Macquarie Grammar School is proud to announce the outstanding contribution of our esteemed Chinese and Literature teacher, Mrs Sheng Juan Sun, who was a featured presenter at the prestigious 2026 HSC Study Day held on Sunday, 14 June 2026.
The intensive one-day conference, attended by senior students and teachers from across the state, ran from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. It brought together a panel of Senior Markers, each delivering a one-hour masterclass on their specialist section of the HSC. Mrs Sun, a highly respected Senior Marker renowned for her depth of knowledge, led the session on the demanding Reading Section of the Chinese and Literature course.
Students often find the Reading Section challenging due to its complexity and weight—40 crucial marks out of the total 100. Mrs Sun addressed the students’ core frustration head-on: “Why do I spend so much time writing but still not achieve top marks?”
Her presentation cut through the common myths. She warned against the ineffective strategy of simply “filling the lines,” emphasising that it is not the volume of writing but the quality of the response that earns high marks. “You must answer the question being asked, rather than simply retelling the story,” she advised students. “Using irrelevant, pre-prepared material is a waste of time and will not gain you extra marks.”
To demystify the marking process, Mrs Sun used the 2025 HSC Past Paper to deconstruct the key concepts of the course. Her innovative technique involved comparing three different sample answers side-by-side, illustrating the distinct differences between a comprehensive, thorough, and sound explanation. This helped students visualise the specific language and logic required to move from a good answer to a band 6 response.
In what students described as the “anatomy of a perfect answer”, Mrs Sun analysed the work of previous HSC students who required improvement. She explained the most common pitfalls to avoid, including:
By highlighting these mistakes, she provided a clear “feed-forward” guide, showing students exactly where they can gain an edge.
The session concluded with an empowering message of self-reliance and hard work. Mrs Sun quoted the Chinese proverb “师父领进门，修行靠个人” (The master teaches the trade, but the student’s skill comes from personal effort), reminding students that the HSC is a fair test for those who are prepared. She urged them to stay confident and work hard, leaving them with the belief that “A hard-working student will always be a successful student.”
Mrs Sun’s presentation was a powerful success, equipping students with not only the techniques but also the confidence to tackle their exams with a new, strategic perspective. We congratulate Mrs. Sun on her outstanding representation of Macquarie Grammar School and her continued dedication to educational excellence.
Founded in 2004, the school caters for local and international students. Its mission is to provide a liberal-based curriculum and […]