Clarification details
Updated December 2017. The section on support materials has been added.
Selection of ideas and mode of presentation
The selected text type must give students the opportunity to demonstrate a sophisticated understanding of how ideas can be developed through a visual text at level 8 of the New Zealand curriculum. The focus is primarily on the visual mode; the visual text must ‘stand alone’ in its ability to communicate the ideas.
Text Types
The text type selected for the visual presentation must allow for the sophistication and maturity of ideas appropriate to level 8 of the curriculum.
Extracts from the works of others may be included, but the visual text must be primarily the student’s own work. The use of images from other visual texts (e.g. a studied film) to illustrate ideas about that other text is acceptable as a starting point, but students also need to build on, manipulate and add to these images to create their own visual text.
Fluent use of visual language
A consistent visual style and controlled use of the conventions of the chosen text type is required. The student needs to demonstrate crafting and control of language features so that audience interest is sustained across the text.
Integrated Presentations
Work produced for assessment in other learning areas may be used for this standard. Students must craft and re-work the visual text to create meanings and effects for this specific standard. This means that photos, images and graphics must be used to develop and sustain ideas, rather than illustrating ideas that are presented and developed by the written and/or oral text.
Support materials
The New Zealand Association for the Teaching of English (NZATE) Visual Text resource provides additional examples of the assessment of visual texts at all grades of the standard. This is available from the NZATE website.