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© UCLES 2013 Cambridge Business Exams (BEC) Writing Assessment B2-C1 Judith Ellis Cambridge English Language Assessment November 16, 2014 BESIG Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg, Skt. Augustin

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Page 1: Cambridge Business Exams (BEC) Writing …...Vantage Higher Timing 45 mins 1 hr 10 mins Part 1 Weighting 1/3 Internal communication • Rubrik as input Report • based on graphic

© UCLES 2013

Cambridge Business

Exams (BEC)

Writing Assessment

B2-C1Judith Ellis

Cambridge English Language Assessment

November 16, 2014

BESIG

Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg,

Skt. Augustin

Page 2: Cambridge Business Exams (BEC) Writing …...Vantage Higher Timing 45 mins 1 hr 10 mins Part 1 Weighting 1/3 Internal communication • Rubrik as input Report • based on graphic

© UCLES 2013

Agenda

Assessment

The Exams

Preparation

• Levels

• Assessment Scales

• Formats

• Task Types and Questions

• Applying the Scales

• Language

• Conventions/Formats

• Structuring

• Supporting Skills

Page 3: Cambridge Business Exams (BEC) Writing …...Vantage Higher Timing 45 mins 1 hr 10 mins Part 1 Weighting 1/3 Internal communication • Rubrik as input Report • based on graphic

© UCLES 2013

Support MaterialsHandouts:

• Excerpts from Cambridge English Business Certificates:

Handbook for Teachers

• Classroom Activities

Further Information:

www.cambridgeenglish.org/teaching-english/

http://www.cambridgeenglish.org/images/business-english-

certificates-handbook-for-teachers.pdf

Page 4: Cambridge Business Exams (BEC) Writing …...Vantage Higher Timing 45 mins 1 hr 10 mins Part 1 Weighting 1/3 Internal communication • Rubrik as input Report • based on graphic

© UCLES 2013

Why Cambridge exams?

Tradition of language assessment since

1913

Over 4 m candidates in 130 countries per

year

Extensive range of materials and support

Test all 4 language skills

Widely recognized in business and by over

4000 academic institutions

Page 5: Cambridge Business Exams (BEC) Writing …...Vantage Higher Timing 45 mins 1 hr 10 mins Part 1 Weighting 1/3 Internal communication • Rubrik as input Report • based on graphic

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What do we need to think about

when we assess?

How important is grammar?

What other aspects might be important?

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How do we assess?

1. What was the question?

3. What assessment criteria do we use?

2. What level are we assessing?

Page 7: Cambridge Business Exams (BEC) Writing …...Vantage Higher Timing 45 mins 1 hr 10 mins Part 1 Weighting 1/3 Internal communication • Rubrik as input Report • based on graphic

© UCLES 2013

Writing Exam FormatsVantage Higher

Timing 45 mins 1 hr 10 mins

Part 1

Weighting 1/3

Internal communication

• Rubrik as input

Report

• based on graphic input

material

Length 40-50 words 120-140 words

Part 2

Weighting 1/3

Business correspondence/

report/proposal

• Based on input material

Business correspondence/

report/proposal

• Choice of 3 questions

Length 120-140 words 200-250 words

NO dictionaries allowed!!

Page 8: Cambridge Business Exams (BEC) Writing …...Vantage Higher Timing 45 mins 1 hr 10 mins Part 1 Weighting 1/3 Internal communication • Rubrik as input Report • based on graphic

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What can a B2 student do?

From: BEC Handbook, page 4.

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What can a C1 student do?

From: BEC Handbook, page 3.

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LanguageB2

- Everyday vocabulary

- Range of simple, some complex

grammatical forms

C1

- Range of vocabulary, including less

common lexis

- Simple and complex grammatical forms

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Assessment Criteria: B2 Writing

Page 12: Cambridge Business Exams (BEC) Writing …...Vantage Higher Timing 45 mins 1 hr 10 mins Part 1 Weighting 1/3 Internal communication • Rubrik as input Report • based on graphic

© UCLES 2013

Assessment Criteria: C1 Writing

Page 13: Cambridge Business Exams (BEC) Writing …...Vantage Higher Timing 45 mins 1 hr 10 mins Part 1 Weighting 1/3 Internal communication • Rubrik as input Report • based on graphic

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Useful grammatical structures:

• reporting language

• linking words: cause and effect, contrasting,

subordinating

• comparatives

• Conditionals

• relative clauses

Language – B2

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Language – C1

Useful grammatical structures:

• emphatic language

• conditionals (range of structures)

• reporting verbs & gerund/infinitive structures

• passives

• expressing possibility (modals etc)

• participle clauses etc.

Page 15: Cambridge Business Exams (BEC) Writing …...Vantage Higher Timing 45 mins 1 hr 10 mins Part 1 Weighting 1/3 Internal communication • Rubrik as input Report • based on graphic

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Language – Useful Functions

• Awareness/Control of Register

• Phrases for opening/closing letters & reports

• Describing problems, complaining

• Giving bad news

• Giving advice, making recommendations

• Apologising, reassuring

• Paraphrasing, reformulating

• Being concise

Page 16: Cambridge Business Exams (BEC) Writing …...Vantage Higher Timing 45 mins 1 hr 10 mins Part 1 Weighting 1/3 Internal communication • Rubrik as input Report • based on graphic

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How to prepare students

Conventions/Formats

• Regular writing to set formula – using task

conventions

• Learning appropriate phrases (e.g. letters,

reports)

• Formal vs. informal language (e.g. in

letters)

Page 17: Cambridge Business Exams (BEC) Writing …...Vantage Higher Timing 45 mins 1 hr 10 mins Part 1 Weighting 1/3 Internal communication • Rubrik as input Report • based on graphic

© UCLES 2013

How to prepare students

Structuring & Strategy

• Skeleton structure – logical organisation

• Brainstorming – finding suitable

arguments for given questions

• Practising cohesive devices, joining ideas

together

• Planning and writing under time pressure

• Editing checklist

Page 18: Cambridge Business Exams (BEC) Writing …...Vantage Higher Timing 45 mins 1 hr 10 mins Part 1 Weighting 1/3 Internal communication • Rubrik as input Report • based on graphic

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- Language of trends

- Comparison/contrast

- Giving reasons

- Drawing conclusions

- Making recommendations

Skills: Dealing with Graphs

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Skills: Reformulating

• Listening and reading

exams as source of

paraphrasing techniques

Handbook, Page 48 (Reading Exam Part 1)

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Timed brainstorming, creating structure

Skills: Planning

Handout, Page 10

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Skills: Editing

Handbook, Page 89 (Reading Exam Part 6)

• Editing checklist

• Regular practice

• Error correction

activities

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Organisation

• Linking words

• Cohesive devices

• Logical “thread”

• Argumentation, development of ideas

Page 23: Cambridge Business Exams (BEC) Writing …...Vantage Higher Timing 45 mins 1 hr 10 mins Part 1 Weighting 1/3 Internal communication • Rubrik as input Report • based on graphic

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Content

• Answer the question!

• “target reader is fully informed” –

development of ideas, description &

explanation

• Must remain on topic & within word count

(no irrelevancies)

• Must include all points in the question

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Communicative Achievement

1. Holds the reader’s attention – is

meaningful and can be read with ease

(does not confuse the reader)

2. Conventions of the task/genre

• Appropriate phrases

• Structure/format

• Register

3. Will it achieve the desired result?

Page 25: Cambridge Business Exams (BEC) Writing …...Vantage Higher Timing 45 mins 1 hr 10 mins Part 1 Weighting 1/3 Internal communication • Rubrik as input Report • based on graphic

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Questions/Comments

Page 26: Cambridge Business Exams (BEC) Writing …...Vantage Higher Timing 45 mins 1 hr 10 mins Part 1 Weighting 1/3 Internal communication • Rubrik as input Report • based on graphic

© UCLES 2013

Thank you for your time