US25073 version 3
Read texts to recognise differing points of view on a topic
Level 2, 3 credits
Purpose: People credited with this unit standard are able to read texts to recognise differing points of view on a topic.
Draft due: Thursday 7 September
Final assignment due: Thursday 14 September
Student task
In this assignment you will read a range of texts to recognise differing points of view on a topic. You will choose a topic which is controversial and find at least three different points of view on this topic. One point of view may be from a visual or audio text, the rest must be from a written text. The written texts may be from newspaper columnists, letters to the editor, editorials, pamphlets, web pages, information and publicity material.
You can choose your mode of presentation to show your understanding of the different texts on your chosen topic. You can present your understanding:
As a written report OR
As a podcast OR
As a recorded interview OR
As a poster OR
As a slide show presentation
The text types may include: articles by newspaper columnists, letters to the editor, editorials, pamphlets, web pages, information and publicity material.
You need to find three different points of view on your chosen topic. You must make sure that:
1.1 The topic being discussed is identified.
1.2 The purpose of the text is identified.
1.3 Key words and phrases are identified and explained.
1.4 Evidence is present that the text has been understood.
Range main points, writer's point of view.
1.5 Reasons and/or examples given by the writer to support their viewpoint are identified.
Student exemplar - Achieved
The New Zealand Flag.
I chose to read about the arguments on the change of the New Zealand flag. There has been a lot of disagreement on the topic of changing the New Zealand flag and in order to investigate differing points of view, I have focused on the arguments for and against the change.
1.2 Introduces the topic and focus questions.
Andrew Little: John Key's flag has cost New Zealand $26m
The first article I read is about Andrew Little’s thoughts on how John Key dealt with the whole process of the flag change. At first he supported the idea of debating the issue but became annoyed that John Key rejected the recommendations made by all parties to have a simple yes on no referendum first and that John Key seemed not be acting in the best interests of New Zealanders. “It is your government, your flag, your constitution - not mine, and not Mr Key's”. He also criticises the $26 million spent on deciding whether to change the flag when massive funding cuts have been made from health, road funding and regional growth, when unsolved crime is on the rise yet the police budget has been cut, and when young families are struggling to buy their own home, educate their children, and live above the poverty line.
1.2 purpose of the text identified
1.4 Evidence is present that the text has been understood. Range: main points, writer's point of view.
1.5 Reasons and/or examples given by the writer to support their viewpoint are identified.
Andrew Little -Leader of the Labour party
Constitution - a constitution defines the principles upon which the state is based, the procedure in which laws are made and by whom. Some constitutions, especially arranged constitutions, also act as limiters of state power, by establishing lines which a state's rulers cannot cross, such as fundamental rights.
1.3 Key words and phrases are identified and explained.
A time and a place: We missed a chance to forge our own identity
My second text is an article about an Invercargill resident who is disappointed New Zealand voted for keeping the current flag. The purpose of the article is to share Keith’s viewpoint on why he thinks New Zealand should change the flag. "I am just so dead against it. We are our own country”. As a member of the RSA committee and an ex soldier, Keith admits he’s in the minority on this issue but supports his opinion but discussing that soldiers don’t fight for their flag, they fight for their country and when he dies he certainly doesn’t want the Union Jack on his coffin. He also thinks it would have been a good opportunity to ‘stick one to the Aussies’, because we could have made the change to our flag before they did, and we could have done it without becoming a republic. He thinks it’s time New Zealand stood for itself and that it doesn’t owe the United Kingdom anything.
Republic - a state in which supreme power is held by the people and their elected representatives, and which has an elected or nominated president rather than a monarch.
RSA - Returned and Services' Association, often referred to as the Returned Services' Association. One of the largest voluntary welfare organisations in New Zealand and one of the oldest ex-service organisations in the world.
Union Jack - the nation flag of the United Kingdom.
John Key lists his reasons for a new flag
In my third text, the writer is reporting about our Prime Minister, John Key, who is listing his reasons for a new flag. The purpose of this text is for Key to share his viewpoints on why he thinks change is important and how it will benefit New Zealanders. He mentions that there has always been confusion between the New Zealand and the Australian flags, as they are so similar, and describes the many incidents where he has been photographed or placed by the Australian flag instead of the our one. He rebuts the RSA’s argument stating that, “Commonwealth graves for Kiwi soldiers were draped with the silver fern not the Union Jack”. He also thinks a new flag would better represent New Zealand and would like to see “overt patriotism” demonstrated in New Zealand, a bit like the pride we see in the USA during many events where stars and stripes dominate people’s attire and makeup, furniture, decorations, and even buildings. A change of flag, from John Key’s point of view, will a create a new meaning to our country, making New Zealanders proud for our goods, services, peoples and our country. He feels that New Zealand needs to be celebrated for it’s incredible multi-cultural society and the next step as a nation is to take our story and our people to the world.
Overt - done or shown openly, plainly apparent.
Patriotism - devoted love, support, and defense of one's country; national loyalty.
British Commonwealth - comprises of 53 countries who pay allegiance to the British Crown.
Rebut - to rebut a statement is to offer clear evidence or reasoned argument against it.
Conclusion
Having investigated differing perspectives about the change of the New Zealand Flag, I now understand why New Zealanders were so divided. I think the whole process was flawed, and that if John Key had followed the recommendations of other members of parliament and made the first referendum a simple ‘should we or shouldn’t we?’ we may have saved the millions of dollars of taxpayers money that was spent on getting to the point of not making the change anyway. If I were old enough to vote, and if I knew what I do now, I think I would have voted to keep the New Zealand flag that we have had since 1840.
Judgement/Evidence Statements
US 25073 Read texts to recognise differing points of view on a topic
1.1 I have identified a topic to research.
1.2 I have identified the purpose of the text
1.3 I have identified and explained key words and phrases
1.4 I have shown I understand the texts by presenting main points AND the writer’s point of view
1.5 I have used reasons and/or examples given by the writer which support their viewpoint.
Grade: Achieved / Not achieved Date: Teacher:
Comment:
All moderation notes are on the NZQA form, held in the dept google drive folder.
Student Declaration:
The work submitted for this assessment is my own
Signed: Date:
Final Grade Awarded Achieved / Not Achieved
Teacher: Date:
Student (signature to accept the grade): Date:
