English as an Additional Language or

Dialect
Stages 2 and 3

WACE Practical (oral)

examination requirements for
Western Australian candidates
2012

English as an Additional Language or Dialect: Practical (oral) WACE examination requirements 2012

Copyright
School Curriculum and Standards Authority 2012
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Any resources such as texts, websites and so on that may be referred to in this document are provided as examples of
resources that teachers can use to support their learning programs. Their inclusion does not imply that they are mandatory
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2010/11110[v5]

English as an Additional Language or Dialect: Practical (oral) examinations requirements 2011

English as an Additional Language or Dialect practical (oral) WACE examinations

This document provides general advice to teachers, candidates and parents on the English
as an Additional Language or Dialect practical (oral) WACE examinations for Stage 2 and
Stage 3.
Students who are in their final year of schooling and are enrolled in a pair of Stage 2 or
Stage 3 units in the EAL/D course will be required to complete a practical (oral) examination
unless they are exempt from the examination.
The practical (oral) examination for Stage 2 and Stage 3 EAL/D is to be held during the period
from Saturday, 20 October 2012 to Sunday, 28 October 2012 (Saturdays and Sundays
are included) at metropolitan locations. Candidates must make arrangements to be available
to complete their WACE practical (oral) examination during this time. The School Curriculum
and Standards Authority will inform candidates of the date, time and location of the
examination by 18 September 2012. School candidates will be notified through their schools.
Private candidates will be notified directly by mail. If country candidates are in a country area
where a centre is not allocated they will be contacted through their school about examination
arrangements.
For EAL/D, the WACE examinations weightings for Stage 2 and Stage 3 are:

Written examination paper (two and a half hours)

Practical (oral) examination

75%
25%

1. Reporting achievement
Teachers are responsible for ensuring the syllabus requirements are met and making sure
candidates are adequately prepared for the practical (oral) examination. Teachers must
ensure they are using the current accredited syllabus. Any further advice on matters related
to the syllabus assessment requirements of the Authority will be published in the e-Circular.
Teachers should also refer to the WACE examination policy published in Section 7 of the
WACE Manual 2012, which is available in schools and on the Authority website.
Schools are required to submit a grade for each completed unit to the School Curriculum and
Standards Authority. For courses that have a practical examination, schools will submit three
marks: a school mark out of 100; a written mark out of 100; and a practical mark out of 100
for each Year 12 student (and any other WACE examination candidate). The Authority will:

separately standardise the written examination mark and the practical examination mark

moderate the written school marks using the written examination marks and moderate
the practical school marks using the practical examination marks

combine the standardised moderated written school mark, the standardised written
examination mark, the standardised moderated practical school mark and the
standardised practical examination mark to calculate the combined mark for each
candidate.
2. Candidates with an injury, illness or disability
Candidates who have a permanent disability that could prevent them demonstrating their
knowledge, understanding or skills in a standard practical examination may apply to be
assessed under special examination arrangements. Candidates with a long-term injury or
illness which existed prior to the beginning of Term 3 are to apply for special arrangements to
be examined in an alternative format if the injury or illness will affect their participation in the
standard practical examination. Application is made on the form available at all schools and
must be received at the Authority by Friday, 3 August 2012. These candidates will not be
granted sickness/misadventure approval.

English as an Additional Language or Dialect: Practical (oral) examinations requirements 2012

Additional forms may be obtained on request or from the Authority website

www.scsa.wa.edu.au.
Candidates who believe their performance in a practical examination may have been
affected by an unexpected sickness, or unforseen event beyond their control, close to or
during the WACE examinations may apply for sickness/misadventure consideration.
Application is made by the candidate by the prescribed date using the form available in
schools or from the Authority website www.scsa.wa.edu.au.
3. Non genuine attempts
Candidates without a practical examination mark could be identified as having not made a
genuine attempt in the examination. Further information regarding genuine attempt in an
examination can be found in the WACE Manual 2012 page 101.
4. Principles of external assessment
The marking process preserves the anonymity of the candidate and the candidates school.
This requires that candidates are identified only by their randomly allocated School Curriculum
and Standards Authority student number.
Markers apply a consistent standard and process to assess the candidates performance.
This requires:

marking keys for Stage 2 and Stage 3 units

attendance at marker training meetings prior to the commencement of marking

trial marking of sample interviews to ensure a common understanding of the marking key

independent marking of each candidates WACE examination performance by two

markers

the reconciliation of the two independent marks for each criterion

recording of the examination interview.

5. Criteria for marking
Practical (oral) performance is assessed on what the candidate understands and is able to
demonstrate. Candidates should not therefore be concerned if they do not understand an
individual question. In such a case, they can ask for the question to be repeated without
penalty. If the candidate does not attempt to answer the question and does not make any
other comment in relation to the question within a reasonable amount of time, the marker will
move on to a different question.
Candidates are strongly advised not to use the questions asked during the practical (oral)
examination about course issues and texts as a means of dominating the conversation with a
prepared response that resembles a monologue. In the interests of the candidate, such
monologues will be interrupted at an appropriate point.
A numerical scale will be used to assess candidate performance in the practical (oral)
examination for Stage 2 and Stage 3 EAL/D. All candidates will be examined against the
following criteria:
interaction on familiar topics
linguistic resources (accuracy, appropriacy and range of grammar and lexis)
fluency and clarity (pronunciation, intonation, stress)
content (prepared response to visual stimulus and focus questions)
interaction on unseen question
content (course issue/ text discussion related to unit descriptions and content)
content (sociocultural understandings and analysis)
communication strategies.

English as an Additional Language or Dialect: Practical (oral) examinations requirements 2012

An audio recording of each candidates performance in the WACE practical (oral) examination
is made. The audio recordings are used to ensure comparability between markers. Selected
samples of audio recordings may also be included as exemplars for standards purposes.
Each candidates practical examination will be marked independently by two markers. One
marker conducts the interview while the second marker sits in the background and makes
notes on the candidates performance.
6. Examination procedure
On the day of the WACE practical (oral) examination, the candidate is required to report to a
supervisor at the examination centre at the scheduled reporting time. The scheduled reporting
time is 20 minutes prior to the scheduled examination time.
The WACE practical (oral) examination includes both the preparation time and interview. The
scheduled examination time for candidates is the time at which they begin their preparation.
At the commencement of the scheduled examination time, a supervisor gives the candidate a
preparation booklet.
Candidates may refer to a dictionary during the 15 minute preparation time. The dictionary
must be an English language print dictionary. An electronic dictionary or a thesaurus is not
permitted. If candidates wish to refer to a dictionary during the preparation time, they are
required to provide their own. Candidates may not refer to a dictionary during the
examination interview.
Following the 15 minute preparation time, candidates are guided to their allocated interview
room.
Mobile phones or any recording devices must be handed in to the supervisor before the
examination and collected at the end.
Candidates who have not reported to a supervisor once their scheduled examination time
has commenced will not be admitted to the WACE practical (oral) examination and the
examination cannot be rescheduled. Please refer to our Year 12 Information Handbook 2012
for further information about the provisions for sickness/misadventure.
Candidates must ensure that nothing they carry or wear can identify either them, their school,
club or achievements. If this does occur, candidates will be referred to the breach of
examination rules committee. Uniforms or other items of clothing, equipment or
stamped/labelled material that may be identified with a school are not permitted in the WACE
examination.
Candidates must leave the examination area once they have completed their examination,
and must not have contact with those waiting to be examined.

English as an Additional Language or Dialect: Practical (oral) examinations requirements 2012

7. Information for Stage 2 and Stage 3 practical (oral) examination

The English as an Additional Language or Dialect WACE examination comprises a written
examination worth 75% of the total examination score and a practical (oral) examination worth
25% of the total examination score.
WACE Practical (oral) examination requirements
Candidates must bring their candidate advice notification which states their student number
and time of examination for the practical (oral) examination.
Structure of the Stage 2 and Stage 3 WACE practical (oral) examination
Examination

Duration

Preparation

15 minutes

Interview

Total of 1012 minutes

Part A: Introductory
discussion

approximately 2 minutes

Part B: Visual stimulus/

focus questions/unseen
question

approximately 34 minutes

Part C: Course issue

discussion
based on both units

approximately 56 minutes

During the preparation time the candidate prepares responses to the visual stimulus item (a
coloured laminated picture) and focus questions they are given by the supervisor and makes
notes in the preparation booklet provided.
The visual stimulus and focus questions are based on generally accessible topics and issues.
The preparation booklet contains a black and white version of the colour visual stimulus item,
the focus questions and space for making notes. The candidate should use the notes they
have prepared for reference only, or as a memory prompt for the next point. The candidate
should ensure that they do not read from their notes.
Following the 15 minute preparation time, the candidate is taken to the allocated interview
room. The candidate leaves their coloured visual stimulus item in the preparation room and
takes with them their preparation booklet to use in Part B of the interview. A copy of the
coloured visual stimulus item is provided in the interview room. At the end of the interview and
before leaving the interview room, the candidate must hand in the visual stimulus and
preparation booklet to the marker.
Dictionaries may be used during the preparation time but not during the interview of the
WACE practical (oral) examination.

English as an Additional Language or Dialect: Practical (oral) examinations requirements 2012

8.

Interview

Part A: Introductory discussion (approximately 2 minutes)

After the candidate enters the interview room the marker asks the candidate to state their
SCSA student number. The candidate reads out their number.
The marker begins the interview with a greeting to the candidate and it is expected that the
candidate will respond, for example:
Marker:

Hello, I am your interviewer for the EAL/D oral examination today. Can you
read me your School Curriculum and Standards Authority student number
please?

Candidate:

Hello, my number is...

Marker:

Thank you. How are you?

Candidate:

Im well thanks, but a little nervous.

The marker continues the introductory discussion with questions on familiar topics related to
the candidates everyday environment. Some examples follow. This list is neither prescriptive
nor exhaustive.
Marker:

Where are you from? Which area are you from?

Marker:

How long have you been studying English? How many languages do you
speak? What are they? Explain when you use them.

Marker:

What subjects are you studying? What is it you like learning about the most?
Why?

Marker:

Do you have much free time? What do you do?

The number of questions is not predetermined. The questions are aimed at settling the
candidate and developing a rapport between the interviewing marker and the candidate. The
candidate should interact with the marker in a conversational manner.
Part B: Visual stimulus, focus questions and unseen question (approximately 34
minutes)
The candidate uses the visual stimulus and focus questions on which they have made notes
to speak for approximately three minutes. During the remaining time of this part of the
interview, the candidate responds to an unseen question related to the visual stimulus and
focus questions. The candidate is required to provide a brief description of the picture/visual
stimulus and then to present their ideas related to the focus questions in a sustained utterance.
The marker starts Part B of the interview with these words:
Marker:

You have been given a visual stimulus and some focus questions to consider
in your preparation time. What stimulus number do you have?

Candidate:
Marker:

My stimulus number is X.
Thank you. Id like you to talk about these now. Start by briefly describing the
picture and then continue with your ideas related to the focus questions.You
should try to speak for about three minutes.

Candidate:

This picture shows...

English as an Additional Language or Dialect: Practical (oral) examinations requirements 2012

If the candidate stops speaking after describing the picture, the marker may prompt candidate
comments on the focus questions in this way:
Marker:

Now Id like to hear your ideas related to the focus questions.

The candidate should aim to speak for approximately three minutes. The candidate should
also aim to display the flexible use of a range of linguistic structures and vocabulary during
this time.
The candidate is able to choose which of the focus questions they speak about. However,
candidates should attempt to address the more conceptually demanding questions.
The candidate should ensure that they do not read from their notes. If the candidate is unable
to reach three minutes in a sustained utterance, the marker will assist them to do so by asking
further questions related to the focus questions.
In the remaining time, the interviewing marker asks the candidate an unseen question related
to the visual stimulus and focus questions.
Marker:

Thank you. Now here is your unseen question...

The candidate should respond to this in a clear and relevant manner.

The candidate may ask for the question to be repeated if necessary and it will be asked a
second time. The interviewing marker will break down the level of difficulty of the question to
assist candidate comprehension if necessary.
Samples of focus questions related to the Stage 2 and 3 units are provided in the English as
an Additional Language or Dialect Sample questions for oral communication assessment
document. This document can be accessed in the Assessment and Other Support Materials
section of the EAL/D course page on the Authority website. Teachers may choose to refer to
these questions when preparing candidates for the practical (oral) examination.
At the end of Part B of the interview, the marker thanks the candidate, asks the candidate for
the visual stimulus and their preparation booklet, and introduces Part C.
Part C: Course issue discussion (approximately 56 minutes)
The candidate is invited to nominate issues/topics related to the focus and content of each of
the units for discussion. The candidate uses their responses to demonstrate their oral English
language communication skills and understandings of the focus and content of each of the
units. Candidates outline and analyse specific examples from texts clearly linked to each unit
focus to illustrate their skills and understandings.
In Part C of the interview, the candidate engages in an interactive discussion with the marker.
Candidates who launch into a monologue or who recite rote-learned material will be stopped
by the marker, thanked politely and asked another question to redirect the discussion and to
elicit spontaneous speech. Candidates should understand that in doing this the marker is
assisting them to maximise their performance.
Questions are generally open-ended and provide the candidate with the opportunity to
express ideas and opinions and to give precise examples to support these from texts related
to the unit focus they have studied in their course work. Candidates are advised to prepare
their texts, issues and topics thoroughly to allow them to demonstrate flexibility and precision
in their oral communication skills.

English as an Additional Language or Dialect: Practical (oral) examinations requirements 2012

The marker introduces Part C of the interview in this way:

Marker:

We are going to talk about your course work now. This year, you have
studied various issues and topics in class. Please tell me about one issue or
topic that you studied and explain it to me. Why did this issue or topic interest
you so much?

The marker prompts the candidate to discuss what they learned about an issue from a text or
texts they have studied in this way:
Marker:

What texts did you read or view that explored this issue/topic?

The marker initiates discussion of a topic from the other unit of the course in this way:
Marker:

Thank you. Now lets move on to an issue or topic from the other unit of the
course you studied.

Candidate:

Well, in our other unit on (unit focus), I learned a lot about (issue/ topic). This
was really interesting because (reason...)

Marker:

What texts did you read or view that explored this issue/topic?

Samples of questions related to each of the course units are provided in the English as an
Additional Language or Dialect Sample questions for oral communication assessment
document. This document can be accessed in the Assessment and Other Support Materials
section of the EAL/D course page on the Authority website. Teachers may choose to refer to
these questions when preparing candidates for the WACE practical (oral) examination.
At the end of the interview the marker concludes with the words:
Marker:

Thank you, this is the end of the interview. Please hand your visual stimulus
and preparation booklet to your supervisor.

English as an Additional Language or Dialect: Practical (oral) examinations requirements 2012

Candidate advice notification

Practical (oral) examination in
English as an Additional Language or Dialect Stage 2

SCSA student number:

Candidate:

Rebecca Smith

School name:

Fairfield College

School code:

1005

Examination details
Course:

English as an Additional Language or Dialect Stage 2

Date:

Thursday, XX October 2012

Reporting time:

8:40am

Examination time:

9:00am

Venue:

ABC

Reporting location:

Student services
Refer to the map on the back of this notification

These examination details are final and no changes can be made.

Candidates must not contact the venue about the examination arrangements. Any queries
must be directed to the School Curriculum and Standards Authority on 9273 6377.
Candidates must not wear or carry anything that identifies either them, their school, club or
achievements. If this does occur, candidates will be referred to the Breach of Examination
Rules committee.
Candidates who have not reported to a supervisor once their scheduled examination time
has commenced will not be admitted to the practical (oral) examination and the examination
cannot be rescheduled.
Candidates are required to sign this advice notification prior to the examination This signed
advice notification is handed to the supervisor when registering at the examination venue for
the practical (oral) examination.
SignatureDate
Emergency contact for country candidates: Jenny Morup: 9273 6377

Office use only .

2012 Practical Examinations

English as an Additional
Language or Dialect

A map of the venue will be provided.