Study Guide

Field 256: World Language: Japanese 
Presentational Writing

Recommendation for individuals using a screenreader: please set your punctuation settings to "most."

Review the IME instructions for Japanese PDF . The IME instruction document will be available to you during the actual test.

Directions for Presentational Writing Assignment

For this section of the test, you will compose a written response to an assignment presented on screen. You must respond to the assignment in the target language.

The assignment appears on the screen with a response box. Type your response in this box. Note that the assignment includes a prompt and an exhibit. Read the assignment carefully before you begin to write. Think about how you will organize your response. You may use the erasable notebooklet provided to make notes, write an outline, or otherwise prepare your response. However, your final response must be typed in the response box provided for the assignment.

For this assignment, you will type your response in the target language using Input Method Editor (IME) technology. You may access specific instructions for IME use by selecting the IME Help button above the response box. Note that because the default input language is set as English, you will need to select the target language before you begin typing by clicking on the down arrow in the language selection box at the top left corner of the screen. Please note that all punctuation should be entered while the target language is the selected input language.

Your response to the assignment will be evaluated on the basis of the following criteria:

Your response will be evaluated on the criteria above, not on any personal opinions expressed in the response. Be sure to write about the assigned topic and use multiple paragraphs. You may not use any reference materials during the test. This should be your original work, written in your own words, and not copied or paraphrased from some other work. Remember to review what you have written and make any changes you think will improve your response.

A response will be considered unscorable if it is unrelated to the assigned topic, not written in the required language, not of sufficient length to score, or merely a repetition of the assignment.

Select the Next button to continue.

Sample Presentational Writing Assignment

Objective 0007 
Apply knowledge of target-language structures and writing conventions to compose an effective, coherent, and clear response to a prompt.

[The examinee will see on screen the following directions:
To view the exhibit, click the button above. A pop-up window will appear. The pop-up window can then be resized and/or repositioned on your screen so that you can access the information while completing your response.]

Use the exhibit provided to complete the assignment below.

Imagine that you are currently living in Tokyo. You are planning to go on an excursion to another region of Japan with the goal of learning about local cultures. You want to invite a Japanese-speaking friend to join you. Drawing on the excursion options advertised in the provided exhibit and your knowledge of Japanese writing conventions, write an e-mail in Japanese to your friend in which you:

Your response must be written in your own words, except for quotations and paraphrases from the exhibit used as evidence to support your ideas.

Exhibit

flyer about Hokkaido and Okinawa

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  • ????????????????????????????????????????????????????
  • ????????????????????????????
  • ???????????????????
  • ????????????????????
  • ????????????????(?????????????)?????????????????????????????????
  • ??????????????(?????????)???????????

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Sample Strong Response to Presentational Writing Assignment

Rationale for Sample Strong Response to Presentational Writing Assignment

The response largely fulfills the tasks outlined in the assignment and effectively uses Japanese writing conventions appropriate for the specified context and audience. It is an e-mail to a friend, but it is not totally casual. It maintains a somewhat polite mode throughout the e-mail. It explicitly addresses the three tasks presented in the assignment starting with inviting the friend to join an excursion to Okinawa (), followed by providing the reason for the decision to go on the trip ( ). The two excursion options presented in the exhibit are compared, and an advantage and a disadvantage of each is provided (weather, tourist spots). The e-mail concludes by explaining why the trip would be a good opportunity to learn about local cultures (). The response demonstrates engagement with the exhibit, and explanations and comparisons are supported with relevant details from the exhibit as well as the candidate's own ideas ().

The response largely communicates an effectively sequenced, coherent written message. It is written in a series of paragraphs with a clear beginning, middle, and conclusion that is reasonable based on the preceding ideas.

With the exception of quotations and paraphrases from the exhibit, the e-mail is written in the candidate's own words and uses words (e.g., conditional, conditional) and idiomatic language (e.g., ) largely appropriate for the context and audience. Narrative time frames, sentence structures, cohesive devices (e.g., ), and mechanics are largely appropriate and effective. Minor errors do not interfere with comprehensibility. Examples of such errors include using the wrong character ( instead of ) and not changing the verb into plain form when added to an "I think" statement ( instead of and instead of ).

Performance Characteristics for Presentational Writing Assignment

The following characteristics guide the scoring of responses to the Presentational Writing assignment.

Purpose the extent to which the response fulfills the tasks outlined in the assignment, demonstrates engagement with the exhibit, and uses writing conventions appropriate for the specified context and audience
Support the extent to which the response is elaborated with explanations and comparisons that are supported with relevant details from the exhibit and the candidate's own ideas
Organization the extent to which the response communicates a logically sequenced and coherent written message
Vocabulary the extent to which the response uses words and idiomatic language appropriate for the specified context and audience
Grammar the extent to which the response uses appropriate narrative time frames, sentence structures, cohesive devices, and mechanics (spelling, punctuation, and if applicable, capitalization and diacritical marks)

Score Scale for Presentational Writing Assignment

A score will be assigned to the response to the Presentational Writing assignment according to the following score scale.

Score Point Score Point Description
4 The "4" response demonstrates effective presentational writing skills.
  • The response largely fulfills the tasks outlined in the assignment, demonstrates engagement with the exhibit, and uses writing conventions appropriate for the specified context and audience.
  • The response is largely elaborated with explanations and comparisons that are largely supported with relevant details from the exhibit and the candidate's own ideas.
  • The response largely communicates an effectively sequenced, coherent written message. Minor errors in connecting ideas do not interfere with comprehensibility.
  • The response uses words and idiomatic language largely appropriate for the specified context and audience. Minor errors do not interfere with comprehensibility.
  • The response uses largely appropriate narrative time frames, sentence structures, cohesive devices, and mechanics. Minor errors do not interfere with comprehensibility.
3 The "3" response demonstrates generally effective presentational writing skills.
  • The response generally fulfills the tasks outlined in the assignment, demonstrates general engagement with the exhibit, and uses writing conventions generally appropriate for the specified context and audience.
  • The response is generally elaborated with explanations and comparisons that are generally supported with relevant details from the exhibit and the candidate's own ideas.
  • The response communicates a generally effective, sequenced, coherent written message. Some errors in connecting ideas interfere with comprehensibility.
  • The response uses words and idiomatic language generally appropriate for the specified context and audience. Some errors interfere with comprehensibility.
  • The response uses generally appropriate narrative time frames, sentence structures, cohesive devices, and mechanics. Some errors interfere with comprehensibility.
2 The "2" response demonstrates partially effective presentational writing skills.
  • The response only partially fulfills the tasks outlined in the assignment, demonstrates limited engagement with the exhibit, and uses writing conventions that are only partially appropriate for the specified context and audience.
  • The response is only partially elaborated. Explanations and/or comparisons are only partially supported, with few relevant details from the exhibit and/or the candidate's own ideas.
  • The response communicates a written message that is only partially effective and/or only partially coherent. Frequent errors in connecting ideas interfere with comprehensibility.
  • The response uses basic words and idiomatic language that are only partially appropriate for the specified context and audience. Frequent errors interfere with comprehensibility.
  • The response uses only basic and/or only partially appropriate narrative time frames, sentence structures, cohesive devices, and mechanics. Frequent errors interfere with comprehensibility.
1 The "1" response demonstrates ineffective presentational writing skills.
  • The response does not fulfill the tasks outlined in the assignment, demonstrates little or no engagement with the exhibit, and uses writing conventions that are inappropriate for the specified context and audience.
  • The response is ineffectively elaborated, with few or no explanations or comparisons and few or no details from the exhibit or the candidate's own ideas. Any support present may be irrelevant.
  • The response communicates an ineffective, incoherent written message. Constant errors in connecting ideas significantly interfere with comprehensibility.
  • The response uses few or no words and little or no idiomatic language appropriate for the specified context and audience. Constant errors significantly interfere with comprehensibility.
  • The response uses few or no appropriate narrative time frames, sentence structures, cohesive devices, or mechanics. Constant errors significantly interfere with comprehensibility.
U The response is unscorable because it is unrelated to the assigned topic, illegible, not written in the required language, not of sufficient length to score, or merely a repetition of the assignment.
B There is no response to the assignment.

Acknowledgements:

tomoki1970. Sunflowers in Hokuryu, Hokkaido, Japan. Credit Line: tomoki1970. Shutterstock. Copyright Notice: tomoki1970.

Schaefer, Menno. Red fox cub and mother. Credit Line: Menno Schaefer. Shutterstock. Copyright Notice: Menno Schaefer.

tororo reaction. Jungle path to the deserted beach in Okinawa. Credit Line: tororo reaction. Shutterstock. Copyright Notice: tororo reaction.

nodff. Silhouettes of people against a big aquarium. Credit Line: nodff. Shutterstock. Copyright Notice: nodff.

Atlaspix. Japan map isolated on white background. Credit Line: Atlaspix. Shutterstock. Copyright Notice: Atlaspix.