EDEXCEL IGCSE ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE

The aim of the Edexcel IGCSE in English as a Second Language (ESL) is to test your English language ability through realistic tasks based on authentic texts. Two separate examination papers test your reading, writing, and listening skills and you will be awarded a grade from A* to G for your performance in these two years. In addition, you have the option of taking a speaking test for which you will receive a separate grade. PAPER 1: Reading and Writing It assesses your reading and writing skills in separate exercises. You will take a 2 hour examination paper which has been set by Edexcel and which will be marked by Edexcel examiners. The total number of marks available is 100: There are 50 marks for reading and 50 marks for writing. Reading In this section, you will find three reading passages of increasing length and difficulty. The passages are taken from a range of sources, including newspapers, websites and fiction, and may include factual information, explanations, opinions and biographical writing. A variety of tasks will be used to check your understanding of these reading texts. These tasks include multiple-choice, note completion and sentence completion. For tasks where you have to write words in English, correct spelling in your answers is very important. There will be 10 marks available for the first reading passage, and then 20 marks each for the second and third passage. Writing There are also three parts to the writing section and you are free to choose the order in which you attempt them. The tasks are different in each of these three parts. For some tasks, a context and target reader are identified in order to give a purpose for your writing and you will need to take these into consideration when you write your answers. It is also important that you make sure you write in style and register which is suitable for the particular task and lay your answer out correctly. So if you have to write a letter, you should set

your answer out as a letter. The word limit for the first task is 75-100 words however the word limit for the second and third task is 100-150 words. It is very important that you stick to the word limit. Paper 2: Listening This skill is assessed through a 45 minute examination paper, set and marked by Edexcel. The total number of marks available is 30. You will be expected to understand standard spoken English in a range of different situations. The recorded texts may be in the form of monologues, dialogues and occasionally there will be three speakers involved. A variety of tasks will be used to check your understanding of the recorded texts. If you have spelled the word incorrectly, but it is clear which word it is, you will not lose marks. This paper consists of three parts, each based around a single recorded text. You will be given time to read the questions before each part of the recording begins, and you should answer the questions as you listen. You will hear each recorded text twice. Paper 3: Speaking This paper is optional and separately endorsed. Your achievement in the speaking test will not affect the grade you are awarded on papers 1 and 2. The speaking test assesses your communication skills through a recorded interview between you and an interlocutor, based on task cards supplied by Edexcel. The task cards invite you to express yourself fluently, spontaneously and appropriately in a range of speaking contexts. The total number of marks is 20. The test lasts approximately 12 minutes and is divided into three parts. Part 1 is a short introductory interview between you and the interlocutor, lasting two to three minutes. In part 2, you have one minute to prepare a talk in response to a task card plus one to two minutes to give your talk. In part 3, you are expected to engage in a extended discussion with the interlocutor for a maximum of five minutes.