QCE 2022: Curriculum expert’s tips on how to pass the Year 12 external English essay exam

A former head of department and English curriculum expert has shared her Year 12 English essay predictions, and highlighted the most common mistakes made by pupils.

A former head of department and English curriculum expert has shared her predictions to help Year 12 students ace their external English essay.

University of Queensland education expert Kate McLay has offered advice and highlighted some common mistakes made by pupils ahead of Monday’s English exam.

Dr McLay has had a long professional relationship with the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (QCAA), including the delivery of workshops and lectures to English curriculum students at the university.

She is a UQ lecturer in secondary English and literacy, and a former head of English whose daughter is also preparing for the exam.

The QCAA is scheduled to hold General Senior External Examinations (SEE) for 17 Grade 12 subjects this term.

The results of the exams contribute to a pupil’s Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE), the state’s senior secondary schooling qualification.

University of Queensland education expert Dr Kate McLay has offered her expert tips to acing Year 12 English exams. Picture: Supplied

1. Stress is not a bad thing

Dr McLay said exam preparations were similar to a sprinter’s final preparations before taking off from the blocks.

“Rapid breathing, nerves, stress – don’t misinterpret these as signs of not being ready,” she said.

“These are all natural things. The same as athletes go through.

“Nerves are good. It’s your body saying it’s getting ready.”

2. Take time to plan your approach

“You must read the question carefully to fully understand what they’re asking,” Dr McLay said.

“Look for the key terms, any key verbs, whether it’s focused on a concept or character.

“Once you understand the question, you need time to plan the response. Spend a few minutes doing a mind dump where you write anything down. It’s critical.

“Don’t rush. Just get all your ideas down. It’s an opportunity to calm your nerves and remind yourself of what you know.”

3. Articulate your thesis

“Once students have framed their statement, they should go back over the pre-writing steps to find the ideas which best support the thesis,” she said.

“Markers will be looking for ideas presented logically in a response. So hook back into your thesis statement.

“You need a clear and convincing thesis that shows the markers you have made judicious decisions.

“You don’t need to lean on big chunks of text. The markers want you to provide evidence to your statement and focus on the analysis of it.”

4. Don’t over rely on quotes or information

Dr McLay said there was a temptation for pupils to attempt to cram in too much information, rather than selected information that supported one’s thesis.

“Students have been doing such close reading and analysis for months, they know the text, so you want to avoid recounting what you know,” she said.

“They should be selective and foreground the thesis and make a logical compelling argument.”

5. Handwriting should be legible

Dr McLay said common sense tended to prevail over handwriting.

“Legible handwriting is important, illegible is different. Markers understand that handwriting is different in exam conditions,” she said.

“It needs to be readable but keep it in perspective, don’t spend hours obsessing over it.”

6. Keep perspective.

“It’s vital to remember that this grade is not going to change the course of your life,” she said.

“If you have a bad day, it’s not a prediction of the future. This is one component only.

“And you must remember that there are multiple ways of getting to where you need to go post-school.”