Year Ten S1 - Aquinas College, Perth

Year Ten S1 Examination information

emester 1 Exams 2018Yr 10 S1 Yr 10 Semester 1 Exams 2020

Important Notes for Year 10 Examinations

Timing

- Please note the scheduled start time for your examination. You will enter the examination room

10min prior to the start time; it is your responsibility to be at school on time.

- You will assemble on Redmond Common outside the Hall or outside the room, if scheduled

elsewhere.

- All examinations have a reading component. This time is for reading only; you are not allowed

to hold any writing utensil nor calculator.

- No student may be admitted to the examination after one hour has elapsed, if a candidate

arrives late (within the first hour) no allowance or granting of extra time may be made.

- No student may leave an examination room before the completion of the set time.

General

- Ensure you have all appropriate materials with you and are in full winter academic uniform.

- Water bottles must be transparent, a maximum of 750mL without labels and contain clear liquid

only.

- It is your responsibility to have approved, functioning calculators with spare batteries if needed.

- If you have forgotten any materials try to borrow them from another student prior to the exam.

- Note that no materials, including calculators, will be able to be borrowed in theexamination room if you have forgotten them.

- A small number of scientific calculators are available to be borrowed from the library prior to theexam, or during your reading time which you would then forgo, if you arrive at the College andhave forgotten your calculator.

- No CAS calculators are available to be borrowed from the College.

- Please leave all mobile phones, watches of any kind, notes, calculator covers and non-

permitted items in your locker prior to the examination.

Missing an examination

- Students who have suffered from illness or disability prior to an examination should contact

Mrs. Pecotich immediately. A medical certificate will need to be obtained.

- Please see full details about examination absences on page 33 of the College Diary.

Students with approved provisions

- Regardless of whether you have extra time, rest time or laptop use granted you will sit your paper in the

- mezzanine level of Hall if your exam is scheduled in the Hall, or

- as directed by Learning Supportto minimize disruption to you at the conclusion of the examination when students are

dismissed.

- For the exams in the Hall, you will enter with your class group and proceed straight up to

the mezzanine level.

Extra Time

- You will receive 10 min extra time per hour of working time.

Time to Rest

- You will have a ‘Tracking non-working time’ sheet on your desk, which will alert all

supervisors of this provision.

- When you wish to take time to rest, you must notify an examination supervisor. Any rest

time used will be given to you at the end of the examination.

- You may not take time to rest in the final 30 min of the examination.

Laptop use

- You must sign-out a laptop from the School Office at least 15 minutes prior to the

examination start time. Please notify supervisors in the examination room of your provision

to ensure they can assist you with set-up prior to the start time.

- At the end of your exam please hand your laptop to the exam supervisor who will return it onyour behalf.

Colourblindness

- You will sit with the main body of students; please ask the supervisor for direction to yourspecial materials.

*Full details about examinations can be found on Pages 32-34 of the College Diary*

Exam Preparation

Your level of success on exams is very much reliant on your preparation and revision throughout the year but especially in the weeks leading up to your examinations.

1. Be very sure of one thing• Poor preparation equals poor performance. Be smart; be willing to learn from the

experience of those before you.

2. List your methods for preparing for exams• Compare your techniques with those of successful students; they’ll be flattered;

forget your ego• Ask your teachers for their impressions of your approach• Be clear what the exam will cover.

3. Does this give you a clearer picture?• Can you see what’s required?• If not, ask your teachers for guidance.

4. In the weeks leading up to the exams and during study breaks• Put a copy of the exam timetable in a prominent place in your room and on the

fridge• Ensure that your equipment is ready• Know the format of the exam for each subject

o Multiple choice, short answer, essayso How many questions

• In your room put a list or idea maps foro Key points, formulae, quotes, examples

• Recite them aloud when you look at them, at least once daily

5. Do past exam papers under exam conditions• Identify areas of weakness and address them• Be comfortable with the vocabulary and phrasing used• Work at exam pace; you timing is critical• Study in time blocks equal to the duration of the exams.

6. Use your teachers’ expertise• To add depth to your understanding• To fully appreciate the Study/Course Design.

7. Speak to students who studies your subjects last year• Hindsight is a powerful tool, tap into their observations.

8. Test your knowledge and understanding• Discuss it, explain it, justify it with friends and family• Question each other.

9. Don’t cram• It does NOT work.

10. The secrets to success in Exams are• Be well prepared• To have genuine faith in yourself; be positive• Don’t leave anything to chance; be thorough and focused.

SampleExamStudySchedule for student who studies Music and Drama optionsWeek WeekFocus Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday

Improvingweaknesses;review&seek

help

20minEnglish20minHASS20minScience

20minRE20minMaths20minMusic20minDrama



Nightoff45minEnglish45minHASS45minScience


Buildonstrengths;practice,practice







ReviewSyllabus,targetedpractice

33%English33%HASS33%Science

25%RE25%Maths25%Music25%Drama

33%English33%HASS33%Science



33%RE33%HASS33%Drama


40%English

30%Music 50%Drama50%Music

25%RE25%Maths25%HASS25%Science


HASS study

English Music

Mathsstudy

Science

* Noticeallsubjectshavebeenallocatedstudytime,every2-3nights in the lead up to exams

MathsHASS RE

Drama

Day andNightoff

ScienceStudyRE Study

25%Maths25%HASS25%Science

25%RE

EnglishStudy30%Drama

Week 6

Week 5

Week 4

Week 3

Week 2

Nightoff

AmandaH

Rectangle

______________________’sExamStudyTimetableWeek WeekFocus Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday

Improvingweaknesses;review&seek

help


20minRE20minMaths20min________20min________





Buildonstrengths;practice,practice







Reviewprograms,targetedpractice



Suggestedplanforcompletingpersonalisedtimetable1. Enterexamsfirst,don’tforgetpracticalexaminationsifyouhavethem2. Schedulegrayedareastudypercentages(focusingonallupcomingexams,notjustnextone!)3. Planaconsistent,achievableroutinefromMay7-June8thlookingatallsubjectsinacyclicalway…berealistic!Ideally,touchoneachsubject

2-3timesaweek.

Week 6

Week 5

Week 4

Week 3

Week 2

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AQUINAS COLLEGE ENGLISH DEPARTMENT IMPROVING IN ENGLISH: FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How do I improve in English?

There isn't a simple answer to this question, because English is a complicated subject with a range of differing skills and expectations. Improvement is possible, but it rarely happens quickly, or without a great deal of effort and commitment.

There are several things you can do that will help you achieve your goal of being a better English student.

Identify Your Goal:

It is important to set yourself realistic goals. If you are sitting on a mark of 51 percent at the beginning of term two, it is probably unrealistic to set yourself the goal of achieving a mark of 80 percent by the term's end. Setting yourself the goal of achieving a mark of 60% is perhaps more realistic.

That said, don't just think about goal-‐setting in terms of marks; think about setting yourself the goal of being a better student, who has better skills and understanding. If you do this, you'll get a clearer sense of the ongoing relevance of English to your studies (and your life), and the marks will likely improve, too.

Identify Your Strengths and Weaknesses:

If you want to improve, you first need to clarify precisely what needs improving. Some students struggle with their grammatical expression, whilst others find they cannot locate the words they need to express their ideas. Others struggle to address the questions or topics they have been given. Some students find that comprehending the meaning of their given texts is the greatest problem. There are also students who, while possessed of good skills and understanding, find that they cannot convey their understanding effectively in the time that they have. And finally, there are students who seem to struggle (to varying degrees) in some or all of these areas.

The best way to determine your key areas of weakness is through a combination of personal reflection and through examining the data you've already been given. All of your assessments have student feedback table attached to them. Each time you

get an assessment returned, have a look to see in which areas you've done particularly well, and in which areas there is room for improvement.

In addition, you can also ask your teacher for further clarification. However, you ought to make sure that you've looked over your assessments prior to asking your teacher for further assistance.

Study Focus:

Once you've worked out what it is you need to work on, the best approach is to engage with texts you've studied in the past. Let's say it's week seven on term, and your class is studying a film. And let's also say that earlier in the term (from week one to week five), your class studied a novel. Whilst your homework time might be spent on the film, your study time can be spent on the novel.

You might be asking why you should spend more time on the novel. Haven't you finished it? Yes -‐ you've finished the text, but you're not done learning from it. If you go back to it, you will dramatically increase your ability to retain what you learned, which will be of great help to you throughout the year, and even in the years to follow. If you have exams at the end of the Semester, then this retention is extremely important. And if you don't yet have exams, you soon will; so best to develop the study habits you are going to need sooner, rather than later.

In the mean time, remember: novels have content -‐ themes and characters -‐ which can be easily identified. But once identified, the process of learning how to identify them is a concept that can carry over to the next text you study, which should help you when trying to understand it. Learning about the events of, for example, the novel Boy Overboard is important, but so is learning how to understand the themes of all the novels you will encounter in the coming years. This is important, because texts tend to get more complex as you move from course to course each year.

Your study focus needs to comprise of three elements:

• Re-‐Read;• Re-‐Write; and• Re -‐Apply.

Re-‐read the notes you have been given (or the notes you have taken) in class. Set yourself the goal of re-‐reading class notes approximately two weeks after you first received/wrote them.

Re-‐reading on its own is not enough. You will not recall much of what you re-‐read, because your brain will actually switch off once it recognises the material as familiar, whether you fully understood it or not. So therefore, it is important to re-‐write the notes you've taken in some form or another. You might, for example, take notes that were originally paragraphs, and turn them into a sequence of dot points, or vice-‐versa.

If you can, you should take a short break between re-‐reading and re-‐writing, perhaps do some exercise, or study for another subject. Only after a change of subject or scene should you commence a re-‐writing activity. This way, you give your mind a chance to move information from short-‐term memory to long-‐term memory, which is where you need it to be if you're going to remember it!

Note: it is hard to study if you don't use your class time effectively! If you talk or waste time in lessons, you will not have the materials to complete the class work you've not done once outside you're at home, nevermind be able to study.

What should I do to study for English?

The first thing you need to do is organise a decent study routine, which incorporates into it a balanced distribution of time across all subjects, and also makes sufficient allowance for sleep and recreation. If you set yourself a study routine that is too onerous, you'll soon drift away from your goals. Additionally, you need to eat sensibly if you are going to study sensibly. A diet of sugar and caffeine might keep you awake, but it will not make you productive. In fact, students who study very late at night are far less likely to absorb the content of that which they read than those who study as early as possible. (It's not always easy to schedule, but the early morning is actually the best time to study.)

Secondly, you need to have a clear appreciation of the fact that study and homework are not the same things: homework is the completion of set tasks that either connect directly with work being studied in class at the time (such as chapter questions etc.) or consolidate ongoing skills (such as grammatical exercises); study is perhaps best thought of as active revision, whereby you select a particular skill or previously-‐studied (in class) text or concept, and re-‐examine it independently of what you are studying in class.

In years 7-‐9, the emphasis is much more likely to be on the regular completion of homework, out-‐of-‐class assessments, skills-‐based work and private reading. In years 10-‐12, all of these elements remain important, but study becomes increasingly important; not only for exams, but so skills learned in one year and be transferred into the following year. (It is very important to remember that the skills in English build over time; which is why the longer you wait to develop your skills and work ethic, the harder it will be to achieve the results you desire.)

I don't read much at all outside of class. Is this a problem?

The short answer to this question is, yes, this is a problem!

The bulk of the content in English courses is written material which you are obliged to examine. Students who read regularly are far more capable of reading quickly, which gives them a serious advantage in timed assessments. Students who read widely (that is, lots of different kinds of text) are generally far better at making judgements at to the style of a text and the meaning it is trying to convey, for the simple reason that they have had far greater experience at doing so. In addition,

students who read widely and regularly are often far more capable of expressing their ideas in writing, because their reading experiences have exposed them to a greater variety of vocabulary being used in interesting sentences. As such, their vocabulary, spelling and grammar are of a higher standard.

What should I be reading, and how much should I be reading?

Your reading should comprise of a combination of set-‐text reading and private reading.

The most important thing you should be reading are the texts (novels, autobiographies etc.) that you are studying in class. Ideally these texts should be read before you are due to study them, and re-‐read during your study of them.

The reading of private texts should also occur at least three times per week, or for a total of at least an hour and a half over the span of a week.

Private reading should include variety; it is important to read both fiction and non-‐fiction, and to read a range of genres of fiction and a range text types/styles of non-‐fiction that cover a range of topics.

In years 7-‐9, it is very important that private reading occur, and that a great deal of it be comprised of novels.

In years 10-‐12, even though time is likely to be tight, private reading should still occur. Students who habitually read non-‐fiction articles (in magazines, newspapers or online) are generally far more confident examining these kinds of text, and explaining or expressing their ideas about current events, for the simple reason that engaging with these kinds of texts has given them experience in doing so.

Can my parents, siblings or friends help me study?

Your parents, siblings and friends are capable of helping you to study, but they are also capable of hindering your study, too, if instead of motivating you, become a distraction, or worse, people who end up doing your work for you, rather than helping you do your own.

People can help you IF you show them how. Provide them with lists of topics, key words and questions, so they can quiz you on your knowledge and understanding. They can also read over your work for you, and circle or underline any errors they find. It is important that they only find the errors; it is your job to correct them.

It's good to study collaboratively from time to time, as it can help you clarify and organise your ideas. Whether you're the helper or the person being helped, it takes knowledge and skills to work with another person. But it's also good to ensure that you develop the ability to work independently; so work to develop both sets of skills.

Do I need a tutor?

Tutors can be extremely helpful, but they are not a magical solution to all problems in English, for the simple reason that many students struggle for many different reasons.

If you're going to get a tutor, you should first ask yourself whether or not you're actively applying yourself in class and at home. If not, then this needs to change before you get a tutor, because a tutor cannot compensate for having a poor work ethic.

Additionally, you need to accept that getting a tutor usually means you will be doing more work, not less. A tutor cannot do your work for you, anymore than a gym instructor can run laps for a person who wishes to get into better shape.

It is also important that if you do get a tutor, that you get someone who is qualified to teach English. Tutors can be expensive, and there is little point in getting someone who cannot impart their understanding in a way that helps YOU become a better student. Remember: the goal of a tutor is to help you become a better student at all times; not just when they are there to help you. If this is not occurring, perhaps a slightly different approach is need.

And no matter what the approach, don't expect instant success. It will probably take close to a term to see any real improvement. That might seem like a long time, but in the grand scheme of things, you will consider it time very well spent indeed.

Documents

Year Ten S1 - Aquinas College, Perth