Multi Domain Assessment Tasks - Magazine Interview

Level 6 English, Thinking Processes

This multi domain task and other presented in this section were developed by teachers for teachers.

Students adopt the role of a journalist for a young adult magazine. They develop a list of questions for interviewing the main character in a novel or biography they have read. They then create the answers, based on their knowledge and understanding of the character, and write up their interview in the form of an article of approximately 600 words. They also submit their list of questions.

Design guidelines

Design question 1: Is the purpose of the task assessment FOR, AS or OF learning?

Purpose
Primary purpose: Assessment OF learning

Reflection
While the purpose of the task is assessment of learning, this task will also provide me with information about student knowledge, skills and behaviours. This will enable me to decide what further work needs to be done with the students to increase their understanding of the novels they read, and to assist them with writing in specified genres, in this case, the magazine interview. To that extent, the task will also provide assessment for learning.

Design question 2: Which domains, dimensions, standards and levels did the learning and teaching program focus on?

Purpose	Reflection
Focus domains, dimensions, standards and levels in the learning and teaching program
Level 6 English Reading Writing	Reading Students participated in a wide reading program. This involved discussing a range of suitable novels based on my own reading and advice from the librarians and access to the library to select the texts they read independently. While reading, students were encouraged to think about how the author creates characters and presents ideas and issues. Concurrent class work provided students with strategies for analysing and reflecting on narrative texts. Writing Students experimented with writing in a variety of genres appropriate to a media context, for example feature articles, editorials, comment columns and interviews. They read a number of examples and begun to explore the ways in which authors choose and use language and language techniques in order to position their readers.
Level 6 Thinking Processes Reasoning, processing and inquiry	Thinking The focus of my program was on exploring the importance of questions as a way of exploring perspectives on a text. For example, based on the characters of a well-known novel, the students role-play an interview. I modelled questions appropriate for an interview and, as part of the role-play, the students have the opportunity to respond to the questions assuming the personae of various characters. We discussed open and closed questions as well as questions that are most likely to elicit information about character behaviour and motivation. Writing articles for a media context gave the students a number of opportunities to practise synthesising information from a number of different sources.
Level 6 Information and Communications Technology	A focus in the classroom has been the use of ICT to communicate, particularly in the process of creating media texts.

Design question 3: Which domains, dimensions, standards and levels will this assessment task focus on?

Purpose
Focus domains, dimensions and levels of the assessment task
Levels 5 and 6 English - Reading Writing
Levels 5 and 6 Thinking Processes - Reasoning, processing and inquiry

Reflection
This assessment task is designed to be undertaken by a Year 10 class in the early part of the year. I have many students in the class who are not yet working at the Level 6 standard, and need to provide opportunities for them to demonstrate their knowledge, skills and behaviour in relation to both Level 6 and below. I’ve described how I aim to do this in the next section.

I’m happy to insist that students use a software program such as Publisher to present their magazine interview, but I will not assess their ICT skills because ICT has been, and will be, the focus of other assessment tasks.

Here, the focus will be on the Level 6 English standards for Reading and Writing and on the Level 6 Thinking Processes standards for Reasoning, processing and inquiry with opportunities for some students to achieve at progression point 5.75.

Design question 4: What specific knowledge, skills and behaviours will this task focus on?

Purpose
Knowledge, skills and behaviours of:

• the events, ideas and characters depicted in the selected novel, including character motivation for particular behaviour
• using the language and major elements of style appropriate to an article for a young adult magazine, and using some language techniques to persuade readers to accept a particular view of the interviewed character
• reviewing and editing their writing to ensure a logical structure, clearly expressed ideas and accurate spelling and syntax
• generating questions which elicit an explanation of motivation and actions
• synthesising the questions and responses into a piece of writing in a magazine article format.

Reflection
As part of my program planning, I have unpacked the standards to identify the underpinning knowledge, skills and behaviours students will need to develop. Having identified the specific aspects of the standards on which this task will focus, I found it relatively straightforward to identify the underpinning knowledge, skills and behaviours.

The Level 6 standard expects students to begin to use a range of language techniques to try to position readers to accept particular views of people, characters, events, ideas and information. I believe that at this stage of the year, some of my students will find this challenging, and so my task design allows them to complete aspects of the task, leading towards developing skills of positioning and persuading readers. (Progression point 5.75) This aspect will be more fully addressed later, in another assessment task, possibly one which focuses on presenting an argument on an issue, where the use of language to persuade is more easily used and identified.

The students and I spent some time discussing how their knowledge of the novel and their interpretations of the character and themes will be evident in their questions and answers. I will ensure that the students who find this difficult have the benefit of my feedback when framing their questions.

As mentioned already, my class has students with a range of abilities and so I want to make certain that the task is fair to all. I’ve therefore decided to allow some students to vary the form of the magazine interview. Instead of a single piece of writing in which the interview questions and answers are synthesised, some students can present the interview in question and answer form. This will still allow them to demonstrate knowledge of the novel, generate questions and write accurately and fluently.

Design question 5: What will be the key features of the task?

Purpose
Students adopt the role of a journalist for a young adult magazine. They develop a list of questions for interviewing the main character in a novel or biography they have read. They then create the answers, based on their knowledge and understanding of the character, and write up their interview in the form of an article of approximately 600 words. They also submit their list of questions.

Students undertake this written task individually. The total of amount of time is estimated to be about three hours, including time spent in class and at home.

Students are aware of the time constraints and the task requirements: due date, length, audience, purpose, criteria for assessment and use of ICT to complete the article. They are also aware that they must submit the set of questions as well as the completed article.

Reflection
I have decided that students can largely complete this task at home.

It will be started during class time, when I will have an opportunity to check the questions that are being prepared. The first draft can then be completed at home and later reviewed and ‘polished’ in class, where I can authenticate the work and check on progress.

I have arrangements for the class to have access to computers for the period in class when they are working on their article.

I have been explicit about the requirements of the task. Students will be issued with a Task Sheet (PDF - 19Kb), and I will share the rubric and assessment criteria with them so that they are fully aware of the assessment process.

I will also make available to the students models of magazine interview articles and samples of student work from previous occasions, so that they can consult these if necessary.

Design question 6: What key features of student performance am I expecting to see? What evidence am I looking for?

Standard
English – Reading
At Level 6, students read, view, analyse, critique, reflect on and discuss contemporary and classical imaginative texts that explore personal, social, cultural and political issues of significance to their own lives. They also read, view, analyse and discuss a wide range of informative and persuasive texts and identify the multiple purposes for which texts are created. They explain how texts are shaped by the time, place and cultural setting in which they are created. They compare and contrast the typical features of particular texts and synthesise information from different texts to draw conclusions.

English – Writing
At Level 6, students write sustained and cohesive narratives that experiment with different techniques and show attention to chronology, characterisation, consistent point of view and development of a resolution. They write persuasive texts dealing with complex ideas and issues and control the linguistic structures and features that support the presentation of different perspectives on complex themes and issues. They select subject matter and begin to use a range of language techniques to try to position readers to accept particular views of people, characters, events, ideas and information. They compose a range of other texts, such as feature articles, webpage’s and workplace texts. They plan and deliver presentations, sequencing and organising complex ideas. They write accurately punctuated, grammatically sound and complex sentences with embedded clauses and phrases. They are able to maximise the effects of rhythm and tone, and write with developing fluency. They proofread and edit their own writing for accuracy, consistency and clarity.

Key features and evidence
Knowledge and understanding of the text: The events, ideas and characters depicted in the selected novel, including character motivation for particular behaviour.

Criteria or rubric

	At the level
Uses mainly literal and some inferential and evaluative comprehension to demonstrate a limited knowledge and understanding of events and characters depicted in the selected novel (5.75PP)	Shows thorough knowledge and understanding of events, ideas and characters depicted in the selected novel, including some understanding of character motivation for particular behaviour	Shows detailed knowledge and complex understanding of the text, particularly in regard to character motivation

Key features and evidence
Ability to adopt appropriate language and style for the audience and purpose, including using some language techniques to persuade readers to accept a particular view of the interviewed character.

Criteria or rubric

	At the level
Limited use of language and style appropriate to a young adult magazine (5.75 PP)	Uses language and major elements of style appropriate to a young adult magazine	Uses language and style highly appropriate to a young adult magazine

	At the level
Limited use of language and style appropriate to a young adult magazine (5.75 PP)	Makes an attempt to use language to persuade readers to accept a particular view of the interviewed character. For example, uses positive language to describe the interviewee	Uses more than one language technique to persuade readers to accept a particular view of the interviewed character. For example, interposes authorial comment on a response, uses positive or negative

Key features and evidence
Ability to express ideas clearly and coherently.

Criteria or rubric

	At the level
Article has simple structure and ideas are expressed clearly with generally correct sentence structure but with limited vocabulary. Proof-reading may have been attempted but many errors still remain (5.75PP)	Article is logically structured and ideas are clearly expressed with complex sentences and appropriate vocabulary. Proof-reading has been completed effectively	Article is very well-structured and ideas are expressed with clarity and subtlety. Vocabulary is highly appropriate and expressive, and proof-reading has been completed to a high standard

Standard
Thinking Processes – Reasoning, processing and inquiry
At Level 6, students discriminate in the way they use a variety of sources. They generate questions that explore perspectives. They process and synthesise complex information and complete activities focusing on problem solving and decision making which involve a wide range and complexity of variables and solutions. They employ appropriate methodologies for creating and verifying knowledge in different disciplines. They make informed decisions based on their analysis of various perspectives and, sometimes contradictory, information.

Key features and evidence
Ability to generate questions that explore perspectives.

Criteria or rubric

	At the level
Generates questions that elicit description of actions. For example, “How did you react when…?”	Generates questions that elicit explanation of motivation and actions. For example, “Why did you…?”	Generates questions that elicit complex evaluation of and reflection on actions. For example, “If you were faced with the situation again, would you act in the same way?”

Key features and evidence
Ability to synthesise and transform information into a magazine article format.

Criteria or rubric

	At the level
Presents questions and responses in Question and Answer format	Synthesises questions and responses into magazine article format	Synthesises questions and responses into magazine article format, incorporating subtle observation and interpretation

Reflection
I have tried to capture in the descriptors the expectations that are consistent with the relevant standards and progressions.

The process used to develop this multi domain assessment tasks was based on sound design principles and guidelines. Detailed information on this design process can be found on the Multi domain assessment tasks page.