c2 cambridge proficiency speaking

8/18/2019 C2 Cambridge Proficiency Speaking

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52 CAMBRIDGE ENGLISH: PROFICIENCY HANDBOOK FOR TEACHERS

The three parts of the

Speaking test

Format

The paired format of the Cambridge English: Proficiency Speaking

test (two examiners and two candidates) offers candidates theopportunity to demonstrate in a controlled but friendly environment,

their ability to use their spoken language skills effectively in a range of

contexts. The test takes 16 minutes. One examiner, the interlocutor,

conducts the test and gives a global assessment of each candidate’s

performance. The other, the assessor, does not take any part in

the interaction but focuses solely on listening to, and making an

assessment of, each candidate’s oral proficiency.

At the end of the Speaking test, candidates are thanked for attending,

but are given no indication of the level of their achievement.

The standard format is two examiners and two candidates. In cases

where there is an uneven number of candidates at a centre, the

last Speaking test of the session will be taken by three candidates

together instead of two. The test format, test materials and procedure

will remain unchanged but the timing will be longer: 24 minutes

instead of 16.

The Speaking test consists of three parts, each of which is assessed.

Each part of the test focuses on a different type of interaction:

between the interlocutor and each candidate, between the two

candidates, and among all three. The patterns of discourse vary

within each part of the test.

PART 1 Interview

This part tests the candidates’ ability to provide information aboutthemselves.

Sample tasks and assessment criteria: pages 54 and 58.

This part of the test consists of an initial greeting, establishing where

the candidates come from, and whether the candidates are working

or studying at the moment. The interlocutor then asks one question,

selected from a list of six, to each candidate in turn.

The candidates do not need to talk to each other in this part of the

test, though they may if they wish.

PART 2 Collaborative taskThis part tests the candidates’ ability to engage in a discussion and to work

towards a negotiated outcome of the task set.

Sample tasks and assessment criteria: pages 54–55 and58.

The candidates are given spoken instructions and are provided with

a visual stimulus (one or several photographs) to form the basis for a

task which they carry out together.

First, the candidates are asked a question which focuses on their

reaction to aspects of one or more pictures, and they are given

1 minute to talk about this. After this, the interlocutor gives thecandidates spoken instructions for a decision-making task.

Candidates are expected to work together towards a negotiated

completion of the task and are assessed on their speaking skills while

doing this; there is no right or wrong answer to the task.

The task gives candidates the opportunity to show their range of

language (speculating, evaluating, comparing, giving opinions,

eliciting, negotiating, etc.) and their ability to manage a discussion.

PART 3 Long turn and discussionThis part tests the candidates’ ability to develop and sustain discourse, and

to engage in discussion on the topics of the long turns.

Sample tasks and assessment criteria: pages 56 and 58.

In this part of the test, each candidate is given the opportunity to

speak for 2 minutes without interruption. Each candidate in turn is

given a card with a question on it, and there are also some ideas on

the card which the candidates can make use of if they choose.

Candidates should be aware that they must not speak during their

partner’s long turn. The listening candidate needs to pay attention

while their partner is speaking as they will be asked a follow-upquestion after their partner has spoken. The candidate who has just

finished their long turn will then be invited to join in.

In this part, candidates need to be able to organise their thoughts and

ideas, and express themselves coherently in appropriate language in

the given time. Following both candidates’ long turns and follow-up

questions, the interlocutor leads a discussion which further explores

the topics of the long turns.

SPEAKING


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53CAMBRIDGE ENGLISH: PROFICIENCY HANDBOOK FOR TEACHERS

SPEAKING

Preparation

General

• Classroom activities which involve students working in pairs and

small groups will give them practice in skills such as sensitivity to

turn-taking and responding appropriately to their partners, which

is essential to success in the Speaking test.

• Ensure students have the opportunity to work with different

partners in the class.

• Make sure your students are familiar with the format of each part

of the test. They should be aware of the interaction patterns (in

Part 1 they speak to the interlocutor, in Part 2 to each other, and in

Part 3 to each other and the interlocutor).

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

• Encourage your students to speak clearly and audibly so that

they can be heard by both the interlocutor and assessor, and to

paraphrase when they do not know or cannot remember a word.

• Train your students to listen carefully to the instructions so that

they know precisely what they have to talk about.

• In order to make a fair and accurate assessment of candidates’

performance, the examiners must be given a reasonable amount

of language to assess. Remind students it is their responsibility to

give a good account of themselves.

• Remind students that they can ask for clarification of instructions

before they begin a task.

By part

PART 1

• After the initial greeting, examiners will ask candidates where

they come from and whether candidates are working or studying

at the moment. Candidates will then be asked one question about

their everyday life, work and study experience, where they are

living, interests etc.

• In class, students can practise interviewing each other using

questions similar to those in the same task on page 54.

PART 2

• Teach your students to listen carefully to the instructions and to

carry them out. Students should be aware that their response to

the first 1-minute focus question that accompanies the visuals

sheet needs to go beyond the level of pure description and

contain a speculative element.

• Train your students to take notice of the title on the visuals

sheet. First of all, it is very useful in helping them remember the

examiner’s instructions. Secondly, information given in the title

about the context or audience (e.g. Magazine article) will help

students to keep their discussion focused, and to ensure that the

outcome is appropriate.

• It is very important that the students interact with each other

in this task. All classroom discussion in pairs and small groupsprovides excellent preparation. Students should know how

to make positive contributions to move a discussion forward,

and show a willingness to take turns, inviting others to speak,

listening and responding, as well as initiating discussion

themselves.

• Encourage students to be good listeners. They should be able to

pick up on their partner’s points.

• Set up classroom activities that allow students to express their

reactions to and opinions about pictures.

• Encourage students to discuss the messages portrayed in visuals.Choose two or three thematically linked pictures from your

coursebook, or cut them out of a magazine (or get students to

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

the theme that the pictures illustrate.

• Equip students with the functional language needed to manage

a discussion, i.e. how to move forward, re-direct if necessary,

manage the conclusion, etc.

PART 3

• Remind students they can allow themselves up to 10 seconds

before they need to speak. Some students find it helpful to read

the question out loud as a way of getting started.

• Brainstorming activities in class will give students practice in

getting ideas quickly.

• After the question on the card, there are three bulleted points;

these are ideas which support the question. Remind students

that they do not need to use these points if they don’t want to.

As a classroom activity, remove the bullet points. This focuses

the students’ attention on the main question.

• Encourage students to focus on structuring extended

contributions, for example by using linking, counter-argument

and summing up.

• In order to give students practice in getting the feel of how long

2 minutes is, put them in pairs – one as a speaker and one as a

time-keeper.

• In the discussion that follows the long turns, the interlocutor

will ask questions addressed to both candidates. He/she might

not use the candidates’ names so students must be prepared

to take it in turns to be the initial responder and the one who

reacts to that response. In class, make sure paired students get

practice in being both the first speaker to react to a question, and

the second.

• Remind your students that this is not a test of knowledge. It is

quite acceptable to admit to not knowing much about a particular

topic, but this should be followed by some sort of opinion in order

to provide a large enough sample of language for assessment.

• After your students have both done their long turns, read them

the rubric that introduces the discussion phase (‘Now, to finish

the test, we’re going to talk about … in general’). Ask pairs of

students to write five or six discussion questions on the topic.

These sets can be exchanged within the class and discussed.


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54 CAMBRIDGE ENGLISH: PROFICIENCY HANDBOOK FOR TEACHERS

SPEAKING | SAMPLE PAPER

C e r t i f i c a

t e o f P r o f i c i e n c y i n E n g l i s h

S p e a k i n g T e s t

1

M a g a z i n e a r t i c l e – R i s k

P a r t 2

( a p p r o x i m a t e l y 4 m i n u t e s /

6 m i n u t e s f o r g r o u p s o f t h r e e )

I n t e r l o c u t o r

N o w , i n t h i s p a r t o f t h e t e s t y o u ʼ r e g o i n g t o d o s o m e t h i n g t o g e t h e r .

H e r e a r e

s o m e p i c t u r e s o f p e o p l e i n d i f f e r e n t s i t u a t i o n s .

P l a c e P a r t 2 b o o k l e t , o p

e n a t T a s k 1 ,

i n f r o n t o f t h e c a n d i d a t e s .

S e l e c t t w o o f t h e p i c t u r e s f o r t h e c a n d i d a t e s t o l o o k a t * .

F i r s t , I ʼ d l i k e y o u t o l o o k a t p i c t u r e s * a n d * a n d t a l k t o g e t h e r a b o u t w

h i c h

p i c t u r e i n t e r e s t s y o u

m o r e .

Y o u h a v e a b o u t a m i n u t e f o r t h i s , s o d o n ʼ t w o r r y i f I i n t e r r u p t y o u .

( 2 m i n u t e s f o r g r o u p s o f

t h r e e )

C a n d i d a t e s

1 m i n u t e

( 2 m i n u t e s f o r g r o u p s

o f t h r e e )

… … … … … … … … … …

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … . …


T h a n k y o u . N o w l o o

k a t a l l t h e p i c t u r e s .

I ʼ d l i k e y o u t o i m a g i n

e t h a t a m a g a z i n e i s p l a n n i n g a n a r t i c l e o n t a k i n g r i s k s .

T h e s e p i c t u r e s w i l l b

e u s e d t o a c c o m p a n y t h e a r t i c l e .

T a l k t o g e t h e r a b o u t

t h e p o s i t i v e a n d n e g a t i v e a s p e c t s o f t a k i n g r i s k s , a s s h o w n

i n t h e s e p i c t u r e s . T h

e n s u g g e s t o n e o t h e r t y p e o f r i s k t h a t c o u l d b e

i n c l u d e d i n

t h e a r t i c l e .

Y o u h a v e a b o u t t h r e e m i n u t e s t o t a l k a b o u t t h i s . ( 4 m i n u t e s f o r g r o u p s o

f t h r e e )

C a n d i d a t e s

3 m i n u t e s

( 4 m i n u t e s f o r g r o u p s

o f t h r e e )

… … … … … … … … … …

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … . …


T h a n k y o u . ( C a n I h a v e t h e b o o k l e t , p l e a s e ? ) R e t r i e v e P a r t 2 b o o k l e t .

C e r t i f i c a t e o f P r o f i c i e n c y i n E n g l i s h

S p e a k i n g T

e s t

P a r t 1 ( 2

m i n u t e s / 3 m i n u t e s f o r g r o u p s o f t h r e e )


G o o d m o r n i n g / a f t e r n o o n / e v e n i n g . M y n a m e i s … … . . a n d t h i s i s m y

c o l l e a g u e … … . . . A n d y o u r n a m e s a r e … … . . ? C o u l d I h a v e y o u r m a r k

s h e e t s , p l e a s e ?

T h a n k y o u .

F i r s t o f a l l , w e ʼ d l i k e t o k n o w s o m e t h i n g a b o u t y o u .

W h e r e a r e y o u f r o m ( C a n d i d a t e A ) ? A n

d y o u ( C a n d i d a t e B ) ?

[ a d d r e s s C a n d i d a t e B ]

A r e y o u w o r k i n g o r s t u d y i n g a t t h e m o m e n t ?

[ a d d r e s s C a n d i d a t e A ]

A n d y o u ?

S e l e c t a f u r t h e r q u e s t i o n f o r e a c h c a n d i d a t e :

•

W h a t d o y o u e n j o y b e s t a b o u t t h e

p l a c e w h e r e y o u ʼ r e l i v i n g n o w ?

•

H o w d i f f i c u l t w o u l d i t b e f o r y o u t o

m o v e a w a y f r o m t h e a r e a y o u ʼ r e l i v i n g

i n n o w ?

•

W h a t f o r y o u i s t h e m o s t i n t e r e s t i n

g a s p e c t o f l e a r n i n g E n g l i s h ?

•

H o w m u c h t i m e d o y o u s p e n d t r a v

e l l i n g e v e r y d a y ?

•

D o y o u t h i n k i t ʼ s e a s y f o r p e o p l e t o f i n d a g o o d j o b n o w a d a y s ?

•

I n t h e f u t u r e , d o y o u s e e y o u r s e l f l i v i n g i n y o u r o w n c o u n t r y o r

s o m e w h e r e a b r o a d ?

C a n d i d a t

e s

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

… … … … … … … … … … … . .


T h a n k y o u .

SPEAKING

c2 cambridge proficiency speaking

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