Should I be worried if my child takes G3 Bahasa Indonesia as a Third Language? The syllabus develops everyday communication, listening, reading, speaking and writing; a student’s current difficulties are teachable rather than a verdict about the person.
The 2027 SEC K367 examination has four compulsory, equally weighted papers: Listening (about 50 minutes, 25%), Reading (1 hour, 25%), Speaking (about 10 minutes, 25%) and Writing (1 hour 15 minutes, 25%). This is the first year of the revised examination format. Dictionaries are not permitted in any paper.
Official source: SEAB 2027 K367 Bahasa Indonesia as a Third Language. The course is a distinct examination from Malay Language and from older Bahasa Indonesia papers.
An immediate parent decision
Confirm the candidate’s examination year and subject code, then review one listening, reading, speaking and writing response. Identify the exact point where the child misunderstood meaning or failed to communicate an idea. Teach that step with a new everyday context.
2027 K367 assessment map
| Paper | Time and weight | What candidates do |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Listening | About 50min · 25% | 37 multiple-choice/matching questions; 40 marks |
| 2 Reading | 1 hour · 25% | Short texts, signs and longer passages; 40 marks |
| 3 Speaking | About 10min · 25% | Role play and two topic conversations; 40 marks |
| 4 Writing | 1h15 · 25% | Form filling, 80–90-word task, 130–140-word extended task; 45 marks |
Choose the concern closest to your child’s work
- 1. The immediate answer: language learning is not a measure of personal worth
- 2. The registered 2027 code is K367, a distinct Third Language course
- 3. The four papers are each worth twenty-five percent
- 4. 2027 is the first year of the revised K367 examination
- 5. Dictionaries are not permitted in any component
- 6. The listening paper has thirty-seven questions
- 7. A first hearing can establish context; a second checks detail
- 8. Listening matching tasks require careful relationships
- 9. Reading notices and signs is practical language
- 10. Reading an email asks who is writing and why
- 11. Longer reading requires retrieving and explaining information
- 12. The oral paper contains a role play and two conversations
- 13. The role play has a practical purpose
- 14. Oral preparation notes cannot be taken into the speaking room
- 15. Topic conversations are an exchange, not a monologue
- 16. Speaking accuracy and communication are both assessed
- 17. Writing starts with completing a simple form
- 18. Directed writing requires about eighty to ninety words
- 19. Extended writing requires a different level of development
- 20. The five topic areas organise useful language
- 21. Bahasa Indonesia and Malay should not be treated as identical papers
- 22. Third Language study is not a guaranteed career ticket
- 23. The speaking task card should be understood before memorising phrases
- 24. Speaking preparation has a boundary
- 25. The two topic conversations are not memorised recitations
- 26. Pronunciation feedback should identify the particular sound
- 27. Word choice may differ from ordinary conversational Malay
- 28. Affixes and word forms can change a sentence’s meaning
- 29. Connectors help ideas travel between sentences
- 30. Form filling tests careful interpretation, not elaborate prose
- 31. Directed writing needs completion of every requested point
- 32. An email and a blog article have different audiences
- 33. A useful paragraph has one communicative purpose
- 34. Reading should distinguish main meaning and supporting detail
- 35. An unfamiliar word does not always stop comprehension
- 36. Listening to the full conversation prevents premature answers
- 37. Audio matching needs accurate attribution
- 38. Respecting accents and cultural differences supports listening
- 39. A vocabulary notebook should record a usable relationship
- 40. The 25/25/25/25 split calls for balanced practice
- 41. A fortnight can focus on two recurring mistakes
- 42. A month of revision should include unrehearsed speaking
- 43. Does my child need a native-speaking family?
- 44. What should we ask the school about language progression?
- 45. Frequently asked questions and a positive conclusion
1. The immediate answer: language learning is not a measure of personal worth
A family need not worry simply because a child studies G3 Bahasa Indonesia as a Third Language. This is a course designed to build communication and cultural awareness. It does not imply that the learner must already sound like a native speaker or that one imperfect conversation fixes their future.
A student may read simple notices confidently but hesitate during a role play. Another may speak warmly about familiar experiences yet need practice writing linked paragraphs. These are genuine but different learning needs.
Start by asking what the child can communicate independently, then identify the exact task that is difficult. A recent reading answer, short composition or conversation recording can provide useful evidence.
Progress is a meaningful sentence, a more accurate interpretation or a successful exchange in a changed situation. Parents can be ambitious without comparing the child negatively with someone else’s language journey.
2. The registered 2027 code is K367, a distinct Third Language course
K367 is the G3 Bahasa Indonesia as a Third Language subject in the 2027 Singapore–Cambridge Secondary Education Certificate. It is a specifically examined programme, not simply another name for Malay or a general informal class.
The syllabus expects candidates to have completed a four-year programme of learning. It aims at CEFR A2 language proficiency with elements of B1, using standard Bahasa Indonesia and culturally informed communication.
The new assessment format begins with the 2027 examination cohort. Older papers may contain useful practice but should not be treated as structurally identical without checking.
Confirm the exact subject entry and year with the school, then open the official SEAB 2027 K367 syllabus.
3. The four papers are each worth twenty-five percent
The 2027 format gives equal weight to Listening, Reading, Speaking and Writing. Listening lasts approximately fifty minutes; Reading one hour; Speaking about ten minutes; and Writing one hour fifteen minutes.
All four components are compulsory and are assessed differently. A student strong at comprehension should still prepare to interact orally and communicate ideas in writing.
A parent may respond to weak speaking by assigning more written cloze questions. Those can improve language knowledge but do not directly train the conversational decision required by the speaking paper.
Use the equal weighting to maintain every skill, then give extra practice to the actual weakness revealed by school feedback.
4. 2027 is the first year of the revised K367 examination
The SEAB K367 document specifically notes that 2027 is its first examination year. This matters when parents obtain practice resources from older Bahasa Indonesia syllabuses.
A book prepared for an earlier component arrangement may still contain worthwhile vocabulary and dialogues but not the new order, timings and task types.
Ask the school which specimen papers correspond to the revised format and which resources are intended for general skill practice only.
Accurate version control prevents a student from feeling unprepared simply because a borrowed paper tests a different assessment design.
5. Dictionaries are not permitted in any component
The 2027 K367 syllabus states that dictionaries are not allowed in any of its four papers. This differs from some other Third Language syllabuses and should be checked rather than assumed.
A student who practises every composition while consulting an online translation tool may struggle with unaided examination writing.
Encourage retrieval of useful everyday phrases through meaningful short tasks, then let the learner attempt changed prompts without reference material.
The aim is independent communication, not an enormous memorised dictionary of disconnected words. Teacher-approved formative learning tools can still serve learning outside the examination when used appropriately.
6. The listening paper has thirty-seven questions
Paper 1 Listening is worth forty raw marks and contains thirty-seven multiple-choice or matching questions based on recorded texts. The syllabus provides for each recording to be played twice.
The recordings can include announcements, phone messages, informal conversations, interviews and longer dialogues, with different demands across the paper.
A student may recognise most words in a short announcement but find it difficult to distinguish two competing options in an extended conversation.
Teach them to identify the exact type of information requested and confirm it when hearing the recording again, rather than rely on one familiar word.
7. A first hearing can establish context; a second checks detail
Listening twice is not the same as receiving unlimited chances to hear a message. A student needs a purpose for each hearing.
A first pass can identify who is speaking, where the interaction takes place and what the main issue is. The second can confirm time, condition, decision or attitude.
In a fictional booking call, the first proposed date may be changed later. The relevant answer depends on the final arrangement rather than the most clearly heard number.
Practise with varied short clips and review why the wrong option seemed attractive. That makes listening more deliberate and transferable.
8. Listening matching tasks require careful relationships
Some K367 items ask candidates to match speakers, places, statements or activities rather than simply select one of four isolated answers.
A student may remember the correct activity but attribute it to the wrong person. The difficulty is tracking relationships across the conversation.
Use a small fictional dialogue with several speakers and ask the learner to note who preferred what, then check each relationship against the recording.
A new conversation tests whether they have developed tracking skills instead of memorising a previously heard sequence.
9. Reading notices and signs is practical language
The Reading paper includes short public notices, instructions and signs as well as longer passages. A learner needs to interpret the meaning and purpose rather than translate every word mechanically.
Ask what a notice tells its reader to do, which rule or restriction applies and what information is missing.
In a fictional transport setting, a location and a time may appear together, but the question might concern where the rule is applied rather than when the service departs.
Contextual reading supports real-world communication and makes unfamiliar short texts less intimidating.
10. Reading an email asks who is writing and why
K367 also includes email, postcard or letter-style passages. A learner may correctly recognise the people named while misunderstanding why the message was sent.
Begin with the sender, recipient, purpose and sequence of events. Then identify the exact phrase that supports each answer.
The student should avoid copying the nearest sentence without checking whether it responds to the question.
Practise the same skill with different messages so the learner can understand unfamiliar personal and informational writing.
11. Longer reading requires retrieving and explaining information
The paper contains longer messages and articles with short-answer questions written in Bahasa Indonesia. Students need to locate relevant ideas and provide responses that are accurate and concise.
An answer may be grammatically correct yet irrelevant if it discusses a different event or person. Ask what the prompt specifically requests.
Use the passage to support the conclusion and distinguish a stated fact from an inference about feelings or motives.
Changed reading material after correction reveals independent comprehension rather than reliance on a familiar answer key.
12. The oral paper contains a role play and two conversations
K367 Speaking lasts approximately ten minutes and carries forty raw marks. It includes one role play and conversations on two topics, with a short unassessed warm-up.
The role play involves five transactional questions based on an everyday situation, while the conversations invite the learner to discuss familiar experiences, opinions or plans.
A child who memorises a speech about their family may still need practice answering a shop assistant or clarifying a request.
Treat each type as a distinct communication skill while preserving the natural listening-and-response aspect of a conversation.
13. The role play has a practical purpose
The spoken role play may involve obtaining goods or services, asking for information or accomplishing a task. A student should understand what they are trying to achieve before speaking.
In a fictional visitor-centre scenario, the goal might be clarifying availability and asking how to book. The learner needs to answer or ask the question relevant to that role.
A flawless memorised greeting will not complete a transaction if essential information is missing.
Practice with different everyday situations helps students choose useful language rather than repeat one set script.
14. Oral preparation notes cannot be taken into the speaking room
The 2027 syllabus permits limited supervised preparation for the role-play scenario. Candidates may write notes on separate paper, but these notes cannot be carried into the examination room.
Parents should not train the learner to depend on reading their entire answer from a page during the assessed conversation.
Ask the school for the current candidate procedure and how the official preparation time is administered.
A useful practice method is to plan key intentions briefly, then explain them naturally from understanding instead of memorising written sentences word for word.
15. Topic conversations are an exchange, not a monologue
The K367 speaking assessment includes two conversations about familiar areas such as personal and social life, everyday activities and the wider world.
A child may prepare several long speeches and become unsettled when the examiner asks an unexpected follow-up.
Teach direct responses with one supporting reason or example, followed by careful listening to the next question.
The objective is to maintain a meaningful exchange. A concise relevant reply often communicates more successfully than a fluent paragraph on a topic the examiner did not ask.
16. Speaking accuracy and communication are both assessed
The role-play marks consider whether required information is communicated, while topic conversations assess communication and quality of language. Fluency matters alongside relevant content and reasonably accurate structures.
A learner might speak quickly with repeated unclear references. Another might speak slowly but with precise, meaningful answers.
Feedback should name the particular issue: pronunciation, missing vocabulary, incomplete response or hesitation in maintaining interaction.
Short varied conversations can then improve the targeted skill without imposing a single unrealistic standard of speed or accent.
17. Writing starts with completing a simple form
Paper 4 Writing includes a five-mark form-filling task. It may ask for short personal details or appropriate words and phrases in an everyday context.
A child may overlook instructions, use the wrong information from the stimulus or write more than the field actually requests.
Practise interpreting fictional forms carefully, including the meaning of labels and which details belong in each section.
This is functional language, not a test of producing elaborate literary sentences. Accurate communication in a familiar format is the learning goal.
18. Directed writing requires about eighty to ninety words
The second Writing question carries twelve marks and asks for a directed response of approximately eighty to ninety words on a familiar everyday topic.
The task may provide several points to address. A student could produce a beautifully phrased paragraph but forget one essential requested detail.
Before writing, identify the purpose, audience and required information. Make a brief outline and use simple connectors to create a coherent response.
A changed task later checks whether the child can complete instructions independently rather than copy one prepared paragraph.
19. Extended writing requires a different level of development
The final Writing task is worth twenty-eight marks. Candidates choose between an email or letter and an article or blog, then write approximately one hundred and thirty to one hundred and forty words.
The answer should develop relevant information, opinions or experiences using appropriate connections between ideas.
Ask what the topic needs the reader to understand and which two or three points genuinely support that purpose.
The aim is clear, reasonably accurate written communication. Adding advanced vocabulary without a relevant structure is not automatically better writing.
20. The five topic areas organise useful language
The 2027 K367 syllabus covers everyday activities, personal and social life, the world around us, the world of work and the international world.
These categories are contexts for using language, not isolated lists that must be recited without meaning.
A student can discuss a journey, a friendship, a work activity or a cultural experience using language suitable to the situation.
The best learning check is whether an idea can be communicated in a changed task, rather than whether a child remembers a long alphabetical list.
21. Bahasa Indonesia and Malay should not be treated as identical papers
Students familiar with Malay may find useful similarities with Bahasa Indonesia, but the languages have distinct standard usages, vocabulary conventions and formal examination requirements.
A parent should not assume a G3 or G2 Malay paper is a substitute for K367 or that an understandable informal phrase must match assessed standard language.
Ask the language teacher for examples of relevant differences in vocabulary or structure without stereotyping the communities that use these languages.
Accurate syllabus matching protects preparation time and encourages respect for the different linguistic traditions.
22. Third Language study is not a guaranteed career ticket
Learning Bahasa Indonesia can open opportunities for cultural exchange and meaningful communication with a wide range of speakers. It does not automatically guarantee admission to a particular course or employment role.
Later education pathways depend on full qualifications and the applicable institution’s requirements. The child can explore interests while developing the language for its own communicative value.
Ask what kinds of conversation or writing the learner enjoys and how to practise them responsibly.
A sustainable sense of purpose supports curiosity without turning every imperfect sentence into an anxiety about future opportunities.
23. The speaking task card should be understood before memorising phrases
The role-play scenario gives the candidate a purpose and a situation. A learner may identify a familiar shop word and prepare the wrong kind of exchange.
Ask who the candidate is supposed to be, what information must be obtained or provided and which questions could accomplish the task.
Practise a fictional booking or service conversation with a changed condition so the student responds to meaning rather than a fixed speech.
The goal is successful communication of a transaction, not presenting a list of advanced phrases detached from its purpose.
24. Speaking preparation has a boundary
K367 provides supervised preparation for the oral role play. Candidates may make notes on separate paper during preparation, but cannot take those notes into the examination room.
A student relying on reading a complete script may become anxious when the real speaking task requires a response without that paper.
Practise briefly understanding an assigned situation, choosing two or three goals, then speaking naturally while the interviewer changes one detail.
Check school instructions on the exact format; preparation rules are not necessarily the same as those for a sibling’s different language exam.
25. The two topic conversations are not memorised recitations
An examiner can ask follow-up questions during conversations on familiar topics. A learner who has prepared only one long answer may repeat irrelevant details when the topic changes.
Ask the student to state one direct point, add a real example and listen to the question that follows.
The partner can vary the next request, asking why, how or what changed. This reveals whether the child understands the subject rather than reproduces an answer.
An effective interaction remains meaningful even when the child uses simple language instead of long rehearsed paragraphs.
26. Pronunciation feedback should identify the particular sound
An instruction to improve pronunciation is too broad to guide practice. A child may pronounce many words clearly and still confuse a particular distinction that affects meaning.
Ask the language teacher which syllable, stress or intonation feature made a response unclear, then work with a short appropriate phrase.
Repeat it in another sentence so the learner can use the correction in context rather than on an isolated flashcard.
The goal is intelligibility and confidence in the assessed standard language, not a claim that every speaker should sound identical.
27. Word choice may differ from ordinary conversational Malay
Some Singapore learners know everyday Malay and assume every familiar expression will be identical in formal Bahasa Indonesia. The two languages are related but have differences in standard usage.
Ask the teacher for precise, context-based examples rather than generalising about the worth of either language.
A short paired reading can illustrate how a familiar idea is expressed in the assessed variety, followed by an original sentence created by the learner.
This protects accurate examination preparation and respect for communities using both languages.
28. Affixes and word forms can change a sentence’s meaning
Bahasa Indonesia grammar uses word forms and affixes that can affect the relationship between actions and participants. A learner may know a root word but misunderstand what a changed form means in context.
Ask which part of a sentence controls the meaning and whether the chosen form suits that action.
Practise the pattern in a short message first, then vary the subject or situation.
A student who can produce a relevant changed example independently has developed more useful grammar than one who memorises a table without recognising its meaning.
29. Connectors help ideas travel between sentences
A student may write a list of correct but disconnected sentences. The Writing assessment rewards communication that holds together, not simply isolated factual fragments.
Ask whether the relationship between two statements is addition, contrast, sequence or cause. Use a suitable familiar connector to show it.
Do not fill every sentence with complicated linking language. Clear structure begins with knowing what the reader needs next.
A changed writing prompt will reveal whether the student can organise ideas rather than repeat one prepared transition paragraph.
30. Form filling tests careful interpretation, not elaborate prose
The five-mark form task may use labels and short spaces that request specific information. A student who writes full sentences into every field might waste time or misunderstand what the form asks.
Teach the learner to identify each label, select the relevant detail from the scenario and enter an appropriate word or phrase.
A fictional event-registration form is sufficient for practice and avoids using real personal records.
The task builds practical reading-and-writing fluency. Accuracy is more important than decorative vocabulary in this component.
31. Directed writing needs completion of every requested point
A directed writing task may specify several details, while the candidate must write only about eighty to ninety words. A fluent response can still lose relevance by omitting a required piece of information.
Ask the student to make a small checklist of what the reader needs and plan a logical order.
After writing, check whether each point is communicated clearly before spending time on optional phrases.
This teaches concise task completion that transfers to new messages, invitations, explanations and other everyday situations.
32. An email and a blog article have different audiences
Paper 4’s extended-writing choice can involve an email or letter and an article or blog. The intended reader affects the tone, structure and detail needed.
Ask who will read the text, why it is written and which personal or factual information belongs in the response.
A learner can practise discussing the same fictional school event for a friend and for a wider audience, observing how the communication changes.
The key skill is fitting language to purpose, not merely reaching the word range with a memorised introduction.
33. A useful paragraph has one communicative purpose
A learner may accumulate many correct vocabulary items in one paragraph but fail to establish a main idea. Readers then work harder to understand the message.
Start with the central point and choose two relevant supporting details. Use connected sentences before adding richer expressions.
The teacher can correct one repeated language error and ask the student to reproduce the structure with changed content.
This helps the child produce clear, meaningful text instead of treating writing as a container for every word memorised that week.
34. Reading should distinguish main meaning and supporting detail
The Reading paper contains short notices, personal messages and longer articles. Students need to locate details without losing the overall purpose of the passage.
Ask the learner to summarise the main message briefly and then answer a specific information question with evidence.
In a fictional travel message, the person may mention several places while only one is the final destination. The correct answer depends on the relationship among sentences.
A changed passage later tests whether the student understands the text rather than matches one familiar keyword.
35. An unfamiliar word does not always stop comprehension
The K367 objectives allow for inferring the meaning of occasional unfamiliar vocabulary. A student may panic on seeing one unknown word and abandon the whole passage.
Ask what is known from the sentence, what type of word is missing and which context constrains its likely function.
The learner can form a tentative interpretation without pretending to know every translation.
This skill supports confident reading while respecting uncertainty: if the surrounding evidence is insufficient, the student should not invent a precise meaning.
36. Listening to the full conversation prevents premature answers
An audio dialogue can mention one plan, then change it after a complication. A student who selects the first familiar word may miss the outcome the question asks about.
Practise recognising the sequence: proposal, response, change and final decision.
A suitable fictional recording with two alternatives can reveal whether the learner heard the contrast.
Listening twice should help verify the actual situation, not simply increase the chance of recognising a memorised phrase.
37. Audio matching needs accurate attribution
A matching task may involve several people describing preferences or events. A learner could remember an activity correctly but associate it with the wrong speaker.
Ask who expressed which idea and whether the statement refers to a past experience or a future plan.
Use a short invented multi-speaker dialogue and have the student justify each match with an audible detail.
This develops purposeful attention to relationships in listening, useful beyond examinations whenever several people are involved in a conversation.
38. Respecting accents and cultural differences supports listening
Speakers of Bahasa Indonesia may have varied backgrounds and ways of speaking. Students should develop careful comprehension without making negative claims about unfamiliar voices.
Ask which word or grammatical clue makes the message clear and which sound requires further practice.
Appropriate teacher-selected recordings can broaden experience beyond one classroom voice.
Understanding diverse communication styles supports the syllabus’s cultural aims as well as the practical ability to follow everyday messages.
39. A vocabulary notebook should record a usable relationship
A child can collect hundreds of translation pairs while remaining unable to arrange a basic conversation. Vocabulary becomes useful through relationships to situations, grammar and other words.
Organise a small set by what the student wants to communicate: requesting information, expressing a preference or recounting an experience.
Ask them to use the words in a changed original sentence without the notebook visible.
This is stronger evidence of vocabulary development than recognising the word only when it appears on a memorised list.
40. The 25/25/25/25 split calls for balanced practice
K367 weights every assessed skill equally, but families may spend most of their time on whichever is easiest to supervise at home, often written vocabulary.
A short weekly routine can include one unfamiliar recording, reading passage, spoken exchange and original written message.
Use extra time to repair the skill most clearly limiting current school work, while maintaining the others.
Balanced preparation is about genuine communication across modes, not forcing identical study minutes regardless of the learner’s needs.
41. A fortnight can focus on two recurring mistakes
Review four recent task samples and identify one error involving understanding a message and one involving expressing an idea. Do not assume the entire language is weak.
Week one teaches each principle using a short controlled example. Week two changes the material and reduces prompts.
Ask whether the child can respond accurately without copying the original correction.
Two weeks can show meaningful progress, but no fixed routine guarantees a particular national result. The next error should guide the next teaching choice.
42. A month of revision should include unrehearsed speaking
A monthly plan can cover the five syllabus topic areas while maintaining listening, reading and writing alongside new spoken exchanges.
Gradually replace prepared scripts with changed role-play conditions and follow-up questions. This develops the communication the examination assesses.
After each attempt, ask whether the response was relevant, understandable and reasonably accurate, not merely long.
Preserve time for other subjects, sleep and normal interests. Confidence grows from repeated independent competence, not permanent rehearsals.
43. Does my child need a native-speaking family?
No. Home language exposure may be helpful, but the syllabus exists to teach Bahasa Indonesia as a Third Language. Families vary widely in their language backgrounds and resources.
Parents can show interest, ask the child to explain a text’s meaning and provide a calm setting for appropriate practice.
Where adult proficiency is limited, use teacher-approved materials instead of guessing corrections that may be inaccurate.
What matters is the child’s growing ability to communicate and understand, not how many family members already speak the language.
44. What should we ask the school about language progression?
Ask whether K367 is the correct 2027 registration, which revised specimen resources match it and how the no-dictionary and speaking preparation arrangements are administered.
Review which of listening, reading, speaking or writing the teacher considers strongest and which skill needs one targeted improvement.
If the family wants to explore later education pathways, consult current official programme requirements instead of assuming a single Third Language grade ensures admission.
A clear next task and review date make the discussion practical and encouraging.
45. Frequently asked questions and a positive conclusion
Is G3 Bahasa Indonesia the same as G3 Malay? No. The official K367 is a distinct Third Language course with its own examination design and assessed standard.
What is unusual about 2027? It is the first year of the revised K367 paper scheme, with four equally weighted skills.
Are dictionaries allowed? No, the official syllabus disallows them in every component.
Is Speaking a speech? It includes one role play and two topic conversations, requiring listening and responsive interaction.
Do students have to study at a home-native level? The syllabus aims at A2 proficiency with elements of B1 after a four-year programme.
Properly taught kids shine a bright light into the future. Every confident, respectful conversation adds to the learner’s world.
Continue through the eduKateSG language and SEC ecosystem
See the 2027 SEC all-subject directory, the G3 Arabic as a Third Language parent guide and the G3 Japanese parent guide. Every language has a distinct code and paper arrangement.
For context, use the G1/G2/G3 Malay Language comparison, noting that K367 is a different course, and the SEC parent-guide hub.
Official 2027 syllabus and educational scope
This independent parent guide is based on the official 2027 K367 Bahasa Indonesia as a Third Language syllabus. Fictional forms, dialogues and messages are teaching illustrations, not national examination questions. Confirm the current examination year and school rules, including the no-dictionary requirement.