VCE German flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Oral exam weighting

The oral examination contributes 12.5% to the final VCE German study score, while the written examination contributes 50% and school-assessed coursework contributes 37.5%.

Oral exam structure

The oral exam has two sections: a general conversation of about 5 minutes and a detailed study discussion of about 5 minutes, both conducted in German.

Detailed study

A student-selected subtopic from one of the four prescribed themes, researched in advance and discussed in the oral exam, demonstrating depth of understanding and personal engagement.

Oral assessment criteria

Oral performance is assessed on relevance, depth and breadth of information, coherence, grammatical accuracy, range of vocabulary, and pronunciation and intonation.

Preparation for oral

Students may bring a maximum of five dot points into the preparation room but cannot use a full script during the oral examination.

General conversation topics

The general conversation covers topics such as family, school, hobbies, and future plans, requiring spontaneous responses in German with varied tenses and structures.

Use of German only

The entire oral examination is conducted in German; students must speak clearly at a natural pace with appropriate intonation and avoid long pauses.

Oral exam recording

The oral examination is recorded for assessment purposes, ensuring that students' spoken German is evaluated accurately.

Written exam weighting

The written examination contributes 50% to the final study score and is divided into listening, reading, and writing sections.

Written exam duration

The written examination lasts 2 hours and 15 minutes, including 15 minutes of reading time.

Section 1: Listening

Section 1 of the written exam (20%) consists of two parts: Part A with five short passages and questions in English, and Part B with two longer passages and questions in German.

Section 2: Reading

Section 2 of the written exam (25%) includes Part A with two texts and questions in English, and Part B with two texts and questions in German, possibly including visual elements.

Section 3: Writing

Section 3 of the written exam (15%) requires two texts in German: one informative and one persuasive, each about 150 words, from a choice of topics.

Writing assessment

Writing is assessed on content, organization, range and accuracy of vocabulary and grammar, and appropriateness of register and text type.

Dictionaries in written exam

Students may use German–English and English–German dictionaries during the written examination, but not during the oral examination.

Listening strategies

For listening tasks, anticipate distractors and synonyms, and for questions in German, answer in complete German sentences unless instructed otherwise.

Reading strategies

For reading tasks, skim for main ideas and scan for details, and be aware of distractors and synonyms in questions.

Text type conventions

In the writing section, adhere to conventions of the required text type, such as formal or informal address, and plan responses for coherence and cohesion.

Prescribed themes

The four prescribed themes are The individual, The German-speaking communities, The world around us, and The changing world.

Subtopic selection

The detailed study subtopic must be chosen from one of the four prescribed themes and should allow for personal engagement and research.

Oral exam timing

The oral examination lasts approximately 10 minutes in total, with about 5 minutes for the general conversation and 5 minutes for the detailed study discussion.

Spontaneous discourse

In the general conversation, students must respond spontaneously, using a range of tenses and structures, without relying on prepared answers.

Justify and defend

During the detailed study discussion, students are expected to explain, justify, and defend their ideas using appropriate German linguistic structures and vocabulary.

Pronunciation and intonation

Clear pronunciation and appropriate intonation are assessed in the oral exam, contributing to overall communicative effectiveness.

Listening Part A

In Listening Part A, students hear five short passages and answer questions in English, testing comprehension of main ideas and details.

Listening Part B

In Listening Part B, students hear two longer passages and answer questions in German, requiring production of German responses.

Reading Part A

In Reading Part A, students read two texts and answer questions in English, demonstrating comprehension of written German.

Reading Part B

In Reading Part B, students read two texts and answer questions in German, requiring them to produce written German responses.

Informative text

One of the two writing tasks requires an informative text of about 150 words, such as a report, article, or speech, presenting information clearly.

Persuasive text

One of the two writing tasks requires a persuasive text of about 150 words, such as a letter to the editor, blog, or review, arguing a point of view.

Register and audience

In writing, students must use appropriate register (formal or informal) and tailor language to the intended audience and text type.

Cohesion and coherence

Writing is assessed on coherent structure and cohesive devices, ensuring ideas are logically connected and easy to follow.