CSEC ENGLISH SBA

Introduction

Every student taking the CSEC English examinations is required to submit a School-Based Assessment
(SBA), worth 21% of the total assessment (45 marks).

A single SBA will be required to complete both aspects of the English Syllabus: English A and English B.
A student who does English A only OR English B only OR English A and B will be required to submit
ONLY one SBA. The SBA will be credited for both English A and B.

The SBA is expected to be done by each student working as an individual, and as a member of a small group
approved by the teacher where:

• individual refers to each student, who has responsibility for his/her own portfolio; and,
• group refers to 4 – 5 students sharing a general topic, who work together to discuss and solve
problems, explain ideas, learn from peers, improve oral skills, and practise social skills and
leadership roles.

The marks assigned to a student will consist of:

• his/her individual mark (Plan of Investigation, Individual Participation Measure, Reflection, Oral
Presentation); and,
• the mark assigned to the group ( Quality of Within-Group Activities, Written Report).

Portfolio

Each student will create a Portfolio on an issue/topic/theme/event selected by the students in the
group and approved by the teacher. The issue/topic/theme/event will also be orally presented. The
issue/topic/theme/event selected should allow for meaningful research and presentation.

The Portfolio should include the following:

1. Plan of Investigation: an introduction to the issue/topic/theme/event (A satisfactory response should

be no more than 100 words).

• Why did you choose this issue/topic/theme/event?

• What are the expected benefits to you as a student of English?
• How do you intend to collect relevant information on your issue/topic/theme/event and use this in
your presentation?

2. Individual Participation Measure: A measure of the candidate’s individual participation assessed by

self and teacher.

3. Quality of Within-Group Activities/Indicators of Group Activity: A minimum of THREE pieces of

material, for example, print, audio, visual media must be collected and presented in the Portfolio and
should address the issue/topic/theme/event selected. One of the three pieces must be print. These
 pieces will form the basis for the process of enquiry and group work activities (cognitive,
psychomotor, affective) in which students will become aware of and practise English language skills.

4. Reflection: THREE entries in which the student reflects on the issue/topic/ theme/ event selected
should be completed. In the first entry the student must indicate how each piece of material helped to
shape his or her thinking about the issue/topic/ theme/event. The second entry should discuss the use
of language in the material selected and the third entry should state how the process of doing the
SBA helped the student to become a better person. The reflection should be written in class under the
teacher’s supervision.

5. Written Report: A written report of the investigation should be a summary of the processes,
procedures and outcomes of the research. It should include the material collected, reasons for
selection and analysis of the material. A satisfactory report should be about 250- 300 words in total.

6. Oral Presentation: A personal response related to issue/topic/ theme/ event should be delivered orally
in 3 to 5 minutes. The oral presentation should be delivered predominately in standard English and in
a genre of the student’s choosing, for example, drama, poetry, prose, role play, speech, argument,
exposition. The student should deliver a brief overview of the presentation including the genre
chosen, the sources used and a comment on the kind of language used. A brief plan of the Oral
Presentation must be submitted in the Portfolio.

Contents of the Portfolio (what should be in your folder)

• Cover Page
• Table of Contents
• Plan of Investigation
• Individual Participation Measure (scoring rubric for the task)
• Three Materials Selected (labelled and separated as Material 1, Material 2, Material 3)
• Reflections (labelled and separated as Reflection 1, Reflection 2, Reflection 3)
• Quality of Within-Group Activities (scoring rubric for the task)
• Written Report
• Three Materials selected for group report (labelled and separated as Material 1, etc.)
• Overview of the Oral Presentation
• References
• Scoring Rubric (optional)

Selecting group and individual issue/topic/theme/event

• Meet with your group members and brainstorm possible issues/topics/themes/events for your SBA.
• Check that you will be able to find adequate information on your issue/topic/theme/event.
• Choose an/a issue/topic/theme/event which engages you and the other members of your group;
choose a current, interesting or controversial issue/topic/them/event.
• Conduct research to help you decide which issue/topic/theme/event can be developed; you should be
able to find sufficient and available information.
• Your choice should have adequate sub-topics so that every group member has a fair opportunity to
complete his/her SBA.
For example:

Group Topic: How the Caribbean is presented by its writers

Individual Sub-topics: - Caribbean Writers

- Poems about the Caribbean
- Folk culture in the Caribbean
- Popular themes in Caribbean literature

Group topic: Street Children

Individual Sub-topics: - The impact of street children on society

- The measures implemented by the government to curb the number of street
children
- Activities street children engage in to survive
- Possible ways to reduce the number of street children

Selecting Materials/Artefacts

• Research and gather 3 materials that can be used for the reflections and considered for the written
report. Materials can be obtained from books, magazines, newspapers, or the Internet.
• Materials can come from the following: poem, short story, article, play, video, speech, comic strip,
picture, advertisements, graphs/tables, social media posts, blog posts, memes, etc.
• Select materials that are easy to understand, and which are of reasonable length. Each material must
be directly related to the topic and contains a language strategy.
• One material MUST be print. No material should have only an image/picture; it must have some
form of text.
• Note the reference information of the artefacts as soon as they are collected.

Referencing Materials/Artefacts

APA: American Psychological Association (the style of documentation of sources)

APA website citations usually include the author, the publication date, the title of the page or article, the
website name, and the URL. If there is no author, start the citation with the title of the article. If the page is
likely to change over time, add a retrieval date.
Example:

Greenhouse, S. (2020, July 30). The coronavirus pandemic has intensified systemic economic racism against
black Americans. The New Yorker. Retrieved October 26, 2021 from
https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/the-pandemic-has-intensified-systemic-economic-racism-
against-black-americans
 TASK: PLAN OF INVESTIGATION (Guidelines/Sample)
Word Limit = 100 Words
Paragraph 1
• State the topic your group has chosen.

• State your individual sub-topic and explain the reason for choosing it. (Your reason must be original
and insightful- must show you have some personal interest and a very good understanding of what
you will investigate).

Paragraph 2
• List two expected benefits to you as a student of English (these skills must specifically be English
skills that will be sharpened or assessed during the process of the SBA. Clearly express the skills;
they must be attainable).

• Some examples of English skills include summary writing, expanded vocabulary, explaining literary
devices, persuasive writing, persuasive speaking, editing, proof-reading, enhancing the ability to
speak and write in Standard English.

• Do not mention skills such as research skills, improving knowledge of the topic, and other skills that
are not specific to English.

• You must also explain how these skills will be used in the process (the different aspects of the SBA
the skills will be used in- reflection entries, group written report and oral presentation).
➢ inform the analysis for the reflections
➢ inform content or analysis for the written report
➢ provide stimulus for the oral presentation

Paragraph 3
• Explain how you intend to collect relevant information (your 3 materials) on your sub-topic.

• State possible sources of the intended materials (Internet, textbooks, magazines, newspapers,
anthology, etc. You must list at least 2 sources).

• You must also state what type or nature the intended materials will take (poem, essay, articles,
story, play, video, audio, song, comic strips, posters, picture/images, graphs, advertisements, etc.)

• Keep in mind that one of the three materials must be in print, and the materials you will select must
have sufficient information. No material should have only an image/picture; it must have some
form of text. Videos or audios must have their transcripts. Songs must have their lyrics.
 SAMPLE OF A PLAN OF INVESTIGATION

Use the sample below to guide you to write your own Plan of Investigation.

The researcher’s group chooses to the topic “Divorce”. (Group topic) He plans to further his investigation
on the effects of divorce on children (Individual topic) because many marriages end in divorce and children
are almost always involved. Also, his parents were about to be divorced, and he wanted to be prepared for
what he would go through. (Reason for choosing the individual topic)

As an English student, he expects to improve his summary writing skills (Specific English skill) because he
would find a lot of information and need to put it in a compact format in the reflections. (Aspect of the SBA
in which the skill will be used) He also intends to develop a better use of persuasive methods (Specific
English skill) in his oral presentation. (Aspect of the SBA in which the skill will be used)

The researcher will use articles, songs and poems (Type/Nature of the materials) from the Internet, books
and magazines to procure relevant information for his investigation. (Sources of the materials- must be
more than one)

TASK: REFLECTION ONE (Guidelines/Samples)

Word Limit = 150 Words

Reflection One focuses on how each of the three pieces/materials/stimuli you have selected shaped or
guided your thinking about the topic.

Reflect on how each piece shaped your thinking in a different paragraph. For each material, you must have
the following:

• Previous knowledge you have on the topic (what you think about the topic before starting the SBA;
if you knew nothing before, you must indicate that)

• Title (what the material is based on) and genre (type) of material

• Main idea(s) or issue(s) of the material, detail/s supporting main idea or issue, and what the
knowledge gained makes you feel

• New knowledge gained, or what you understand more, or what you are reminded of
 SAMPLES OF REFLECTION ONE

Use the samples below to guide you to write your entry for Reflection One.

Sample One
Like many others, the researcher has heard about climate change but was unaware of the challenges it poses
for livelihood. (previous knowledge) The expository newspaper article (genre/type of material) on the
effect climate change has had on fishing in the Caribbean (title) explains how the rise in sea temperature has
led to a decline in fish stocks. (main idea/issue) It presents graphs which helped the researcher to
understand how serious this problem is. (what is understood more)
Sample Two
The researcher saw effects of noise pollution on humans and the environment. She had contributed to this
problem, but after reading Dr. Marcelo’s article “No Noise”, she learned that a quiet environment is better.
Even though she enjoys listening to music, the article inspired her to stop playing loud music at home. The
researcher now understands that noise pollution has many effects on humans and even the environment.
Sample Three
The researcher knows skin bleaching is common, but knows little of its destructive nature. Kay Ireland’s
article “The Effects of Skin Bleaching” shows her just how destructive it can be. It reveals effects such as
aggravated skin diseases, impaired healing, and uneven skin colouring. The article provides the researcher
with the details she needs to educate those she knows that are bleaching or who are considering it so that
they will think before making a mistake.

Sample Four

The researcher knew that volcanic eruptions are very dangerous. The main idea of the article “The eruption
of the Montserrat volcano” was to inform people when the volcano erupted and the events that led to its
eruption. For example, there would be lots of earthquakes and gas would come out of the volcano. I learnt
when there are five earthquakes a week is known as a swarm.

The main idea of the story “Volcano” is a person sharing how his experience was during a volcanic eruption;
it was scary, frightening and terrifying- something the researcher has never personally experienced. The
researcher learnt that magma melts everything regardless size or weight, and he knew that magma sizzles
and bubbles.

From the poem, the researcher learned that earth “makes” disasters. The main idea of Manohar’s poem
“Volcanic Eruption” informs the reader what happens when a volcano erupts; for example, it damages
property, flights are blocked, and innocent people die. Instead of people blaming the earth, they blame and
question God. The researcher already knew that volcanic eruptions are dangerous and it causes a lot of
destruction.
 TASK: REFLECTION TWO (Guidelines/Samples)
Word Limit = 150 Words

Reflection Two focuses on commenting on the use of language in each of the three
pieces/materials/stimuli you have selected; that means you are required to pay attention to the language that
is used to convey meaning.

The word “comment” means that you will discuss, evaluate or pass judgment on the impact or effectiveness
of the language that is used to communicate meaning or information on your sub-topic.

Consider the following:

• If one of your material is a poem, you are going to look out for figurative language, diction,
structure and tone.

• If it is an article, pay attention to persuasive techniques like statistics, expert opinion, quotes or
the use of text features like bold headings or bullet points.

• If it is a picture or cartoon, note the striking aspects of the image that are connected to the topic.

• If it is a song, identify the use of words and figurative language.

• If it is a video, there are several things you can consider like body language, setting, and use of
persuasive techniques, literary devices or text features.

Examples of some language techniques:

• Registers: formal, informal/casual, static/frozen, consultative, intimate

• Tone
• Mood
• Literary devices: metaphor, sarcasm, rhetorical questions, diction, etc.
• Examples
• Statistics
• Structure: comparative, evaluative, sequential, etc.

Reflect on the main or dominant technique(s) in each material in a different paragraph. Since the
prescribed word count is 150 words, you should not need more than 50 words of commentary for each
material.

For each material, you must have the following:

• Title (what the material is based on) and genre (type) of material

• Purpose of the material (to persuade/convince, to entertain, to describe, to explain, to inform, etc.)

• The main or dominant language technique(s) in the material (identify the technique/s)
 • Comment on the impact or effectiveness of the technique/s in achieving the writer’s/creator’s
purpose (in other words, discussion on how well a technique helped to achieve the purpose of the
material or convey meaning; provide an example of the technique/s identified and then explain)

NOTE: Avoid comments like:

The writer uses metaphor to make meaning clearer, or the writer uses statistics that make his point
meaningful. BE SPECIFIC.

SAMPLE PARAGRAPHS OF REFLECTION TWO

Sample 1

Morris’s poem (source and genre) “Little Boy Crying” (title) describes (purpose) a father’s reaction after
slapping his son. The metaphor (technique) “easy tears can scald him” (example of technique) reveals the
father is deeply hurt by his son’s distress. This indicates he is not as heartless as his son believes. It also
helps to dispel the idea that parents are unfeeling when they punish their children. (commentary on how the
technique conveys meaning)

Sample 2
The picture on the front page of the Daily Moon captures quite vividly how devastating a hurricane has been
to the community of Glendon and reinforces that it is not something to be taken lightly. The picture shows
cars and houses submerged in water because of flooding. This image fills the viewer with horror because the
picture reveals that the passage of a hurricane can result in the destruction of people's possessions or
property.
SAMPLE OF REFLECTION TWO

TheWorldCounts’ article examines how fossil-fuelled cars impact the environment. Statistical data and
research evidence “80-90% of cars’ environmental impact comes from fuel consumption and emissions of
air pollution” reveals that cars are a heavy CO2 emitter and air polluter which is “responsible for up to 30,
000 premature deaths every year”. This emphasises the urgency to find solutions to protect man and his
environment.
The model answer to an essay by IELTS Mentor discusses advantages and disadvantages of having a car.
Comparative language “…it gives the freedom to travel…On the contrary, owing a car is very expensive”
causes one to think if it is a good idea to buy a car. Furthermore, the cause-effect expression “More cars
means more pollution” reveals the damage that can be brought to human and environmental health.

The excerpt from the NCpedia’s article examines how cars played a part in changing the American society
and the lives of women. The cause-effect expression “with more cars and better roads came the suburbs”
indicates that cars played a part in the progress of American society. The factual statement “In 1916 two
women…made a pretty bold car trip…to advocate for women’s right to vote” demonstrates how cars helped
women to show their freedom and identity.
 TASK: REFLECTION THREE (Guidelines/Sample)
Word Limit = 150 Words

This reflection discusses how the process of doing the SBA has helped you to grow, and become a better
person. It should be completed after you have done most of your tasks.

In this reflection, you must identify three (3) ways in which you have grown as a person and elaborate on
each way in a separate paragraph.

Guide Questions:

1. Have you become better at working with others in groups?

2. Have your research skills improved?
3. Are you better at public speaking?
4. Are you better at time management?
5. Have you improved your ability to critique written and spoken information?

SAMPLE PARAGRAPH OF REFLECTION THREE

The process of completing this school-based assessment has impacted the researcher positively. Prior to this
research, he was a very shy person. However, being required to work in a group challenged him to be more
assertive and sociable; he has become more confident to speak in public. This surprised him as he usually
avoided speaking before people. He now realizes that he is quite capable to deliver presentations.

TASK: WRITTEN REPORT (Guidelines/Sample)

Word Limit = 250-300 Words

• You must produce a written report of 250-300 words in which you summarise the processes and
outcomes of your research and comment on the three stimuli selected from your group pool of
materials.

• The written report is on the work of your group as a whole, not on your individual contribution to the
research.

• Each student in the group should include a copy of the group’s written report in his/her portfolio.

• The written report is a collaborative effort which means you must meet as often as possible to share
your ideas on what you wish to include in the report. It should show evidence of research and
appropriate referencing.
 • The group report is assessed for an identification of the contexts in which pieces were chosen, a
description of the tasks done in selecting the materials, analysis of the material, appropriate citation
of sources, and use of language.

• It is worth 10 marks.

KEY TERMS
• Processes: Focus on describing how the group collected the three pieces that were most appropriate
for the group report and the difficulties you may have experienced doing so. If the group had no
difficulties, give a reason for this.

• Procedures: Summarize how the group went about analyzing the materials. The analysis covers the
relevance of the material/stimuli/pieces and the artistic/visual/literary/aural features of what is
selected.

• Outcomes: Focus on your experience as a group and your impressions. Outcomes cover the new
knowledge gained about the theme/the selection process/the group as members who were involved in
the research. Strategically summarize the findings that the pieces/stimuli provided by way of
individual and group analysis.

Your Written Report should fulfill certain requirements. Note below what it should cover.

Paragraph One (Describe the process)

• What is the group’s theme/topic?
• What are the sub-themes/sub-topics focused on by the group members?
• How was the group formed?
• How did you choose your theme and why?
• How were the sub-topics of the group members selected?

Paragraph Two (Describe the procedure)

• How did the group members go about searching for their pieces?
• Did the group members help each other to source their pieces?

• What process or system was used by the group to select the three (3) pieces for the group activity and
written report? Did the group have meetings? Did group members have discussions? Were group
members given the opportunity to defend the usefulness of their pieces? Were votes cast?

• Why were the three specific pieces chosen for the group report? What outstanding qualities did they
have?

Paragraph Three (Analysis of the Language)

• Discuss the information that each piece gives on the theme/topic and how it is significant (major/key
issues).
• You can even highlight the effectiveness of language devices.
• Sources should be appropriately referenced using the APA format.
APA (American Psychological Association):
The last name of the author or person consulted and the year of publication for the source should appear in
the text next to the quotation or reference, and a complete reference should appear in the
bibliography/reference page at the end of the work.
Example:
Increased consumption of fast foods is “extremely serious for the health of the young people of our nation”,
(Williamson, 2018), and could have far-reaching consequences.

Paragraph Four (Outcomes)

• Do you know more about the theme/topic?
• Do you want to learn more?
• Have you learnt anything about working in groups?
• Have your language skills improved?

Checklist for Written Report

Have you:
• given a clear summary of the theme we selected?
• addressed the key issues relating to our research?
• described group activities and the role played by each group member?
• provided evidence of the research we conducted?
• referenced our sources of information clearly?
• evaluated the outcome of our research?
• organised our ideas clearly in our report?
• used correct grammar, punctuation and spelling?

SAMPLE OF THE WRITTEN REPORT

Use the sample below to guide you to compose your report.

This school-based assessment started with the subject teacher discussing the procedures with the researchers,
and grouping them. After discussing the outline of the SBA, the researchers consented to the topic
“Marriage” since it is a common way of uniting people, yet at times it gives rise to conflicts. The members
investigated different aspects, such as benefits of being married, infidelity, addictions in marriage, effects of
divorce on children, domestic violence within marriage and marital problems.

The researchers then set a schedule for completing their SBA. They conducted preliminary research, and
allocated tasks to group members. They met regularly to report back and discuss the data by group members.
They kept a journal in which different group members recorded notes of their meetings. On completing their
research, they helped each other select pieces to present in their portfolios. The artefacts were very easy to
find because marriage is a very prevalent topic, which is widely discussed in books, magazines and even on
the internet. In total, the group had eighteen (18) artefacts to choose from. The group met in school after the
end of term examinations, discussed what artefacts were the most interesting, and gave the most information
about the topic. The three (3) artefacts chosen were shared with all group members to include in their
portfolios. The three artefacts chosen were “Marriage” (Jean, 2018), The Cost of Addictions on Family
(Bosari, 2005), and “Daddy Walked Out” (Johnson, 2017).
From the first artefact, “Marriage”, the researchers learned that marriage depends on respect and acceptance
for each other to succeed, and that marriage bonds two people in body and mind. In the second artefact,
“The Cost of Addictions on Families”, they learned that addictions such as alcoholism and drugs can result
in financial problems and even lead to divorce. In the third artefact, “Daddy Walked Out”, they learned that
sometimes divorce could benefit the children, as they will be able to live in a peaceful home and have
parents who are less stressed and more focused on their wants and needs. This creates an environment that is
more suitable for a child’s emotional stability and growth.

Among many other things, the researchers learned that marriage is beneficial because it provides
companionship, as well as spiritual, financial and sexual benefits. They also learned that infidelity, domestic
violence and addictions are the main causes of divorce. Additionally, at first they faced some challenges in
working as a group as they had little experience of organising group meetings. Some of them were better at
chairing meetings than others. By the end of the process, they had learnt to work together and value each
other’s contributions.

P.S: This sample is a guide and not of a prescribed nature.

TASK: ORAL PRESENTATION/OVERVIEW OF THE ORAL PRESENTATION

(Guidelines/Sample)

• The Oral Presentation is your personal response (what you have learnt, and what you would like to
say about what you have gathered; original piece) to the sub-topic you have selected.
• It will be delivered orally within 3-5 minutes in the presence of judges and an audience.
• Also, it is to be delivered predominantly (mostly) in Standard English in a genre of your choice, but a
few phrases in dialect are permitted where appropriate.
• The overview (plan) of your Oral Presentation must be included in your SBA portfolio.
• You are the only presenter; an individual grade will be given.
• You can consult group members, help each other edit, or do mock presentations.

OVERVIEW OF THE ORAL PRESENTATION

Group Topic: ____________________________________

Individual Sub-topic: ____________________________________

Genre/Type: Poetry: Free Verse/Sonnet; Prose: Story/Speech/Argument;

Drama: Role play/Dramatic monologue; Music: Rap
Reason for Selection of Genre: Explain why you have selected your specific method of
presentation. What was your inspiration?
Sources Used: SBA Stimuli/Materials, Textbooks/books, Television, Radio

Kind(s) of Language Technique/Register: List the language technique(s) you will use in your presentation.

Reason for Selection of Language Technique/Register: Comment on its effectiveness (state why you
choose it/them).

Synopsis: Brief overview of what your presentation will be about. Provide

one or two sentences.

SAMPLE OF THE OVERVIEW OF THE ORAL PRESENTATION

Group Topic: Teenage Pregnancy

Individual Sub-topic: Negative Effects of Teenage Pregnancy

Genre/Type: Drama: Dramatic Monologue

Reason for Selection of Genre: The researcher decided to present in the form of a dramatic
monologue because she is familiar with its concept, and she
believes that it will be the most effective way for her to
express her thoughts since it allows her to be creative.

Sources Used: The SBA Stimuli/Materials the researcher selected provided

content for her dramatic monologue.

Kind(s) of Language Technique/Register: Formal register/Standard English, as well as a small amount of

informal register

Reason for Selection of Language Technique/Register: The researcher selected the above
techniques/registers since they are relatable and
everyone from anywhere can and will
understand what she is trying to express.

Synopsis: The dramatic monologue will be about the negative effects a

teenage girl faces when she is pregnant at the age of fifteen.