Graded examinations in
spoken English
for speakers of
other languages
2004–2007
Trinity College London 89 Albert Embankment, London SE1 7TP, UK Tel: +44 (0)20 7820 6100 Fax: +44 (0)20 7820 6161 e-mail: [email protected] website: www.trinitycollege.co.uk
All additions and improvements to this syllabus and a wide range of support to teachers and
learners can be downloaded from the Trinity website at www.trinitycollege.co.uk
Contents
Foreword . . .
page ivGeneral introduction . . .
1Initial stage . . .
8 Grade 1. . .
10 Grade 2. . .
12 Grade 3. . .
14Elementary stage . . .
16 Grade 4. . .
20 Grade 5. . .
22 Grade 6. . .
24Intermediate stage . . .
28 Grade 7. . .
32 Grade 8. . .
34 Grade 9. . .
38Advanced stage . . .
42 Grade 10. . .
46 Grade 11. . .
50 Grade 12. . .
54Regulations . . .
58Appendix 1—
Topic forms for Grade 4 and Grade 6. . .
63Appendix 2—
The Report form. . .
65Appendix 3—
Summary of language items for each grade. . .
66Foreword
Welcome to this revised edition of the syllabus for Trinity graded examinations in spoken English for speakers of other languages. It will apply to all examinations undertaken from 1 April 2004 until 31 March 2007 and replaces all previous versions.
If you have used Trinity's English Language examinations before, most of this syllabus will be familiar. The format of Trinity’s graded examinations in spoken English at the Initial and Elementary stages remains the same as in the ESOL 2002 syllabus. However,
•
the text phase at Intermediate and Advanced stages has been replaced by an interactive task which is more relevant to candidates’ communicative needs•
the listening phase at Advanced stage has been redesigned•
changes have been made to the marking scheme to increase the reliability of the assessment system• •
•
without reducing high validity•
although Candidate Report forms look quite different, the performance standards required for each grade•
•
remain the same.This syllabus is a working document which is widely used in the classroom as well as in the examination. It is a very important document for teachers and learners.
Guidance to teachers can be found in the introduction to each stage which provides advice about preparation for the examination and how it will be conducted. Further support can be found on our website and in books available through a range of publishers: look at Appendix 4 for more information about support materials through print, video and the Trinity website.
This syllabus can be downloaded in full and grade by grade from the Trinity website at www.trinitycollege.co.uk A separate syllabus is available online for examinations conducted within the National Qualifications Framework in the UK. If you wish to register as a Trinity centre, contact [email protected]
Thank you for your interest in Trinity examinations, and I wish all those who enter for them a positive and rewarding experience and, of course, every success.
Sheila Needham
Spoken English
for speakers of
other languages
General introduction
Trinity College London has been conducting examinations internationally since the 1880s. Trinity is accredited in the United Kingdom by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority as an independent award-giving body.
English language examinations and qualifications
Trinity examinations in English for speakers of other languages (‘ESOL’) are organised into three inter-related suites. These share a common philosophy but provide different learners with the opportunity to choose a qualification which most suits their individual needs.
•
Graded examinations in spoken English for international students (this syllabus)•
Integrated Skills in English examinations (see our separate syllabus)•
ESOL Skills for Life qualifications accredited by QCA (minimum age for entry is 16)Entry for the graded examinations and ISE examinations is open to anyone aged 7 and over whose first language is not English. There is no upper age limit. Candidates do not have to be following a course of study but must enter for the examinations at a registered Trinity centre.
Trinity also provides teaching qualifications. The Trinity Certificate in TESOL is an initial qualification for those wishing to enter the profession whilst the Licentiate Diploma in TESOL is for practising teachers wishing to further their career.
About Trinity’s graded examinations in spoken English for
speakers of other languages
Aim
Trinity’s graded examinations in spoken English provide a reliable and valid scheme of assessment through which candidates, teachers and parents may measure progress and development, whether for educational and
vocational purposes or as a leisure activity. The grades provide a continuous measure of linguistic competence from absolute beginner to full mastery.
Framework
This series of twelve progressively graded tests is designed for speakers of languages other than English and sets realistic objectives in listening to and speaking with other English speakers. The grades take the learner from a very low level of proficiency (Grade 1) to an advanced level of proficiency comparable with first-language ability
learners to develop and progress by acknowledging small steps. All learners make progress at different rates, and a graded system ensures that at every stage of their development there is an opportunity for them to mark that progress. There is a Trinity graded examination in spoken English appropriate to all learners, whatever their level of ability in communicating in English.
The progress is marked by
•
greater linguistic demands categorised under grammar, lexis and phonology•
increasing evidence of the use of communicative skills and the expression of functions•
an increasing degree of independence which allows the candidate to initiate and take control of the•
interaction.The twelve graded examinations in spoken English are organised in four development stages. The four stages are designed to give a framework to the teaching and learning progression and the tasks in the different stages are designed in such a way as to allow candidates to demonstrate their abilities in a number of different discourse types.
The strong support provided to the candidate at the Initial stage is gradually replaced throughout the other three stages by the encouragement for them to take responsibility for the interaction.
From Grade 1 throughout the four stages, the examinations take the form of a one-to-one, face-to-face interview between the candidate and an examiner who is a native speaker of English. The examination at each stage, and with increasing demands at each grade, replicates real-life exchanges in which the candidate and the examiner pass on information, share ideas and opinions and debate topical issues.
The four stages
At Initial stage (Grades 1–3), the conduct of the examination is initiated by the examiner. Examinations at Initial
stage relate to the first common reference level (Basic User) in the Common European Framework for Languages:
Learning, teaching, assessment (2001).
At Elementary stage (Grades 4–6), the candidate introduces a topic of his or her own choice. The examiner
directs the discussion using the points prepared by the candidate. Then the examiner moves on to the
conversation phase, selecting two subject areas for discussion from the list provided. Examinations at Elementary stage provide a bridge from the first to the second common reference levels (Basic User to Independent User) in the Common European Framework for Languages.
At Intermediate stage (Grades 7–9), the candidate initiates and maintains a discussion on a topic of his or her
own choice. This is followed by an interaction initiated by the examiner and then maintained by the candidate, and the examination ends with a conversation on two subject areas selected by the examiner from the list provided. Examinations at Intermediate stage relate to the second common reference level (Independent User) in the Common European Framework for Languages.
At Advanced stage (Grades 10–12), the examination begins with a formal presentation of a topic leading into a
discussion of the presentation. The candidate-controlled interaction is followed by a listening task, and the examination ends with a conversation on two subject areas selected by the examiner from one of the lists provided. Examinations at Advanced stage take the learner from the second to the third common reference level (Independent User to Proficient User) in the Common European Framework for Languages.
Introduction
What each stage involves
The above timings include time for the candidate to enter and leave the room and for the examiner to complete the individual Report form.
About the tasks
Conversation
This is an opportunity for a realistic exchange of information, ideas and opinions.
The conversation phase involves a meaningful and authentic exchange rather than a formal ‘question and answer’ interview. The examiner selects two of the subject areas provided in the syllabus for the particular grade The subject areas have been carefully selected to offer a progression from the familiar to the less familiar and from the ‘concrete’ to the ‘abstract’.
At each stage, the candidate is expected to take more responsibility for initiating and maintaining the
conversation. One of the ways in which this is expected to be actioned is by the candidate asking the examiner a number of questions. The assessment of this phase takes into account the ability of the candidate to find out relevant information using the language of the grade: for example, fact-finding questions at Grade 4 (What kind of
food do you like?), requests for personal opinion at Grade 6 (What do you think of Sorrento?), and discussion
prompts at Grade 11 (What’s your opinion about genetically-modified food?’). These questions are expected to arise naturally out of the conversation and will be used to further the interaction.
The topic
Before the examination, the candidate prepares a topic and in the examination this is used as a basis for the interaction.
Trinity’s philosophy is that candidates should be given every opportunity to demonstrate to the examiner what they can do in English. This includes giving them the opportunity to talk about a topic which is of interest to them and which they feel confident talking about.
Candidate choice is important and in selecting their own topic, candidates from the earliest grades have a degree of autonomy and control over this phase of the examination.
This task allows candidates to demonstrate the range of structures, functions and lexis at their command and of the grade. It provides the candidates with the opportunity to show they can link sentences together to talk about a subject at some length.
Initial Elementary Intermediate Advanced
Grades 1-3 Grades 4-6 Grades 7-9 Grades 10-12
5-7 minutes 10 minutes 15 minutes 25 minutes
Topic presentation
Topic discussion
Topic presentation and
discussion Interactive task
Topic discussion Interactive task Listening task
Introduction
The interactive task
An initial prompt from the examiner gives rise to an interaction controlled by the candidate.
All the examination phases are ‘interactive’ but this is the phase in which the candidate’s own initiating skills are of paramount importance in determining the successful outcome of the task.
This phase provides the opportunity for the candidate to demonstrate his or her ability to take control through the use of questioning techniques and functions associated with requesting information, seeking clarification and encouraging further detail.
At Intermediate stage, candidates start to demonstrate their independence as users of English. This autonomy is further developed at the Advanced stage. The task requires the candidate to initiate ‘turns’ in the conversation and control the direction of the interaction. Tasks require an authentic exchange of information and opinions, with the language functions listed at each grade arising naturally out of the task.
The listening task
Three short spoken passages prompt the use of the skills of deduction, prediction and inferring.
A listening task is introduced at the Advanced stage. The passages are non-specialist and do not relate to the specific subject areas provided for the conversation phase. It is considered important at this stage to introduce an unknown element into the examination for which the candidate cannot prepare specifically in terms of language content.
The listening task is intended to be solely a test of listening. The candidate is required to give only very brief verbal responses indicating comprehension achieved through the use of high level listening skills.
About this syllabus
Layout
The syllabus is divided into the four stages. At the beginning of each stage there is an introduction which outlines the candidate profile expected by the end of the stage. These profiles relate to the common reference levels in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, teaching, assessment (Council of Europe 2001). The introduction to each stage is followed by individual grade pages which give details of the
requirements of the particular grade. These are set out for ease of use in the classroom. Examination regulations are set out from page 58. The appendices contain supporting documentation such as Topic forms, Report forms and a summary of the language items of each grade, to assist candidates and those preparing them for the examinations.
The contents are organised as follows:
Introduction to each stage
Candidate profile—describes what the candidate can do by the end of the stage Format—gives the content of the examination
Procedure—describes the way in which the examination will be conducted Assessment—gives general information on the assessment relevant to the stage Guidance—offers advice on preparation for the examination including samples of tasks
Individual grade pages
Format—gives examination phases and timings
Candidate performance—describes what the candidate should demonstrate under these two headings:
•
Communicative skills—requirements, subject areas, language functions•
Language production—grammar, lexis and phonologyExaminer and candidate language—gives examples of the kind of language that might be used by the
• •
candidate and the examiner
Regulations
See pages 58 to 62
These give advice on entry requirements, the appeals procedure and arrangements for candidates with special needs. In entering candidates for Trinity graded examinations in spoken English, centres agree to abide by Trinity’s regulations and, therefore, they must ensure that they and the candidates are completely familiar with the regulations set out in this syllabus.
Appendices
See pages 63 to 71
I Completed Topic forms for Grade 4 and Grade 6—These are provided as examples to show the way in which
candidates should fill in a Topic form.
2 Completed Report form—An Intermediate stage Report form is provided to show how the Report form is completed by the examiner.
3 Summary of language items for each grade—This table provides a summary of the requirements at each grade in terms of language functions, grammar, lexis and phonology, and subject areas for conversation. This can be used, along with the lists of communicative skills on the grade pages, to decide which grade candidates should be entered at and as a checklist to ensure that all required items have been covered before the examination itself is taken.
The outcomes for each grade assume mastery of the outcomes of the previous grades. It is therefore
important, when preparing candidates for a particular grade, that attention is paid to the content and coverage of all previous grades. Although these will not be examined explicitly, the examiner will be looking to the candidate to demonstrate a repertoire of language items which includes items from the current grade and preceding grades.
4 Support material for teachers— where to go to find publications, downloadable materials and general advice.
About the assessment
How the candidate is assessed
The candidate’s performance in the examination is measured by means of one overall criterion, Task fulfilment. This is assessed in each phase of the examination.
The assessment of each Task fulfilment criterion is based on the following factors:
•
coverage of the communicative skills listed, including the language functions•
coverage of the grammatical, lexical and phonological items listed•
accuracy in the use of the grammatical, lexical and phonological items listed•
appropriacy of the grammatical, lexical and phonological items used•
fluency and promptness of response appropriate for the grade.The examiner assesses the candidate’s performance by selecting one of four levels of performance and awards a letter grade, A B C or D. In simple terms, these levels can be classified as follows:
A—Distinction B—Merit C—Pass D—Fail
More detailed descriptions of task fulfilment are available to show how the examiner assesses all examination phases at Initial, Elementary, Intermediate and Advanced stages, with separate descriptions for the Listening phase at Advanced stage. These descriptions can be consulted on the Trinity website.
In every examination, the examiner assesses the use made of the language of the particular grade and that of all preceding grades.
All phases of the examination at each stage are given equal importance in the overall assessment.
Reporting the assessment
Report forms
An Individual Report form is completed by the examiner immediately after the examination has taken place and before the next candidate enters the examination room. The Report form gives the following information:
•
an assessment of the candidate’s overall performance in each phase of the examination under the Task•
fulfilment criterion•
an indication of the key areas where the candidate could make improvements•
an indication of the overall result of the examination stated simply as Pass or Fail.The Report forms for all the candidates are given to the centre representative at the end of the examination session. In the case of examination sessions lasting more than one day, the Report forms will, therefore, not be issued until all candidates at that session have been examined.
The Report form provides an indication of the result of the examination. This is not a confirmed result and candidates should either check the result on the Trinity website or await the arrival of the actual certificate before making any claims about the result of the examination.
Centres wishing to confirm the examiner’s indication of pass or fail or who wish to find out the level of pass may use the look-up table provided on the passworded Centre pages of the Trinity Online website.
A sample Report form for the Intermediate stage is provided in Appendix 2.
Marksheets
Confirmation of results
The computer programme works out and checks the final result and the Certificate is generated if the candidate has achieved a pass level. The Certificate states the level of pass as follows:
Pass with Distinction Pass with Merit Pass
Initial stage
Introduction
Candidate profile
By the end of the Initial stage, the candidate can
•
understand what is said clearly, slowly and directly in simple everyday conversation with support•
communicate in basic routine tasks requiring a simple and direct exchange of information on familiar•
matters to do with work and free time•
use basic sentence patterns and communicate through memorised phrases, groups of a few words•
•
and formulae about himself or herself and other people, what they do, places and possessions. This profile is based on the level Basic User (A2), the Council of Europe’s Common European Framework of Reference forLanguages: Learning, teaching, assessment (2001).
Format
The examination at each grade consists of the following:
•
greetings and setting at ease•
conversation•
end of conversation and leave-taking.Procedure
In all grades, the examiner begins by greeting the candidate and trying to set him or her at ease. The conversation is then initiated by the examiner and gives the candidate the opportunity to demonstrate through both speech and actions the range of language required at this stage.
During the examination, the candidate is required to display understanding through gesture and simple actions, such as moving around the room or pointing to specific objects, and by giving short responses. The examiner asks questions using the grammatical structures listed for the grade and expects the candidate to answer using the language indicated for the grade (and for the previous grades where applicable).
Examiners select their own materials appropriate to the age and maturity of the candidate. These could include everyday objects and pictures which can be used to engage the candidate’s interest, elicit the language of the grade and encourage the conversation to develop. The examiner may also refer to the immediate surroundings of the examination room or centre.
At all grades, the examiner brings the conversation to an end by thanking the candidate and saying goodbye. The candidate is expected to say goodbye.
Assessment
At each grade, the examiner assesses the candidate’s performance by selecting one of four levels of performance and awards a letter grade A, B, C or D. These levels can be classified as follows:
A—Distinction B—Merit C—Pass D—Fail
Examiners indicate key areas which are in need of improvement by using the appropriate tick boxes provided on the Report form.
Detailed descriptions of performance used in the assessment of candidates are provided on the Trinity website.
Guidance
At this stage, questions and answers play a major part in the conversation, but the examiner aims to enable the candidate to participate in a genuine and interesting two-way exchange within the linguistic limits set by the syllabus.
The examiner will speak slowly and clearly throughout and will allow the candidate time to process what is heard and formulate a response. The examiner will provide support in the form of repetition and re-phrasing. Candidates should be able to ask for repetition of anything they have not heard clearly or understood. Memorised phrases such as ‘Can you repeat that, please?’ or simply ‘Sorry?’ or ‘Pardon’ are ideal for this purpose. However, overuse of such phrases will be taken as an indication that the candidate is having persistent difficulty understanding the examiner and this will affect the assessment of the task fulfilment.
At each grade, the candidate is expected to perform the language functions and use the language items listed on the following pages. Those responsible for preparing candidates for the examinations should ensure that candidates are completely familiar with the items listed, can understand their meaning and can use them accurately and appropriately.
At Grade 1, candidates are expected to answer the examiner’s questions with very short, mostly one or two word responses as well as with gestures and actions.
At Grade 2, the question ‘What’s your brother’s name?’ could be answered in a number of ways. Full sentence responses to questions of this kind e.g. ‘His name’s Bruno’ are acceptable but not compulsory. ‘Bruno’ is a perfectly good response too. However, at Grade 2, candidates are expected to be able to provide simple descriptions of people and objects and so must be able to construct full sentences such as ‘My brother’s tall.
He’s got black hair.’
At Grade 3, candidates are required to link groups of words with the simple connectors, producing such statements as ‘My brother’s tall and he’s got black hair’.
Grade 1
Format
Total time: 5 minutes
The examination consists of one assessed phase:
•
Conversation with the examiner (up to 5 minutes)Candidate performance
In performing the required task, the candidate is expected to demonstrate the following communicative skills and use the language items listed below.
Communicative skills
•
exchange greetings with the examiner•
show understanding of simple instructions through appropriate actions•
give very short, even single-word, answers to simple questions and requests for informationFunctions
•
exchanging greetings•
giving personal information (name, age)•
identifying and naming items given in the lexical list below•
leave-takingLanguage—understanding and production
Grammar
The candidate is expected to demonstrate the ability to (a) understand
•
imperatives for common actions e.g. go, come, show, point, give, touch, stand up•
question words what? how many? how old?•
demonstratives this, that (b) understand and use•
the present simple tense of to be•
common nouns in singular and plural (regular) e.g. ear/ears, shoe/shoes•
simple adjectives e.g. small, big, green•
determiners a, the, my, your, his, her•
pronouns I, you, he, she, it, theyLexis
The candidate is expected to demonstrate the ability to understand and use the vocabulary related to
•
personal information•
immediate surroundings including classroom objects•
parts of the face and body•
animals—domestic and common farmExaminer and candidate language
The sample exchanges below show some ways in which examiners and candidates might express themselves during the conversation. These are only examples, not models to be learned.
Examiner Candidate
Hello! My name’s … What’s your name? Hello. My name’s …
How old are you? I’m ten.
Stand up please. (candidate stands up)
Go to the window. (candidate walks to the window)
Touch the window. (candidate touches the window)
What are they? They’re pens.
What colour is that? It’s green.
And this one? Brown.
How many pencils are there? One, two, three …
What’s this? It’s a table.
Show me his ears. (candidate indicates ears in picture)
And what’s this? His nose.
Look at me. This is a white shirt, a black jacket... (candidate says what he or she is wearing)
And you? a red shirt, blue trousers
Grade 1 communicative skills and functions relate to lower A1 Level (Common European Framework).
Grade 2
Format
Total time: 6 minutes
The examination consists of one assessed phase:
•
Conversation with the examiner (up to 6 minutes)Candidate performance
In performing the required task, the candidate is expected to demonstrate the following communicative skills and use the language items listed below.
Communicative skills
•
understand short, simple questions, requests and statements•
respond with appropriate actions and positive and negative short form answers•
contribute to the conversation using memorised phrases and short statements•
use a basic range of words and simple phrases related to personal details and situationsFunctions
•
indicating the position of people and objects•
describing people, animals, objects and places very simply•
stating simple facts•
informing about possessionsLanguage—understanding and production
Grammar
The candidate is expected to demonstrate the ability to (a) understand
•
present simple tense questions•
question words—who, where•
present continuous tense questions•
determiners some, any (b) understand and use•
present simple tense•
there is/are and has/have got•
prepositions of place in, on, under, between, next to•
determiners our, their•
possessive pronouns mine, yours, his, hersLexis
The candidate is expected to demonstrate the ability to understand and use the vocabulary related to
•
rooms in the home•
household objects•
family and friends•
pets•
possessions•
days of the week and months of the year•
cardinal numbers up to 50Phonology
•
the correct pronunciation of items associated with the lexical areas listed above•
the appropriate stress for short form answers e.g. Yes, I do•
contractions e.g. I’ve, I’m, he’s—in addition to the items listed for the previous grade
Examiner and candidate language
The sample exchanges below show some ways in which examiners and candidates might express themselves during the conversation. These are only examples, not models to be learned.
Examiner Candidate
Hello! Where do you come from? Hello! I come from Granada. Have you got any brothers and sisters? Yes, I’ve got one sister.
What’s her name? (Her name is) Elizabeth.
How old is she? She’s sixteen.
Please look at this picture.
How many people are there in the picture? There are two people (in the picture).
Where are they? They’re in a house …
Do you have any pets? Yes, I have a dog.
Tell me about your dog. His name is …He’s two years old. What do you have for breakfast? Toast.
This man in the picture—is he wearing a
white shirt? Yes, he is.
Put the red pen next to the clock. (candidate puts the pen next to the clock)
Where’s my pencil? (It’s) under the book.
What day is it today? … And the month? (It’s) Monday … (the month is) June
Grade 2 communicative skills and functions relate to higher A1 Level (Common European Framework).
Grade 3
Format
Total time: 7 minutes
The examination consists of one assessed phase:
•
Conversation with the examiner (up to 7 minutes)Candidate performance
In performing the required task, the candidate is expected to demonstrate the following communicative skills and use the language items listed below.
Communicative skills
•
show understanding by responding appropriately to simple questions and requests•
use basic sentence patterns with memorised phrases to communicate limited information related to•
simple everyday situations•
give basic personal information and descriptions of everyday life and activities•
link groups of words in a very simple way (using and, and then)Functions
•
describing daily routines, events and weather•
telling the time and giving dates•
expressing ability and inability•
giving directions•
describing current activities of real people or those in pictures•
describing states in the pastLanguage production
The candidate is expected to demonstrate the ability to understand and use the items listed below.
Grammar
•
present continuous tense•
can and can’t•
prepositions of movement from, to, up, down, along, across•
prepositions of time on, in, at•
prepositions of place near, in front of, behind, opposite•
past tense of verb to be•
ordinal numbers up to 31st (for dates)Lexis
The candidate is expected to demonstrate the ability to understand and use the vocabulary related to
•
jobs•
places in the local area•
place of study•
home life•
weather•
free time•
times and dates.Phonology
•
the correct pronunciation of the items associated with the lexical areas listed above•
the use of contractions where appropriate•
basic stress and intonation patterns for words and short sentences—in addition to the items listed for the previous grade
Examiner and candidate language
The sample exchanges below show some ways in which examiners and candidates might express themselves during the conversation. These are only examples, not models to be learned.
Examiner Candidate
Hello! Where do you live? Hello! I live in Perugia.
Is that near here? No, it’s half an hour from here by bus. What’s the weather like today? It’s hot and sunny.
Is it raining now? No, it isn’t.
And what about yesterday? It was cloudy and cold.
What do you do when you get home from I listen to some music, I do my homework
school? and then I have dinner.
What’s the name of your best friend? Marco.
Tell me about Marco. Marco‘s ten years old. He’s tall and has brown hair. Let’s look at this picture. What are these They’re sitting in front of a café. They’re drinking
people doing? coffee.
When’s your birthday? The fourteenth of April.
What time do you go to bed? At ten o’clock.
Can you play the piano? No, I can’t.
Grade 3 communicative skills and functions relate to lower A2 Level (Common European Framework).
Elementary stage
Introduction
Candidate profile
By the end of the Elementary stage, the candidate can
•
understand the main points of clear speech on familiar matters•
enter into conversation, express personal opinions and exchange information on familiar subjects, of•
personal interest or related to everyday life•
demonstrate a sufficient range of language to describe experiences and events and give reasons and•
explanations for opinions and plans.This profile is based on the level Independent User (B1), the Council of Europe’s Common European Framework of
Reference for Languages: Learning, teaching, assessment (2001).
Format
The examination at each grade consists of the following:
•
greetings and setting at ease•
discussion of a prepared topic•
conversation on two subject areas•
end of conversation and leave-taking.Procedure
The examiner begins by greeting the candidate and trying to set him or her at ease and then asks the candidate for the Topic form. The candidate tells the examiner what he or she is going to talk about. The examiner randomly selects one of the points on the Topic form and asks the candidate to talk about it. The candidate responds with a limited long turn (three or four sentences). The examiner may ask questions about each point. This continues until at least four points on the Topic form have been covered. This phase lasts no more than five minutes. During the topic phase, the candidate asks the examiner at least one question related to the topic.
The examiner then closes this phase of the examination and moves on to the conversation.
The examiner selects one of the listed subject areas and engages the candidate in conversation before moving on to a second. During the conversation, the candidate gives information, makes statements and responds as appropriate. In addition, at Grade 5 the candidate must ask the examiner at least one question related to the subject areas being discussed and at Grade 6 must ask at least two such questions. This phase lasts no more than five minutes.
Assessment
At each grade, the examiner assesses the candidate’s performance by selecting one of four levels of performance and awards a letter grade A, B, C or D for Task fulfilment for the topic and conversation phases. These levels can be classified as follows:
A—Distinction B—Merit C—Pass D—Fail
The combination of the two letter grades i.e. the one awarded for topic and the one awarded for
conversation provides the overall level of achievement. The examiner gives a provisional indication on the
Report form as to whether the candidate has passed or failed.
Examiners indicate key areas which are in need of improvement by using the appropriate tick boxes provided on the Report form.
Detailed descriptions of performance used in the assessment of candidates are provided on the Trinity website.
Guidance
i Discussion of the prepared topic
Before the examination, the candidate must complete the Topic form and bring it to the examination.
Examples of completed forms are provided in Appendix 1. The candidate must complete the form with the required number of points for discussion (four discussion points for Grade 4, five for Grade 5, six for Grade 6). One sentence will suffice for each point. The candidate should prepare enough material about these points to sustain a discussion of up to five minutes. Although the examiner will refer to the points in no particular order, the topic should be prepared as a unified whole. All of the points should be thematic and should provide an opportunity for discussing different aspects of the topic. At all Elementary grades, the examiner will ask the candidate to talk about at least four of the points on the Topic form.
The Topic form has been introduced in order to help promote a spontaneous discussion which must not include or rely on a memorised recitation. Topic forms should not include such general points as ‘Introduction to topic’ and ‘Conclusion to topic’ and ‘What I did next ..’. In preparing the topic, candidates should be actively discouraged from producing a written text as this will result in the candidate not being prepared to use spontaneous spoken English.
The prepared topic may be any theme the candidate is interested in, knowledgeable about and able to talk readily about. It should also provide the candidate with the opportunity to demonstrate the language requirements of the grade.
The purpose of the phase is to give candidates the opportunity to display their command of the language of the grade whilst talking about self-selected and personally relevant topics. This personal aspect is an important feature of the Trinity examinations, and therefore learners should be discouraged from selecting the same topic as their peers and encouraged to choose an individual topic for discussion. Teachers should ensure that if groups of learners do decide to use the same topic e.g. Football, every effort is made to personalise the content and vary the topic, by talking about different aspects of the sport.
Candidates can bring into the examination one or more pictures, photos, diagrams, models or other suitable objects to illustrate the prepared topic and aid the discussion with the examiner. However, birds, insects, reptiles or other live animals must not be brought into the examination room. Dangerous objects such as knives are not allowed in the examination room.
Candidates are advised to think carefully about the amount of material necessary for their topic, bearing in mind the time available. They should prepare enough material to sustain a discussion of the topic for up to five minutes, but not more.
In preparing their topic, candidates are advised to anticipate questions the examiner might ask. They should be prepared to give further examples, explanations and clarifications as requested by the examiner.
It is a requirement of the examination that candidates ask the examiner questions. In this phase, at all Elementary grades, the candidate must ask at least one question about the topic area.
N.B. The Topic form can be written up by a person other than the candidate as written skills in English are
not being assessed in these examinations. However, the content of the form should have originated from the candidate.
As the form is crucial for the execution of this phase, the phase will not take place if the information contained on the form is not made available to the examiner as is stated on the form.
A candidate who fails to prepare a topic for discussion cannot be assessed for Task fulfilment for this phase. The phase will be voided and this will result in a fail being awarded for the examination as a whole.
ii Conversation
The conversation consists of a discussion of two of the subject areas listed for the relevant grade. The examiner may sometimes introduce everyday objects or pictures to facilitate conversation. Less reliance is placed on ‘question and answer’ than at the Initial stage, the overall aim being to set up an exchange which is as genuinely interesting and relaxed as the candidate’s interests and ability permit.
Candidates are encouraged to contribute as much as they can to the conversation and make every effort to show the examiner the range and quality of the language required for the particular grade. They should be ready to participate in exchanges based on any of the subject areas using the functions and language items listed for the grade.
At each grade, the candidate is expected to perform the language functions and use the language items listed on the relevant pages. Those responsible for preparing candidates for the examinations should ensure that candidates are completely familiar with the items listed, can understand their meaning and can use them accurately and appropriately in presenting their topic and in discussion of all of the subject areas. Although examiners will select only two of the subject areas listed, the candidate needs to be prepared to deal with all of them.
Grade 5—candidates are required to ask the examiner at least one question in this phase. Grade 6—candidates are required to ask the examiner at least two questions in this phase.
Grade 4
Format
Total time: 10 minutes
The examination consists of two assessed phases:
•
Discussion of a topic prepared by the candidate (up to 5 minutes)•
Conversation on two subject areas selected by the examiner (up to 5 minutes)Candidate performance
In performing the required tasks, the candidate is expected to demonstrate the following communicative skills and use the language items listed below.
Communicative skills
In the Topic phase,•
give information about the prepared topic in a series of limited long turns under the four headings on•
the Topic form•
answer questions on the prepared topic, and participate in informal discussion, during which the• •
•
examiner might request more information, facts or details•
ask the examiner at least one question about the topic area•
take the opportunity provided to include samples of the functions listed below, where appropriate. In the Conversation phase,•
show understanding of the examiner by responding appropriately to questions•
make appropriate contributions with short statements•
communicate limited information in simple and direct exchanges.Two subject areas for conversation will be selected by the examiner from the list below:
•
Holidays•
Shops•
Work•
Hobbies/sports•
Food•
Weekend/seasonal activitiesFunctions
•
talking about past events•
talking about future plans and intentions•
expressing simple comparisons•
expressing likes and dislikesLanguage production
The candidate is expected to demonstrate the ability to use the items listed below.
Grammar
•
past simple tense of regular and common irregular verbs•
going to future•
adverbs of manner and frequency•
comparatives and superlatives of adjectives•
link word butLexis
•
vocabulary specific to the topic area•
vocabulary specific to the subject areas•
adverbs of frequency e.g. sometimes, often, never•
adverbial phrases of frequency e.g. every day, once a week•
expressions of past time e.g. yesterday, last nightPhonology
•
the correct pronunciation of vocabulary specific to the topic and subject areas•
appropriate weak forms in connected speech•
three different ways of pronouncing ‘ed’ past tense endings e.g. played, walked, wanted—in addition to the items listed for previous grades
Examiner and candidate language
The sample exchanges below show some ways in which examiners and candidates might express themselves during the conversation. It is stressed that these are only examples.
Examiner Candidate
Can I have your Topic form, please? Yes, here you are. I’m going to talk about New York.
Do you know New York?
What are these people going to do? They’re going to get on the plane. Where did you go for your holiday last year? I went to Benidorm.
What do you like doing on the beach? I like lying in the sun and I like swimming but my parents don’t like swimming very much.
When did you buy your jacket? I bought it six months ago. How often do you play tennis? About once a month.
Tell me what you did last weekend. I went to my grandmother’s house. What are some of the differences between London’s bigger than Barcelona. The best London and Barcelona? thing about London is the London Eye.
Grade 4 communicative skills and functions relate to higher A2 Level (Common European Framework).
Grade 5
Format
Total time: 10 minutes
The examination consists of two assessed phases:
•
Discussion of a topic prepared by the candidate (up to 5 minutes)•
Conversation on two subject areas selected by the examiner (up to 5 minutes)Candidate performance
In performing the required tasks, the candidate is expected to demonstrate the following communicative skills and use the language items listed below.
Communicative skills
In the Topic phase,•
show understanding of the examiner by responding appropriately to questions•
give information about the prepared topic in a series of linked long turns under the five headings on•
the Topic form•
answer questions on the prepared topic, and participate in informal discussion of the topic, during•
•
which the examiner might request more information, facts or details•
respond to requests for clarification and give reasons for making particular statements•
ask the examiner at least one question about the topic area•
take the opportunity provided to use the functions listed below, where appropriate. In the Conversation phase,•
show understanding of the examiner by responding appropriately to questions•
respond to requests for clarification and give reasons for making particular statements•
ask the examiner at least one question about a subject area.Two subject areas for conversation will be selected by the examiner from the list below:
•
Festivals•
Cars and bicycles•
Special occasions e.g. birthday celebrations•
Entertainment e.g. cinema, television, clubs•
Music•
Recent personal eventsFunctions
•
talking about the future—informing and predicting•
expressing preferences•
talking about events in the indefinite and recent past•
giving reasonsLanguage production
The candidate is expected to demonstrate the ability to use the items listed below.
Grammar
•
present perfect tense including use with for, since, ever, never, just•
connecting clauses using because•
will referring to the future for informing and predicting•
adverbials of quantity e.g. a lot, not very muchLexis
•
vocabulary specific to the topic area•
vocabulary specific to the subject areas•
expressions relating to past and future time e.g. two days ago, in the futurePhonology
•
the correct pronunciation of vocabulary specific to the topic and subject areas•
the combination of weak forms and contractions e.g. I’ve been to…•
the intonation patterns of basic question forms—in addition to the items listed for previous grades
Examiner and candidate language
The sample exchanges below show some ways in which examiners and candidates might express themselves during the conversation. These are only examples, not models to be learned.
Examiner Candidate
Can I have your Topic form, please? Yes, here you are. I’ve chosen ‘My home town’ for my topic. Have you been here before?
How long have you been interested in this? I’ve been interested in it for two years. Which do you prefer classical music or
pop music? I prefer pop music.
Why is that? Because I can dance to it.
Do you like riding a bike? Not very much. Have you always celebrated the same
festivals in this area? Yes, always the same.
Which do you prefer to drive, a big or small car?
What do you think will happen at the
football match? I think Real Madrid will win.
Have you ever been to a pop concert? Yes, I have. I went to one in Barcelona last year.
Grade 5 communicative skills and functions relate to lower B1 Level (Common European Framework).
Grade 6
Format
Total time: 10 minutes
The examination consists of two assessed phases:
•
Discussion of a topic prepared by the candidate (up to 5 minutes)•
Conversation with the examiner on two subject areas selected by the examiner (up to 5 minutes)Candidate performance
In performing the required tasks, the candidate is expected to demonstrate the following communicative skills and use the language items listed below.
Communicative skills
In the Topic phase,•
show understanding of the examiner by responding appropriately to questions•
give information and opinions about the prepared topic in a series of sustained turns under the six•
•
headings on the Topic form•
make the sequence of events clear by referring back to previous events and forward to forthcoming•
•
events•
answer questions on the prepared topic, and participate in informal discussion of the topic,• • • •
responding to the examiner’s requests for more information, facts or details•
ask the examiner at least one question about the topic area•
take the opportunity provided to include samples of the functions listed below, where appropriate. In the Conversation phase,•
show understanding of the examiner by responding appropriately to questions•
provide information and offer opinions where appropriate•
start to play a limited part in initiating and maintaining the conversation•
ask the examiner at least two questions about the subject areas.Two subject areas for discussion will be selected by the examiner from the list below:
•
Travel•
Money•
Fashion•
Rules and regulations•
Health•
ShoppingFunctions
•
expressing and requesting opinions and impressions•
expressing intention and purposeLanguage production
The candidate is expected to demonstrate the ability to use the items listed below.
Grammar
•
open and first conditional, using if and when•
present continuous tense for future use•
past continuous tense•
modals connected to functions listed above e.g. must, have to, need to, might•
infinitive of purposeLexis
•
vocabulary specific to the topic area•
vocabulary specific to the subject areas•
further expressions relating to future time e.g. the day after tomorrow, in a year’s timePhonology
•
the correct pronunciation of vocabulary specific to the topic and subject areas•
sentence stress to clarify meaning•
basic intonation and features of connected speech at sentence level•
intonation patterns of more complex question forms—in addition to the items listed for previous grades
Examiner and candidate language
The sample exchanges below show some ways in which examiners and candidates might express themselves during the conversation. These are only examples, not models to be learned.
Examiner Candidate
Can I have your Topic form, please? Yes, here you are. I’m talking about ‘Ancient Egypt’ for my topic.
I went to Cairo last year. What did you think of the pyramids? If I come to your country, can I get health If you are a foreigner and you come to my
treatment? country, you can have free health treatment.
What do you intend to see when you travel
to Scandinavia? I want to go to the north to see the midnight sun. What are the regulations about smoking If you want to smoke, you have to sit in a special
on trains here? carriage.
Do office-workers have to go outside to smoke in England?
What was your family doing while you were
shopping for clothes? They were waiting for me in a cafeteria.
What do you think of boys’ fashions today? I don’t think there’s a lot of choice for boys. What do you think?
Do you have to help your mother in the house? No but if I don’t, she doesn’t give me any pocket money.
And what do you spend it on? I use it to buy clothes and magazines.
Have prices gone up a lot recently? Yes, since the introduction of the Euro a lot of shopkeepers have put up their prices. So if Britain joins the Euro, what do you We have to wait and see but probably prices think will happen? will rise. Is that what you think?
Grade 6 communicative skills and functions relate to higher B1 Level (Common European Framework).
Intermediate stage
Introduction
Candidate profile
By the end of the Intermediate stage, the candidate can
•
understand complex and extended speech used in the discussion of reasonably familiar subjects•
communicate with some spontaneity and engage in extended conversation by giving clear• • • •
•
descriptions and expressing and explaining views on most general subjects•
initiate, maintain and end the discourse with effective turn-taking•
demonstrate a sufficient range of language to produce stretches of discourse, using some complex•
•
sentence forms and without much searching for words whilst correcting most of his or her own• •
•
mistakes.This profile is based on the level Independent User B2, the Council of Europe’s Common European Framework of Reference
for Languages: Learning, teaching, assessment (2001).
Format
The examination at each grade consists of the following:
•
greetings and setting at ease•
candidate-led discussion of a prepared topic•
interactive task•
conversation on two subject areas•
end of conversation and leave-taking.Procedure
After the short setting at ease phase, the candidate is invited to introduce the topic and initiate the discussion by presenting information on the topic. The discussion is led by the candidate who provides most of the input. This is in the form of more sustained long turns than at the Elementary stage. The candidate is responsible for engaging the examiner in discussion of the topic and must be prepared to ask and answer questions or handle interruptions or requests for clarification throughout the discussion. This phase lasts no more than five minutes.
The examiner brings the phase to a close and introduces the interactive task by informing the candidate of what he or she is required to do. The examiner provides an oral prompt to which the candidate has to respond by questioning the examiner in order to find out more information and by making comments. Once the examiner has set up the situation, the candidate takes the responsibility for maintaining the interaction. The phase lasts no more than four minutes. If the candidate fails to initiate or to maintain the interaction, the phase will not extend to the full four minutes.
Intermediate stage
Assessment
At each grade, the examiner assesses the candidate’s performance by selecting one of four levels of performance and awards a letter grade A, B, C or D for Task fulfilment for the topic, interactive task and conversation phases. These levels can be classified as follows:
A—Distinction B—Merit C—Pass D—Fail
The combination of the three letter grades i.e. the one awarded for topic, the one awarded for the
interactive task and the one awarded for conversation provides the overall level of achievement. The
examiner gives a provisional indication on the Report form as to whether the candidate has passed or failed.
Please note the following:
Candidates who achieve two D band awards will not pass the examination overall irrespective of the third band awarded. Hence, final results of ADD, BDD, CDD and DDD in any order on the Report form, result in a fail overall.
Examiners indicate key areas which are in need of improvement by using the appropriate tick boxes provided on the Report form.
Detailed descriptions of performance used in the assessment of candidates are provided on the Trinity website.
Guidance
i Candidate-led discussion of topic
Candidates select a topic and plan the areas of the topic which they would like to inform the examiner about and discuss. The candidate is not required to complete a Topic form. As with the previous stage, candidates should prepare the topic on anything they are interested in, knowledgeable about and able to talk readily about. The topic chosen should also provide the candidate with the opportunity to demonstrate the language requirements of the grade. Although the examiner will try to elicit the language items of the grade where necessary, it is to the candidates’ advantage for these to be incorporated into their own contributions. The topic should not be chosen from the list of subject areas—this is to enable the candidate to show the necessary range of language.
As one of the main objectives of the Topic phase is to allow the candidate and examiner to engage in a
spontaneous discussion about a subject that the candidate has chosen and is interested in, candidates must
not prepare their topic as a written script. This inevitably results in a memorised recital and this type of interaction will not meet the requirements stated under the Communicative skills heading. Candidates are strongly encouraged to use brief notes or diagrams to assist them and to make a copy of such notes available to the examiner at the start of the phase. The notes will facilitate the discussion of the topic and allow the examiner to make relevant contributions (but these notes do not form part of the assessment). Candidates are advised to think carefully about the amount of material necessary for their topic, bearing in mind the time available. They should prepare enough material to sustain a discussion of the topic for up to five minutes, but not more.
In preparing their topic, candidates are advised to anticipate questions the examiner might ask. They should be prepared to give further examples, explanations and clarifications and personal opinions requested by the examiner.
Birds, insects, reptiles or other live animals may not be brought into the examination room. Dangerous objects such as knives are not allowed in the examination room.
Intermediate stage
ii Interactive phase
This phase provides the opportunity for candidates to demonstrate their ability to initiate and take control over the interaction. In addition to general functions such as requesting information, the language functions listed for the particular grade should arise naturally from each task prompt. In this phase, the emphasis is placed upon the candidate’s ability to use functional language rather than upon the accurate use of the grammatical structures listed for the grade.
It is important that, once the examiner has set up the situation, the candidate takes responsibility for the interaction. The interaction will take the form of multiple turns, with the examiner’s turns being much shorter than those of the candidate.
In some cases this may involve role-play but the examiner and candidate are free to ‘be themselves’ so as to create as authentic an exchange as possible.
The phase should last no more than four minutes. In this phase, the responsibility for maintaining the interaction is the candidate’s. If a candidate fails to initiate or to maintain the interaction of this phase, the examiner will not intervene and take control. In such a case, the phase will not extend to the full four minutes and the candidate’s performance will not be rated highly.
Candidates should be able to understand and use the language functions of the grade to take a full part in the exchange.
Those responsible for preparing candidates should help them practise
•
question formations using the grammatical structures of the preceding grades•
expressing the functions of the grade in a variety of ways•
holding conversations which naturally result in the use of the language functions of the grade•
strategies to maintain the flow of conversation•
taking the initiative and controlling the direction of the conversation.An example of a prompt and the possible development of the interaction at Grade 7 is given below.
Sample exchange in the Interactive phase at Grade 7
Examiner: This is the first time I’ve ever been to this area and I have a free weekend.
Candidate: What are you interested in?
Examiner: Well, I like visiting museums but I don’t like noisy or crowded places.
Candidate: Oh, yes. I feel the same. There are three very good museums in the town. Do you like
modern art?
Examiner: Not really, I prefer history.
Candidate: Well, I think you should definitely go to the Archaeological Museum. It’s an old castle which
was converted into a museum last year. There are many Roman remains in this part of the country and the museum displays these very well.
Examiner: What’s a good time to go?
Candidate: The best time to go is probably Sunday morning—it’s usually quite empty then.
Examiner: Right. Actually, I went to an archaeological museum in England not long ago.
Candidate: Did you? Where in England was that?
Examiner: Have you heard of Cambridge?
Candidate: Yes, it’s very famous, isn’t it? Was the museum very good?
Examiner: Yes, they’ve done a lot of work to the museum to make the displays more interesting for
visitors—and there’s also a wonderful cafeteria there.
Candidate: Unfortunately, there’s nowhere to eat or drink inside the museums here. It isn’t so common
Intermediate stage
iii Conversation
The conversation will include discussion of two of the subject areas listed for the relevant grade. The examiner may use pictures to facilitate conversation. At the Intermediate stage, the candidate will be capable of initiating and sustaining more conversation than at the Elementary stage. Although candidates’ interests and abilities may still limit the scope and direction of the conversation, they will be expected to
•
take more responsibility for the content•
contribute opinions and ideas as well as information on the subject areas listed for the grade•
maintain the flow of the exchangeGrade 7
Format
Total time: 15 minutes
The examination consists of three assessed phases:
•
Candidate-led discussion of a topic prepared by the candidate (up to 5 minutes)•
Interactive task (up to 4 minutes)•
Conversation on two subject areas selected by the examiner (up to 5 minutes)Candidate performance
In performing the required tasks, the candidate is expected to demonstrate the following communicative skills and use the language items listed below.