Sec. V English Language Arts Exam: How to Prepare

The Secondary V English Language Arts uniform examination evaluates two competencies:

• Competency 2 (C2): Reads and listens to written, spoken, and media texts
• Competency 3 (C3): Produces texts for personal and social purposes

There are 3 parts to the exam:

• Part I - Response to a literary text (3 hrs.): This portion of the exam evaluates students’ ability to interpret, think critically about, and respond to a literary text. They are asked to read a literary text, take notes, and discuss their ideas in small groups. They must then write an individual response (approximately 500–700 words) to the text.
• Part II - Reading for stance (3 hrs.): This portion evaluates students’ ability to take a position (stance) on a real-world situation or issue. They are asked to watch a video, read a magazine, and participate in group discussions. Throughout, they must take notes to prepare for the written response in Part III.
• Part III - Written response (3 hrs.): The final portion of the exam is an independent task. Students are asked to craft a magazine article, intended for young adults, in which they take a position, offer an analysis, or make a commentary on a specific issue. Using their notes from Part II, they have to compose a draft and then revise and edit their work to produce the final version of the article (approximately 600–800 words).

If your child is feeling anxious about the exam, one of the best ways to help them feel better is to go over how they will be evaluated. You can remind them that they will be evaluated on their ability to do the following:

• In Part I: Response to a literary text
  • Understand and interpret the text
  • Make inferences about the text
  • Explain their ideas about the text
  • Reference the text in their response
• In Part III: Written response
  • Show their understanding of the task
  • Organize their ideas into a cohesive and engaging magazine article
  • Critically examine ideas, themes, actions, and events
  • Make their position clear (voice)
  • Write for the intended audience
  • Correctly employ of the codes and conventions (techniques and devices) of article writing

Your child may bring the following materials with them to the exam: 

• Standard English dictionary
• Bilingual dictionary (English and another language)
• Thesaurus

Only print versions of these references are allowed. Students can bring their own, but sharing is not permitted.

Students are not allowed to use the following materials during the exam:

• Homemade documents (class notes, grammar books prepared by the school or at home, etc.)
• Digital tools (electronic dictionaries, word processing software, etc.), unless their use has been planned in conjunction with the educational institution responsible for administering the examination
• Digital devices that can be used to send messages, access the internet, translate texts, or create, save, or consult information (smartphones, wireless headphones or earbuds, smartwatches, etc.)

In Part I of the exam, students will receive Student Booklet I, which contains instructions, the literary text, and space for taking notes and providing their written response.

In Part II, students will receive Student Booklet II, which contains instructions and space for taking notes and organizing their ideas. They will also get a copy of REACT magazine containing articles and other types of texts related to the video shown during this portion of the exam.

In Part III, students will receive Student Booklet III, which they must use to write their draft and the final copy of their magazine article. Booklet II and the copy of REACT magazine will also be returned to them for reference.

At the end of each part of the exam, students must hand in all material distributed to them.

Now that your child is about to finish high school, they likely have experience writing ministry exams from Secondary IV. Nevertheless, it is important to remind them of these valuable tips:

• Reread all instructions and texts carefully.
• When reading the texts and watching the video, jot down any ideas, impressions, and opinions that come to mind.
• Take the time to organize your ideas coherently and clearly state your opinions.
• Actively participate in the group discussions.
• Review and edit your draft carefully before writing the final copy.
• When writing the magazine article, make sure to use the correct codes and conventions.

The Secondary V English Language Arts uniform examination is a little different from other exams since it does not require a period of studying in the traditional sense. However, there are many ways that you can help your child get ready for the exam:

• Encourage them to read newspapers and magazines that discuss current events, hot topics, and issues that relate to them and their age group. 
• Watch a documentary or TV series together about issues such as the environment, technology, and social media. Talk about it afterwards. Share and discuss your opinions even if you disagree. Ask your child to justify their thinking.
• Hold in-depth discussions at dinnertime to encourage your child to express their ideas and opinions.
• Suggest that they review their notes and past in-class assignments that tested the skills that will be evaluated on the exam.