A Breakdown of the CSEC English A SBA

Share

A number of persons have reviewed the SBA outline that I have posted to this blog and they have also asked a number of questions based on the new CSEC English A SBA. This post is my attempt to further breakdown/explain the CSEC English A SBA. This information was gathered from a CSEC Webinar that was conducted in September. Click HERE to see the syllabus outline of the SBA.

THE SBA OUTLINE Students will be in groups of 4 or 5.

FUNCTION OF THE GROUP

 

  1. Students will assist each other by proof reading each others work
  2. Have group discussions and brainstorm ideas
  3. Assist each other in research
  4. Write the written report together


NB: Group work is not optional. It is a part of the process of the SBA. Students and/ or teachers can create a number of themes (drug abuse, violence against women, natural disasters, etc ). Themes can also be created by students based on their interests. Each group will select a theme. Each student in the group will select a sub-theme based on the group theme. Teachers can guide students to identify sub-themes through brainstorming the theme.  For example: The Main Theme: Drug Abuse

The Sub-Themes can be:

* drug abuse treatments
* the effects of drug abuse
* how drug abuse contributes to crime
* how drug abuse affects teenagers

RESEARCH

After sub-themes have been selected, students will now find their three (3) pieces of data/artefacts that further explains the theme. These pieces of data (artefacts) can come in the following formats: a document (articles, tables, pictures, audio (a recording), video, an interview etc). Student will select materials that is they can write a reflection on.

One of the three pieces must be print. Your audio can be placed on a CD or Flash Drive

Students should not do any interviews or questionnaires for this research. 

PLAN OF INVESTIGATION (100 words)

An introduction to the issue/topic/theme/event (A satisfactory response should be no more than 100 words).

(a) Why did you choose this issue/topic/theme/event?

(b) What are the expected benefits to you as a student of English?

(c) How do you intend to collect relevant information on your issue/topic/theme/event and use this in your presentation?

REFLECTION (450 words in total)

Students will then write their reflection of how the document/ artefact shaped their thinking about the sub-topic they are exploring. Students will then examine how the language  helped them to further understand the sub-theme/topic. Students will write THREE entries in which the student reflects on the issue/topic/ theme/ event selected should be completed in their portfolio. The final piece of reflection should state how doing this SBA or Sub-theme helped the student to become a better person or improved his/her attitude. (This can be done at the end of the year.)

The entire group will have 12 pieces of data/artefacts in total. Students must use their own pieces of material. Students should not have the same reflections.

Each reflection must be individualThese reflections should be written in class.

STRUCTURE OF THE REFLECTION


Entry 1

State how the data/artefact has inspired you, affected you, impacted on you, and what does it remind you of.

Entry 2

Students will comment on the use of language. They will state if the language formal, informal, jargons, slangs, technical or distant tone. State how the language aid in your understanding of the sub-theme/topic.

Entry 3

State how the sub-theme/topic helps you to become a better person , shape your attitude, etc. (This should be done at the end of the term.)

WRITTEN REPORT (300 words)

This is a report on the research process. This also states the outcome of the research.

You can answer these questions in your written report. *What steps have you taken to get your work done?
*How did you collect the data?
*Are you happy with the pieces you have done?
*Are you happy working as a group?
*Did you learnt individually or as a group?
*Did you meet as a group?
*Do you think the group was effective working together? This report should be written as a group.

ORAL PRESENTATION (3-5 minutes)

What you have decided to do as your contribution to your theme/sub- theme. Students can write a poem, drama piece, or prose piece. Students creative response after a brief overview of the research process. A brief plan of the oral presentation must be submitted in the portfolio. This must be a part of the presentation. This should be done in Standard English. Teachers will mark the presentation.

 

139 thoughts on “A Breakdown of the CSEC English A SBA”

  1. Reflection: the highest mark of 5 is earned if the student produces a reflection (one reflection) which integrates (note: integrates) the three pieces. This suggests that the three separate reflections are preparatory to producing the single reflection which would be produced out of the students skill in summary. What is suggested is that the single reflection, in being an integration, is in fact longer than the separate reflections as it shows the responses to three pieces. The question needs to be settled whether the student submits the three separate reflections which treat the pieces separately AS WELL AS THE SINGLE PIECE WHICH INTEGRATES THE THREE PIECES. This clarification is urgently needed since high performing in SBA requires strict adherence to instructions.]]>

  2. Reflection: the highest mark of 5 is earned if the student produces a reflection (one reflection) which integrates (note: integrates) the three pieces. This suggests that the three separate reflections are preparatory to producing the single reflection which would be produced out of the students skill in summary. What is suggested is that the single reflection, in being an integration, is in fact longer than the separate reflections as it shows the responses to three pieces. The question needs to be settled whether the student submits the three separate reflections which treat the pieces separately AS WELL AS THE SINGLE PIECE WHICH INTEGRATES THE THREE PIECES. This clarification is urgently needed since high performing in SBA requires strict adherence to instructions.]]>

  3. Reflection: the highest mark of 5 is earned if the student produces a reflection (one reflection) which integrates (note: integrates) the three pieces. This suggests that the three separate reflections are preparatory to producing the single reflection which would be produced out of the students skill in summary. What is suggested is that the single reflection, in being an integration, is in fact longer than the separate reflections as it shows the responses to three pieces. The question needs to be settled whether the student submits the three separate reflections which treat the pieces separately AS WELL AS THE SINGLE PIECE WHICH INTEGRATES THE THREE PIECES. This clarification is urgently needed since high performing in SBA requires strict adherence to instructions.]]>

    1. I am doing exact same thing but its structure differently and I don’t really understand the plan of investigation a little help would be great

      ]]>

    1. I am doing exact same thing but its structure differently and I don’t really understand the plan of investigation a little help would be great

      ]]>

    1. I am doing exact same thing but its structure differently and I don’t really understand the plan of investigation a little help would be great

      ]]>

  4. My topic is drug abuse
    My subtopic is how drug abuse affect teenagers..i want help with my plan amd investigation

    ]]>

  5. I really don’t understand anything….can someone explain the whole content to me????? My draft is due at the end of the week!!!!!

  6. Does anyone know how to write a plan of investigation for the theme: physical environment and it’s effects on the learning process????

  7. I need help with my English SBA ..my theme is mental health.. An by topic is the stigmatization of people with mental illness

  8. Do we integrate all three pieces of data into one reflection or do we write separate reflections for each piece of data?

  9. My SBA theme is crime
    My topic crime and its effect on the jamaican youth and totally lost right now I still don’t understand 100 percent

  10. My topic is black entertainment and my sub topic is music i dont really know how to explain this i need help

  11. I WAS GIVEN THIS TO DO AS MY SBA ;OUR RENEWABLE RESOURCES ARE RUNNING OUT. WHAT NEXT? EARTH -CORN. I AM CONFUSE WHATS MY ISSUE/TOPIC/THEME/EVENT.PLEASE HELP THIS FOR MY PLAN INVESTIGATION

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *