27
FCE/FCEfS and CAE changes for 2015 Instituto Chileno Británico de Cultura April 2015 Christine Jeppesen
FCE/FCEfS and CAE changes
for 2015
Instituto Chileno Británico de Cultura
April 2015
Christine Jeppesen
TODAY
Brief Introduction to New Cambridge Scale
Changes in FCEfS/FCE and CAE exam:
Reading
Use of English
Listening
Speaking
Writing
Activity related to Essay writing
NEW
CAMBRIDGE
SCALE
Main points Applied to Cambridge English Exams: During 2015.
Integrated: same common scale across all of our
exams
Results for each paper :+ overall in marks and
grades.
All will benefit from having better information about
performance
links Brochure:
http://www.cambridgeenglish.org/images/16750
6-cambridge-english-scale-factsheet.pdf
Webinar:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hprdh3neqow
Explanation:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFqfgA4mx9U
http://www.cambridgeenglish.org/exams/cambri
dge-english-scale/
Reading and Use of English
2014/15 READING
1 HOUR
PART TASK TYPE
Nº of
TASKS
1 Multiple choice 8
2 Gapped text 7
3 Multiple matching 15
USE OF ENGLISH – 45 MINUTES
PART TASK TYPE
Nº of
TASKS
1 Multiple choice cloze 12
2 Open Cloze 12
3 Word Formation 10
4 Key word transformation 8
1 HOUR 15 MINUTES
PART TASK TYPE Nº of TASKS
1 Multiple choice cloze 8
2 Open Cloze 8
3 Word Formation 8
4 Key word transformation 6
5 Multiple choice 6
6 Gapped text 6
7 Multiple matching 10
Listening 2014/15 Part 1: short unrelated extracts 3 multiple-choice options read
out
Part 3: Five short related monologues of
approximately 30 seconds each.
There are five questions which
require the selection of the correct
option from a list of six
Part 1: short unrelated extracts Options not on audio
Part 3: Five short related
monologues of approximately 30
seconds each.
There are five questions which
require the selection of the correct
option from a list of eight.
Writing 2014/15
PART TASK TYPE
Nº of
TASKS LENGTH
1 compulsory question (letter) 1 120-150 words
2 choice of 5 questions 1 120-180 words
PART TASK TYPE
Nº of
TASKS LENGTH
1 compulsory essay question 1 140-190 words
2 choice of 3 questions 1 140-190 words
1 HOUR 20 MINUTES
Speaking 2014/15
PART TASK TYPE STIMULII TIMING
1 conversation between C and I spoken questions 3 minutes
2 individual 'long turn' for each C visual &written 4 minutes
3 two-way conversation between Cs visual &written 3 minutes
4 discussion related to part 3 spoken questions 4 minutes
14 MINUTES
PART TASK TYPE STIMULII TIMING
1 conversation between C and I spoken questions 2 minutes
2 individual 'long turn' for each C visual & written 4 minutes
3
discussion question(2’),decision-
making task(1’) written 4 minutes
4 discussion related to part 3 spoken questions 4 minutes
Speaking 2015
Why might students want to learn to do these skills?
draw well
play a sport
cook a meal
play a musical instrument
speak another foreign
language
SPEAKING
Kok Wee
Chris
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NEhE
yusaEs
IN A NUTSHELL
four papers instead of five. be approximately 30 minutes shorter feature new tasks and testing focuses in the Writing and Speaking papers. the Reading and Use of English paper is worth 40% of the marks, and each the other papers is worth 20%. results according to new scale
Careful with Writing
Traditional FCE: article, informal email or letter,
review, report
FCE f Schools: article, informal email or letter,
review, essay, story
Story has been eliminated for traditional version but kept on for FCE f Schools
– report eliminated from FCE f Schools.
Task Type and Focus
Writing an essay.
Focus on agreeing or disagreeing with a
statement, giving information, giving an
opinion, giving reasons, comparing and
contrasting ideas and opinions, drawing a
conclusion.
Format
Candidates are required to deal with input of
up to 120 words. There is an opening rubric
to set the scene, and then an essay
question with two given prompts, plus a
prompt requiring candidates to write about
their own additional idea.
Assessment
Look at the assessment criteria
How would you mark each one of these
essays according to Cambridge criteria?
Essay
Some parents teach their children at home
rather than sending them to school. Is this
a good or a bad thing for children?
Write about:
1 – Having a parent as a teacher
2 - Making friends
3 - ………. (your own opinion)
Procedures for integrating
Reading: pre, while and post
Use of English: look for ……..
Speaking: Discussion
Essay writing in pairs. Peer correcting using
criteria.
Prompts
Your school is organising a schoolwide project related to
the environment.
What topic would you propose?
Notes. Write about a topic related to:
an international issue such as the extinction of an animal in
your area
related to the local environment such as smog in cities.
Give your personal opinion
Consider:
answering exam question
target reader: appropriate style and tone
linking ideas and cohesive devices
use of a range of complex language
Over to you
Reading activity to become familiar with the
topic, its vocabulary, etc.
Speaking: Discussing advantages &
disadvantages
Writing: in pairs, draft, peer correction
Recommendations
Read rubric carefully
Keep to the focus of the topic
Discuss advantages & disadvantages of
different topics
Brainstorm ideas for different topics
Three essay prompts must be answered
Remember!
Ideas in a clear and logical way
Well organised and coherent
Familiar with structures for comparing,
contrasting, agreeing, disagreeing,
explaining, informing and giving opinions
Opening a discussion, coming to conclusion
CAE changes for 2015
1. Four papers instead of five. All tasks retained in
modified formats in the new Reading and Use of
English paper.
2. Approximately 45 minutes shorter than the previous
examination.
3. Feature new tasks and testing focuses in the Reading
and Use of English, Writing and Speaking papers
LINKS Handbooks for teachers:
FCE for Schools:
www.cambridgeenglish.org/images/cambridge-english-first-
for-schools-handbook-2015.pdf
CAE:
www.cambridgeenglish.org/images/cambridge-english-
advanced-handbook-2015.pdf
Webinar:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWjfqGoYa-s
www.teachingsupport.cambridgeenglish.org
Support for teachers
General information – handbooks for teachers, sample papers,
exam reports
Detailed information – format, timing, number of questions, task
types, mark scheme of each paper
Advice for teachers – developing students’ skills and preparing them
for the exam
Downloadable lessons – a lesson for every part of every paper
Teaching qualifications – the whole range of Cambridge English
Teaching Qualifications
Seminars and webinars – a wide range of exam-specific seminars
and live and recorded webinars for new and experienced teachers
Exam update information – detailed information about the 2015
update of the exam.
www.cambridgeenglish.org/teaching-english
