PT3 - English For the past two days, I had the opportunity of attending the PT3 course. I will fill everyone in with what I've been enlightened so far. It was an exciting two days although I personally enjoyed the second day ore. !ou will find out the reason as you read on. "ll of us have been wondering how PT3 is going to be li#e and now, we are alost at the end of the tunnel. $ot %uite just yet but nearly there....& I a honoured to be chosen to attend this course. In this course, we were taught to 'set' the %uestions and ar# the papers. (owever, in this post I will only share the layout of the assessent and explain about the ar#ing schee for PT3 ) *nglish. PT3 +Penta#siran Ting#atan Tiga *nglish language subject - parts a
/istening
b
0pea#ing
c
1eading
d
2riting
Written Paper
There are written papers for PT3. 0ince it is a school based assessent, the school will set the assessent tietable. (ence, it will be different for each school but every school ust start and finish the exaination on the given dates. uration of the whole paper 4 5 hours 0ection " ) 6 inutes 0ection 7 ) 8 inutes 0ection 9 ) 58 inutes 0ection ) inutes
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0ection 0ecti on "4 =uestion 6 ) *r *rror ror 9orrectio 9orr ection n
0tudents will be as#ed to identify the errors, underline the and fill the correct answers in the blanks provided . *ach line will consist of only :$* error. It will be testing solely on graar. For exaple4 tenses, 0>", adverb, preposition, article +no spelling or punctuation error tested Marking scheme 4
5 ar#s will be awarded when error identified is underlined and corrected. +that's clear cut 6 ar# will be awarded when error identified is underlined but wrongly corrected. $o ar#s will be awarded when error identified is $:T underlined but corrected. Therefore, it is very crucial to reind our students that underlining the errors is a
For exaple4 "fter ar#ing, ar#ing, the student student scores a total of 6 ar#s +identifying@corre +identifying@correcting. cting. Then, you you ta#e 6 6 divided by 5 and you will get B out of 68 ar#s for this section. I"1! :F *$;/I0( PT3 0*
0ection 74 =uestion 5 ) /iited 1esponse +Inforation Transfer
0tudents will be given a passage, read and transfer the inforation into the graphic organiser given. Marking scheme4 6 ar# given for every right answer. 0tudents are not allowed to paraphrase the answers. They are supposed to T1"$0F*1 the inforation re%uired F1:< the text to the graphic organiser.
For exaple4 If the phrase that the student is supposed to transfer is 'gain #nowledge' but the student wrote, 'get #nowledge' +This is acceptable ) inor graatical error If the phrase that the student is supposed to transfer is 'do well in school' but the student wrote, 'score good ar#s in exa' +This is wrong ) paraphrasing (owever, if students change the graatical structure of the phrase, for exaple4 If the word given in the text is 'businessan' but students wrote 'businessen' +This is acceptable ) a atter of singular and plural :1 'read boo#s' instead of 'read a boo#' +This is acceptable ) article
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0ection 74 =uestion 3 ) $on) /inear Text 9oprehension
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The first part is T1?* or F"/0* %uestions. +"lways encourage students to write T1?* or F"/0*. (owever, if students still insist in writing T or # or give a 'tick$ symbol and an $%$ as their answers at the end of the day, it is still acceptable. 7?T If their answer is '!es' or '$o', then it is unacceptable. Followed by %uestions which re%uire students to write the answers. The answers do not need to be a coplete sentence. "s long as the #ey words are there, ar#s will be awarded. For exaple4 e
2here can tourists go to visit useusC "nswer4 Penang It doesn't need to be4 Tourists can go to visit useus in Penang.
"fter that, you have finding the phrases fro the passage to atch the eanings given. For this part, ar#s will still be awarded although inor graatical errors are ade as long as eanings are not distorted. For exaple4 'local food and delicacies' ) outh watering
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For the final %uestion of this section4
0tudents will need to write a short response in which the saple given was to write a postcard. The %uestion4 !ou plan to visit one of the popular destinations in
encourage hiDher to join you give reasons to support your choice add other relevant inforation to a#e your writing interesting
&ou are '(T encouraged to ask your students to lift the answers from te)t directly although the points ay be available on the text. This will pull their ar#s down. (owever, when I was attending the course, ar#s for this section is not given yet. (ence, we ar#ed according to the band first while waiting for the to finalise the ar#ing schee.
This is the descriptors that we receive during the course and I have put in the ar#s according to the descriptors.
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0ection 94 =uestion ) /inear Text ) 9oprehension Passage
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7asically the way this %uestion is ar#ed is siilar to =uestion 3 +refer to the one highlighted in blue above Ta#e note for =uestion c4 *xainers ta#e your first two answers if you happen to give three answers. For instance4 i students give two points with one right and one wrong +6 ar# ii students give one correct point +8 ar# Total ar#s4 6D5
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i students give two points but all wrong +8 ar# ii students give 6 correct point +8 ar# Total ar#s4 8
i students give two correct points +5 ar#s ii no answer +neverind, because for the first point, the student already give 5 points Total ar#s4 5D5 0ection 94 =uestion ) /iterature
:nly poes will be tested in this section. +Fors6)3 Marking scheme4 The way this section is ar#ed is still the sae. Probably I'll just highlight the last %uestion where they usually as# for students' opinions. +(:T0 ) higher order thin#ing s#ills
For exaple4 If you were 'Dad' would you answer the questions asked by the persona? Give a reason. If students answer !es followed by an acceptable reason ) 5 ar#s If students just give an acceptable reason without answering the first %uestion ) 6 ar# If students answer !es without any reason ) 8 ar# I"1! :F *$;/I0( PT3 0*
0ection 4 =uestion E ) ;uided 2riting
0tudents will be re%uired to write an essay between 658)68 words. Propts will be given.
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0ection 4 =uestion B ) $ovel For this section, students are re%uired to write about a character that shows deterination based on a novel that the students have read. Marking scheme4
0tudents should write the answer in paragraphs. 6st paragraph ) Introduction 5nd paragraph ) 6st point @ evidence 3nd paragraph ) 5nd point @ evidence th paragraph ) 9onclusion It will be assessed based on4 reading s#ills ) understanding the rubric and fulfilling the re%uireents of the writing tas# thin#ing s#ills ) ability to reflect in depth and show aturity of thin#ing by giving ideas, reasons and supporting the with appropriate elaborations language s#ills. ) language used is appropriate to provide correct tone, for and content as re%uired by the tas#. "ccuracy of the language is also being assessed.
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*istening Test
The listening test coprises of T2: sections4 0ection " ) 68 ultiple choice %uestions +objective 0ection 7 ) 68 liited response %uestions +subjective uration ) 38 inutes +6 inutes for each section (ere are the saple %uestions that we received during the course. I a not sure if it was already uploaded to the Internet before this.
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Total ar#s ) 58 ar#s uration ) 38 inutes 0chools will be given 9s which have the recordings for students to listen to. 0o don't worry about getting the %uestions or setting it yourself. "s usual, the %uestions will be played twice and fro what I've heard just now, the recording is artificial in the sense that the pace has been slowed down and it is not spo#en by a native spea#er either. (aving said that, these are just saple instruents, the /ebaga ay change when the schools receive the 9. $othing is for sure as of now. "s I've entioned earlier, these are just saple instruents.
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Marking scheme4 For the <9= section, there's no issue regarding how it is ar#ed. (owever, there was a heated discussion just now during the course regarding the first section of 0ection 7 ) liited response %uestion.
This is the transcript that was being played during the course just now4 In conjunction with the Language onth! a "ublic #peaking copetition was held. It was to encourage students to speak in $nglish. It was held on the %th of &ctober at ( o'clock in the orning. )rs *uar took a few supporters to +he Diaond ,all where the copetition was held. +here were supporters fro the other states too. +here were - finalists representing every state. It could clearly be seen that soe of the speakers were nervous. Lisa juped with joy when she heard her nae being announced as the winner. +uestion and answer $ae of copetition 4 "ublic #peaking +no issue
ate 4 %th &ctober >enue 4 Diaond ,all $uber of participants 4 9hapion 4 Lisa Marking system4 :, here coes the best part. Grubs handsG
For the date4 If the student wrote D68, it is unacceptable because it could be interpreted as :>*1 68. )HHHHHHHHH) +only if the year is entioned, then students are allowed to write D68D586 ) F:1 *"* :ctober, it is acceptable +(:2 9:<*CJ or If students write entertainen or cuisin, it is acceptable. +inor spelling error which does not distort the sound is acceptable :, now you can throw in your arguents. For the venue and chapion, It is acceptable if the spelling for Diaond is Daien or Lisa as Lyssa because they are considered proper noun. 7ut the date.......?$TI/ $:2....I still don't understand. 2e are testing listening s#ills but why are students being penalised for wrong spellings. 2rong spellings doesn't show that the student can't listen and coprehend...I #now this is *nglish and the spelling should be in *nglish, but, we are testing listening s#ills. 2e already have the part where we test their spellings which is the written test. 7esides, what happened to 9ounicative /anguage Teaching approach where we ephasise on fluency ore than accuracyCC I thin# the rest of the paper is %uite clear cut. & Gsorry for y outburst earlierG I"1! :F *$;/I0( PT3 0*
peaking Test
There are two sections to this test as well. 0ection " ) 1eading "loud
0ection 7 ) 0po#en Interaction
Total ar#s ) 38 ar#s
uration ) 68 inutes
0ection " ) 1eading "loud 0tudents will choose one out of 3 texts to be read aloud in front of the teacher. Marking scheme4
The ar#ing schee +above will be given to the exainer. 7asically, students will be assessed based on their4 a pronunciation and articulation c awareness of audience b fluency and rhyth d purpose and context. I"1! :F *$;/I0( PT3 0*
+in this context, the audience will be the teacher but purpose and context depends on the type of passage the student is reading. ection - poken .nteraction 68 %uestions will be given and students can choose one of the ten %uestions.
For exaple4 :ne of the topics is regarding hobbies. 2e are going to tal# about hobbies. !ou have a oent to thin# about this topic. o you have a hobbyC 9an you tell e soething about your hobbyC 2hat are the benefits of having a hobbyC Iagine one of your friends wants to ta#e up a hobby. 0uggest a hobby your friend could ta#e
• • • •
up. •
2hy would you suggest this hobbyC If your students do not understand the propts given, you are allowed to paraphrase the /uestion and ask other /uestions to scaffold your students. Marking scheme4
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"ssessent criteria for 0po#en Interaction +above is based on the following4 personal response fluency language accuracy pronunciation 6 ar# is awarded for students if any other language is used predoinantly. $o ar# is awarded if students do not give any response in *nglish. 0isclaimer 4 *verything that has been shared here is strictly saple instruents. It ay not appear the sae on the actual PT3 *nglish paper . "ny views or opinions are solely those of the author and it does not necessarily represent those of eenterian Pelajaran
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