State of Israel
Ministry of Education
Pedagogical Secretariat
Language Department
English Language Education and
Diplomacy and International Communication in English
Bulletin (חוזר מפמ"ר) of the Chief Inspector for English and Diplomacy and International Relations in English: The Bagrut Reforms and the English Bagrut Examinations
September 2015
Table of Contents2 / 1. Introduction
5 / 2. Table of Specifications
19 / 3. Updates about the Literature Program
21 / 4. Sample Exams for Internal and External Students
Introduction
A. Last year, the Ministry of Education decided on a series of Bagrut reforms:
i) There is no Bagrut testing in the tenth grade for any subject;
ii) There are two external English Bagrut exams, one school-based assessment and the oral examination for each level.
iii) In the winter moed, only three-point students who are in the 11th grade can be tested.
B. As a result of the above reforms, changes were made for the English Bagrut exams. Every effort was made to have minimal changes. The table below summarizes these changes that are for students in the 10th and 11th grades.
Module / ChangesA / There is now one reading passage instead of two. The listening task remains the same (see Table of Specifications). Students in the 11th grade who take the Bagrut exam in the winter moed this year will be tested according to this format. Students who are in the 12th grade this year will be tested according to the same format that was given last year.
B / There is no external Bagrut exam. Instead there are three Unit Logs for the literature program, which includes two short stories and one poem. Teachers choose the literary texts, which need to get approval. Click here for a list of texts that have already been approved. Students who are in the 12th grade this year will be tested according to the same format that was given last year.
C / There is now one shorter reading passage and writing task (see Table of Specifications). The time now allotted for the exam is one hour and 30 minutes. Students in the 11th grade who take the Bagrut exam in the winter moed this year will be tested according to this format. Students who are in the 12th grade this year will be tested according to the same format that was given last year.
D and F / In a meeting with the Director General, Ms. Michal Cohen, the following was decided:
a. The Unit Logs will remain as before.
b. Instead of the external literature Bagrut exam, teachers will write and mark their own exam. It is recommended that the exam be written according to the Table of Specifications. Teachers can choose which six HOTS to teach.
c. As of September 2016, for students in the 10th or 11th grades, English staffs can choose to develop their own program for teaching and assessing literature and integrating the higher-order thinking skills for modules D and F. The program must receive the recommendation of the English Inspector of the school in addition to the approval of the accompanying committee (ועדה המלווה) of the school.
E / No changes.
G / The time now allotted for the exam is one hour and 45 minutes.
C. The following table defines what will be in the external exams (54%), what options there are for school-based assessment (26%), and the components of the oral exam (20%). The changes have been highlighted.
Module / External Exam (54%) / School-Based Assessment (26%) / Content / %A / ü / - / 1 Access to Information (Listening Comprehension)
1 Access to Information (Reading Comprehension) / 27
B / - / ü / Unit Logs / 26
C / ü / - / 1 Access to Information (Reading Comprehension)
1 Presentation (Writing) / 27
D / - / ü / Unit Logs
OR
Literature Bagrut exam, written and marked by teachers
OR
As of September 2016, for students in the 10th or 11th grades, English staffs can choose to develop their own program for teaching and assessing literature and integrating the higher-order thinking skills. The program must receive the recommendation of the English Inspector of the school in addition to the approval of the accompanying committee (ועדה המלווה) of the school. / 26
Module / External Exam (54%) / School-Based Assessment (26%) / Content / %
E / ü / - / 1 Access to Information (Listening Comprehension)
1 Access to Information (Reading Comprehension) / 27
F / - / ü / Unit Logs
OR
Literature Bagrut exam, written and marked by teachers
OR
As of September 2016, for students in the 10th or 11th grades, English staffs can choose to develop their own program for teaching and assessing literature and integrating the higher-order thinking skills. The program must receive the recommendation of the English Inspector of the school in addition to the approval of the accompanying committee (ועדה המלווה) of the school. / 26
G / ü / - / 1 Access to Information (Reading Comprehension)
1 Presentation (Writing) / 27
Oral Exam / ü / - / · Extended Personal Interview
· Project Presentation and Interaction / 20
D. Regarding external students, a separate document will be posted on the site of the English Inspectorate.
1. Table of Specifications for Each Module - September 2015
The following are the revised Table of Specifications for exams for those students who are in the 11th grade (September 2015). Students who are in the 12th grade will be taking the same format of exams that were given last year.
Module A - One and Three Point Examinations
Time Allotted: 1 hour and 15 minutes
Access to Information from Spoken Texts
# of pts / # oftexts / Length / # of
questions / Benchmarks / Suggested Text Types / Suggested Task Types
30 / 1 / 400 words
4 minutes / 6 / Foundation / Intermediate / · advice column
· description
· interview
· report / · multiple-choice
· open-ended questions
· sentence completion
understand the general meaning, main ideas, and the sequence of events in a text, and use this knowledge as needed
identify facts, feelings and explicit opinions in a text / understand the general meaning, main ideas and supporting details in a text, and use this knowledge as needed
Module A - One and Three Point Examinations (continued)
Access to Information from Written Texts
# of pts / # oftexts / Length / # of
questions / Benchmarks / Suggested Text Types / Suggested Task Types
70 / 1 / 250-300 / 7-10 / Foundation / Intermediate / · advertisement
· article
· description
· letter/email
· report / · fill-ins
· matching
· multiple-choice
· open-ended questions
· sentence completion
understand the general meaning, main ideas, and the sequence of events in a text, and use this knowledge as needed
identify different text types and use this knowledge as needed
identify facts, feelings and explicit opinions in a text
locate relevant information for a specific purpose / understand the general meaning, main ideas and supporting details in a text, and use this knowledge as needed
use information tools such as a dictionary
Module B – External Students (Registered September 2015)
Time Allotted: 1 hour 30 minutes
Access to Information from Written Texts
# of pts / # oftexts / Length / # of
questions / Benchmarks / Suggested Text Types / Suggested Task Types
60 / 1 / Up to 300 words / 8-10 / Foundation / Intermediate / · descriptive texts such as personal account/human interest article
· informative texts such as advertisement, advice column, brochure, newsletter
· interviews
· letters such as personal letter, letter to the editor
· reviews such as books, films
· surveys / · multiple-choice
· open-ended
· sentence completion
understand the general meaning, main ideas, and the sequence of events in a text, and use this knowledge as needed
identify different text types and use this knowledge as needed
identify facts, feelings and explicit opinions in a text
locate relevant information for a specific purpose / understand the general meaning, main ideas and supporting details in a text, and use this knowledge as needed
identify the features of different text types and use this knowledge as needed
use information tools, such as a dictionary
Module B – External Students Only (continued)
Appreciation of Literature
# ofpts / # of
questions / Benchmarks / Item Description / Suggested Task Types / Higher-Order Thinking Skills
40 / Up to 5 / Foundation / Intermediate / Students answer questions on one short story. / · multiple-choice
· sentence completion
· open-ended / The following is a list of the possible HOTS to be taught:
· Classifying
· Comparing and contrasting
· Distinguishing different perspectives
· Evaluating
· Explaining cause and effect
· Explaining patterns
· Generating possibilities
· Identifying parts and whole
· Inferring
· Making connections
· Predicting
· Problem solving
· Sequencing
· Synthesizing
· Uncovering motives
identify and describe events, setting and main characters in literary texts, using lower-order thinking skills
analyze and interpret literary texts, using higher-order thinking skills
Module C – Three and Four Point Examinations
Time Allotted: 1 hour 30 minutes
Access to Information from Written Texts
# of pts / # oftexts / Length / # of
questions / Benchmarks / Suggested Text Types / Suggested Task Types
70 / 1 / Up to 300 words / 8-10 / Foundation / Intermediate / · article
· descriptive texts such as personal account/ human interest article
· informative texts
· report
· reviews such as books, films / · graphic organizers such as time lines, tables
· multiple-choice
· open-ended
· sentence completion
understand the general meaning, main ideas, and the sequence of events in a text, and use this knowledge as needed
identify different text types and use this knowledge as needed
identify facts, feelings and explicit opinions in a text
locate relevant information for a specific purpose / understand the general meaning, main ideas and supporting details in a text, and use this knowledge as needed
identify the features of different text types and use this knowledge as needed
use information tools, such as a dictionary
Written Social Interaction / Presentation
#pts / #
tasks / Length / Benchmarks / Suggested Task Types
30 / 1 / 70 – 90 words / Foundation / Intermediate / · forms
· description
· informal letter
express feelings, likes and dislikes
describing people, places, things and events
present information on limited content / express and elaborate on personal wishes and opinions
Module D – Four Point Examination
(for students in the 12th grade September 2015)
Time Allotted: 1 hour 45 minutes
Appreciation of Literature
Part A# of Questions / # of Points / Item Description / Possible Item Types / Assessment Criteria
For one text:
3 Basic Understanding
2 Analysis and Interpretation / Total = 85 / Students answer questions on two literary texts: a short story or poem. For each text, students:
· answer three or four Basic Understanding questions
· answer one Analysis and Interpretation question that may include understanding of literary terms.
a. Name the HOTS they chose to answer the question form the list of HOTS in the appendix. They can use any HOTS from the list in the Handbook.
b. Answer the question showing appropriate evidence of the use of the chosen thinking skill.
For one of the texts, students answer an additional Analysis and Interpretation question that may include understanding of literary terms. / multiple-choice
sentence completion
open-ended
extended answer / Content 90%
· Coherence
· Relevance
· Supporting information
· Accuracy of reporting
Language 10%
· Grammar
4 Basic Understanding questions worth 6 pts each (4x6= 24)
3 Basic Understanding questions worth 7 pts each (3x7=21)
Total: 45 pts
For one text:
4 Basic Understanding
1 Analysis and Interpretation
1 Analysis and Interpretation question worth 10 pts
Total # of questions:
7 Basic Understanding
3 Analysis and Interpretation / 2 Analysis and Interpretation questions worth 15 pts each (15x2=30)
The 15 points consist of:
· 10 points for the answer to the question
5 points for using the chosen HOTS appropriately in the answer
Benchmarks / Higher-Order Thinking Skills
· identify and describe events, setting and main characters in literary texts, using lower-order thinking skills
· analyze and interpret literary texts, using higher-order thinking skills
· recognize the use of basic literary techniques in a text, such as repetition, personification, rhythm, and rhyme / Teachers must teach the six HOTS that appear on the exam (in bold):
· Classifying
· Comparing and contrasting
· Distinguishing different perspectives
· Evaluating
· Explaining cause and effect
· Explaining patterns / · Generating possibilities
· Identifying parts and whole
· Inferring
· Making connections
· Predicting
· Problem solving
· Sequencing
· Synthesizing
· Uncovering motives
Part B
# of Questions / # of points / Benchmarks / Item Description / Possible Item Types / Assessment Criteria
1 / 15 / · understand connections understand the historical, social and/or cultural contexts of the text and its author and explain how these are reflected in the text or how they have influenced the writing of the text / Students are given new background information about a literary text studied in class.
Students explain how the background information is connected to an aspect of the text.
(Recommended length: 60 - 80 words.) / extended answer (paragraph) / Content: 90%
· Coherence
· Accurate and explicit connection between the literary text and the new information.
· Supporting details from the text.
Language 10%
· Grammar
Module E - Four and Five Point Examinations
Time Allotted: 1 hour 15 minutes
Access to Information from Spoken Texts
# of pts / # oftxts / Length / Benchmarks / Suggested Text Types / Suggested Task Types
30 / 1 / passage is about four minutes long / Intermediate / Proficiency / · advice column
· conversations with listeners
· interview
· lecture
· news broadcast
· report
· speech / · fill-ins
· multiple-choice
· open-ended
· sentence completion
understand the general meaning, main ideas and supporting details in a text, and use this knowledge as needed
draw inferences in order to identify the points of view in a text, distinguishing fact from opinion / identify and infer the attitudes of the speaker and draw conclusions
Module E - Four and Five Point Examinations (continued)