CHANGES+CXC+ENGLISH+A+2012

= Changes to the CXC English A exam for May/June 2012 and forward = I had promised for some time to talk about the changes to the CXC English A exam for May/June 2012. Never got around to it before, but I am here to do it now. Actually we have already changed the [|marking scheme on CaribExams.org] to reflect the new changes in the syllabus for this year. For example, the total assessment marks for the multiple choice paper (paper 1) went from **37%** to **24 %.** this means that paper 1 now contributes **less** to your final mark. The total assessment mark for the essay paper (paper 2) went **up** from **63%** to **76%** of the total marks. If this sounds a bit confusing,[| take a look at our CXC CSEC English A mark scheme]. It is all laid our very nicely there, with tables and everything. [|This page] shows the marks that each question receives and the totals for each paper. Clearly, paper 2 of the exam has increased in importance. Since paper 2 or the essay paper, is worth 76% of the final exam mark, in order to pass the CXC CSEC English A exam, you //**must**// pass paper 2. But these are not the only changes. There are also changes in the content of the papers. From May/ June 2012, paper 1 will change in important ways. Paper 1 will //**still**// consist of 60 multiple choice questions. the paper will //**still**// be divided into two sections. Section one will //**still**// consist of 20 separate questions. Section 2 will //**still**// consist of 40 reading comprehension questions. The difference is this: the forty reading comprehension questions will be based on //**five (5)**// stimuli. The stimuli are as follows: 1) one poem 2) one narrative extract 3) one expository abstract  4) one persuasive abstract ( e.g. an advertisement, speech or letter to the editor) 5) one visual abstract (e.g. a table, diagram, map, chart, cartoon or advertisement)  This is the big difference. //**Previously**//, the 40 reading comprehension questions in the multiple choice paper (paper 1) consisted mainly of reading passages and usually one poem.  //**Now,**// from May/June 2012 going forward, section 2 of paper 1 will have five (5) very //**different**// types passages for you to read and respond to.  This is the only major change that I have seen to the //**content**// of the the new CXC CSEC English A syllabus. The other major change as I have said before is the [|distribution of marks between the papers]. Paper 2 now counts for more marks than before;[| //**over 3/4 of the total marks for the exam are found on paper 2.**//]  So there you have it - changes to the CXC CSEC English A syllabus for May/June 2012. [|www.caribexams.org]