Level B3 Writing

The students' performance in these tasks suggest that they are working within the range of Level B3 in Writing. The assessing teacher will need to consider a range of student samples in order to determine whether each student is at the beginning of B3, consolidating B3 or at the B3 standard in Writing. 

At beginning Level B3 students:

• write simple texts based on models which include basic organisational features of familiar text types
• begin to use more written-like language in their writing and include some technical language in factual texts
• continue to connect ideas using a range of common conjunctions
• extend noun groups by including adjectives before the noun
• plan and make simple revisions of their writing.

At consolidating Level B3 students:

• are beginning to construct more complex examples of logically organised genres with increasing independence
• begin to include more complex language and sentence structures in their writing
• use common technical vocabulary in factual texts more consistently
• use subject–verb–object agreement and tense with increasing control
• accurately spell common words used in the classroom and use their knowledge of sounds and letter patterns to spell unfamiliar words.

At Level B3 Achievement Standard students:

• communicate for a range of purposes on a variety of familiar topics, using a basic repertoire of text types
• write sequenced and ordered factual texts, and narrative texts that maintain a cohesive storyline and characterisation
• demonstrate an awareness of how effective writing is tailored to a purpose, the requirements of the topic and the needs of the reader
• gather and present information appropriately in texts
• write texts that demonstrate some overall cohesion and coherence
• can combine and sequence simple sentences and paragraphs using common conjunctions and pronouns
• generally maintain appropriate tense throughout their texts
• discuss and reflect on their own writing, incorporating feedback when planning, reviewing or presenting their texts
• revise texts during writing and proofread after a first draft has been written, improving spelling, punctuation and sentence structure
• present their writing appropriately, in print and digital forms.
  

Student information

The student was born in China and speaks Mandarin. They had equivalent aged schooling in China and attended an English language school for two terms before enrolling in a mainstream primary school. The student is in Year 4.

Task

The students had been explicitly taught about procedural recounts with a focus on using the past tense. After making pancakes in the class, the students were asked to write a procedural recount. There were some words and phrases on the whiteboard for reference. The students wrote the text independently and it was later corrected by the teacher. The analysis is based on the student's writing before correction.

Text

I make pacakes.

First I place the flour, sugar and salt in the bowl. Then I break the eggs and stir them into the flour, sugar ansalt. And then Add the milk a little at a time. Later beat the mixture until it is smooth. Then Have an adult put the oil in the heated frying pan. And had an adult pour some of the mixture into the frying pan. Next Turn the pancake when it is slightly set to cook the other side. Finaily lift the cooked pancake out of the frying pan.

This sample of student work demonstrates that the student can:

• Format texts appropriately for the purpose (VCEALL476)
• Use a range of devices to maintain cohesion (VCEALL468)
• Combine simple sentences using common conjunctions (VCEALL472)
• Organise texts in simple, logically ordered paragraphs with topic sentences (VCEALL467)
• Write using extended descriptive phrases (VCEALL471)
• Spell most words accurately, drawing on a range of strategies but with some invented spelling still evident (VCEALL477)
  

Possible next steps for this student's learning

• Comparing the sentences structures in recounts and procedural texts to form a general understanding about sentence structures in the different genres, for example, including or excluding personal pronouns in recounts and procedural texts respectively (VCEALL466)(VCEALC455)
• Reading and editing own writing for past tense verbs (VCEALL470)
• Using a template to plan own writing and include the orientation, series of events and conclusion (VCEALA461)

Pathways and transitions considerations

Assuming that this Year 4 student is consistently demonstrating the final achievement standard in Pathway B (Level B3) in the other two language modes, they will need to demonstrate that they are also consistently working at the achievement standard in Writing in order to transition to the English curriculum. 

They will need to be equally capable across all three language modes to be able to meet the learning expectations in the English curriculum at the level taught to their mainstream peers, and without substantial language support.

They will need to be sufficiently proficient in understanding and using the academic language across the learning areas to participate in learning activities across the Victorian curriculum.

They will also need to be able to understand and use the academic English of the curriculum in subsequent years without substantial language support, when the cognitive and linguistic demands of the Victorian curriculum increases, for example in Years 5 and 6.

Student information

This student is in Year 6. They were born in New Zealand and speak Somali at home. They began school in New Zealand and started school in Victoria in Year 3.

Task

The student had been learning about the seasons and how they occur. They had read a range of texts on the topic and had examined models of explanations. The student researched the topic before writing this text independently. The text reproduced here has received some correction by the teacher.  The analysis is based on the student's writing before correction.

Text

Seasons Reasons

The temperature repeats itself every year.

The thing that causes these changes is the movement of the Earth around the sun.

During summer the Earth gets closer to the Sun, and in winter we are farther away from the Sun.

But if it is summ-er in the Norther hemisphere it is winter in the Southern hemisphere

The reason the Earth is like that is because the Earth is on a tilt of 23.4^o angle tilt.

if The Earth did not have a tilt it just would of been Summer for one half, and winter for the other.  

Whyel the Earth is on a tilt the Earth rotates around the Sun.

Whyel the Earth is rotating the tilt stays the same So aftter a caple of months the Earth would of changed it's direction to wourd the Sun.

Because of the tilt the temperature is defront.

If the northern hemisphere winter then the Southern hemisphere is getting more hit is readating frome the Sun so the sun is concentrating on one part So the other half the world gets less hit.

So that is the Result of the tilt of the Earth axis.

This sample of student work demonstrates that the student can:

• Write using extended descriptive phrases (VCEALL471)
• Use a range of punctuation marks consistently and correctly (VCEALL478)

• Spell most words accurately, drawing on a range of strategies but with some invented spelling still evident (VCEALL477)
• Combine simple sentences using common conjunctions (VCEALL472)
• Use a range of sentence structures appropriate to the text, with some errors (VCEALL469)

Student information

The student is in Year 5. They were born in Poland and speak Polish as their home language. They started school in Foundation in Victoria. 

Task

The students read and examined the structural organisation and linguistic features of an exposition. They had jointly constructed an exposition with the teacher before writing their own text on a topic of their choice. 

The analysis is based on the student’s writing before correction. 

Text

Should Australia’s cricket team have gone to Sri Lanka 

(I think)Many It is now widely expe exccepted that Australia should have gone to Sri LLanka to play cricket because [text crossed out] furthermore they saed have L gone because Sri Lanka have beone in Austrila before

it is now widely exccepted That Australia Should have gone to Sri Lanka to play criuket.

To begin with Sri Lanka have allread been to Australia to play criuket fuvthermore people are calleing Australiaens [text crossed out] chikens that they do not want to go to Sri Lanka to play criuket. othwwise Australia would have won because they played Sri Lanka [text crossed out] before, and they won.

This reasons Australia should have gone to Sri Lanka. 

This sample of student work demonstrates that the student can:

• Use the text type appropriate to the task (VCEALL466) *includes a heading using modal verb should 
• Use a range of devices to maintain cohesion (VCEALL468) *uses furthermore and otherwise 
• Spell most words accurately, drawing on a range of strategies but with some invented spelling still evident (VCEALL477) 
• Use a range of sentence structures appropriate to the text, with some errors (VCEALL469) 
• Maintain appropriate tense throughout a text (VCEALL470) 
• Combine simple sentences using common conjunctions (VCEALL472) 
• Create mood and feeling through the selection of appropriate vocabulary and idiom (VCEALL475) *uses the modal verb should to present a point of view 

Overall, this student can also: 

• Write texts that present a point of view on topics discussed in class (VCEALC456) 

Possible next steps for this student's learning

• Using a planning template to organise arguments for and against (VCEALA460) (VCEALA461) 
• Elaborating on arguments by including examples and reasons (VCEALA459) 
• Working with a partner to give and receive feedback on draft text, including in their home language if possible and appropriate (VCEALA462) (VCEALA464)  
• Keeping a personal list of commonly misspelt words in an individual improvement journal, with teacher feedback and support (VCEALL474)

Pathways and transitions considerations

A Year 5 student who is working within the range of B3 in any one language mode is not ready to transition to the English curriculum regardless of their proficiency in the other two language modes. This student will continue on Pathway B of the EAL curriculum in all language modes. 

A Year 5 student should consistently demonstrate the final achievement standard in Pathway B (Level B3) in all three language modes before they transition to the English curriculum. 

They will need to be equally capable across all three language modes to be able to meet the learning expectations in the English curriculum at the level taught to their mainstream peers, and without substantial language support. 

They will need to be sufficiently proficient in understanding and using the academic language across the learning areas to participate in learning activities across the Victorian curriculum. 

They will also need to be able to understand and use the academic English of the curriculum in subsequent years without substantial language support, when the cognitive and linguistic demands of the Victorian curriculum increase. 

Related pages

Student work samples: Level B3 Speaking and Listening
Student work samples: Level B3 Reading and Viewing
Student work samples: Level B2 Writing