Classification of exercises

 

Specially designed systems of exercises are used for developing skills and subskills.

An exercise is a basic unit of learning language material and acquiring skills and subskills, practicing and developing them.

An exercise is a specially designed activity in teaching circumstances which includes repeated actions we do in order to ptactice, learn and develop something.

A system of exercises is a selection of exercises aimed at the development of specific skills or subskills, their sequence is theoretically grounded.

Structure of an exercise:

- instructions: must be clear and short. The instruction forms the context, motivates pupils, explains the task to be completed.

- language pattern/example: what and how to do

- performance of the task: oral or written

- assessment of actions while the exercise is being done or after it by the teacher, by classmates (peer assessment), self assessment

 

Classifications of exercises according to various criteria:

1) whether information is received or produced: receptive (pupils receive verbal information via auditory or visual channel and show that they recognize it), reproductive (pupils reproduce the material fully or partially) and productive (pupils produce oral or written utterances on a sentence or text level in reaction to oral or written texts);

2) depending on the act of communication: controlled (non-communicative: pupils practice language material under their teacher’s supervision – focus on accuracy), guided (semi-controlled/communicative – pupils perform actions in communicative situations when prompts are given such as pictures, cards), communicative (free, situations are real-life);

3) according to the form of performance: oral, written;

4) use of mother tongue: monolingual, bilingual;

5) function: training/practice/drilling, for assessment;

6) place of performing: at class, at home.

 

TEACHING PRONUNCIATION

Pronunciation is formed according to the principles of approximation because phonemic material for secondary school is limited. Thus we develop our pupils’ phonetic accuracy which make the utterance comprehensible and understandable (a certain decrease of the quality of some sounds is admitted). They acquire natural speed of speaking (about 150 words per minute).

 

We teach pronunciation to help learners to understand the language they hear and to make their speech comprehensible to others.

OBJECTS OF TEACHING: We develop automatic pronunciation subskills:

- individual sounds (44 phonemes) including pronunciation of long vowels in different positions

- word stress (primary and secondary)

- sounds in connected speech

- rhythm and stress in an utterance

- intonation

- weak forms of words

- linking sounds

- stress of content words in a sentence

- rising and falling patterns

 

Two principles of material selection:

- what is needed for communication;

- stylistically neutral material.

 

The sequence of presenting material is defined by the speaking and reading material taught.

The work on pronunciation is integrated with teaching vocabulary, grammar, reading and listening.

 

To teach phonemes we divide them into 3 groups = 3 ways of introducing new sounds:

1) those similar to the phonemes of the mother tongue: [b, m, g, i:, k, ^, …]. Imitation practice in speech patterns

2) those which seem similar but have peculiar distinctive features: [s, z, t, d, I, ǽ, …]. Imitation, description of the articulation; comparison with phonemes in the mother tongue; production of the sounds in the flow of speech

3) those specific for a foreign language: [r, n, h, v, w, η, …] + diphthongs. Imitation, description of articulation + using pictures; comparison with sounds of the mother tongue; demonstrate them in isolation and in connected speech; step by step introduce new sounds

 

Steps of introducing the sounds:

- the teacher presents a new sound in the flow of speech

- the teacher pronounces the sound the word several times

- the teacher explains the sound

- the teacher pronounces the sound and the pupils repeat it

- the teacher pronounces the word and the pupils repeat it

- the pupils pronounce words with the target sound

 

Two groups of exercises:

1) based on recognition of sounds, stresses, rhythm, intonation:

Listen and put up your hand when your hear it; Listen and count the number of sounds; Listen to the pairs of words and identify whether the sounds in both words are similar; Listen to the sentence and put up your hand when you hear a fall/rise of intonation; Listen and count pauses between the words/count stressed words; Listen to the words and underline those which are pronounced by the teacher; Listen and underline the stressed words/ indicate the pauses with vertical lines; Listen and underline the words where the teacher’s voice goes up or down

2) based on production of sounds, words, sentences, dialogues (exercises are based on principles of similarity and opposition, we can use memory chains; verses, songs, short dialogues):

Listen and repeat; Read in a loud voice; Read and organize the words according to the principle of …; Fill in the gaps with appropriate letters; Read the word combination; Read the sentences with appropriate intonation; …

For elementary students phonemic warm-up drill is essential at the beginning of the lesson.

 

Teaching pronunciation is connected with sound-letter correspondence. The teacher should explain rules of reading letter combinations.

Phonemic exercises with graphical support are used to practice reading aloud.

Reading aloud:

- words organized according to the principle of opposition (form – from).

- when the same letter is pronounced in a different way (cat – center)

- the same sound expressed by different letters (speech - speak)

 

TEACHING GRAMMAR

 

Pupils learn grammar while learning the language. We teach G.: 1) as a science about the language (morphology, syntax); 2) as grammatical system of the language.

Grammar subskills are the object of teaching, they are natural components of our speech. They can be receptive (in reading and listening) and reproductive/productive (in writing and speaking).

Receptive grammar subskills involves recognizing information (morphological forms, syntactical constructions).

Reproductive/Productive grammar subskills involves communication-oriented usage of grammatical phenomena.

 

Sequence of operations applied when using productive grammar subskills: 1) to select the grammar structure taking into consideration the speech intention; 2) to construct the phrase according to the task; 3) to make sure that the structure corresponds to our intention and situation.

While teaching G. we rely on our learners’ knowledge of their native language system. That is when two phenomena appear: transfer and interference.

The grammar material taught at schools is restricted. Rationale: lack of time + to communicate at a sufficient level you do need only a limited range of grammar structures.

Principles of selecting of the grammar material taught: 1) frequency of usage in the oral speech; 2) how standard a structure is; 3) exclusion of synonymous grammatical phenomena.

Thus we have “Grammatical minimum”. It can be active and passive.

Active GM comprises subskills used in speaking and writing and can be applied to a wide range of vocabulary.

Passive GM – pupils recognize GI = receptive subskills (have – has).

Main stages of teaching grammar:

1) presentation of some new grammatical item which includes showing how that structure is used (to present GI in the context orally and in writing to show its meaning and function, ways of formation with the help micro textual sample, visuals such as objects, pictures, algorithms);

2) practice of the formation of the grammar subskill (make pupils use the phenomenon in similar contexts and also vary situations; important to provide real-life situations);

3) production: elicitation of that subskill (integration of grammar subskills with all the skills).

There are 2 ways of presenting material: 1) theoretical = deductive – to give a rule and explain it, give illustrative patterns (helps to overcome language interference; time-saving; learners are not motivated to understand); 2) practical = inductive – to supply examples and ask pupils to guess (good when G material is not difficult because the process is time consuming; makes pupils think which helps them to remember it better).

 

Types of exercises:

1) Imitation: require pronouncing patterns: drilling exercises, substitution tables (when only one element is substituted – I have balls. I have dolls…).

2) Transformation: to divide the structure into constituent parts and then transform the structure into a new form: e.g. go – I go – he goes: filling the gaps, completing, extending

3) Paraphrasing into a new form

4) Translation: presuppose a contrast of grammatical form in two languages, focus on the form as the context is provided

5) Combining: grammatical items are combined to express ideas, opinions, attitudes

+ Ordering, gap filling, matching, sentence completion, table completion, MCQ…

All the exercises enumerated above require reproduction.

Production – writing compositions, letter writing, reports, dialogues, …

 

TEACHING VOCABULARY

 

Words are learnt in associations.

Pupils learn vocabulary with their teacher at classes and on their own. They do in their own pace.

To take into consideration: learners’ age, life experience, linguistic confidence, level of language proficiency, needs and interests.

A lexical/vocabulary item – 1) an individual word with its meaning; 2) word combinations: collocations, fixed expression, idioms.

To know a word means to know its meaning in the context, its usage.

To teach words belonging to certain parts of speech, word formation, spelling, pronunciation, position in a sentence.

Stages of teaching vocabulary:

1) presentation of a new vocabulary item and its meaning (oral contextualized presentation by the teacher; visual presentation with the help of objects, pictures, gestures, maps, actions; supplying antonyms and synonyms; non translational – the word in a sentence/text where the meaning is clear – to guess the meaning; translation – especially if abstract nouns);

2) checking comprehension + tentative use of newly introduced items with the help of tests: matching (with pictures, synonyms, definitions, associations), grouping words according to the same characteristics, grading (to put in some order), multiple choice, collocation grid, odd man out, gap filling, sentence completion, paraphrasing, mind map – to form the subskill through understanding, selecting, grouping and combining words;

3) communicative practice – active use of vocabulary through creative activities: making dialogues, story telling, describing pictures, …

 

Active vocabulary minimum – production in speaking and writing

Passive vocabulary minimum – recognition in reading and listening

 

TEACHING LISTENING

 

Listening is a receptive skill which involves understanding an oral input.

Reasons for listening:

- listening for general information

- listening for specific information

- listening for enjoyment

- listening for curiosity

- listening for pronunciation practice

Objects of teaching = Listening subskills:

- listening for gist: Get the main idea of what is being said without focusing on specific details;

- listening for specific information

- extensive listening – for a long period – for pleasure

- listening for detailed understanding: e.g. directions – listening intensively to understand all information

- listening for implications

 

Listening can be:

1) formal / informal

2) face to face / via channel

3) one sided / multisided (conversation)

 

What is necessary for listening:

Predicting – anticipatory mechanisms – to predict what is going to come next on the level of a word, sentence, text; ability to contextualize the information

Linguistic knowledge: deals with recognition of sound, intonation, stress, grammar, lexis, knowledge of formal / informal styles

Cognition: short-term memory and long term ability of coding-decoding information

Paralinguistic features – gestures, body language, noise, music, environment clues

Personal motivation

 

DIFFICULTIES while listening:

A linguistic problems:

- on phonetic level: misunderstanding of words due to mixing sounds, due to reduction /elision; misunderstanding of word combinations due to strange linkage or clusters; misunderstanding of an utterance due to strange rhythm and intonation, differences in stresses;

- on grammatical level: confusion of shortened forms, shortened words with full; large amount of analytic forms; grammatical homonymy

- on lexical level: recognition of homophones, paronyms, opposites, words used in a figurative meaning, a large amount of structural words, use of fillers (hm, like, sort of, well), words of different level of formality, repetitions, rephrasing, false starts, self-correction;

B Non-linguistic: lack of confidence, control over the speed of speech (250/min), absence of a purpose for listening; poor understanding of speakers’ intention; absence of relevant socio-cultural knowledge; inability to differentiate speakers, inability to focus on and extract key information; tiredness; distracted by external noise

Ways to overcome these difficulties: to give supports (visual, oral), to adjust a text, to play the recording several times, to make pauses.

 

There are 3 stages of teaching listening:

1) pre-listening: to prepare pupils for listening, to activate their previous experience and knowledge. Exercises guide pupils to the meaning, ask them to predict and get ready: Read smth additional before listening; Discuss the subject; Describe the pictures; Answer the questions (not more than 3); Matching (to predict the content) + grammar or vocabulary exercises

2) while listening: to develop the skill of accessing meaning from spoken language. Activities aimed at listening for gist, for specific information, to restore missing information: putting pictures in order, completing tables/charts/grids/sentences, drawing a picture, doing some actions/movements, note-taking, labeling, gap-filling, true-false, multiple choice, spotting mistakes

3) post listening: to check pupils’ understanding: putting pictures in order, matching them to the text, true-false, extending the list of ideas, extending notes to full responses, identifying relations between speakers, decision-making, role plays, simulations, dictation, writing compositions/letters/essays, answering questions, summary.

 

Listening skills are always integrated with other skills.

 

TEACHING READING

 

Reading comprehension means understanding the printed/written text by extracting required information from it as efficiently as possible.

Reasons for reading:

- for pleasure

- for studying

- for work

- for survival

 

Approaches to a text: careful reading and expeditious reading. (Urquhart & Weir, 1998, adapted)

Approaches to Text	Skills and Strategies
Global Level	Local Level
Careful Reading	Establishing accurate comprehension of explicitly stated main ideas and supporting details. Making propositional inferences.	Identifying lexis. Understanding syntax.
Expeditious Reading	Skimming quickly to establish: discourse topic and main ideas, or structure of text, or relevance to needs. Search reading to locate quickly and understand information relevant to predetermined needs.	Scanning to locate specific points of information.

 

Reading Skills and Strategies (Urquhart & Weir, 1998, adapted):

Skimming	Reading for gist. The reader asks: ‘What is this text as a whole about?’ while avoiding anything that looks like detail. The defining characteristics are: a) the reading is selective, with sections of the text either omitted or given very little attention; b) an attempt is made to build up a macrostructure (the gist) on the basis of as few details from the text as possible.
Search Reading	Locating information on predetermined topics. The reader wants information to answer set questions or to provide data for example in completing assignments. It differs from skimming in that the search for information is guided by predetermined topics so the reader does not necessarily have to establish a macropropositional structure for the whole text.
Scanning	Reading selectively, to achieve very specific reading goals, e.g., finding the number in a directory. The main feature of scanning is that any part of the text which does not contain the pre-selected symbol(s) is dismissed. It may involve looking for specific words/phrases, figures/percentages, names, dates of particular events or specific items in an index.
Careful Reading (reading for detail)	The defining features are that the reader attempts to handle the majority of information in the text, that is, the process is not selective; that the reader accepts the writer’s organization, including what the writer appears to consider the important parts; and that the reader attempts to build up a macro-structure on the basis of the majority of the information in the text. The process can be sequentially bottom-up, from letters to words and from words to sentences and finally to texts. It can also be top-down, a process of confirming and correlating predictions by sampling the visual input. Most likely, the process is interactive involving both bottom-up and top-down reading by interactively using all sources of information and background knowledge.

 

Stages of teaching reading:

1) pre-reading: to predict the content from the title, matching with pictures, guided questions (3-5), discussing the subject, true-false + grammar and vocabulary exercises

2) while reading: to focus pupils’ attention on key information, while reading we ask to do only one exercise: matching, put pictures/passages in order, note-taking, filling the gaps, completing charts/tables/sentences, information transfer, true-false, multiple choice

3) post reading: to check how much information pupils have got: true-false, multiple choice, paraphrasing, answering questions, discussion, retelling, dialogues, compositions

 

TEACHING SPEAKING

 

Speaking means the ability to express ideas orally to satisfy communicative needs and intentions. The aim is to pass information and to get the massage across.

Two forms of speaking: monologue and dialogue. As in real life dialogue speech prevails, so in the teaching process we should pay more attention to it. BUT we should remember that each dialogue contains elements of monologue speech.

Characteristics of speaking:

Accuracy involves the correct use of grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation. Accuracy activities are aimed at developing accuracy of speaking, correct usage of the language to convey the meaning.

Fluency – the ability to speak without stopping when speaking spontaneously regardless linguistic resources pupils have and mistakes they make. Fluency activities: paraphrase, ask for clarification, use of specific expression (never mind, I guess, let me see, …)

 

Three stages of teaching speaking:

1) the teacher presents the pattern dialogue orally and the pupils repeat it or change it somehow, add some information

2) a) deductive approach: pupils learn the dialogue by heart

b) inductive approach: pupils learn by heart only some expression from the dialogue

3) creative stage: pupils make up their own dialogues

 

As our speech is situational, so we need to provide situations to our pupils, so to say to provide a stimulus for them to speak. A situation is a set of conditions. It should be real life. It can be created visually or verbally. For more advanced learners situation should be more problematic.

Components of the communicative situation:

1) speaker; 2) addressee, 3) subject

 

TYPES of speaking activities:

1) controlled activities: material is provided by the teacher; the aim is to practice accurate use of vocabulary, pronunciation and grammar: repetition of phrases/sentences prompted by pictures or schemes;

2) guided or semi-guided activities: to improve pupils’ language + to give them an opportunity to express ideas using language they learned before: sentence completion;

3) creative / free / communicative activities: specific language focus is less relevant; to provide creative practice for predicted language items or for general fluency; pupils should their own opinions/ideas, so the task of the teacher to encourage them to do so creating comfortable atmosphere, giving interesting and problematic tasks: problem solving. Activities: making up dialogues/conversations (has real communicative purpose; about what pupils are interested in), debates (controversial topics; for more advanced level), discussions (pair/group work; to convince each other; argumentation), reports, role plays, simulations, presentations, information gap/exchange (to share information with your partner), problem solving, picture description …

 

All the activities should be process-based not product-based; the whole class should be involved in them – to limit time per pupil. The teacher doesn’t interrupt the pupil to correct mistakes, he analyses mistakes typical for all the pupils afterwards, gives his feedback, concentrates mainly on positive things.

 

As all the skills we teach are integrated, so the teacher also asks the pupils to read or to listen to something and then asks follow up questions.

 

TEACHING WRITING

 

The role of writing is significant, it helps pupils to practice other skills and subskills and put their ideas in a logical order.

Which aspects are taught:

- handwriting: at the very beginning pupils are taught to write letters/letter combinations/words correctly; focus on graphical peculiarities of letters; differentiate between letter combinations which is connected with spelling and reading rules. Tasks: underline words with the target letter; group words with the target letter/with target letter combination; copy words spelt / pronounced in the same way / spelt according to rule; complete sentences; rewrite sentences using target structure; reorder words in a sentence

- spelling: correct writing of words, based on spelling rules and analogies

- punctuation: capitalization and punctuation

- sentence construction: correct order of words in a sentence; mastering structural patterns and their combining

- paragraphing: division of a text into paragraphs, introduction and conclusion

- text cohesion: use of linking devices to make a text logical and clear for the reader

- style: appropriate language

 

The teacher shows in the air how to write a letter, then writes it on the blackboard. The pupils repeat it in the air and then write 5 lines of this letter in their copy-books. Letters are organized into groups according to the shape they have to make their learning easier: i, u, e; v, w, b; m, n, h; j, y; l, t.

Moreover, letters can be divided into:

- those which are the same as in the native language: Aa, Оо, Xx, Ее, Mm, Kk, Pp;

- those similar to the letters in the native language: Tt, Hh, Uu, Bb;

- those different from th letters in the native language: Ss, Ff,Rr, Qq, Ww, Jj, Zz.

Firstly, pupils learn to write in block letters (printed version).

 

Exercises:

- are aimed at recognizing the letter: underline the target letter

- then pupils are taught to write elements of letters and only after that separate letters

- copying letters/letter combinations/words: copy out the words with the given letter; make words in groups

- then pupils not only copy letters but change something (e.g. add –s/-es for the 3d person singular)

- match questions and answers, gap filling, unjumble words, sentence completion, dictations

 

Types of dictations:

- auditory: the teacher dictates, pupils write (the text is read 3 times: 1^st – at a normal speed when pupils just listen to it, 2d – sentence by sentence when pupils write it, 3d – slower when pupils check)

- visual: a text is written on the blackboard, pupils read it for 1-2 minutes, then the teacher covers it and the pupils write the text from memory

- self-dictation: pupils learn the text by heart and then write it from their memory

- explanatory (audiovisual): the teacher dictates the text, one pupil writes on the blackboard and explains

- running/wall dictation: there are 2 teams, one pupil from each team runs to the dictation, reads the sentences and then runs to dictate it to the other pupils in his team

 

For intermediate and advanced students we give guided and communicative activities.

Guided: complete the dialogue/passage/story/letter, write questions you want to ask your friend going to other country, write a plan for…

Communicative: letter/essay/composition writing, summary

 

Difficulties related to teaching spelling:

- letter combinations which produce one sound: sh, th, ck

- the same letter can represent different phonemes: e.g. the letter ‘s’ – the sounds [s, z]; or one sound is represented with some grapheme; e.g. ir, er, ur.

- existence of ‘silent’ letters: e.g. lin e; + in letter combinations: e.g. wh-, -ght: whom, eight;

To eliminate these difficulties special exercises should be applied:

1. coping, adding

2. dictations

 

The teacher should not only teach spelling or handwriting but also teach his pupils how to generate ideas for producing a piece of writing: mind maps, planning, drafting, editing, checking and rewriting.

 

ASSESSMENT

 

Assessment is measuring our students’ performance and the progress they make, diagnosing the problems they have and providing learners useful feedback.

Evaluation is considering all the factors that influence the learning process such as syllabus objectives, course design, materials used, methodology, teacher performance and assessment. Assessment is one of the most valuable sources of information about what is happening in a learning environment. So evaluation is an umbrella term.

Is testing synonymous with evaluation? No, it is a way of formal assessment alongside with oral exams of traditional format. Assessment may also be informal, carried out by the teacher not under special test/exam conditions.

They often say that testing should take place only after learning. It’s true about tests at the end of the topic, term, or year. It’s summative assessment measuring students’ performance at the end of a certain period of study. But we should not forget about formative assessment which feeds back into learning, gives learners information of their progress throughout a course, helps them to become more efficient learners.

Is it just teachers’ responsibility to test their students? Primarily yes, but school or university administration also have a say, and local and national authorities are responsible in case of some regional tests (“srezy”) or national exams or the so called external independent testing (ZNO). Besides assessment of students’ progress may be carried out by the students themselves, it may be peer-assessment or self-assessment.

 

Features of assessment:

- it should be positive: Assessment should be aimed at giving students a chance to show what they have learnt rather than to reveal what they have not learnt. Unfortunately, it is not always like that. Tests try to catch students out and students feel alienated by the assessment because they have no other role in it but that of passive participants. For many learners in this situation, especially when task formats and criteria for grading the works are not informed beforehand, assessment may seem arbitrary and at times even unfair. Sometimes they get on with their teacher, sometimes they do not. Sometimes they are lucky and revise the right material for a test, sometimes they are unlucky.

- accountability: as professionals, teachers should be able to provide learners, parents, institutions and society in general, with clear indications of what progress has been made and if it has not, why that is so. We should be able to explain the rationale behind the way assessment takes place and how conclusions are drawn, rather than hiding behind a smoke screen of professional secrecy.

- consistent: a teacher should set clear assessment objectives, define clear criteria, work out clear procedures for assessing and try to keep to them as well as inform his pupils about them.

- activities for assessment purposes should be valid (assess what we really want them to assess) and practical (in terms of preparation and administration – time, money, human resources) as well as washback effect should be positive (have a positive influence on the teaching process)

 

We assess to see if our pupils have achieved the goal set according to the standards in line with the syllabus and how they are progressing so if they have problems we can give them the remedial help.

Pupils can be compared with each other and with the standards.

 

To assess our pupils’ learning achievements we can use tests and other forms of assessment (observation, reports, presentations, projects, …).

Test task – a separate task performed by candidates. It may be of different formats (true/false, multiple choice, short answer response, etc).

 

Types of tests:

- Placement\entry test – to select and place learners into a group according to their language abilities. It must be difficult

- Progress tests –is given during courses. It may be given after certain blocks of study, e.g. after a number of units, at the end of each week, each term. The test aims to find out info about how well classes as a whole and individual students have grasped the learning objectives, how well the course content is functioning within the specified aims and objectives and future course design. You can easily identify how well pupils are progressing in a very short period of time.

- Achievement test – a test designed to measure the extent of learning achieved by a learner in relation to a particular course of instruction, i.e. a curriculum-dependent test. It is based on the material taught that is based on text-books/

- Diagnostic test – a test which is used for the purpose of discovering a learner’s specific strength or weaknesses. Allows to reveal mistakes typical for an individual or for a group. Thus the results may be used in making decisions on future training, learning or teaching.

 

Testing receptive skills:

 

That is testing reading, listening and Use of English (grammar, vocabulary and phonetics).

The aim of testing use of English is to demonstrate knowledge and control of the language system by completing a number of tasks, some of which are based on specially written texts. Testing use of English is important but we should remember that while grammar and vocabulary contribute to communicative skills, they are rarely to be regarded as ends in themselves.

Such tests (Use of English) require recognition of vocabulary items and grammar structures, manipulation of structures and collocations, understanding of meaning in context and awareness of appropriacy in context.

Test tasks for testing vocabulary: Multiple choice, Matching, Odd man out, Gap filling, Cloze (systematic deletion of words (together with reading skills), Negative cloze/cloze elide/intrusive word (candidates must delete words which the tester had added to the text but which do not belong there) (together with reading skills), C-test (candidates are to restore words in the text from their parts (together with reading skills), Word formation (together with reading skills), Editing/proofreading (together with reading skills), Listing, Labeling (together with reading or listening skills), Translation

Test tasks for testing grammar: Multiple choice, Editing/proofreading (together with reading skills), Translation, Sentence completion (opening brackets), Sentence combination, Addition, Ordering, Transformation, Gap filling (modernized cloze), Table completion (three forms of verbs, degrees of comparison of adjectives), Matching (sentence halves, structures and their names), Identifying structures, Cued sentences (from pictures or words).

 

Testing listening comprehension. OBJECTS OF QSSESSMENT:

- Micro-skills and macro-skills or skills and sub-skills

- Skills: understanding of gist, listening for specific information, follow the instructions, interpreting the information (appreciate the speakers’ attitudes and intentions), inferring the information (the underlying meaning) etc.

- Sub-skills: recognition of function of structures, interpretation of intonation patterns etc.

Test tasks for testing listening: True/false, Multiple choice, Information transfer (trace the route, complete the table, draw a diagram etc), Labeling, Sequencing (texts, pictures), Text completion (complete the information about the film), Short answer questions, Note taking

 

Testing reading. OBJECTS OF QSSESSMENT:

Elementary students – to show ability to skim factual texts for gist and to scan them for specific information.

Intermediate – to identify the text type, to recognize attitudes, emotions expressed by the writer, to see what the writer’s purpose is and understand the text structure.

Advanced – to decide whether a text is based on fact or opinion, to select information and use it to perform a task, to infer meaning from context, to appreciate style.

Test tasks for testing reading: True/false, Multiple choice, Matching, Information transfer (trace the route, complete the table, draw a diagram etc), Labeling, Sequencing (texts, pictures), Short answer questions, Problem-solving (from the following information work out people’s names), Identify topic (match the title with the text), Linking, Identify linking words in the text, Cloze (together with vocabulary skills), C-tests, Summary (together with writing skills)

 

Testing productive skills:

That is testing speaking, writing. Activities used should be creative. Pupils are required to express their own ideas. Tests must be interactive and as close to a real-life situation as a test can get.

Purpose of testing: to assess a wide range of skills.

IN SPEAKING: The examiner will want to see how well pupils can:

- communicate their opinions and information on everyday topics and common experiences;

- speak at length on a given topic using appropriate language

- organise their ideas coherently

- express and justify their opinions

- analyse, discuss and speculate about issues

Typical criteria for assessment: fluency, coherence, lexical resource, grammatical range and accuracy, pronunciation.

Task formats: interview, picture description, answering questions, reports, information transfer, problem solving, etc.

We test both monologue and dialogue speech.

 

IN WRITING:

Typical criteria for assessment:

- Content refers to how well you have done what you were asked to do.

- Communicative Achievement refers to whether you have used the appropriate level of formality.

- Organisation refers to how well you put together the piece of writing; is it logical and structured?

- Language refers to the vocabulary and grammar that you used. Is it accurate and varied?

Task formats: writing an article, an email, an essay, a letter, a report, a review or a story, etc.