Damian Williams 2014

Exam tips

Exam question

Paper 1 Tips

T1 6 marks

You get one mark per correct item.

Dont spend too long on this if you cant think of it, leave it and move on.

Dont leave blank answers you dont lose any marks for wrong answers here.

Check your answer fits the definition perfectly check e.g. use of plurals, device or process, etc.

Use the same numbering as in the rubric. Testing nearly always comes up.

T2 12 marks

One mark for a correct definition, one for extra information, one for an example. You cant get the mark for extra info if the definition is wrong.

Use the prompts CD: EG: FP: to separate your answers here. This helps keep you focused but also makes it easier for the examiner to award marks!

Make sure you have enough accurate information in your core definition to get the marks, since you cant get marks for further points if the core definition isnt in place.

Typical areas that come up here are grammar (forms), pronunciation terms, testing, types of approach/syllabus.

T3 15 marks

One mark for a correct feature and 2 for a context and level appropriate example to go with it. Maximum 15 marks.

Always check the rubric carefully, as it may ask you not to include a certain answer.

Try to cover a range of speaking or writing subskills/features of discourse and grammatical/lexical features.

Give 6 features as a safety net.

For speaking, remember turn-taking features usually only count as one feature.

Dont give too many examples as you dont get extra marks for extra examples.

Make sure your examples are appropriate for the level.

T4 40 marks

a One mark for each item up to 40 marks. In part (a) you only get the mark if you give an example and you get a maximum of 5 marks. For the rest of the tasks there is no restriction on where you score marks.

Imagine you read the text without any of the visuals / formatting youd still be able to say where it came from / what kind of text it was. Why ?

Use CLOGs.

Read the rubric carefully, as sometimes they add extra guidelines e.g. a minimum of one feature of organisation and one feature of language.

Damian Williams 2014

Remember to give a clear example for each feature.

Give 6 features as a safety net. Dont spend too long on this task.

b-d Organise your answers under a separate subheading for each item of language and further by e.g. form and meaning/use. You may be able to score multiple marks for saying the same thing for each example.

Form, meaning/use come up most commonly here. Pronunciation will come up once over the three tasks. Cohesion has come up once before.

Make lots of small points.

Dont forget the obvious e.g. commas, contractions, subject pronoun, 3rd person singular, etc.

Only analyse the words in bold dont analyse what isnt there or provide further comments about how its used generally.

When commenting on phonology, dont waste time by transcribing the whole phrase stick to using transcription to illustrate the feature you are highlighting. Do make sure you include phonemic transcription where possible though or youll lose marks.

Intonation rarely comes up in this part, but stress/features of connected speech almost always do.

T5 22 marks Cambridge weighted up to 27

a 1 mark for the strength or weakness and there should be 3 of each; 1 for the examples that go with these; 4 extra marks for comments on why and how these things make the text more or less effective.

Organise your answer by listing strengths first, then weaknesses.

Give clear examples these are worth half the marks.

Keep in mind the level of the learners.

Present a balance of strengths and weaknesses.

Try to provide an extra strength or weakness if time, as a safety net. Remember that there are up to four additional marks available here

for comments on how the strengths and weaknesses contribute towards the overall effectiveness of the text. You can go for these quite easily with an extra comment using the sentence frame This make the text more/less or This has the effect of, or some such.

b Make sure you choose a weakness which is key best to go for one of the safer ones like grammar or lexis.

Make sure you choose a key weakness, not a key area.

Develop each answer fully by giving an example or a clear explanation.

The list of possible justifications is the same every exam so learn this list.

Damian Williams 2014

Exam question

Paper 2 Tips

T1 14 marks Cambridge weighting up to 20 marks.

1 mark for each point you make and a further mark for the connection to the learner this holds true for up to 6 points total, there must be both positives and negatives but may not be three of each. 2 extra points available for good use of terminology

Organise your answer so that you list positive points first, then go on to negative points.

Use a separate prompt APP: to ensure you separate and develop the application to the learner fully this is important as its worth half the marks.

Learn your testing terminology i.e. Content/face validity theres also construct validity but its similar to content validity so unlikely to be tested on this directly. Direct/indirect/placement/progress/summative test, reliability and scorer reliability, etc. Not only are there 2 additional marks for correct use of terminology here, most of the positive/negative points are usually based around these concepts.

Try to provide an extra positive or negative point if time, as a safety net.

Give a balance of positive and negative points.

T2 24 marks Cambridge weighting to 30 marks.

a In (a) 2 marks for each purpose correctly identified and you can get marks for up to 8 purposes. In (b) 1 mark for each assumption 2 more for the two reasons that support it (1 mark per valid reason). You can get marks for six assumptions, which accounts for 18 points. Marks are then weighted down to 30.

Organise your answer by providing bullet points under key exercise from the rubric.

Use the infinitive of purpose to ensure you stay focused and succinct.

Provide more than one purpose for each exercise.

Consider both language and skills, especially where a listening or reading text is involved.

Consider form, meaning and pronunciation separately where language focus is concerned.

b Organise you answer using the prompts A: R1: R2: in order to ensure you provide 2 underlying reasons for each assumption in order to go for full marks here.

Look back over past papers for areas which come up often e.g. guided discovery/cognitive engagement, importance of language in context, importance of explicit focus of form, need for a task to help with a text, etc. and include these in your answers

Give 7 assumptions if time as a safety net.

Dont forget to clearly specify which exercise your answers relate to, or you wont get any marks.

T3 10 marks

1 mark for each point you make up to a maximum of 10.

Make as many small points as possible.

Damian Williams 2014

Consider the cycle of activities in the lesson, the topic, interaction patterns, the move from receptive-productive, etc.

Keep in mind how the exercises combine with the ones from Task 2, not just whats involved.

This is a difficult task to score well in, but its only worth 10% of paper 2, so dont spend too long it.

T4 40 marks

Two marks for each point up to a maximum of 40.

Some people like to start Paper 2 with this question, scribble some notes, then come back to it after the other questions, when its had a chance to sink in.

Try to visualise a classroom and move round, thinking of different aspects (learners, teacher, equipment, learning styles, material, listening equipment, etc.). This may help jog your memory for ideas.

Include reference to approaches if you want, but remember that its the actual practical ideas that will get you marks.

Write everything you can think of, dont worry if it seems silly to you. It might just get you marks!

Try to provide a balance of answers over the various parts of this question.