HKDSE 2016 English Language�Briefing
Briefing rundown
• Overall statistical performance
• Paper 1
• Paper 2
• Paper 3
• Paper 4
• Q & A
2
Attendance in 2016
Day school candidates: 55,466
Whole group: 62,986
3
Entry Statistics 2012-2016
4
General performance in 2016 (no.)
5
General performance in 2016 (%)
6
7
Paper 1
Reading
Number of Candidates
Part 1A 62,913
Part 1B1 28,311 (45%)
Part 1B2 34,780 (55%)
8
Paper 1: Reading�
Full Mark Mean Score (%) S.D. (%)
Part A 41 62.0 21.7
Part B1 43 43.6 20.2
Part B2 43 50.9 19.5
9
Part 1A
10
Full Mark Mean Score (%) S.D. (%)
Part A 41 62.0 21.7
11
Part 1A:
Reading Passages
Reading Passage No. of
Marks
Part
A
• Part A comprises
two reading
passages on the
theme of
superstitions:
• Text 1: Listicle
about 10 common
superstitions
8
12
Part 1A:
Reading Passages
Reading Passage No. of
Marks
Part
A
• Part A comprises
two reading
passages on the
theme of
superstitions:
• Text 2: Report
summarizing a
researcher’s
studies into
superstition
33
13
Part 1A:
Questions
38%
Mean percentage
correct for these
items 75%
14
Part 1A: Questions
62%
76%
83%
79%
52%
41%
44%
Part 1A: Questions
15
66%
41%
Part 1A: Questions
16
41%
58%
63%
76%
36%
55%
Part 1A score distribution
for all candidates
17
Mean: 62%
Mode: 34
How 1B1 candidates performed in 1A
18
Mode: 27 marks
Mean: 47.5%
19
How 1B2 candidates performed in 1A
Mean: 73.8%
Mode: 35 marks
Part 1B1
20
Full Mark Mean Score (%) S.D. (%)
Part B1 43 43.6 20.2
Part 1B1: Reading Passages
21
Reading Passage No. of marks
Part B1 Part B1: five reading passages:
•a review of a food truck
•a newspaper article about a proposal to
introduce food trucks in Hong Kong
•Three letters to the editor responding to
the proposal
- Letter 1
- Letter 2
- Letter 3
6
5
13
5
11
Part 1B1: Questions
61% 22% 17%
23
Part 1B1: Questions
28%
61%
63%
60%
24
Part 1B1: Questions
49%
48%
28%
66%
15%
5%
16%
25
Part 1B1 score distribution
Mode: 19 marks
Mean: 43.7%
Part 1B2
26
Full Mark Mean Score (%) S.D. (%)
Part B2 43 50.9 19.5
Part 1B2: Reading Passages
27
Reading Passage No. of marks
Part B2 • The reading passages selected for Part
B2 were textually more challenging
compared to texts used in Parts A and
B1.
• First B2 text: case study about food truck
business
• Second B2 text: article that was against
food trucks
• Third B2 text: article that supported food
trucks
13
12
15
Part 1B2: Questions�
Text 8:
complete a
fact file about
the company
Mean
percentage
correct: 57%
76%�
71%�
47%�
26%�
75%�
71%�
66%�
62%�20%�
28
29
Part 1B2: Questions
46%- trend of food trucks
21%- media treating food trends as a breakthrough invention
Part 1B2: Questions�
The real trend is the redundant food truck – like one serving pizza parked
across the sidewalk from a rent paying pizzeria.
15%�
30
31
Part 1B2: Questions
22% 24% 25% 27%
32
Part 1B2 score distribution
Mode: 23 marks
Mean: 50.9%
33
Paper 1 Recommendations
• Candidates demonstrated a good awareness of
different question types, e.g. knowing when to
copy a short section and when to use their own
words
• When completing the fact file which requires
finding answers from different parts of a text,
candidates should not make reference to the same
point more than once
• E.g. Reasons for opening the food truck
• Cheaper than opening a restaurant
• Cost less than $100,000
Paper 1 Recommendations
• Pay attention to the use of ambiguous pronoun
references in their own answers,
• E.g. 34. Why does the writer think the problems
raised by Chris Wong are not a problem now?
‘they have moved to food courts inside buildings’
34
Paper 1 Recommendations�
• Accuracy in spelling and grammar is not required
for open-ended questions
• Marks were awarded if the message was clear
• For some cloze/gap-filling tasks, accuracy is
required as the close itself serves as a reading
comprehension text
35
36
Paper 2
Writing
Statistical information No. of candidates sat: 62,552
Mean: Paper - 49.5%
Part A: 51.9%
Part B: 47.8%�
S.D.: Paper - 20.3%�Part A: 20.9%
Part B: 21.3%
37
Statistical information
Question Topic Mean Score
(out of 42)
Mean (%) Popularity
(%)
1 21.8 51.9
2 Sports Communication 19.5 46.4 34.1
3 Workplace Comm. 21.7 51.7 22.6
4 Debating 22.6 53.8 20.6
5 Social Issues 18.7 44.5 5.2
38
Statistical information
Question Topic Mean Score
(out of 42)
Mean (%) Popularity
(%)
6 Short Stories 17.1 40.7 4.0
7 Popular Culture 13.2 31.4 3.1
8 Poems and Songs 21.7 51.7 2.4
9 Drama 19.5 46.4 7.3
Unattempted 0.7
39
Mark Distribution of Question 1
(Number sat: 62,549)
40
Mark Distribution of Question 2 (Number sat: 21,271)
41
Mark Distribution of Question 3 (Number sat: 14,067)
42
Mark Distribution of Question 4 (Number sat: 12,836)
43
Marking Guidelines�
• Both Parts A and B use the same set of
marking guidelines
• Content, Language and Organization are
assessed
44
Marking Guidelines (For Part B only )�
• If content is off-topic, candidates should not
be awarded more than 3 marks in each of the
other domains
45
Performance of candidates in Question 1 –�Compulsory Part�
• The majority of candidates were able to write
relevant responses
• A small number mistakenly interpreted the
question as one asking for a list of school rules
which were important, or a list of activities
organised by the Students’ Union to facilitate
making friends
46
Performance of candidates in Question 1�
• Many candidates used an appropriate tone,
encouraging, welcoming and advising their
fellow students
• Weaker candidates emphasised the negative
consequences of not adhering to the rules.
Such speeches sounded more like a lecture
from a disciplinary teacher than brotherly or
sisterly advice
Performance of candidates in Question 2 –�Learning English through Sports Communication�
• Candidates were familiar with the features
of a letter
• Better responses were able to develop
persuasive points that sought to change the
mind of readers
• Some candidates adopted a tone that
‘lectured’ the newspaper’s readers
48
Performance of candidates in Question 3 -
Learning English through Workplace Communication�
• Most candidates wrote an article that was
appropriate for the readers of the school
magazine
• A number of articles spent too long
explaining why graduates cannot find jobs
in Hong Kong instead of giving reasons why
these graduates should look abroad for
opportunities
49
Performance of candidates in Question 4 –�Learning English through Debating�
• Some candidates did not read the question
carefully and wrote about monitoring where
their children were rather than monitoring
their phone activity
• There was some evidence that the higher-
performing candidates had read letters to
newspapers and were therefore aware of
their features, style and tone
50
Performance of candidates in Question 5 –�Learning English through Social Issues�
• Many candidates were not very good at
developing suggestions about why local street
life is worth preserving
• Weaker candidates focussed on several aspects
of street life instead of the one stated in the
question
• Some gave irrelevant points such as food trucks
or trams
51
Performance of candidates in Question 6 –�Short Stories�
• Stronger candidates were very competent in
storytelling and had clearly read a lot of
literature and had become familiar with short
story conventions, such as dialogue, vivid
vocabulary and a plot with a resolution at the
end
• Many candidates struggled with this question
however, and some stories did not seem to be
about revenge at all
52
Performance of candidates in Question 7 –�Learning English through Popular Culture�
• This question was rather poorly answered
overall and most candidates struggled to
complete it
• Many candidates only focussed on youth
trends and did not mention how to present
them at a festival, with justifications for
presenting them
53
Performance of candidates in Question 8 –�Learning English through Poems and Songs�
• Stronger candidates were able to give creative
answers that exploited interesting personal
examples
• Weaker candidates were not able to elaborate on
ways to cope with challenges
• Some candidates did not read the question
carefully and instead writing about how
celebrities cope with challenges, rather than
using personal examples
54
Performance of candidates in Question 9 –�Learning English through Drama�
• Stronger candidates used appropriate language for
communication with family members but the use of
stock phrases in some candidates’ responses was a
problem in terms of appropriacy
• Poorer responses were rather repetitive in nature
and some candidates thought they were taking up a
career as an artist rather than an actor
55
Script A Level 5 Question 2
Comments on Content
• Content addresses the requirements of the questions
adequately – view on whether the public should use
sports facilities in schools, with three reasons
• Reasons are generally well-developed
• Almost totally relevant
56
Script A Level 5 Question 2
Language
• Wide range of sentence structures with a good grasp
of simple and complex sentences
• Examples of more sophisticated lexis are used e.g.
‘permanent sports facilities’
• Tone and register appropriate
57
Script A Level 5 Question 2
Organization
• Overall structure is coherent and appropriate to the
text type
• Effective use of topic sentences to enhance the
logical development of ideas, though in the sentence
‘I am going to give three reasons’ in the introductory
paragraph is odd in a letter to the editor
58
Script B Level 4 Question 1
(Part A)
Content
• This speech addresses the content requirements
well. The ideas are well developed with a lot of
supporting points which illustrate the benefits of
following school rules and being part of a family
• There is an element of sophistication in presenting
different attitudes to rules, and some humour (‘Well
because it is’)
59
Script B Level 4 Question 1
(Part A)
Language
• The language is mostly accurate and there is some
complexity of phrasing, although attempts to express
complex ideas sometimes lead to errors
• Vocabulary is wide and suited to the genre. Rhetorical
questions are appropriate in context
• The register, tone and style are well-handled. There is a
strong personal voice here
60
Script B Level 4 Question 1
(Part A)
Organization
• The text is mostly organized effectively, with a clear structure and ideas which are well developed
• The opening is not very engaging since it simply states how the speech will be organized, but the ending does a better job, marred only by the last line (which is unnecessary and spoils the tone)
61
Script C Level 3 Question 4
Content
• A large part of paragraph one is copied from
the prompt
• Relevant ideas but some could have been
better developed (e.g. learning a language)
• Shows occasional awareness of audience
62
Script C Level 3 Question 4
Language
• Some simple sentences are accurately constructed
• Occasional attempts are made to use more complex
sentences, but some are not grammatically correct
• Grammatical mistakes (agreement, word form, tense,
etc.) sometimes impede meaning
• The lexis used in general is appropriate
63
Script C Level 3 Question 4
Organization
• Ideas are developed logically in general
• Some cohesive devices are used to link ideas
but the pronouns are sometimes used
inconsistently
• Paragraphing is clear in general
• The concluding paragraph is not effective
64
Script D Level 2 Question 1
(Part A)
Content
• The content covers the necessary points and discusses school rules and interpersonal relationships
• The main point of the first paragraph is that school rules protect you, but this point is simply stated and not developed at all
• The second paragraph is about friendship but it is difficult to get more than this from it, and the reference to exams is not clearly relevant
65
Script D Level 2 Question 1
(Part A)
Language
• There are errors of different kinds (spelling, word choice, part of speech, agreement etc.) and they occur in all sentences
• Vocabulary is mostly very basic, with the exception of ‘encourage your friends’, which is part of a nice modal construction
• The writer tends to begin sentences with ‘It’ and this affects coherence and gives rise to an inappropriate impersonal tone
66
Script D Level 2 Question 1
(Part A)
Organization
• There has been an attempt to structure the
writing
• The overuse of ‘It’ at the beginnings of sentences
makes it a challenge to understand the intended
flow of ideas
67
Script E Level 1 Question 7
Content / Organization
• A few relevant ideas
• Attempts to develop the ideas but not successful
• Clear structure of a letter to parents – greetings, an
opening stating choice and reasons, though reasons
are not clear or logically developed
• Attempts to use some cohesive ties to link ideas but
not often effective
68
Script E Level 1 Question 9
Language
• Some short, simple sentences are used
• There are multiple errors in language and
lexical choices, which often impede
communication
69
Recommendations to candidates�• Read the questions carefully to fulfil all the
requirements of the task
• Relevance is one of the criteria which helps markers differentiate original from memorised materials
• Avoid using low-frequency linguistic features indiscriminately
• Spend time on planning and proofreading answers
70
71
Paper 3
Listening & Integrated Skills
Paper 3: Listening & Integrated Skills:
Overview
• Number of B1 and B2 candidates
• General performance in Parts A and B
• Focus on Task 10
• Recommendations
72
Paper 3: Percentage of Candidates Part B
73
Paper 3A: Listening�
Full Mark Mean Score (%) S.D. (%)
Part A 58 55.1 26.0
Part B1 54 41.7 23.3
Part B2 54 43.5 16.4
74
Part 3A score distribution for all candidates
75
Paper 3A results per task�
Mean (%)
Task 1 Choosing the museum 67.3
Task 2 Teenage culture exhibitions 62.1
Task 3 Teenage inventions 44.5
Task 4 James Dean lecture 43.7
76
Part 3A score distribution for 3B2 candidates
77
Part 3A score distribution for 3B1 candidates
78
Paper 3B1: Integrated Skills�
Full Mark Mean Score (%) S.D. (%)
Part A 58 55.1 26.0
Part B1 54 41.7 23.3
Part B2 54 43.5 16.4
79
Paper 3B: Integrated Skills�
Situation
You are Indy Wong. You are a museum assistant
for Lara Gau at the Hong Kong Social History
Museum. Lara has a few things she wants you to
do to help out.
80
Paper 3B1: Integrated Skills�
Three tasks:
– Task 5: An exhibition flyer
– Task 6: Progress report on new café�
– Task 7: Letter to school about part-time
student jobs
81
Paper 3B1: Integrated Skills
82
Part B1 (easy section)
Task Task 5 Task 6 Task 7
Mean 38.6% 44.9% 41.7%
Part 3B1 score distribution
83
Paper 3: Listening & Integrated Skills�
Full Mark Mean Score (%) S.D. (%)
Part A 58 55.1 26.0
Part B1 54 41.7 23.3
Part B2 54 43.5 16.4
84
Paper 3B2: Integrated Skills�
Three Tasks:
•Task 8: Email about borrowing plough
•Task 9: Website description of farmhouse�
•Task 10: Report on museum’s problems
85
Paper 3B: Integrated Skills
86
Part B2 (difficult section)
Task Task 8 Task 9 Task 10
Mean 50.7% 41.8% 38.1%
Part 3B2 score distribution
87
Paper 3B2: Integrated Skills: Task 10�
I need you to write the main section of a report to
the Museum Board, which covers the problems the
museum has been having and the recommendations
we would like to suggest. Please mention incidents
which illustrate these problems.
88
Paper 3B2: Integrated Skills: Task 10�
Problem Incident Recommendation
Smoking in
toilet
Visitors triggered
alarm causing
evacuation
Announcement to play
when enter
Safety for
children
Girl fell off ox &
broke arm
FT staff to assist groups
PT staff to do
worksheets
Inadequate
signage
Group got lost in
basement
More eye catching signs
with bigger letters
89
Paper 3B2 Task 10: score distribution
90
Paper 3B2: Integrated Skills: Task 10
Level 1 Performance
• Task completion - a few points included though
expressed unclearly
• Language - a lot of copying verbatim, very little of own
language
• Audience - confusing
• Organization - some paragraphing but incoherent�
91
Paper 3B2: Integrated Skills: Task 10�
Level 2 Performance
• Task completion - some points included
• Language - frequent errors, some of own language;
simple language used well; a little repetitive
• Audience - sense of purpose of text
• Organization - clear prospecting intro; each problem
signalled and paragraphed
• Unfinished
92
Paper 3B2: Integrated Skills: Task 10
Level 3 Performance
• Task completion - decent coverage of two of the
problems/recommendations. One problem entirely
missing
• Language - frequent errors, own language used, simple
language used well. A little repetitive
• Audience - consistent
• Organization - clear prospecting intro; each problem
signalled and paragraphed
• Overuse of sentence-initial connectors
93
Paper 3B2: Integrated Skills: Task 10
Level 4 Performance
• Task completion - good coverage of two of the
problems/recommendations. One problem entirely
missing
• Language - reasonable range though some errors, own
language used. Some copying
• Audience - consistent. Good attempt at formal style�
• Organization - clear prospecting intro; each problem
signalled and paragraphed
94
Paper 3B2: Integrated Skills: Task 10
Level 5 Performance
• Task completion - good coverage of all three the
problems/recommendations
• Language - reasonable range though some errors; own
language used. Clear message throughout
• Audience - consistent. Good attempt at formal style�
• Organisation - clear prospecting intro; each problem
signalled and paragraphed. Good rounding off
conclusion
95
Paper 3B: Recommendations
Candidates should:
• Always take note of the word guide to get an idea of
the scope of the task at hand
• Be discerning with the inclusion of information
• Take the opportunity to show their own English not just
an ability to copy
• Construct a text fit for purpose not simply string�together answers�
• Think of audience, purpose of text and register in order
to manipulate the Data File text to fit
96
Paper 3B: Recommendations from the�Assessment Guidelines�
• Will comprise integrated listening/reading and writing tasks
based on the same theme
• Candidates will be required to process information by
selecting and combining data from spoken / written sources in
order to complete various listening / writing tasks in a
practical work or study situation
• At least one of the writing tasks will require candidates to�produce an extended piece of writing (100 – 200 words)�
97
Paper 3B: Recommendations from the�Assessment Guidelines�
Not stipulated:
– The nature of the listening task
– The number of tasks
– The length of the tasks
– The points allocation per task
– The total points allocation for Part B
– The aspects of performance tested
– Etc.
•All of these may vary from year to year
98
99
Paper 4
Speaking
Paper 4: Speaking�
• Oral exam was held in early May 2016
• 9 days examination + 2 days of SEN oral
examining
• 27 sets of questions papers
• Upload four videos
- Levels 1,2,4,5 (two)
- Levels 1,2,3,5 (two)
100
Paper 4: Speaking
Mean scores for each domain�
Score /14 Mean Score
(%) Pronunciation & Delivery 7.41 52.9
Communication Strategies 7.26 51.8
Vocabulary & Language Patterns 7.06 50.4
Ideas & Organisation 7.61 54.3
Total mean average 52.4
101
Paper 4 Candidates’Performance�
Part A: candidates were expected to
collaborate as a group on a given task
Exemplar 1. discuss importance of socialising
and places where young people like to hang
out after school
102
Candidate C - Level 5
Comments
• Listens carefully and promptly responds to another candidate’s query asking what
‘socializing’ means
• Uses strategies effectively to transition a change in the discussion topics, e.g.
‘Apart from learning skills and releasing stress…’, ‘Personally…’
• Information and ideas are clearly expanded and relevant to the topic, e.g. ‘we can
join escape games. The fee to join is cheap, (students) can form teams, can enhance
social skills…’
• Does not rely on notes and uses appropriate body language to communicate and
encourage interaction
103
Candidate B - Level 4
• Tries not to rely on notes and speak naturally but fluency is hindered by
hesitation and in attempts at more complex language patterns
• Self corrects effectively, e.g. ‘choose/choice’
• Accurate use of a wide range of vocabulary, e.g. ‘novelty,’ ‘cram’, ‘puberty’,
‘crucial’, ‘reach a consensus’, ‘catchtheir fancy’
• Expresses a range of relevant ideas, e.g. ‘can learn the cultures deeper, also
taste the product, gain accomplishment’
• Maintains interaction by suggesting they should discuss why the other
proposed after-school hangouts would not be a good choice
• Sustains conversation in Part B by recalling a personal experience
104
Candidate A - Level 2�
• Projects voice appropriately and words can be understood within the context
but reliant on notes and fluency is limited without them
• Expresses some relevant ideas, e.g. ‘open teenagers’ horizon’, ‘student in�
classroom – look at textbook – boring – that will be benefit for them’�
• Basic strategies used to respond purposefully to others, e.g. ‘I agree with you,
mixing bowl good choice’
• Conversation in Part B is partially relevant
105
Candidate D - Level 1�
• Expresses a few basic comprehensible phrases, e.g. ‘Excuse me, what is the
socializing?’
• Uses basic expressions to respond to others, e.g. ‘I agree’, however, she does not
mention anything more about the Space museum but instead says, ‘Hong Kong Park,
so I don’t choose this’
• Some key words mispronounced, e.g. ‘Mixing body’
• Does not understand question asked in Part B although she makes an attempt to
respond
106
Paper 4 Recommendations�
• Stay up to date with local news and current affairs & draw on this
knowledge to contribute to the discussion or for examples to support
arguments or a point of view
• Read text in the question paper carefully, extracting relevant points to
respond to the prompts, anticipate what others may say, and have some
responses prepared in advance
• Be authentic in interacting with other candidates
107
Publications�
• 2016 DSE English Language Question Papers
• 2016 DSE English Language Samples of Candidates’
Performance for all papers and all levels on HKEAA
website http://www.hkeaa.edu.hk/en/
• Published in November 2017
108
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