Performance band descriptions for English Studies

These performance bands will only apply to the students studying English Studies who elect to sit the optional HSC examination for placement on the common scale.

Band 6

• demonstrates extensive knowledge, insightful understanding and sophisticated evaluation of the ways meanings are shaped and changed by context, medium of production and the influences that produce different responses to texts
• displays highly developed skills in describing and analysing a broad range of language forms, features and structures of texts and explaining the ways these shape meaning and influence responses in a variety of texts and contexts
• presents a critical, refined personal response showing highly developed skills in interpretation, analysis, synthesis and evaluation of texts and textual detail
• composes imaginatively, interpretively, critically and reflectively with sustained precision, flair, originality and sophistication for a variety of audiences, purposes and contexts in order to explore and communicate ideas, information and values

Band 5

• demonstrates detailed knowledge, perceptive understanding and effective evaluation of the ways meanings are shaped and changed by context, medium of production and the influences that produce different responses to texts
• displays well-developed skills in describing and analysing a broad range of language forms, features and structures of texts and explaining the ways these shape meaning and influence responses in a variety of texts and contexts
• presents a critical personal response showing well-developed skills in interpretation, analysis, synthesis and evaluation of texts and textual detail
• composes imaginatively, interpretively, critically and reflectively with flair, originality and control for a variety of audiences, purposes and contexts in order to explore and communicate ideas, information and values

Band 4

• demonstrates sound knowledge and understanding of the way meanings are shaped and changed by context, medium of production and the influences that produce different responses to texts
• describes and analyses a range of language forms, features and structures of texts and explains the ways these shape meaning and influence responses in a variety of texts and contexts
• presents a sound critical personal response showing developed skills in interpretation and analysis of texts
• composes imaginatively, interpretively, critically and reflectively with confidence and control for a variety of audiences, purposes and contexts in order to explore and communicate ideas, information and values

Band 3

• demonstrates generalised knowledge and understanding of the ways meanings are shaped and changed by context, medium of production and the influences that produce different responses to texts
• describes a limited range of language forms, features and structures of texts and conveys an awareness of the ways these shape meaning and influence responses in a variety of texts and contexts
• presents a response showing some evidence of interpretation and analysis of texts
• composes imaginatively, interpretively, critically and reflectively with variable control in using language appropriate to audience, purpose and context in order to explore and communicate ideas, information and values

Band 2

• demonstrates elementary knowledge and understanding of the ways meanings are shaped and changed
• recognises and comments on basic language forms, features and structures of texts
• presents an undeveloped response showing recognition of the main ideas in texts
• composes with some awareness of audience, purpose and context in order to explore and communicate ideas and information

Band 1