cpe guide for teachers.pdf

8/14/2019 CPE GUIDE FOR TEACHERS.pdf

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Cambridge English: Proficiency CPEAdvice for Teachers

Published by the University of Cambridge

Preeth Nambiar


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MAPS International High, Male, Republic of Maldives

Reading and Use of English Part 1 Lexical cloze

Classroom Preparation

Make sure students are aware of the type of items which may be tested, such as part of an

idiom, a fixed phrase or a collocation.

Provide plenty of activities which develop students knowledge of the form, meaning and use of

lexical items, e.g. give students a short text and ask them to find examples of different aspects

of vocabulary tested in the exam.

Discuss different ways students can record and recycle vocabulary; students should be

encouraged to experiment with different techniques.

It is essential that students use a good, up-to-date monolingual dictionary to check and extend

their knowledge of lexis taken from reading and listening texts.

As well as learning new words, students should refine their knowledge of familiar lexis through

extending their knowledge of collocation, fixed phrases and idioms.

A useful pre-reading activity is for the teacher to take out a number of two-word collocations

from a text and to separate and jumble them. The students can then be asked to predict the

original collocations before reading the text to check.

Students could look at a completed text and suggest which words or phrases may be gapped.

Then they could compare it with the original gapped text and discuss any differences.

Task Strategies

Encourage students to read through each extract carefully, not forgetting the title, to get a

general idea of the text type and meaning before looking at the options.

Train students to think about the possible forms and meanings of the gapped words before

looking at the options.

Remind students to check the words around the gap carefully because the missing word must fit

the whole context of the passage.

Remind students to re-read the whole text once more to check that the completed sentencesmake sense in the passage as a whole. This is particularly important in the case of linkers.


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Reading and Use of English Part 2 Open cloze


Train students to read the complete sentence that contains the gap before deciding on their

answer and to check for negatives, conditionals or structures that might put the opposite point of

view. They may need to look for a referent (e.g. names; places; pronouns, he/they, etc.) in

another part of the sentence and, in this case, they should make sure that the word they write in

the gap agrees with the subject.

Encourage students to pay particular attention to the words before and after the gap, as they

may form part of a collocation that is completed by the missing word.

Remind students that they must only use one word to fill each gap, and they will not be

expected to use a contraction (dont = do not) when these count as two words. If they are not

sure of an answer, advise them to leave it blank and to go on. Then, when they check their work

after doing the task, they should read the whole text through again. This may give them the cluethey need to fill in the word they are not sure of.

Encourage students to note down and learn words and expressions in context, especially

grammatical patterns and collocations. It is also useful if they mark collocations in texts that they

read.

Work on text organisation, particularly linkers and referents, is also useful for this part.

Task Strategies

Train students to read the title and the entire text to get an idea of the subject and style before

answering the questions. This will help them to understand what the text is about, and make it

easier for them to fill in the gaps. Emphasise that they should always keep in mind the meaning

of the whole text when doing the task.

Remind students that they should always read the complete sentence that contains the gap

before deciding on their answer.

Remind students to read the text again to check that their answers make sense.

Remind students that they must only use one word to fill each gap.

Remind students to answer all the questions.

Tell students to copy their answers onto the answer sheet when they have completed all eight

gaps.


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Reading and Use of English Part 3 Word Formation


Remind students to read the whole sentence before they fill in the answer, as they may need to

use the plural or negative form of the base word.

Help students to develop flexibility in the application of affixation and word formation. Make

them aware of the range of words that can be formed from the same base word including the

negative forms, e.g. friend: friendship, friendliness, friendly, befriend, unfriendly.

Provide tasks where students also have to make internal changes to a word, e.g. strong

strength. There can be any number of changes to a word, e.g. relate relationships; mercy

mercifully.

Use activities that help students to manipulate word forms such as word-building games.

Encourage students to note down all parts of a new word when they come across it in a readingtext and not just the base form. Vocabulary from other parts of the test may be exploited in this

way during post-reading feedback sessions.

Suggest that students use a thesaurus to help them to extend their range of vocabulary, but

remind them to check all new words in a dictionary as there may be differences not only in

meaning but also in how they are used. Remind students that many dictionaries give

collocations and phrases with words.

Train students in a variety of ways in which they can record new vocabulary so that they can

find a way which works best for them.

Task Strategies

Encourage students to pay attention to the title as it will indicate the main theme of the text.

Encourage students to read through the text carefully before beginning to answer the questions

so that they have a clear idea of what it is about.

Encourage students to answer all the questions.

Encourage students to write clearly and to check all spellings carefully.

Train students to copy their answers carefully onto the answer sheet.

Remind students to check they have recorded their answers on the answer sheet in the correct

order.


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Reading and Use of English Part 4 Key word transformations


Remind students that the answer must consist of three, four, five, six, seven or eight words. If

they write fewer than three or more than eight words they will not be awarded the marks.

Remind them that, as in Part 1, contractions (dont) count as two words (do not). Each

transformation is divided into two parts, each worth one mark, so a candidate may score 0, 1 or

2 marks depending on the accuracy of the response.

Give your students practice in paraphrase use. You could ask them to rewrite sentences from

texts they have read, or rewrite sentences from their own or a partners written work.

Use audio scripts from listening activities; give students a paraphrase of a sentence and ask

them to listen and identify the original. Remember to discuss whether the paraphrase has

changed the register or style of the sentence.

In speaking, ask them to paraphrase by saying, In other words . These activities will back up

formal exam practice, and will also help students with the summary writing in Part 5.

Task strategies

Train students to read the instructions carefully.

Candidates must use the key word in their answer and they must not change it in any way. If

they do not use it or if they alter it, they will not be awarded the marks.

Remind students to pay careful attention to the frame for the answer. They should also take

particular note of the words immediately before and after the gap.

When they write their answers on the answer sheet, candidates should only write the words that

are needed to fill the gap and not the whole sentence.

Remind students to transfer their answers carefully to the answer sheet.

Reading and Use of English Part 5 Multiple choice (long text)


Make sure that students have practice in dealing with relatively long and complex texts,

particularly ones where opinion, attitudes and feelings are expressed, e.g. interviews with

famous people, short stories which focus on how characters feel about the situations they find

themselves in, and magazine articles in which there is a strong authorial voice or viewpoint.


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Train your students in the reading skills necessary for this part of the paper:

understanding detail, opinion, attitude, tone, purpose, main idea and implication as well as text

organisation features such as exemplification, comparison and reference. Students can also be

encouraged to identify similar features in texts of their own choice, and to work in groups to

prepare questions (not necessarily multiple choice) focusing on these features.

Train students to read the text quickly for an initial impression followed by close reading of the

text in order to prevent any misunderstandings which may lead them to choose a wrong answer.

Students must be aware of the need to check each option against the evidence of the text.

Train students not to see all multiple-choice questions as being the same but to identify the

required reading skill behind the question, e.g. by reading the stem and the appropriate section

of the text, they should be able to identify whether they are reading to find someones feeling,

the main idea or a detail. This determines whether they should skim a section of the text or scan

it.

Point out that if there is a question which tests understanding of the whole text, it will be the finalone.

Train students to consider them individually and to justify their choice of answer by underlining

the section of the text where they find the answer. Ask students to say why wrong answers are

wrong.

The texts in this part often contain complex ideas. Encourage classroom discussion both before

and after reading and ask students to justify their answers to the rest of the class. This makes

students refer to the text and to locate the answer rather than just choosing an answer which

might reflect their own opinion

Students will find it helpful to analyse and discuss structural/ organisational features of texts, at

paragraph level and beyond. For example, there may be a question which tests the ability to

recognise a main idea and an example of it, or one which involves comparing or contrasting

ideas or examples.

Task Strategies

Encourage students to read the text twice before attempting any questions, first to skim it for a

general understanding and then to read it for a more detailed understanding.

Encourage students to read the stem of the question first and locate the relevant section of the

text. They should then read the options carefully and consider each one individually before

choosing the answer.

Remind students that the stem in a multiple-choice question is very important and that the four

options can only be considered in light of a clear understanding of the stem.


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Remind students that in multiple-choice questions they need to consider and eliminate

distractors as well as selecting the correct answer. It is important to be able to justify why a

distractor or wrong answer is wrong.

Reading and Use of English Part 6 Gapped text


Encourage students to read the main (base) text first so that they gain an overall idea of the

structure and development of the theme or argument of the text, before starting to do the task.

Train students to pay attention to the information and ideas before and after each gap as well as

throughout the whole of the gapped text. Students frequently make the wrong choice by

selecting options which fit the text before the gap, and neglecting to check that the text after the

gap follows on smoothly. Students should consider the development of the text as a whole, and

not focus on each gap independently.

Students should keep on referring to the developing argument in the base text. Sometimes

students will need to choose carefully between two extracts as possible answers, and will need

to make decisions about which is the most logical extract to fill the particular gap. They should

not rule out an answer for consideration on the grounds that they have already used it, as the

earlier use may be incorrect.

When students have read through the paragraphs, discuss a possible order of the ideas/events

in the paragraphs.

Train students to identify coherence in the text, e.g. words and phrases indicating time, cause

and effect, contrasting arguments, paraphrasing of vocabulary, use of pronouns, repetition andthe use of verb tenses. This helps them choose when they are considering which of two

paragraphs best fits a gap.

Work with the students on identifying cohesive devices such as continuity of verb tenses/forms,

pronoun reference and linking devices in general but keep this subordinate to identifying

coherence.

In class, try photocopying the text and cutting up the paragraphs, which gives students

additional visual support and allows them to compare alternatives more easily. If this activity is

done in pairs or groups, students should also be encouraged to justify their combinations and

links to one another. It is very important to look at a variety of complete texts from different

sources (magazines, books, fiction) and to analyse and discuss in the classroom their style,

structure and organisation.


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Task Strategies

Encourage students to read through the whole text first.

Encourage students to read more than just the paragraph before or after the gap when placing

paragraphs in texts. It is important that they understand the development of ideas, opinions and

events within the text as a whole, rather than the superficial recognition of individual words.

Encourage students to place paragraphs provisionally, to avoid the danger of 'squeezing' later

paragraphs into gaps they don't belong in.

Remind students that they should use each paragraph once and that there is an extra

paragraph which doesnt fit at all.

Warn students of the dangers of merely matching words in the extracts with sections of the text

containing the same words, names and dates, etc.

After placing all the paragraphs, students should check the overall consistency of the text andthat the extra paragraph doesn't fit anywhere.

Reading and Use of English Part 7 Multiple matching


Train students to practise skimming and scanning techniques using a variety of texts and

question types getting them used to the idea that it is not always necessary to read every word

in the texts.

Train students in paraphrasing and summarising sections of a text and encourage them to use

the internet as a source for a variety of texts on common themes. Students could be

encouraged to develop their own multiple-matching exercises from these.

Train students to approach the task in different ways, such as reading either the questions or

the texts first, or doing the task section by section, until they find a way that suits them best.

Remind them that there is no ideal method.

Discuss the questions before attempting practice tasks as a way of focusing on the possible

paraphrases that the students might find in the texts and identifying the number of ideas in the

question.

Train students to read sections of text closely if they are undecided between two possible

answers.

Encourage students to explain why and how they identified a particular match, focusing on the

language features that helped the students make their choices.


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Task Strategies

Train students to think about possible paraphrasing of the language in the questions and to

underline key points in the questions.

Remind students to avoid choosing an answer just because it matches a word in the question. It

is unlikely that a match will be based only on this.

Remind students to check that questions with more than one idea in them match a text with the

same two ideas. Sometimes, one of the ideas in the question might appear in several of the

texts, but without the second idea also present.

Train students to underline the sections of the texts where they find a match to a question. This

will help them to eliminate texts, or sections of text more quickly.

Writing Whole Paper


Make sure students are familiar with the whole paper; the number of parts, the range of task

types and topics so that in Part 2 they can make the best choice from the questions which are

available.

Encourage students to attempt tasks that interest them, or which they have some personal

experience of. Students write most effectively when they are engaged with the topic and the

task.

Provide practice in planning answers thoroughly before students begin to write. This will

encourage an organised and coherent approach and prevent irrelevant digression.

Set time limits for writing tasks to help prepare students to answer the question under

examination conditions, produce the appropriate number of words required in the time set and

avoid the possibility of running out of time.

Set up a writing programme over the term, making sure that you cover the types of writing that

students have to produce in the exam.

Encourage extensive reading. Make sure your students know where they can find authentic

examples of the text types used in Cambridge English: Proficiency.

Remind students of the importance of the reader of a piece of writing, e.g. is it someone they

know or is it a stranger?

Give students practice in identifying the various task types which appear on the paper. These

task types require the use of a range of language functions, for example the language of

persuasion, description, recommendation and comparison.


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Make sure students are aware of paragraphing and that they should develop each point they

want to make in a separate paragraph.

Make sure that when students are planning to do two writing tasks, they need to balance their

answers so that one part does not dominate at the expense of the other.

Provide practice in using a range of cohesive devices so that they can use a variety of linking

words and phrases to ensure that the flow of ideas in their writing is logical and is easy for the

reader to follow. This is assessed in the marking of the Writing test.

Encourage students to use a range of complex language. If in doing so they make mistakes, this

enables you to target lessons on areas of the language which they need to improve.

Encourage students to use a range of vocabulary. Practice of synonyms and paraphrasing is

very useful.

Remind your students that correct spelling and punctuation are important. If spelling errors or

faulty punctuation impede communication, then this will be reflected in the mark awarded. BothBritish and American spelling and usage are acceptable.

Remind your students that correct spelling and punctuation are important. If spelling errors or

faulty punctuation impede communication, then this will be reflected in the mark awarded. Both

British and American spelling and useage are acceptable.

Make sure students have practice in writing without dictionaries as these are not allowed in the

Cambridge English: Proficiency exam.

Use a variety of assessment techniques, for example, sometimes focusing on particular

structural areas and at other times looking at the development of the argument in a whole text.

Ask students to write a diary in English if they wish. Read but don't correct it, offering comments

if the author asks for them. This helps the students develop their own personal style and 'voice'.

Incorporate checking and editing into all writing work you do, so that students get used to

reviewing their work as a matter of course. Encourage students to assess each others' work

before you see it in order to gain exposure to other ways of approaching a task and to develop a

critical faculty which they can apply to their own writing.

Familiarity with the assessment criteria can be another useful part of preparation. The General

Mark Scheme gives information about the linguistic aspects that examiners will consider,

including range of vocabulary and expression, collocation, variety of structure, organisation and

cohesion, register and format; the Task Specific Mark Schemes in the Cambridge English:

Proficiency Handbook also show examples of what is required of specific tasks in terms of

content and target reader.

Task Strategies

Train students to read the questions carefully and to underline the key words or phrases. They

should identify, before they begin to plan their answers, what they hope to achieve through


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writing (the purpose of the task), to whom they are writing (the target reader) and their role as

writer.

Encourage students to plan their answers so that they address all the points in the question.

Remind students that the time, 2 hour 30 minutes, is designed to be sufficient for students to

make brief plans, write two answers and to make any corrections clearlyRemind students that

the time, 1 hour 30 minutes, is designed to be sufficient for students to make brief plans, write

two answers and to make any corrections clearly.

Ask students to check that any corrections they have made are clear to the examiner.

Remind students that they should plan the time they spend on each question carefully.

Warn students against counting words; it wastes a lot of time. By practising writing within the

range of words, students recognise when they have written enough in their handwriting.

Train students to read through their answers on completion to check for possible errors and

omissions.

Writing Part 1


Remind students that Part 1 of the Writing test is always an essay.

Point out to students the importance of reading the input carefully and of identifying the main

points which need to be included.

Remind students that the object is not merely to restate the input, but to summarise and develop

the key points, evaluate the abstract arguments involved and integrate them into a piece of

coherent, discursive writing. A successful answer should also refer to the writers own ideas and

opinions.

Remind students that they may use key words from the question, but must avoid lifting whole

segments of the input. No credit will be given for language or ideas that have not been

appropriately expanded on or integrated into their writing.

Because of the discursive focus of this part of the paper, students need to be equipped to

discuss a range of topics. Reading and discussing articles in English on a variety of issues will

help them to develop their ideas and extend their vocabulary in order to cover the points raised

in the questions.

Task Strategies

Train your students to read all the instructions, and both input texts, first and to think carefully

about what the key points are.


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Train students to read the questions carefully and to underline the key words or phrases.

Encourage students to plan their answers so that they address all the points in the question.

Remind students to check their answers at the end for any errors or omissions.

Writing Part 2


Make sure that your students familiarise themselves with the characteristics of the different task

types that appear on the paper, and that they are confident that they know the differences

between them. Since not all task types appear on every paper, it is important for them to have

experience of writing all the different types.

As there is considerable choice on this part of the paper advise your students to choose tasktypes and topics that appeal to their interests and personal experience. They should also

consider which register, functions, grammatical structures and vocabulary are required by each

task. They can then select the task which they feel they can complete most successfully.

Make sure students learn to read each question carefully as it identifies the context, the writers

role and the target reader, which helps the candidate to choose the appropriate register.

Candidates who do not read a question carefully enough may seize on a familiar topic and start

the task before they have identified exactly what is required. There are always at least two, if not

three, elements in Part 2 questions, and only candidates who produce an answer dealing

adequately with all elements of the question can expect to gain a higher mark.

Provide practice of language functions, for example the language of persuasion, description,

recommendation, comparison, as these are needed for many of the task types. Students need

to be familiar with the grammatical structures and vocabulary relevant to the required functions

and know how to express levels of formality.

Reading extensively will help students develop their writing. The option of writing about one of

the set books in Question 5 offers the opportunity to encourage more extensive reading. Using

film versions of set books, where available, is another way of incorporating them into a course.

Task Strategies

Remind students to select the task carefully. They should choose a task and topic that they are

familiar with.

Train your students to read all the instructions and input in the task first and to think carefully

about what their role is and what the purpose of the task is. Who are they writing to and why?

What are they trying to achieve in the task?


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Remind students to start the task only when they have identified exactly what is required. It is

always the case that there are at least two parts to these questions, and only candidates who

produce a balanced answer dealing adequately with all parts of the question can expect to gain

a mark in the higher bands.

Encourage students to plan their answers so that they answer the task set.

Train students to use a format appropriate to the task type. This may include the use of

organisational features such as section headings in reports and proposals.

Remind students not to attempt the set text question (Question 5) unless they are familiar with

one of the texts.

Remind students to check their answers at the end for any errors or omissions.

Listening -Whole Paper


Make sure students have a great deal of exposure to, and engagement with, a wide range of

spoken English, including a range of voices, accents and styles of delivery. News broadcasts,

documentaries and discussions can be used as suitable texts, as can light entertainment and

drama broadcast in English. Classroom discussion activities also provide an invaluable source

of listening practice.

Familiarise students with the format of the paper and the task types, which are always the

same. It is helpful to work through a number of sample papers before the examination takes

place and to have practice in completing the answer sheets.

Students should listen to a range of text types and accents regularly as a variety of English

accents are used in the test, both British and non-British.

Build up students confidence in listening by grading listening tasks from easy to more

challenging.

Make students aware of how much they themselves bring to a listening task. For example,

discuss with them what they expect to hear in a particular context.

As students listen to texts, encourage them to concentrate on what the speakers say, and to

listen for both stated and implied attitudes and opinions, especially for Parts 1, 3 and 4.

Task Strategies

Candidates should listen to and read the rubric to make sure they understand what they are

listening for and what they have to do.


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Candidates should follow the questions through as they listen to a text, so that they can locate

the answer to each question.

Candidates should think about the topic, the speaker(s) and the context as they read the

questions. This will help them when they listen.

Candidates should concentrate on understanding what speakers say, and listen for both stated

and implied attitudes or opinions.

Candidates should answer the questions on the question paper at first. There is time to transfer

answers to the answer sheet at the end of the test, when more care can be taken.

Candidates should use the second listening to check their ideas from the first listening.

Answer all the questionseven if candidates are not sure, they have probably understood more

than they think.

Remind candidates to copy answers accurately onto the answer sheet.

Candidates should avoid thinking about questions from one part of the Listening test when the

next part starts.

Candidates shouldnt choose an answer too soon.

Listening -Part 1


Make sure students practise listening to a range of short extracts of speech and concentrating

on the main points of what they hear, as well as predicting the purpose of the text and the

attitudes and opinions expressed.

Working with the audioscript, marking where the correct answer is located and then discussing

why they made this choice, can help candidates gain confidence in their listening skills and

greater insight into the way the tasks are constructed. This could then be followed by discussion

of the reasons for the distractors being wrong.

Task strategies

Train students to use the time allowed before hearing each recording to read through all the

questions carefully and think about the type of answer thats required.

Candidates should be very wary of choosing an answer just because it contains a word or

phrase which they hear on the recording. They should listen to the whole text carefully and then

choose the answer. Similarly, they should not answer the question too soon, and perhaps jump

to the wrong conclusion.



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Listening -Part 2


Tasks such as gap-filling exercises, which focus on retrieving facts from an informative text, will

prepare students for this part.

Candidates need to get into the habit of reading what is before and after the gap in the

sentence, so that they do not attempt to repeat information which is already in the sentence,

and to check that what they have written fits into the grammatical structure of the sentence.

Candidates should be discouraged from attempting to write long or complicated answers. The

size of the boxes on the question paper and answer sheet should serve to remind candidates

about the relatively short length of expected responses.

Exercises where students predict information can be useful preparation.

Task Strategies

Candidates should use the time allowed to read the questions carefully, underlining key words

or expressions.

Candidates should write the actual word or words they hear.

Candidates should check the spelling of answers in Part 2 before transferring them to the

answer sheet.

Remind students that they should write their answers clearly when they copy them onto the

answer sheet, using capital letters.

Listening -Part 3


Encourage students to focus first on the question and not the options. This enables them to

concentrate on the focus of the question and really listen to what the speaker says about this

point.

Students should listen carefully to locate where the answer to the question lies. During practice

tests, you could ask students to raise their hands when they hear the cue (the first reference)

for the next question.

Summarising what the speaker(s) say is valuable practice for this part.


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It is useful for students to work with texts where opinions are stated indirectly rather than directly

and to practise listening between the lines.

If the answer to a question cannot be heard during the first listening, encourage students to

mentally leave that point and refocus on the next question. The second listening allows students

the opportunity to finalise their answers.

Task Strategies


or expressions.



Candidates should concentrate on understanding what speakers say, and listen for both stated

and implied attitudes or opinions.

Candidates should not choose an answer too soon.


Candidates should answer all the questions.

Listening -Part 4


Make sure students are thoroughly familiar with the organisation of the task and what is required

of them.

Remind students that they will hear five different speakers, but that the texts have a thematic

link. In this part of the test, the whole series of texts is heard once and then the whole series is

repeated. There is not a new series of speakers for the second set of questions.

Remind students that they must answer both tasks and that they will only hear the series of

monologues twice. They can choose how they approach the tasks: approaching both tasks

simultaneously, or answering the most accessible questions on the first listening and the more

challenging questions when the recording is repeated, or attempting one task on each listening.

Research has shown that different candidates approach this task in different ways, with equal

success, so avoid imposing one particular strategy on them. Classroom activities could focus on

helping students identify the best method of approaching this task for them.


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Encourage students to think about the theme of the texts and to think about the kinds of

attitudes and ideas that they expect to hear in connection with the topic in question.

Remind students that they will be listening for gist meaning in these texts. Activities which

require students to pick out a speakers main point, feeling, attitude or opinion are very useful.

Task Strategies


or expressions.



Candidates should concentrate on understanding what speakers say, and listen for each

speakers main point, feeling, attitude or opinion, depending on the task.

Candidates should not choose an answer too soon.

Candidates should be careful not to choose the same answer twice.

Candidates should answer all the questions, even if they are unsure of the correct answer.

Speaking -Whole Paper


Classroom activities which involve students working in pairs and small groups will give thempractice in skills such as sensitivity to turn-taking and responding appropriately to their partners.

Ensure students have the opportunity to work with different partners in the class to get used to

different ways of speaking, such as different accents, in case they have a different partner in the

actual test.

Make sure your students are familiar with the format of each part of the test. They should be

aware of the interaction patterns (in Part 1 they speak mainly to the interlocutor, in Part 2 to

each other, and in Part 3 to each other and the interlocutor).

It is helpful for the students to know the timings for each part.

Train your students to listen carefully to the instructions so that they know precisely what they

have to talk about.

Encourage your students to speak clearly and audibly so that they can be heard by both the

interlocutor and assessor, and to paraphrase when they do not know or cannot remember a

word.


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Familiarise yourself and your students with the assessment criteria, and assess your students

speaking with each of them. Students can also evaluate each other in discourse management

and interactive communication, as this can help to develop their own skills and awareness.

Task Strategies

Encourage candidates to work with their partner in Part 2 and in the general discussion after the

long turns in Part 3, i.e. follow up, expand, question, agree, disagree, comment.

Avoid always being the first to answer the examiners questions. Candidates should allow/invite

their partner to contribute.

In order to make a fair and accurate assessment of candidates performance, the examiners

must be given a reasonable amount of language to assess. Remind students it is their

responsibility to give a good account of themselves.

Remind students that they can ask for clarification of instructions before they begin a task.

In some centres, candidates from the same school are paired together. However, where

candidates from a number of different schools are entered at the same centre, some candidates

may find that they are paired with a candidate from another school. Students should check with

the centre through which they are entering for the local procedure.

Speaking -Part 1


Give students plenty of practice talking about their everyday life, work experience, interests,

travel, etc. Examiners will ask candidates questions on these topics. Candidates will also have

the opportunity to express what they think in some of their answers. Encourage students to

respond promptly to the questions

Discourage students from preparing rehearsed speeches, as these answers are likely to be

overlong, unnatural and inappropriate.

Give students practice with a variety of questions; some of which require general information

about themselves and which can be answered quite briefly and others which demand a moreextended response.

If possible, encourage students to socialise with others in an English-speaking environment.

Students can practise interviewing each other using questions similar to those in the sample

task in the Handbook.


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Task Strategies

Candidates should practise speaking in English just before the test.

Encourage candidates to have a positive attitude in the test in order to create a good impression

with the examiners.

Students should answer the questions asked and be prepared to expand their answers.

Candidates shouldnt worry about the time; the interlocutor will move the test on to the next

question when necessary.

If possible, candidates should give examples to support their views.

Encourage candidates to speak naturally, in a neutral register.

Speaking -Part 2


Teach your students to listen carefully to the instructions and to carry them out. Students should

be aware that their response to the first 1-minute focus question that accompanies the visuals

sheet needs to go beyond the level of pure description and contain a speculative element.

Train your students to take notice of the title on the visuals sheet. First of all, it is very useful in

helping them remember the examiners instructions. Secondly, information given in the title

about the context or audience (e.g. visitors to a library exhibition) will help students to keep their

discussion focused, and to ensure that the outcome is appropriate.

It is very important that the students interact with each other in this task. All classroom

discussion in pairs and small groups provides excellent preparation. Students should know how

to make positive contributions to move a discussion forward, and show a willingness to take

turns, inviting others to speak, listening and responding, as well as initiating discussion

themselves.

Encourage students to be good listeners. They should be able to pick up on their partners

points.

Set up classroom activities that allow students to express their reactions to and opinions aboutpictures.

Encourage students to discuss the messages portrayed in visuals. Choose two or three

thematically linked pictures from your coursebook, or cut them out of a magazine (or get

students to bring some into class); ask students to talk about the aspects of the theme that the

pictures illustrate.


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Equip students with the functional language needed to manage a discussion, i.e. how to move

forward, re-direct if necessary, manage the conclusion, etc.

Task Strategies

Remind candidates to use the title on the visuals sheet to keep focused on the topic.

Remind candidates to talk about the issues/aspects behind the visuals.

Encourage candidates to avoid dominating the action in Part 2, or the general discussion after

the long turns. They should be a listener as well as a speaker.

Candidates should avoid rushing to make a decision without having first discussed all the

options.

Speaking -Part 3


Brainstorming activities in class will give students practice in getting ideas quickly.

After the question on the card, there are three bulleted points; these are ideas which support the

question. Remind students that they do not need to use these points if they dont want to. As a

classroom activity, remove the bullet points. This focuses the students attention on the main

question.

Encourage students to focus on structuring extended contributions, for example by using linking,

counter-argument and summing up. Provide students with the appropriate language tools for

these skills.

Make sure students have a good range of discourse markers, such as, 'firstly', 'moreover', and

'finally', that they can use to guide themselves and the listener through their long turn.

In order to give students practice in getting the feel of how long 2 minutes is, put students in

pairsone as a speaker and one as a time-keeper.

In the discussion that follows the long turns, the interlocutor will ask questions addressed to

both candidates. He/she might not use the candidates names so students must be prepared to

take it in turns to be the initial responder and the one who reacts to that response. In class,make sure paired students get practice in being both the first speaker to react to a question, and

the second.

Remind your students that this is not a test of knowledge. It is quite acceptable to admit to not

knowing much about a particular topic, but this should be followed by some sort of opinion in

order to provide a large enough sample of language for assessment.


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After your students have both done their long turns, read them the rubric that introduces the

discussion phase (Now, to finish the test, were going to talk about in general). Ask pairs of

students to write five or six discussion questions on the topic. These sets can be exchanged

within the class and discussed.

Task Strategies

Remind students they can allow themselves up to 10 seconds before they need to speak. Some

students find it helpful to read the question out loud as a way of getting started.

Remind candidates to stay focused on the main question on the card in Part 3.

Candidates should be prepared to speak for 2 minutes in Part 3.

Candidates should listen to what their partner is saying during his/her 2-minute turn so they can

comment afterwards.

Candidates should not start answering their partners long turn question when invited to

comment by the examiner. Their remarks should be comments, additions, etc.

Candidates should not speak during their partners 2-minute long turn.

Candidates should use (but not overuse) their personal experience to back up some of their

points in their long turn.

cpe guide for teachers.pdf

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