SACE Stage 2 Australian Languages - First Language cheat sheet

School assessment contributes 70% of the final subject grade; the external assessment contributes 30%.

Assessment Type 1 (Folio) is weighted at 30% and typically comprises three tasks: an oral interaction, a text analysis, and a written response in the target language.

Assessment Type 2 (In-depth Study) is weighted at 20% and requires a sustained investigation into an aspect of the target language or its culture, presented in the target language.

Assessment Type 3 (Text Production) is weighted at 20% and involves creating texts in the target language for specific audiences and purposes.

Performance Standards describe five levels of achievement (A–E); grades are determined holistically against the standards, not by percentage cut-offs.

Each assessment type must be assessed against the relevant performance standards; evidence should be collected across multiple tasks rather than a single piece.

The Folio's oral interaction task requires sustained spoken use of the target language; assessment criteria include fluency, accuracy, and appropriateness of register.

Moderation ensures comparability of school-assessed grades across schools; evidence must be retained and be sufficient to justify the awarded grade.

The external assessment is a 2-hour written examination weighted at 30% of the final grade.

The exam is divided into two sections: Section A (Text Analysis) and Section B (Text Production), each worth approximately half the marks.

Section A typically presents unseen texts in the target language; students respond in English or the target language as specified, analysing purpose, audience, and language features.

Section B requires students to produce original texts in the target language, often in response to a stimulus or specified context, audience, and purpose.

Examination texts may include literary and everyday text types such as articles, narratives, speeches, or personal correspondence.

Dictionaries are generally not permitted; students are expected to draw on acquired vocabulary and structures from the course.

Assessment criteria for the exam mirror the performance standards: knowledge and understanding of the language, and communication in the target language.

Time management is critical: approximately 60 minutes for Section A and 60 minutes for Section B, with planning time built into each section.