Monday, 28 April 2014

Welcome back-Listening test

Welcome back after the Easter break!  Hope you have had a good break even if we are now in the silly season with a very hard run-up to your graduation.

As you hopefully have noticed I have corrected all the documents I have received for Shakespeare and the modern novel.

Most people have done at least one of the tasks for each book but I have to remind you that all three assignments for each work are compulsory.

Here are the relevant assignments:

Shakespeare 
Analysis   ( all done)
10-25 questions   ( seven missing)
Comparison play and film  (seven missing)

Modern Novel
Word analysis (19 done- 11 missing)
Assignment II (13 done- 17 missing)
Assgnment III  (10 done)

Failure to complete these will mean an "F" Grade 

Today we continue our final course tests.

Listening today.

Good luck!!

 

Monday, 14 April 2014

Update of planner. Practice writing

Today we will be completing the speaking part of the Cambridge test for the music students who missed out last week.
At the beginning of the lesson we will look at the changes to the planner and  what it says about the writing part of the test.

Here is how the Cambridge book describes it:

The paper consists of two parts and candidates have to complete two tasks ( letters, reports, articles, competition entries, proposals, reviews and leaflets) of approximately 250 words each

Part 1 consists of one compulsory task based on substantial reading input.
Part 2 consists of one task from a choice of four.
Question 5 is always related to business.

Friday, 11 April 2014

Line-up for the CAE speaking today

Here is a proposed timetable for the groups that I have spoken to  for the CAE speaking test today

Venue:   Lingotek
Make sure you come on time


8.00              Emma S  Jessika S

8.10              Catrine, Nathalie, Emma E

8.25               Effe, Daniel

8.35               Linnea, Hanna P

8.45               Johan N, Erik J, Filip W

9.00               Henrik, Jonathan G

9.10               Erik A, Simon E, Lukas L

Then all the others in suitable groups

Good luck!

On Monday I will do the speaking exam with the music program students at 9 a.m. On the blog there will a part of the CAE writing (3 practice questions) to try your hand at.
At 9.35 l give you some feedback, tips and ideas

Monday, 7 April 2014

cae Speaking

Today we start the CAE speaking..

At 8.45
Simon J  + external candidate

9.00
Economics students

9.15
Yixuan, Jonathan L, Anton

9.30
NA/ TE group

9.45
Group of 2 students

The speaking exam is done in the Lingotek.
 obs!!!!!!
BEFORE FRIDAY EMAIL ME YOUR GROUPS FOR THE SPEAKING EXAM

Rest of you prepare for CAE and do unfinished assignments

Wednesday, 2 April 2014

Preparing for the speaking part of CAE

Today we are going to practice for the speaking part of the CAE.

Here is some general information:
 

www.CambridgeEnglish.org


This document will help you familiarise yourself with theSpeaking test for
Cambridge English:
Advanced also known as
Certificate in Advanced English(CAE)

How the Cambridge English:
Advanced Speaking test is assessed


Advanced Speaking test
The Speaking test is 15 minutes long and consists of four parts. The standard test 
format is two candidates and two examiners. One examiner (the interlocutor) 
conducts the test, providing you with the necessary materials and explaining 
what you have to do. The other examiner (the assessor) is introduced to you, 
but then takes no further part in the interaction.
Part 1
(3 minutes)
The interlocutor first asks you and your partner a few questions. The interlocutor asks
candidates for some information about themselves, then widens the scope of the 
questions by  asking about, for example, candidates’ leisure activities, studies, 
travel and daily life.
Candidates are expected to respond to the interlocutor’s questions and listen to
 what their partner has to say.
Part 2
(a one-minute ‘long turn’ for each candidate, plus a 30-second response from the
second candidate)
You are each given the opportunity to talk for about a minute, and 
to comment briefly after your partner has spoken.
The interlocutor gives you a set of pictures and asks you to talk about them for about one
minute. It is important to listen carefully to the interlocutor’s instructions. 
The interlocutor then asks your partner a question about your
 pictures and your partner responds briefly. You are then given another 
set of pictures to look at
Your partner talks about these picturesfor about one minute.
 This time the interlocutor asks you a question about your partner’s
pictures and you respond briefly.
Part 3
(approximately 4 minutes)
In this part of the test, you and your partner are asked to talk together. 
The interlocutor places a new set of pictures on the table between you. 
This stimulus provides the basis for a discussion. 
The interlocutor explains what you have to do.
Part 4
(approximately 4 minutes)
The  interlocutor asks some further questions, which leads to a 
more general discussion of what you have talked about in Part 3. 
You may comment on your partner’s answers if you wish
As you do the test, the assessor focuses on these areas of your English;
Grammatical Resource 
Are you using a good range of grammatical structures?
Are you using these structures correctly?













Lexical Resource
Are you using a good range of vocabulary?
Are you using vocabulary which is appropriate for the topics you are talking about?
Are you using it correctly?
Are you showing that you can use suitable vocabulary to talk about topics which are 
unfamiliar to you, as well as topics which you are more used to talking about?
Discourse Management
Are you using both long and short answers, depending on the task? 
Is everything you say relevant to the topic of discussion?
Are your ideas expressed in clear and well-organised language?
Are you using a range of language to link and organise your ideas?
Are you able to speak fluently, without too much hesitation?
Pronunciation
You don’t need to have an English accent, but it is important to be clear.
Are you pronouncing individual sounds correctly?
Are you placing stress on the right parts of words and on the right
words in sentences?
Does your voice go up and down at the right times?
Does your pronunciation help you to communicate what you mean?
Interactive Communication
Are you able to interact with the other candidate easily and effectively?
Are you listening to the other candidate and answering in a way that makes sense?
Are you able to start a discussion and help manage the discussion so that 
you and your partner keep it going?
Can you think of new ideas to add to the discussion? 
The examiner checks on your
Global Achievement
. This is about your general
performance.
How well are you speaking about the topics you are given?
Are your answers clear and fluent?
Are you using language which is right for the
Cambridge English: Advanced level?
When your test is complete, the examiners give you marks for each of these things:
Grammar, Vocabulary, Discourse Management, Pronunciation,
Interactive Communication and Global Achievement.
Here is a video recording of two candidates doing the examination

Here are the comments about their performance

Here are several examples of the test materials
 Here is an example of the kind of questions used in part 1