Assessing receptive skills

With reference to PT3

Reading – cognitive processes
PT3 Reading and Use of English
Paper 1: Reading and Use of English

Candidates The Reading and Use of English test is taken by all Form 3 students.
Paper Format Five sections, all aimed at the A2-B1 CEFR range.
Number of Items 40
Number of Tasks 5
Task types 3-option multiple choice (short texts), error correction, information transfer/note
completion, short answer questions and matching (gapped text).
Input Reading texts of varying lengths, with a total reading input of approximately 1500
words.
Instructions Instructions for the tasks are given on the question paper.
Answer Format Candidates write their answers on the answer sheet. There is a mix of multiple-
choice and short answer text responses required.
Time Allowed 1 hour 15 minutes
Weighting Each item carries one mark.
Marking The paper is clerically marked.
Task focus Tasks cover a range of language-relevant foci. It should be assumed that the
relevant CEFR descriptors for the A2-B1 levels will be referenced throughout the
test material production process. The descriptors referred to are derived from the
curriculum learning standards.
 Let’s look at the sample test

• Understanding the tasks

• What is expected from the candidates?
Listening – cognitive processes
Model of cognitive processing

Input decoding

Lexical search

Syntactic parsing

Meaning construction Inferencing

Discourse
construction
PT3 Listening
Paper 4: Listening

Candidates The Listening test is taken by all Form 3 students.

Paper Format Five sections, all aimed at the A2-B1 CEFR range, with an increase in level as the
candidate progresses through the test.
Number of Items 25
Number of Tasks 5
Task types 3-option (visual) multiple-choice, matching, 3-option multiple-choice and note
completion
Input Listening audio of varying lengths, a mix of dialogues and monologues, with a total
input of approximately 1400 words. Each audio track is heard twice.
Instructions Instructions for the tasks are given on the question paper and heard on the audio.
Answer Format Candidates write their answers on the question paper and on an answer sheet.
There is a mix of multiple-choice responses and short answers required.
Time Allowed 35 minutes (including transfer time allowance)
Weighting Each item carries one mark.
Marking The paper is clerically marked.
Task focus Tasks cover a range of language-relevant foci. It should be assumed that the
relevant CEFR descriptors for the A2-B1 levels will be referenced throughout the
test material production process. The descriptors referred to are derived from the
curriculum learning standards.
 Let’s look at the sample test

• Understanding the tasks

• What is expected from the candidates?