School Based Assessment (SBA) Outline (updated September 2023)

One SBA is required for students who are going to sit the English A and B exams and is worth

45 marks or approximately 21% percent of your final grade for both subjects. This SBA will be

monitored and completed during class sessions and any additional classes as required by the

supervising teacher. Individual sections will be given the date for submission.

It will be done individually and in groups of 4-5 students, who share a general topic.

Each student will however need to create a portfolio that is based on an issue, topic, theme or

event relevant to that group theme.

This portfolio will consist of six sections:

1. Plan of investigation

2. Participation measure

3. Indicators of group activity

4. Reflection

5. Written report

6. Oral presentation

Section 1- Plan of investigation

 This is where an introduction of no more than 100 words is written and divided into the

following areas:

• Identifying and selecting, an issue, topic, theme or event

• Purpose of the issue, topic, theme or event- that is of what benefit it will be to

student.

• Significance of the issue, topic, theme or event.

• Intentions for data collection.

Section 2- Participation measure

• Assessment of student’s participation is evaluated by self and by teacher.

• Students will outline their schedule of activities for the group component of SBA.

A measurement of participation and work completed will be done using a rubric.

Section 3- indicators of group activity

Data to be presented using three methods- print, audio and visual media to be placed

in portfolio. This forms the inquiry and scope of the SBA.

Section 4- Reflections

Includes three entries in which the student reflects on the issue, topic, theme, event

selected.

Entry 1- student will indicate how each piece of data helped to shape his/ her thinking

about topic.

Entry 2- discuss the language in the data selected.

Entry 3- discuss how the process of doing the SBA helped the student to become a

better person.
Section 5- Written report 250-300 words

This is a summary of the processes, procedures and outcomes of the research. It will

include:

• The data collected

• Reasons for selection of data

• Analysis of the data

Section 6- Oral presentation

• A personal response related to topic/ theme/ issue/ event delivered

orally in 3-5 minutes.

• Delivered predominantly in standard English and in either of the

following genres: drama, poetry, prose, role play, speech, argument,

exposition.

• Students will deliver a brief overview of the presentation including the

genre chosen, the sources used and a comment on the kind of language

used in the data.

• A brief plan of the Oral presentation must be submitted in the

Portfolio.

English School Based Assessment Portfolio Layout and Guide

 style: Type written and printed on high quality printer. An additional copy is to be placed on

a flash drive for upload to CXC governing body

Spacing: double line spacing. Single spacing permitted within long quotations, appendix

items and sub sections of Table of Contents.

Margins: 1” or 2.5 cm

Typeface: 12, Times New Roman throughout

Quotations: more than two lines set off from text in single spacing and indented 4 spaces in

from left hand margin.

Pagination: title page not numbered in

the pages of text in Arabic numerals consecutively

all page numbers in exact consistent location at top right hand corner of page.

Each chapter on a new page

Appendices should follow sequence of Arabic numerals.

Arrangement:

Title page

Establishing ownership or work

Acknowledgements

Table of Contents

Text

Works cited page

Appendices

Works cited page: all sources acknowledged in MLA requirements

Appendices: numbered consecutively in Arabic numerals and be titled. List of appendices to

be included in table of contents.

Before you startSelect your Group (no more than four to five members in each group)

Select theme or topic for the SBA.

Each group member selects their sub- theme or subtopic.

Themes

1. Scamming 4. Religion 7. Crime and violence

2. Human Trafficking 5. Beauty 8. Sports among teens

3. Dancehall music 6. Female discrimination 9. Dreams

Creating subtitles

Scamming- how does scamming impact crime?

The effects of scamming on the victims

Beauty- the various perceptions of beauty.

How views of ideal beauty impact an individual’s body image or physical beauty?

The presentation of beauty in literature.

A completed group SBA selection looks like this:

Theme: Sleep Deprivation in Teenagers

Sub-themes

The Effects of Sleep Deprivation on Teenagers

The Prevention of Sleep Deprivation in Teenagers

The Causes of Sleep Deprivation in Teenagers

The Effects of Sleep Deprived Teenagers on Society

Types of Artefacts/ Data

Print- newspaper report, magazine article, comic strip, poster

Video- movie, music video, documentary, news report

Audio- songs, radio interviews, interviews, new reports

 Collecting Data

Document the following information about each artefact collected:

Date you retrieved it, source, writer/ photographer/ composer, title of material,

publication date.

Analyzing data

• Give a brief overview of each piece in 3-4 sentences.

• State how each one is related to your theme and your subtopic.

• How does each artifact influence your view of topic- how did data inspire you,

impact you or what it reminds you of.

• What did you learn, or did it solidify what you already knew?

• Compare and contrast how the various artefacts present different viewpoints

on the topic.

Examining writer’s craft

Identify-word choice, literary devices, register, tone/ attitude, and what purpose the piece was

created for.

Mark Scheme for SBA

Graphical representation of the English SBA process and timeline:

The graphic below is for a longer period of time. Please follow the submission guidelines your

teacher gives you.

 SCHOOL CREST

English School Based Assessment

Group Topic: SBA

Individual topic: Exploring the CSEC English Portfolio

Candidate Name: John Doe

Candidate Number: 1234567

Name of School: Marian Academy

School Code: 090087

Territory: Guyana

Teacher: Rondha Lam-Singh

Date of Submission: 31 December 2023

 Table of Contents

Acknowledgements i

Plan of Investigation ................................................................................................................... 13

Piece 1 ........................................................................................................................................... 15

Piece 2 ........................................................................................................................................... 17

Piece 3 ........................................................................................................................................... 18

The Reflections ............................................................................................................................. 20

First entry- Thematic

Second entry- Language Skills
Third entry- Process

Oral Presentation (Plan)............................................................................................................. 24

Written Group Report ................................................................................................................. 28

Works Cited…………………………………………………………………………………10

Appendix ……………………………………………………………………………………..11
Plan of Investigation (POI): (State title for the investigation/inquiry/research/survey)

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

• CLEARLY STATE TITLE OF TOPIC

• GIVE INSIGHTFUL AND ORGINAL REASON FOR THIS RESEARCH

TOPIC

• STATE YOUR PERSONAL INTEREST IN IT OR AN EXPERIENCE YOU

HAD WITH THE TOPIC.

(b) What are the expected benefits to you as a student of English? They must be attainable.

Identify 3 English specific skills

• What skills were sharpened during your research? Research skills, writer’s

intentions, making inferences, use of diction

• Did it enhance your writing or speaking skills?

• Were you able to assess reliability of sources? - decipher bias or points of view

• Inform yourself about topical issues?

(c) How do you intend to collect relevant information on your issue/topic/theme/event and

use this in your presentation?

• Secondary research so all artifacts should be other people’s works.

• State the type or nature of the artifacts

• State the sources for example, the internet

• Indicate how the data will be used in the research in the reflection, the oral

presentation, and the written report. (100 words)

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 Criteria Breakdown

Reason for choosing the topic /theme and

selection of Title. (3 marks) Must be well explained.

"I find this topic interesting".

Expected benefits to you as a student of Summary writing, persuasive writing,

English. (3 marks) persuasive speaking, vocabulary.

Research skills, knowledge of the topic.

Material to be collected. (2 marks) Genre e.g poem, song, short story, article

Use of the English Language skills to be Summary writing & expanded

used in analyzing the material. (2 marks vocabulary will be used in writing

reflections and group reports.

Persuasive writing & persuasive

speaking will be used in the oral

presentation.

Before you move on

Have a well-developed reason for theme/topic in the Plan of Investigation

State types of artefacts and sources in the Plan of Inv.

Identify three English -specific Skills in the Plan of Inv.

State how the English skills will be used in the SBA in the the Plan of Investigation.

Sample POI

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The general theme is "Social Media “and subtheme is "Social Media and Self Esteem." The topic

was chosen because I have seen teenagers discouraged, cynical. and pessimistic due to posts

made about them on social media. The benefits to the student from this S.B.A are expanded

vocabulary, editing skills and persuasive writing. The three artefacts used are a poem, song and

an article, sourced from websites, textbooks and magazines.

Artefacts

Selection of Artifacts

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Poem
Short story Song
Article Play
Video Audio Picture
Note on Artefacts
Name and author of each artefact must be stated.
Insert an excerpt from each artefact used.
Place each one on a different page.

Artefact 1

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 Please note, this is just random text from Microsoft Office. Video provides a powerful

way to help you prove your point. When you click Online Video, you can paste in the embed

code for the video you want to add. You can also type a keyword to search online for the video

that best fits your document. To make your document look professionally produced, Word

provides header, footer, cover page, and text box designs that complement each other. For

example, you can add a matching cover page, header, and sidebar. Click Insert and then choose

the elements you want from the different galleries. Themes and styles also help keep your

document coordinated. When you click Design and choose a new Theme, the pictures, charts,

and SmartArt graphics change to match your new theme. When you apply styles, your headings

change to match the new theme. Save time in Word with new buttons that show up where you

need them.

To change the way a picture fits in your document, click it and a button for layout options

appears next to it. When you work on a table, click where you want to add a row or a column,

and then click the plus sign. Reading is easier, too, in the new Reading view. You can collapse

parts of the document and focus on the text you want. If you need to stop reading before you

reach the end, Word remembers where you left off - even on another device.

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 Artefact 2

Please note, this is just random text from Microsoft Office. When you click Online

Video, you can paste in the embed code for the video you want to add. You can also type a

keyword to search online for the video that best fits your document. To make your document

look professionally produced, Word provides header, footer, cover page, and text box designs

that complement each other. For example, you can add a matching cover page, header, and

sidebar.

Click Insert and then choose the elements you want from the different galleries. Themes and

styles also help keep your document coordinated. When you click Design and choose a new

Theme, the pictures, charts, and SmartArt graphics change to match your new theme. When you

apply styles, your headings change to match the new theme. Save time in Word with new buttons

that show up where you need them. To change the way a picture fits in your document, click it

and a button for layout options appears next to it. When you work on a table, click where you

want to add a row or a column, and then click the plus sign. Reading is easier, too, in the new

Reading view. You can collapse parts of the document and focus on the text you want. If you

need to stop reading before you reach the end, Word remembers where you left off - even on

another device.

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Artefact 3

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 Reflection

Date: 1/13/16

Entry 1

How did the stimuli affect your understanding of and reaction to theme? How has it impacted

you? What does it remind you of?

• How each piece of material helped me to shape my thinking about the

issue/topic/theme/event.

• How did you feel about the topic before engaging with the data sources?

• What impact was created after you read/ engaged with the sources?

• Writing guidelines: three paragraphs – one on thoughts before engaging with pieces (at

least 2 thoughts) and the other on how thoughts have changed (at least 2 changes- one

change per original thought mentioned in first paragraph OR 3 paragraphs (one for each

piece) in which you present before and after perceptions for each piece.

Sample

Before I started this SBA, I had limited knowledge on how social media affected our self-esteem

because it was not something we discussed. The article 'Social Media Affecting Self Esteem' by

Ariana Mijangos is about covering our insecurities using filters which improve our features. I

learnt that the fear of not being accepted and ridiculed due to appearance made us depressed.

The song "Scars to Your Beautiful" by Alessia Cara is about girls who lower their self-esteem

and eat less to be beautiful since they want to be noticed. Thus, I learnt that we are beautiful

without having to change our body.

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Next, the poem, "The Curse of Social Media" by Patricia Fleming is mainly about teenagers

wanting to impress their social media friends to seem cool or smart but, as we age, we realize

nobody cared about what we posted as teenagers. Thus, this taught me the foolishness of using

social media as a gauge of self-worth.

Note on Reflection One

Name and author of each artefactmust be stated.

State Previous knowledge in Reflection one.

State the issue in each artefact in reflection one.(summary)

State new knowledge or effect on the candidate by the artefacts.

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 Entry 2

Comment on language techniques used in one piece- word choice, figurative language,

emotional language, descriptive language, denotative and connotative language, levels of

formality, use of dialect and jargon. State how the language aids in your understanding of

List of Devices

simile, personification, paradox metaphor, satire,

Irony, allusion

register: formal, informal,

intimate, consultative, frozen, casual

• Discussion on the use of language in the material selected- comment on techniques (word

choice, figurative language). Identify the techniques and comment on how these

techniques helped or hindered the delivery of the message/ information.

• Writing guidelines: comment on at least two devices in each piece.

Formal or informal language?

Standard or nonstandard?

Which form of writing used- persuasive, expository, descriptive, narrative?

Writing tools- diction, statistics, imagery, literary devices

Tone/ mood of artifact and its appropriateness

Audience/ age writing is directed to

Gender to which writing is directed

Then discuss what effect each one has on the artefact

Sample

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In the online article, the author effectively uses diction to convey the issue that is the presence of

pornographic material on Instagram. The use of the words "extremely graphic pornographic

content" and "explicit" conveys how serious the problem is and creates a sense of urgency to see

it resolved.

The illustrator of the comic strip uses allusion to sufficiently convey the negative effects of

pornography. They allude to the story of Eve succumbing to the temptations of sin. This conveys

the message that porn is addicting and harmful. They use the words "I can't get enough" and

"It's harmful like a drug" to signal this to the reader.

Finally, the poet utilizes contrast to highlight the difference in availability of such

content for boys in his time as opposed to now. The lines "Things are different now/New and

improved" suggest that porn is easier to come by.

Before you move on:

You do not need to state the title of the artifact. State artifact one/ artefact two/ artefact three and

the genre

Select and discuss only ONE appropriate language strategy for each artefact in reflection two.

Example of each strategy must be given in reflection two.

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 Entry 3

Comment on how the processes of doing the English SBA on the selected theme has helped

you to grow e.g. increased understanding, competence, awareness, changes in behavior,

attitude and world view.

How the process of doing the SBA helped the student to become a better person: development in

analytical or public speaking skills, writing, self-confident, built self-esteem, self-efficiency

What are your experiences? -

Did you learn tolerance whilst working in groups? - working with others, taking responsibility

and leadership)

Become more critical in conducting research

Changes in behavior, attitude and world view

Develop confidence in knowledge of topic- increasing understanding, competence

Writing guideline: outline at least two personal improvements. Link each improvement to a

process required by the SBA.

(150 words)

Sample

Engaging in this SBA Process has helped me in many ways. Firstly, it has allowed me to

understand that instead of living with my personal confusions, I can use the inquiry-based

approach to learning to resolve them. I do not have to rely on my own understanding. This

approach can also be used when I do not fully understand topics in classes. Rather than remain

ignorant or confused in those areas, I could research on my own.

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The process has also helped me to organize and present my ideas to my peers. I usually shy away

from that because I was afraid of appearing stupid. However, engaging in repeated and

constructive peer and self-assessment has helped me to more readily accept criticism of my work

and more critically assess my own work. It has also helped me to more readily accept that I am

not perfect. Therefore, my first or even my third attempt may not be the best, so I should not be

afraid to share my thoughts and be prepared to refine them.

Finally, the process has helped me to work better with people. Working in a group was not

always easy but having to do it helped me to accept and work with different personalities. I am

sure this is something I will have to do in the world of work, so I am thankful for the practice.

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 Oral Presentation (Plan)

The plan for the oral presentation rubric said it must be done in "note for: overview of the theme

and how it is to be used. Include sources and kind of language in them. State the following –

topic, genre, language devices to be used and why.

Presented in standard English in 3-5 minutes and in the following genres- drama, prose, poetry,

prose, role play, speech, argument, exposition. (creative response to topic).

Brief overview of the presentation- genre chosen, sources used plus a comment on the kind of

language used in the data. State the main idea and what aids you will use.

Original pieces – memorize by heart

Guidelines for your presentation:

1. Know your audience

2. Select an appropriate mode based on your audience

3. Select appropriate aids to assist you.

4. Practice before.

5. Present naturally and authentically- make eye contact.

Sample

The topic, Caribbean Education reform, is presented as a talk show where it discusses the

ideologies of the education system. The presentation basically portrays the opinions of a student

asked by the host and how to improve the quality of the Caribbean education as a tool of freedom

from poverty. The journey of researching this topic is shown by the questions asked by the host

and the tactful answers given by the student. It is open for interpretation, for it gives a broad,

holistic view of the social issues that cause students to step down from school in the Caribbean.

A little insight of the education is seen by the comment made in the Twitter and how the student

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gives elaborative description of how a school should be. In conclusion, the student made it clear

that education can only be successfully implemented by students giving the time of personal

space.

OR

TOPIC: My Hair Journey

Genre: Poetry

Sources: Elle 2016, Hutchison 2010

Language used: rhyme, rhythm, humour to make message more acceptable; repetition and

intonation to make it less monotonous and more memorable.

Main idea; hair is acceptable in any texture.

Aids: different types of weave.

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 Group Written Report

Approximately 300 words: a summary of the processes, procedures and outcomes of the

research. It should include:

- The material collected

- Reasons for selection

- Analysis of the material

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

identify which three pieces of material were chosen and give a clear description of tasks and

procedures.

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 learn individually or as a group?

*Did you meet as a group?

*Do you think the group was effective working together?

Sample

Skin bleaching has become a major issue in the society over the years. As a group, we were

interested in different aspects of the theme. As such, we researched a number of artifacts that

dealt with the topic of Skin Bleaching. Finding artefacts for this theme was relatively easy

because there have been a number of articles, reports, songs and documentaries done based

on the topic. While researching the topic, we had a couple of instances where we exchanged

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artifacts at group meetings as we tried to help each other to select suitable artifacts for each

other. From the fifteen artifacts in our group, we met and selected three artifacts that we felt

best captured our group theme. The artifacts that were selected are: ‘The Dangers of Skin

Bleaching’ by Sam West, ‘Clean Skin’ by Savage and ‘Skin Bleaching in Jamaica’ an All-

Angles news feature. We selected these artifacts because we were all able to understand that

bleaching was extremely dangerous from West (2015) newspaper article; however, the

remaining two artifacts explain why people bleach their skin despite the dangers. We come to

realize from Savage (2017) and All Angles (2014) that people think they are more appealing,

beautiful or have a financial edge in the workplace when they bleach. This edge was what they

thought helped them to be successful. The group faced challenges (working co-operatively &

meeting), but we learnt to work together (edit each other’s work & assigned roles) to

understand our theme.

WORKS CITED OR USED IN COMPILATION OF THIS SBA GUIDE:

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Atkins, F. “About the SBA”. 2016. www.bulbsoup.com/207 . Web. Sept 21, 2017.

Banton, Z.Y. CSEC English SBA Student Guide and Workbook. Montego Bay: Banton, 2017.

Print

Blair, Sherice. The English SBA Outline. Kingston: Hodder, 2017. Print

Caribbean Examinations Council. CSEC Notes for English Teachers and Students. Kingston:

CXC, 2017. Print.

Ministry of Education, Guyana. English SBA Workshop. Georgetown:MOE, 2022. Online.

Williams- Mc Bean, Clavia. SBA in English- A Guide and Workbook for Students. Clarendon:

Williams-Mc Bean, 2017. Print.

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