Question 1

What is NCEA AS 91801 about?

Accepted Answer

You need to demonstrate that you can have real, back-and-forth conversations in New Zealand Sign Language where you share information and defend your own ideas and opinions. You'll be assessed on conversations in different contexts (informal or formal), and how well you communicate despite any minor wobbles in your signing technique or vocabulary choices.

Question 2

What do students need to do for AS 91801?

Accepted Answer

1. Initiate and maintain genuine conversations with a real communicative purpose, not scripted or rehearsed exchanges 2. Share information clearly and explain or provide evidence to support your own views and the views of others 3. Use contextually appropriate language that fits the situation and audience (for example, different registers for informal versus formal settings) 4. Demonstrate understanding of New Zealand Sign Language cultural conventions and use interactive strategies such as questioning, clarifying, agreeing, disagreeing, and responding to conversational cues 5. Keep your signs intelligible overall, using consistent articulation, appropriate vocabulary, correct sign order, and facial grammar, despite accepting minor inconsistencies won't fail you at Achieved level

Question 3

What's the difference between Achieved, Merit, and Excellence for AS 91801?

Accepted Answer

Achieved: You can have conversations where you share information and justify your ideas in NZSL, and people understand you overall even if you occasionally stumble with sign choice, word order, or facial expression. Merit: Your conversations show you deliberately choosing language that fits the situation and audience, maintaining the conversation smoothly, and making your ideas convincing through consistent signing and appropriate expression. Excellence: Your conversations demonstrate skilful selection of language strategies tailored to different contexts, you navigate the interaction with confidence, and your signing is consistently clear and culturally appropriate with fluent delivery.

Question 4

What mistakes do students typically make in AS 91801?

Accepted Answer

1. Students prepare scripted or heavily rehearsed conversations instead of engaging in genuine, unrehearsed exchanges that show real negotiation of meaning 2. Students focus too heavily on perfect grammar and articulation and don't use interactive strategies like asking clarifying questions, using fillers, or responding naturally to conversational cues 3. Students limit themselves to informal conversation only or don't demonstrate they can adjust their language and tone appropriately across different situations (formal versus informal)

NZSL interaction

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Foundations — New Zealand Sign Language Level 1 · Year 11

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