SACE Stage 2 Australian Languages - Additional Language exam-day guide
SACE Stage 2 Australian Languages - Additional Language · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Admission notice and photo ID
Bring the admission notice your school or provider issued and the photo identification it specifies. Confirm with the provider exactly which ID documents are accepted, since rules vary by school and by whether you are an internal or external candidate.
Confirm the exam format and permitted materials
Check with your teacher or the provider whether the assessment includes a listening component, a prepared oral, an interaction or conversation task, or a written component, and what resources (dictionary, notes, planning sheet) are allowed. Do not assume; ask before the day.
Dictionary or reference materials, if permitted
If the provider allows a monolingual or bilingual dictionary, bring the exact type permitted and check in advance whether it must be unannotated. Confirm with the provider whether electronic dictionaries are allowed, as this is often restricted.
Written preparation notes, if permitted
If the oral or interaction task allows prepared notes or a planning outline, prepare them in the permitted format and length. Confirm with the provider the maximum length and whether notes must be handed in.
Pens, pencils and eraser
Bring spare black or blue pens, pencils for any planning or multiple-choice sections, and an eraser. Keep them in a clear container if your centre requires it.
Water bottle and a light snack
Bring a clear, label-free water bottle where permitted and a small snack for before or after the session. Confirm with the provider whether drinks are allowed at the desk.
Watch or timing awareness
Bring a simple analogue watch if you prefer to track your own time. Confirm with the provider whether watches are permitted and whether a clock will be visible in the room.
Know the venue, room and reporting time
Confirm the building, room and arrival time, and do a practice trip beforehand. Allow extra time for security checks, seating and any oral scheduling that may run earlier or later than expected.
Language warm-up routine
Prepare a short routine in the target language for the morning: read a paragraph aloud, review high-frequency connectives and polite formulas, and rehearse your self-introduction or opening lines. Keep it brief and calm.
Review your own common errors list
Bring a one-page summary of your recurring mistakes (for example tense endings, honorific or register choices, pronunciation of specific sounds). Use it in the final 24 hours, not during the test.
Check special provisions
If you have approved adjustments (extra time, separate room, rest breaks), confirm with the provider in advance how and where they will apply, and remind the supervising staff on arrival.
Sleep, food and travel plan
Plan a normal night's sleep, a proper breakfast, and a backup transport option. Confirm with the provider the procedure if you are delayed, and keep the school or centre contact number with you.
Plan the day
Confirm the exact format, duration, weighting and permitted materials with your teacher or the provider, and resolve any uncertainty in writing. Then build a revision plan that spends most time on your weakest skill area, with short daily practice in listening, speaking, reading and writing rather than one long session.
Do one full timed practice task under exam conditions, then mark it and list the three errors that cost you the most marks. Practise your oral or interaction task aloud, ideally with another person, and record yourself to check fluency, pronunciation and register.
Review vocabulary and structures by theme rather than by list: family, school, community, environment, health, technology and future plans are common contexts. For each theme, prepare a few flexible sentences, opinions and examples you could adapt to an unseen prompt.
Do a light review only: your common-errors page, key connectives, polite and formal formulas, and your opening lines for the oral. Confirm the venue, reporting time and transport again, and check your bag against the checklist.
Stop intensive study in the evening, eat a normal meal, avoid new material, and go to bed at your usual time. Prepare clothes, ID, admission notice, pens and permitted materials by the door so the morning is simple.
Eat breakfast, arrive early, and do a short ten-minute warm-up in the target language: read aloud, review your opening lines, and skim your common-errors page. Avoid comparing preparation with other candidates, which raises anxiety without improving performance.
Follow staff instructions, place your ID and admission notice where requested, and check that phones and smart devices are switched off and stored as directed. Read any instructions on the paper or screen carefully before starting, and note the time allocation for each section.
For listening and reading, skim questions first, note key words, and answer every item even if unsure. For writing, spend a few minutes planning, watch the clock, leave time to check agreement, tense, register and character or spelling accuracy, and keep to the required text type and length.
Listen to the whole prompt before responding, ask for clarification in the target language if permitted, and use prepared structures flexibly rather than reciting. Keep going if you make a mistake, repair it briefly, and maintain the appropriate level of formality.
Use the last few minutes to check that all answers are recorded and that any required materials are handed in as instructed. After the session, avoid detailed post-mortems with other candidates and note anything you want to improve for the next assessment.
Rules to check
Bring the identification and admission documentation the provider requires and present them on request. If you are unsure which documents are accepted, confirm with the provider before the day; candidates without acceptable ID may not be admitted.
Follow all instructions from supervisors about seating, materials on the desk, and starting or stopping writing. Do not begin until told, and stop immediately when instructed, including putting down your pen.
Electronic devices, including phones, smart watches and earbuds, must be switched off and stored as directed. Confirm with the provider whether any device, such as a permitted electronic dictionary, is allowed in the assessment room.
Use only the dictionaries, notes or reference materials the provider permits, and keep them unannotated if that is required. Ask your teacher or the provider in advance rather than relying on assumption.
Maintain academic integrity: no communication with other candidates during the assessment, no unauthorised materials, and no sharing of task content with candidates who have not yet completed it. Breaches are handled under the provider's rules, so confirm the process with them.
If you need to leave the room, raise your hand and wait for a supervisor; follow their instructions about timing and supervision. Confirm with the provider in advance how rest breaks and approved adjustments are managed.
If you are unwell or delayed, notify the school or provider as soon as possible and follow their advice. Confirm with the provider the procedure for illness, misadventure or late arrival, as outcomes depend on their policy.
Scoring and marking, including weightings and any oral or listening components, are set by the provider. Confirm the structure and mark allocation with your teacher before the assessment rather than inferring it from past papers.