet specific enough to assist students in
taking relevant notes for use on the day of the examination.
9.
Why don’t students write an opinion piece?
It was important to select a writing genre that would permit evaluating the two
competencies targeted by the examination. Extensive field-testing of the sample uniform
examination in 2009-2010 revealed that an information-based text was more appropriate
than an opinion piece. In addition, since both the Français, langue d’enseignement and the
Core ESL uniform examinations require students to write an opinion piece, it was deemed
more appropriate to have students write a different type of text.
10.
Why do students write a feature article?
Several types of information-based texts, such as reports, e-mails and briefs, were
considered. However, most presented problems given the examination parameters. For
example, reports are too long for students to write in a three-hour examination setting, and
e-mails lack the structure required to allow students to demonstrate the targeted skills,
especially for Competency 3. Extensive field-testing of the sample uniform examination in
2009-2010 showed that a feature article was appropriate.
11.
Will students always write a feature article?
The examination will likely evolve, but there are no immediate plans to change the required
text form.
12.
Why do students no longer have the choice between two reinvestment and writing
tasks?
The decision was made to simplify the examination. Providing research materials for only
one reinvestment and writing task has reduced the quantity of information in the
Preparation Booklet. This in turn has reduced the quantity of information that both students
and teachers have to process.
Frequently Asked Questions
Juin 2014, août 2014 et janvier 2015
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Ministère de l’Éducation, du Loisir et du Sport
Anglais, langue seconde, programme enrichi
13.
Why are students required to listen to the audio documentary a third time at the
beginning of the three-hour examination?
Students receive the reinvestment and writing task—the prescribed angle—at the
beginning of the three-hour examination. This is the only opportunity they have to listen to
the audio with the specific task in mind.
14.
Can students write their article in the first person?
It is possible to write a feature article in the first person. However, it could reduce objectivity
and result in students writing an opinion piece. Consequently, it is recommended that
students write in the third person.
15.
In the Competency 2 rubric, what is the difference between the terms angle and
controlling idea?
The angle, also sometimes referred to as the focus, specifies the light under which the
topic must be examined in the feature article. The Preparation Booklet and the audio
documentary present the topic―the broad theme of the examination―for example,
genetically modified organisms or space exploration. The reinvestment and writing task
narrows the scope of the topic by prescribing the angle students must focus on in their
article, e.g. examine the potential impact of GMOs on our health or examine the main
challenges of future space exploration.
The controlling idea stems from the angle. It represents the message that the author wants
to convey about the angle, to the main idea he or she will develop in the article. For further
information on the angle and the controlling idea, refer to the document entitled Précisions
sur les exigences de l’épreuve unique du programme enrichi d’anglais, langue seconde,
available on the Direction de l'évaluation's secure Web site, under “Documents de soutien
à la formation.”
16.
In their article, do students have to address all aspects of the prescribed angle?
It is important to remember what the task is: to write a 400-word article to inform a nonspecialized audience about the prescribed angle. Students must decide what the
controlling idea of their article will be (see Question 15), i.e. what message they want to
convey about the angle. It may not always be possible to address all aspects of an angle,
but students must address the key aspects in order for readers to have a solid
understanding of the issue. By the same token, students cannot focus exclusively on
details while failing to address the key aspects of an angle, nor can they address only one
aspect of an angle.
17.
To write their article, do students need to use information from the audio
documentary or can they rely solely on the texts in the Preparation Booklet?
Students have to use both. The examination is structured in such a way that some key
aspects are addressed in the Preparation Booklet while others surface only in the audio
documentary, forcing students to draw from both documents in order to provide readers
with a critical overview of the topic from the prescribed angle.
18.
Are students allowed to use the title of the examination or of the audio documentary
as the headline for their article?
Students can do so only if the title fits the requirements of a headline, i.e. must grab the
reader’s attention, yet be meaningful, so that it also reflects or hints at the angle. In
June 2012, many students used the title of the examination, Destination: Space, as their
headline, but it did not reflect or hint at the angle of their article.
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Anglais, langue seconde, programme enrichi
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Frequently Asked Questions
Juin 2014, août 2014 et janvier 2015
19.
Do students have to include all the possible “additional text components” in their
articles, i.e. a picture with a caption, a sidebar and a pull-quote?
No. Students must include at least two additional components which enhance the article,
demonstrating that they understand the role of these components. For example, for the
June 2011 examination on GMOs (genetically modified organisms), many students chose
to present a definition of GMOs in a sidebar. This informed all readers about GMOs without
weighing down the article for readers who were already familiar with the definition. For the
June 2012 examination on space exploration, many students included images illustrating
the concepts they described in their articles to help readers visualize and better understand
them.
20.
Can students cut images out of the Preparation Booklet and glue them into their
article?
Although there is no rule against doing so, students should not cut images out of the
Preparation Booklet and glue them into their article. Instead, students are expected to write
a brief description of the image they are proposing along with a caption, if necessary. The
image does not have to come from the Preparation Booklet. Teachers can refer to the
writing guidelines in the Writing Booklet for more information.
21.
Must images always have a caption?
Images often have a caption, but one is not always required. A caption will not be needed if
the article makes the image self-explanatory. It is the student’s responsibility to decide
whether or not a caption is needed.
22.
Should students write the final version of their article in columns?
Although writing the article in columns shows an awareness of the required text form,
students are not required to do so. Formatting the text in columns would normally be done
at the layout stage of the production process, which is not part of the examination.
23.
Why was the Competency 2 rubric reduced from two rows to one?
Following the marking of a sample of texts collected from the June 2011 uniform
examination, a strong correlation was observed between the two criteria in the rubric.
Therefore, it was decided to combine the two and simplify marking.
24.
What happens if students write their article using the general topic or the guiding
question instead of the prescribed angle?
The article must be written from the angle prescribed in the Writing Booklet. Any student
who fails to do so will be heavily penalized for Competency 2. As per the rubric, he or she
will be allotted a maximum of D+ (D or D+ = much content that is irrelevant to prescribed
angle or E = most of the content is irrelevant to prescribed angle).
25.
What happens if a student writes fewer than 400 words or well above 400 words?
Teachers must read the entire article and evaluate it using the rubrics.
The examination calls for approximately 400 words, but students can write shorter or
longer texts. However, a text that is well below 400 words will likely earn a poor mark for
Competency 2, as the content will be insufficient. Conversely, students who write a very
long article may not have enough time to carefully plan, organize, write and edit their article,
which means they will possibly earn poor marks for both competencies evaluated.
There is not necessarily a link between the number of words and the quality of a text. In
some cases, a 380-word text may be much better than a 500-word text in which ideas are
confusing or repetitive. In other cases, a very long text may be off topic, the student having
strayed from the purpose of the task while writing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Juin 2014, août 2014 et janvier 2015
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Ministère de l’Éducation, du Loisir et du Sport
Anglais, langue seconde, programme enrichi
26.
In the Competency 2 rubric, what does “tailor the content of their article to the
purpose and to the target audience” mean?
Students are not writing for their teacher; they are writing for the readers of Beyond the
Surface magazine (refer to the writing guidelines in the Writing Booklet). Therefore,
students have to shape their articles to meet the needs of these readers, not those of their
teacher. They must keep in mind that the readers of the magazine want to be informed
about a specific issue (angle) with which they are most likely unfamiliar. These readers
have not read the texts in the Preparation Booklet and have not listened to the audio
documentary.
27.
When evaluating, do teachers read the texts as teachers or as the target audience?
Teachers must read each text as evaluators, of course, but also as if they were J. T.
Williams, senior editor of the magazine. As such, they make sure the article respects the
magazine’s mission, which is to educate and entertain English-speaking readers who are
not necessarily familiar with the topic (i.e. who have not read the texts in the Preparation
Booklet, listened to the audio documentary and are unfamiliar with the task). They also
ensure that students have abided by the magazine’s writing guidelines, as presented in the
Writing Booklet, as well as the evaluation criteria in the rubrics. Teachers must wear this
same hat when determining whether readability or understanding is impeded: they do not
read the texts as teachers who are used to interpreting what students mean to write and
who are familiar with the topic, having already read dozens of articles on the topic.
28.
In the Competency 3 rubric, what is the difference between “impeding readability”
and “impeding understanding”?
Readability is impeded when the reader has to slow down his or her reading but does not
have to stop. Understanding is impeded when the reader has to either stop his or her
reading to figure out what the student meant or to reread a passage in order to understand
it before resuming reading.
29.
In the Competency 3 rubric, what does “use of idiomatic language” mean?
Using idiomatic language means that the student uses language and sentence structures
that are typical of the English language, demonstrating a high level of language skills. It
means more than inserting a few expressions in the article. Consider the examples of
idiomatic language below.
− Technology and science are leading humans to look further into space.
− Another question is on everyone’s lips: to whom does space really belong?
− What is coming will take us to a whole new level.
30.
Why can’t teachers allot marks other than those in the rubrics?
In the case of certification examinations, it is important that evaluation be uniform. The
rubrics must therefore be used as is.
31.
Is it possible to provide an electronic version of the Guide de correction so that
teachers can find information faster when marking (using the “find” feature)?
Since June 2013, in addition to the paper version, the Guide de correction of the June
examination is available in an electronic version. This makes it easier for teachers to verify
the accuracy of the information students have reinvested and to verify if they have copied
from the research materials provided.
Ministère de l’Éducation, du Loisir et du Sport
Anglais, langue seconde, programme enrichi
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Frequently Asked Questions
Juin 2014, août 2014 et janvier 2015
32.
What is patchwriting?
Patchwriting is using passages from research materials—verbatim or by changing a word
or a verb tense here and there—and combining them with one’s own writing. The passages
can be as short as phrases or as long as entire paragraphs. Although patchwriting can be
considered a natural stage in the learning process, especially in second languages when it
comes to reinvesting information, it is not acceptable in Secondary V.
33.
What qualifies as copying?
For the purpose of the uniform examination, copying refers to borrowing—or “lifting”—
passages verbatim from the research materials, and to patchwriting (see Question 32).
However, reinvesting single words and idiomatic expressions is not copying. For example,
a student who reinvests the vocabulary related to the topic (e.g. counterfeit goods, organic
food, space debris, etc.) is not copying. Neither is a student who reinvests a set expression
such as “last but not least” or “Money doesn’t grow on trees.” Of course, properly
referenced quotations are not considered copying.
Refer to the Competency 2 rubric for more information on how to address copying.
34.
Why aren’t students required to write a draft of their article?
The purpose of the uniform examination is to allow students to demonstrate their
reinvestment and writing skills, and it is up to them to use the necessary means to do so.
For example, some students may simply need to prepare a detailed outline. However, it is
highly recommended that students first write a draft. Space for a draft copy is provided in
the Writing Booklet.
35.
Are teachers “teaching to the test”?
No. The examination requires students to demonstrate good writing skills, many of which
apply to any type of writing and not just the uniform examination, such as:
− including a beginning, a middle and an end
− engaging the audience with an introduction that is appropriate and catchy
− making the purpose clear early in the text
− including ideas and information that are relevant to the angle addressed and to the
controlling idea of the text
− organizing and developing the ideas and the information so that the text is complete
in itself (i.e. readers are not left with more questions than answers), coherent and
cohesive
− organizing ideas into paragraphs
− using transitions between ideas and from one paragraph to another to ensure flow
− using accurate and idiomatic language and appropriate language register
− using logic and common sense
Of course, in addition to the above universal text features, each genre has its own specific
text components, which must be taught to students. For example, an opinion piece
requires a firm position and supporting evidence, whereas a story requires a plot and
character development.
36.
Are the exemplars authentic student texts?
Yes. The exemplars are actual texts written by students, presented verbatim. The Ministère
has obtained the right to publish the texts from the students who wrote them. If a text is not
an authentic student text, a note is added to specify that this is the case.
Frequently Asked Questions
Juin 2014, août 2014 et janvier 2015
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Ministère de l’Éducation, du Loisir et du Sport
Anglais, langue seconde, programme enrichi
37.
Why doesn’t the Ministère provide exemplars on the topic addressed in the current
examination?
Uniform examinations are confidential and must be administered on the date set by the
Direction de la sanction des études. Examples of student writing cannot be obtained before
this date.
38.
Where can teachers get additional information on the feature article?
A document entitled Précisions sur les exigences de l’épreuve unique du programme
enrichi d’anglais, langue seconde is available on the Direction de l’évaluation des
apprentissages secure Web site, under “Documents de soutien à la formation.” This
document provides explanations and examples, in both French and English, as well as
activities, which are in English so that teachers may use them with their students.
Various books and Web sites also provide information on the feature article.