The English Language

School Based Assessment

Name: Shenae Spencer

Candidate No.:

Centre: Bishop Gibson High School for Girls

Centre No.: 100161

Territory: Jamaica

Teacher: Mrs.Cobrey-Jones

Year of Examination: 2019

S.B.A. Topic: Child Abuse

Sub-Topic: What are the solutions to Child Abuse?

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 Tables of Contents

Plan of Investigation …………………………………………....……3

Presentation of Evidence/Artefacts…………………….…..................4
Reflection 1……………………………………………………...…11
Reflection 2……………………………..…………………….…… 12
Reflection 3…………………………………….………….……….13
Oral Presentation and Plan………………………..………………..14
Written Group Report…………………………………...........,,,,,,,, 15
Indicators of Group Activity…………….……….…..........…........ 17
Participation Measure …………………….…… .................. .........20
Conclusion……………………………... ..….............................….21

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 Plan of Investigation

The focus of my English Language school-based assessment is child abuse, key aspects of

this theme will be assessed through various mediums. My plan of investigating therefore

entails examining some plausible solutions to child abuse which can be later implemented in

society, as it is a part of my sub-theme.

I believe every child has the right to be protected from mistreatment, physically ,mentally

and socially by their parents or any other individual they encounter is the reason I have

selected this topic.

This research is expected to help improve my linguistics, analytical skills and comprehension

skills; this at the end will improve my expression. The three pieces of articles obtained to

garner the relevant information on Child abuse as aids in the completion process are: a

newspaper article, audio to a related song and a pictorial depicting my topic.

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 The Presentation of Evidence/Artefacts

The following are Artefacts gathered from their individual stated sources to support /
showcase my main theme for this school based assessment which is Child Abuse, more
specifically the solutions to child abuse.

1. Title: Queen Ifrica’s “Daddy Don’t Touch me there.”

Date released: 2009
Genre: Reggae

Intro:

Stop it daddy

Daddy stop it nuh

A going to tell on you enuh

Chorus:

Daddy don't touch mi there

I'm gonna tell on you one day I swear

Can't you see I'm scared

You suppose to be ma father x2

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 Verse 1:

Everyday a wonder why ma daddy had to be di one

to take away my innocence

Oh sometimes a wanna die feels

like no one cares for me and it's evident

That something must be wrong with me

I'm not as happy as I seem to be

The long showers I take don't wash away the memories

Why do I have to face these tragedies

We go thru struggles in life I'm aware

But to have ma daddy touching me that's just not fair

Stop him from destroying ma future

Believe me he's behaving like a creature

Chorus

Verse 2:

all you mothers out there

Give a listening ear

Pay attention even if di man a pastor

Yuh affi mek sure before yuh trust him wid yuh daughta

Plus him will even try fi tek yuh son as brawta

Watch it mek mi duck him wid some dutty watah

Yuh cyaah hide nuh more now yuh affi meet yuh karma

If yuh know seh it a gwaan and turn a blind eye

Den yuh judgment ago pile up bout a mile high

Get suicidal if yuh tink it ago save yuh

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Because mi sure seh yuh naah guh get fi si di saviour

Mi just cyaah find a name fi yuh behaviour

Is a lucky ting wi got a nosey neighbour

Chorus

Verse 3:

When yuh feel like giving up

Just shake it off and live it up

Di most high will deliver you

Cyaah jump di rope if yuh nuh try

Suh wipe da tears deh from yuh eye

Get di wings of confidence fi mek yuh fly

Tribulations a just fi mek yuh stronga

Love yuh self and it will help yuh fi get ova

Any flesh weh hurt a likkle yute will neva prospa

A passing on di message from di masta

Artefact#2: The Jamaican Gleaner

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 Date: November 23, 2017

Savagery! - Scores Of Jamaican Children Bearing The Scars Of Brutal Beatings; Mothers
Are The Main Ones Carrying Out The Abuse

The cruel and inhumane treatment meted out to some of Jamaica’s children was brought into
sharp focus recently when a video went viral of a St Thomas mother beating her child with a
machete.

But a Sunday Gleaner probe into the dark side of parenting in Jamaica has revealed that the
action of the nearly naked machete wielder pales in comparison to the punishment some
children are forced to endure from the persons who are supposed to protect them.

Children, some as young as six months old, have been burnt with hot irons, chopped with
knives or machetes, soaked with boiling water, beaten to within inches of their lives with
electrical cords.

The Sunday Gleaner findings were confirmed by the Child Development Agency (CDA),
which identified mothers as the main perpetrators of the dastardly acts.

According to the CDA, it is extremely concerned about the level of physical abuse being
meted out to our children and the types of implements being used.

“From January to September of this year, our Investigations Unit received 10,267 cases.
While in 2016, the unit received 12,804. Of the number of cases received since the start of
2017, there is an increase in physical abuse,” Rosalee Gage-Grey, chief executive officer for
the CDA, told The Sunday Gleaner.

“According to (OCR) Office of the Children’s Registry 2015 Statistics, 3,639 children were
reported as being physically abused an increase from 3,214 in the previous year.

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“Based on reports received by the CDA’s Investigations Unit during the period 2016-2017,
there is an overall increase which is at alarming levels,” added Gage-Grey, as she argued that
with just over two months before 2017 ends the numbers are set to surpass those for last year.

The CDA head said when her investigators visit the scenes of abuse, they are dismayed,
having seen the types of scars on the bodies of children.

“Guided by the Physical Abuse Chart, we are able to identify what type of implement is used
to cause injury to a child,” said Gage-Grey.

NOT RIGHT!

“We have seen pictures of babies with scars on every inch of their skin, cuts on faces, arms,
legs, and this is not right,” Gage-Grey added, as she declared that the CDA is determined to
see the perpetrators of these acts brought to justice.

According to the CDA, children are beaten for not acting on commands quickly enough,
purchasing the wrong items when sent to the shop by parents, for not doing homework and
for being too noisy.

In other cases, the reasons for the punishment are more clandestine and repulsive.

“There are also the social issues such as the single-parent struggles. Some parents may be
going through financial or emotional issues where one parent may have left the home and so
they are taking it out on the child,” explained Rochelle Dixon, public relations and
communications manager at the CDA.

She said CDA investigators, who are tasked with removing the children from these abusive
homes, find themselves deeply traumatised in some cases.

In the meantime, Dr Patrece Charles, counselling psychologist and CEO of the Phoenix
Counselling Centre in Kingston, said social media is helping to peel back the shrouds of a
culturally accepted practice in Jamaica.

“There is a culture of corporal punishment in Jamaica, (people say) ‘me granny did it, my
grandparents did it and I am OK’. We are not taking into consideration that the things
children are exposed to now are very different from then,” she said.

“A lot of the parents who abuse their children are also victims of abuse; either in their current
relationships, past relationships or abused while they were children,” said Charles.

CYCLE OF ABUSE

“The cycle of abuse they are exposing their children to was taught. They don’t know any
other way to discipline or manage their emotions,” she added.

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Dr Beverley Scott, child and family therapist at the Family and Parenting Centre in Montego
Bay, said many Jamaicans who quickly praise being beaten and brandish s c an r s f from
their parents as life lessons may be suffering serious psychological trauma.

“It can’t make them better. Maybe they have survived and are living now, but these children
have come out with scars. They have come out with a certain kind of personality,” said Scott.

TOXIC STRESS

That is a concern shared by the CDA. “Research over the last two decades confirms that
children carry the effects of childhood experiences into adulthood. The challenges they face
in school, life and ultimately the state of their health are often the symptoms of toxic stress.

“Toxic stress, unlike manageable stress, refers to the long-term changes in brain architecture
and organ systems that develop after extreme, prolonged and repeated stress goes untreated.
Exposure to (these) may put our children at higher risk of learning difficulties, emotional
problems, developmental issues and long-term health problems,” said the CDA.

3.

Source3 : Storyboard.com

Date created: October 21, 2018

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 file:///C:/Users/shena/Downloads/child-abuse%20(1).pdf

Reflection 1

The first article, entitled “Daddy don’t touch me there.” by Queen Ifrica, explores the

experiences of a teenage girl who endures sexual abuse at the hands of her father and the

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coping mechanisms she has developed as a result. Previously, my assumptions about sexually

abused victims were that they are not greatly as affected by the abuse in comparison to the

physically abused which has a higher probability in leaving scars and bruises. However, after

investigating this article, I have realised that sexually abused victims endure mentally abuse

which lasts longer than any bruises or scars; P.T.S.D. symptoms “Long showers I take, don’t

wash away the memories.” And other overall indicators were also seen via sources.

The newspaper article from The Jamaican Observer was extremely enlightening. It

highlighted the cruel and inhumane treatment meted out to some of Jamaica’s children in a

clandestine and repulsive way “children are beaten for purchasing the wrong items when sent

to shop by parents or for being too noisy.”

This article has shaped my thinking about the severity of the abuse young children in my

country and the effects to which I thought were minor. After examining this article, not only

have Jamaican children been burnt, chopped but beaten to inches of their lives.

Finally, a pictorial cartoon, which I downloaded from a website which shows the solutions to

child abuse that a young lady who was subjugated to sexual, physical and emotional

exercised. This aided me in understanding the process taken to resolve the abuse and also the

effects such as: counselling and relocation to a foster home. I would have expected Kayla to

suffer in silence and to be scared to report this abuse as most children are, but instead grew a

sense of bravery and founded a solution to her problem.

Reflection 2

A reflection on the use of language in the Articles.

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The use of emotionally charged, formal and informal language along with a few jargons were

evident in my articles. It must be noted however, that each piece of material was formalized

using a different tone.

In artefact number 1, the tone was very emotional along with a few jargons. This can be seen

through extracts from the article such as: “Oh sometimes a want to die feels like no one cares

for me it’s evident” (verse 1 lines 3 and 4) and also “Can’t you see I’m scared you supposed

to be my father.” (Chorus).

The Newspaper article was written in descriptive and formal Language, despite this the tone

was mainly of concern “They don’t know any other way to discipline or manage their

emotions.” And acceptance “me granny did it, my grandparents and Iam ok!” Descriptions of

the abuse “a six months old baby have been burnt, with hot irons and soaked into boiling

water” This use of descriptive language helped me to understand the article better because it

gives me insight into the issue as oppose to it being vague.

The pictorial downloaded from a website has a unique diction or word choice that made it

best suited for their target audience. Words like “help” and “stop” bring a certain awareness

to conflict. Interrogative language was used “Why don’t you report the abuse?” and figurative

“you know what she’ll do to me.” All these aspects aided me in the understanding of my sub-

theme, if it did not carry a unique diction not only would I have misunderstood the sentences

but the entire article.

Reflection 3

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 How did the S.B.A. process help you to become a better person?

After the completion of my English school-based assessment, I concluded that this

assignment has impacted me in a positive way.

Firstly, the S.B.A. awarded me the benefit of being better able to read comprehend and

analyse. I learnt how to examine pieces of work through the use of language by the writer

indifferent scenarios and also to view things from multiple perspectives, which added to the

overall understanding of the articles being investigated.

The S.B.A. also improved my self-discipline skills; in order to meet the deadlines for the

different pieces of the project, our subject teacher, every week would make us either edit or

submit different aspects of the S.B.A. This taught me the importance of meeting deadlines

and proper time management.

Finally, my English SBA aided in my team work skills being developed; initially I was

uncomfortable with the idea of having to share my tasks and receiving other opinions of my

work. However, after completing this assessment I am better able to manage myself in a

group setting, learnt how to compromise, emotional control& appreciate the value of

cooperation.

Oral Presentation and Plan

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 The following shows an Oral presentation plan below and a brief synopsis of the
presentation done.

The Oral Presentation Plan

Topic: Child Abuse

Genre: Dramatization

Language used :( Rhyme, rhythm and hyperbole to make the messages more effective,
gesticulation and repetition to make the message more memorable.)

Main Idea: Child Abuse is wrong and should either be prevented or solved.

Aids: Puppets and Props.

Oral Presentation

On Wednesday January 23, 2019 I conducted a presentation on the solution to child abuse,
this was completed with the aids of props and puppets with the purpose of showcasing the
various forms of abuse which I demonstrated on them during the presentation. This was done
in an effort of later highlighting some plausible solutions/ recommendations to be
implemented for each type of abuse; such recommendations were: Education on child abuse
via brochures or seminars, Reporting to a person in authority and lastly Counselling for the
parties involved.

This message was brought across effectively and clearly as members of the class reacted to
the abuse in a serious but humorous way; gasps could be heard as a reaction to the words
being said and actions being done. Overall, the oral presentation was successful in relation to
the sub theme being presented and solutions made.

Written Group Report

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The issue of Child Abuse was selected based on the personal and educational interests of my

group members, as well as its prevalence in our Jamaican society. In utilizing the Divide and

Conquer strategy each individual within the group were given specific tasks to complete

regarding the theme of child abuse. On December 11, 2018 a group meeting was held via

Instagram, individual artefacts were discussed which resulted in the selection of the most

appropriate pieces these were: A News article, Song and an anime to help in analysing and

answering the following group questions:

1. How does child abuse affect the individual?

2. What are the solutions to child abuse?

The researchers therefore will report on the completion process and also state the outcome of

this assessment.

In analysing these pieces with the aid of the text analysis matrix to allow for easier

composition, we found that child abuse not only affects the individual in one way. Child

abuse is sometimes perceived as pnly having physical effects (Jamaican Gleaner, 2017) but in

reality impacts the victim psychologically/emotionally

(Queen Ifrica’s “Daddy don’t touch me there!”) and will have lasting effects on their

behaviour on a whole or in future intimate or interpersonal relationships they are involved in.

We agreed that these are some of the contrasting perceptions of child abuse as presented in

the two pieces highlighted above.

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There were also different responses to “What are the solutions to child abuse?” presented in

these articles. Some showed that a plausible solution is counselling for both the parent and

child (Gleaner, 2017), another saw that removing the child completely from the home/ abuse

was the best option. Rochelle Dixon, the public relations and community officer at C.D.A.

stated that “some investigators are tasked at removing the abused children from their homes

that will offer them due care.” Others concluded the use of their skills and voices to bring the

issue to the public via Ads. was also suitable.

Furthermore, the anime (2018) showed that reporting was a method that should be more

frequently utilized despite the views of others being an “informer!”

Furthermore; all three pieces brought the issues of child abuse to the public for open

discourse.

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 Indicators of Group Activity

The images presented below are indicators of group activity and meeting held in relation to

the completion of this s.b.a.

Above is a screenshot, which shows a meeting behind held, via Instagram in which our group

members discussed the procedures related to the written group report.

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The image above shows a screenshot via WhatsApp group in which indicates group activity.

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The screenshot illustrates the leadership role being rotated; Shenae Spencer a member of the

group suggests that the screenshots sent in the collage should be used as indicators for .the

quality of group activity

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A sample of Reflection 2 cited from slideshare.com was sent to the group by a fellow

member for observation, so they would have an idea of what is required for the Reflection 2

which would have been written during class the next day.

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 Conclusion

This school-based assessment is being concluded with the aims that were established in the

plan of investigation/introduction of the project being completed. The topic of child abuse

being extensively examined, mediums/ways that this abuse can happen were explored and

plausible solutions to ending the child abuse were found.

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 References

Robinson (2017) Scores of Jamaican children bearing the scars of brutal beatings; Mothers

are the main ones carrying out the abuse. The Jamaican Gleaner. Doi: https://jamaica-

gleaner.com/article/lead-stories/20171015/savagery-scores-jamaican-children-bearing-scars-

brutal-beatings.

Banton et.al(2017) Csec English Sba Student Guide & Workbook. CreateSpace Independent

Publishing Platform, 2017.doi: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34400496-csec-

english-sba-student-guide-workbook

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 Mark Scheme

 Below is the rubric for the English Language School Based Assessment provided for

the Teacher.

Exam Exam
  CXC CSEC English A portfolio section
marks percent

1. Plan of investigation 5

2. Participation measure 5

3. Indicators of group activity/Quality of group activity 10  

4. Written report 10

5. Reflection 5

6. Oral presentation 10  

  Total 45 21%

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