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DEVELOPING TURN-TAKING SKILLS IN CAMBRIDGE ENGLISH SPEAKING TESTS

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Developing turn-taking skills in Cambridge English Speaking tests - 27th May 2017 By Fernando Capó

Handout 1: CEFR descriptors for spoken interaction

Match the CEFR descriptors below with the levels A2, B1, B2 and C1.

Level CEFR descriptors

1)

______

Can express him/herself fluently and spontaneously, almost effortlessly. Has a good

command of a broad lexical repertoire allowing gaps to be readily overcome with

circumlocutions. There is little obvious searching for expressions or avoidance strategies;

only a conceptually difficult subject can hinder a natural, smooth flow of language.

Can select a suitable phrase from the readily available range of discourse functions to

preface his/her remarks appropriately in order to get the floor, or to gain time and keep the

floor whilst thinking.

2)

______

Can use language fluently, accurately and effectively on a wide range of general,

academic, vocational or leisure topics, marking clearly the relationships between ideas.

Can communicate spontaneously with good grammatical control without much sign of

having to restrict what he/she wants to say, adopting a level of formality appropriate to the

circumstances.

Can intervene appropriately in discussion, exploiting appropriate language to do so. Can

initiate, maintain and end discourse appropriately with effective turn-taking, though he/she

may not always do this elegantly. Can use stock phrases (e.g. ‘That’s a difficult question

to answer’) to gain time and keep the turn whilst formulating what to say.

3)

______

Can communicate with some confidence on familiar routine and non-routine matters

related to his/her interests and professional field. Can exchange, check and confirm

information, deal with less routine situations and explain why something is a problem. Can

express thoughts on more abstract, cultural topics such as films, books, music, etc.

Can intervene in a discussion on a familiar topic, using a suitable phrase to get the floor.

Can initiate, maintain and close simple face-to-face conversation on topics that are

familiar or of personal interest.

4)

______

Can interact with reasonable ease in structured situations and short conversations,

provided the other person helps if necessary. Can manage simple, routine exchanges

without undue effort; can ask and answer questions and exchange ideas and information

on familiar topics in predictable everyday situations.


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Can use simple techniques to start, maintain or end a short conversation. Can initiate,

maintain and close simple, face-to-face conversation. Can ask for attention.


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Handout 2: Cambridge English Speaking test components Tick the boxes next to the tasks in each of the Speaking tests which involve using

turn-taking skills.

Exam Exam tasks Turn-taking needed?

Cambridge

English: Key

Part 1

Each candidate interacts with the interlocutor. The

interlocutor asks the candidates questions. The

interlocutor follows an interlocutor frame to guide the

conversation, ensure standardisation and control the

level of input.

Part 2

Candidates interact with each other. The interlocutor sets

up the activity using a standardised rubric. Candidates

ask and answer questions using prompt material.

Cambridge

English:

Preliminary

Part 1

Each candidate interacts with the interlocutor. The

interlocutor asks the candidates questions in turn, using

standardised questions.

Part 2

Simulated situation. Candidates interact with each other.

Visual stimulus is given to the candidates to aid the

discussion task. The interlocutor sets up the activity

using a standardised rubric.

Part 3

Extended turn. A colour photograph is given to each

candidate in turn and they are asked to talk about it for

approximately one minute. Both photographs relate to

the same topic.

Part 4

General conversation. Candidates interact with each

other. The topic of the conversation develops the theme

established in Part 3. The interlocutor sets up the activity

using a standardised rubric .


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Cambridge

English: First/

Advanced

Part 1

A conversation between the interlocutor and each

candidate (spoken questions).

Part 2

An individual long turn for each candidate with a

response from the second candidate. In turn, the

candidates are given a pair of photographs to talk about.

Part 3

A two-way conversation between the candidates. The

candidates are given spoken instructions with written

stimuli, which are used in discussion and decision-

making tasks.

Part 4

A discussion on topics related to the collaborative task

(spoken questions).

Cambridge

English:

Proficiency

Part 1

Conversation between the interlocutor and each

candidate (spoken questions).

Part 2

A two-way conversation between the candidates. The

candidates are given instructions with written and visual

stimuli, which are used in a decision-making task.

Part 3

An individual long turn from each candidate followed by a

discussion on topics related to the long turns. Each

candidate in turn is given a written question to respond

to. The interlocutor leads a discussion to explore further

the topics of the long turns.


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Handout 3: Interactive Communication at different levels

Discuss in your groups and add some ideas in the table of the kind of turn-taking

skills students would need to have, and the language they may use in order to fulfil

the assessment criteria for Interactive Communication at each level.

A2 level (Cambridge English: Key)

Maintains simple exchanges, despite some

difficulty. Requires prompting and support.

B1 level (Cambridge English:

Preliminary)

Initiates and responds appropriately. Keeps

the interaction going with very little

prompting and support.

B2 level (Cambridge English: First)

Initiates and responds appropriately.

Maintains and develops the interaction and

negotiates towards an outcome with very

little support.

C1 level (Cambridge English: Advanced)

Initiates and responds appropriately, linking

contributions to those of other speakers.

Maintains and develops the interaction and

negotiates towards an outcome.

C2 level (Cambridge English:

Proficiency)

Interacts with ease, linking contributions to

those of other speakers. Widens the scope


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of the interaction and negotiates towards an

outcome.


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Handout 3: Interactive Communication at different levels (key)

A2 level (Cambridge English: Key)

Maintains simple exchanges, despite

some difficulty. Requires prompting

and support.

Can use questions to start a conversation,

e.g. Do you like …?

Can use an appropriate phrase to close a

conversation, e.g. I think that’s all.

Can ask for repetition, e.g. Can you repeat

that, please?

B1 level (Cambridge English:

Preliminary)


Keeps the interaction going with very

little prompting and support.

Can ‘get the floor’, e.g. I agree with you and I

also think …

Can start and close conversations, e.g. What

do you think about that?

Can ask for clarification/elaboration, e.g.

Could you repeat what you just said, please?;

What else did you enjoy about … ?

B2 level (Cambridge English: First)


Maintains and develops the interaction

and negotiates towards an outcome

with very little support.

Can reach a decision through negotiation,

e.g. So let’s decide …

Can use expressions to gain time, e.g. That’s

an interesting question.

Can confirm understanding and invite others

in, e.g. I see what you mean; Do you agree

with me that …?


Advanced)

Initiates and responds appropriately,

linking contributions to those of other

speakers.

Maintains and develops the interaction

and negotiates towards an outcome.

Can initiate, maintain and end turns

elegantly, e.g. To my mind, it’s a difficult

issue because …

Can interrupt politely, e.g. Could I just say

something at this stage?

Can use appropriate language for agreeing

and disagreeing, e.g. I couldn’t have put it

better myself; Shall we agree to disagree?


Proficiency)

Interacts with ease, linking

contributions to those of other

speakers. Widens the scope of the

interaction and negotiates towards an

outcome.

Can link contributions easily to other

speakers, e.g. I’d just like to pick up on

something you said earlier about …

Can negotiate and manage a discussion with

ease, e.g. When you said that … would you

also agree that … and were you maybe also

implying that …


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KET Part 2 Q&A

Worksheet: Air museum

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Put the words in the right order to make five questions you could ask about the

museum.

1) can at museum the What I see ?

___________________________________________________________________

2) weekend open at Is the it ?

___________________________________________________________________

3) ticket much student is How a ?

___________________________________________________________________

4) car Is a park there ?

___________________________________________________________________

5) there I Can postcard a buy ?


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___________________________________________________________________


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Worksheet: Bookshop

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Complete the questions about the bookshop with the missing words.

1) What ________ the address of the bookshop?

2) ________ the bookshop big or small?

3) ________ it closed on Sundays?

4) ________ it sell travel books?

5) What ________ the telephone number?


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PET Part 2

Ideas to improve seaside town all year round

Two steps to improve interaction:

1. Preparation/Braimstorming

Make students brainstorm ideas on seaside town: • Beach

• Entertainment • Food/places to eat • Parking space

• Activities for the family

• Shopping

2. Students have to bring each other into the conversation by using these

questions:

What do you think about this?

What’s your opinion on this?

How do you feel about this?

Do you agree/disagree?


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FCE Part 3: SECRET TASKS

CANDIDATE A

You must do this during part 3

Disagree

Ask for clarification

Interrupt

Make a comment

CANDIDATE B

You must do this during part 3

Ask for more information/details

Answer a question with another question


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Interrupt

Agree

CAE Part 4: Buying time

1) Here are some expressions we use to buy time in English. This means that the

person we are talking to knows that we haven’t finished what we want to say.

Well, …

Well, that’s an interesting

question. Let me think about that

…

I mean ...

… you know ...

Mmm ...

Er ...

Um ...

in fact, …

the thing is ...

it’s, like, easy to .../I don’t, like,

know whether …

aaannddd …/ssssoooo … (saying

words slowly)

2) Now watch Maude and Raphael doing part of the collaborative task in the

Cambridge English: Advanced Speaking test. Tick the expressions above that

you hear.

Maude: Mmm … I think people have to think about, well, first the students have to …

Maude: Aanndd … Students and parents have to think about money because in

some countries university is, um, free …

Raphael: I think you have also to, um, choose the right university for, um, like, where

you ...

Raphael: Umm and, well, when you start a family …

3) Work in groups of three to discuss this task. Try to use some ‘buying time’ expressions.


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CAE Part 3: Buying time and commenting

Ask students to answer by buying time and adding comments to what their partners

answer.

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