Clarification details
Updated December 2020. This document has been updated to address issues that have arisen from moderation.
Focus of the standard
Students examine two media texts to demonstrate understanding of how two narrative features are used to develop the narrative in each media text. For Achieved, the focus goes beyond describing the narrative feature or convention. Students need to discuss the contribution each feature makes in the construction of the overall narrative or story within each media text.
Selecting Media Texts
The selected media texts should be of sufficient complexity to reflect level 7 of the curriculum. Each text should have clear and identifiable narrative conventions that contribute to the construction of the narrative or story in each text. Selecting texts that complement each other through narrative structure, genre or context may develop students’ understanding of how the different features in each text contribute to the overall narrative.
Identifying narrative features
The discussion should be focused on how the narrative feature contributes to the overall narrative or story in the text, rather than a technical close reading. When framing assessment tasks, teachers could select the narrative features or conventions from the texts to direct students. This will allow students to move beyond close reading or describing the conventions’ usage, to consider their contribution to the narrative as a whole.
Aspects such as internal or external conflict, the manipulation of time, character construction or setting may provide the scope to discuss how the feature will contribute to the narrative overall. While the narrative features do not have to be the same across the two texts, using the same two features across two linked texts can allow students to analyse more successfully.
Awarding Excellence
‘Examining the implications’ requires a discussion of the effect or impact of the narrative feature and its use in the narrative overall. This discussion could include character development, resolution of a narrative arc, audience reaction or the use of the feature and how it affects meaning, understanding or engagement in the narrative.
Sufficiency
The evidence needs to discuss two features in each of the two texts. To award a grade at any level of achievement, teachers need to ensure that there is sufficient evidence across the responses to award a holistic grade. A supporting rationale for assessment decisions could be provided.