Japanese — background speakers | Stage 2 | Planning to Teach | Subject Operational Information | 2021
Subject operational information
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Stage 2 Japanese — background speakers
These web pages connect schools and teachers to information on procedures relating to final moderation and external assessment requirements. Key dates, including dates for the submission of results, are also provided.
Stage 2 Japanese at background speakers level is a 20-credit subject. It is an interstate assessed language.
The learning and assessment requirements for this subject are set out in the subject outline [DOC 1.4MB].
The subject outline for interstate assessed languages at background speakers level is a single document that contains generic and language-specific information on the prescribed themes and topics, text types, and grammar for both Japanese and Korean.
Refer to Learning and assessment plans for information on developing and approving Stage 2 Japanese (background) LAPs.
Combining small classes
Refer to Assessment groups — Stage 2 (Information sheet 1) for information on combining classes to form an assessment group.
Online moderation
School assessment materials will be submitted for online moderation using school assessment results sheets in Schools Online.
Key dates
For a simplified list of key operational dates, see the Japanese (background speakers) calendar.
School assessment component
Teachers assess the evidence of student learning for:
- Assessment Type 1: Folio
- Assessment Type 2: In-depth Study.
The SACE Board quality assures the school assessment results through final moderation.
Refer to SACE Assessment and Reporting Guidelines [PDF 290KB] and SACE Stage 2 Moderation Overview [DOC 33KB] for information about the policy context and procedures.
Moderation sample selection
Teachers select the moderation sample of school-assessed materials to submit to the SACE Board.
Refer to Moderation sample selection, which includes FAQs and an instructional video.
Submitting school assessment materials for final moderation
For more information see Online submission of materials.
Supervision and verification
Refer to the information in Supervision and Verification of Students' Work: Policy and Procedures [DOC 90KB] on the use of the record sheet [DOC 164KB] to record and authenticate each student's work. If used, these sheets are to be kept in the school until the end of the clerical check period.
A teacher who is unable to verify that the work is the student's own must initiate a breach of rules action through the school's SACE/NTCET coordinator.
Information
- Results sheets and online submission — Stage 2 final moderation (Information sheet 50)
- Moderation sample selection
- Advice on preparing Stage 2 materials
External assessment component
The examination consists of two assessments: an oral examination (20 marks) and a written examination (80 marks).
Oral examination
The oral examination takes approximately 10 minutes.
Students complete an In-depth study outline for oral examination form [DOC 1.5MB]. For oral examinations held at a central venue or a country school venue, students hand the outline to the examiners. For telephone or videoconference oral examinations, students send a completed copy by email to the SACE Board before the examination.
The complete timetable for oral examinations will be provided to schools in early September. The date of the oral examination will be available on the Japanese (background speakers) online calendar.
Written examination
Students undertake one written examination, which has three sections:
- Section 1: Listening and Responding (25 marks)
- Section 2: Reading and Responding (30 marks)
- Section 3: Writing in Japanese (25 marks).
The length of the written examination is 2 hours, plus 15 minutes' reading time.
The written examination for Japanese at background speakers level is conducted by the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA).
Refer to the subject outline for details of the examination requirements.
The timetable for background speakers written examinations will be published during June. Refer to the exam timetable for the date of the 2022 examination.
Note
- Refer to Written examinations — invigilation instructions (Information sheet 47) for information on the use of dictionaries during examinations.
- Refer to Stage 2 languages — the use of dictionaries in external examinations.
- Refer to Languages special subject allowance — Stage 2 (Information sheet 12).
Preparing predicted examination results for external assessment
The SACE Board uses predicted results as part of the quality assurance of Stage 2 external examinations and performances, and for some approved special provisions in assessment. Refer to Results sheets — Stage 2 predicted results (Information sheet 52) for information on completing predicted examination results sheets.
Examination materials for external assessment
The SACE Board sends examination question booklets to examination centres according to the delivery dates in Written examinations — question booklets (Information sheet 48).