In-Service Teacher Training

Assessment in IGCSE English as a Second

Language 0510
Session 1: Introduction to the syllabus
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Welcome
• Introductions
• Background
• Aim of training
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Session 1 looks at:

Formative assessment
• Syllabus aims
• Structure of the syllabus
• Assessment Objectives
• Scheme of Assessment
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Aims of the syllabus

• Use of English for the purpose of practical
communication
• Form a sound base for skills required for
further study or employment (using English
as the medium)
• Develop an awareness of the nature of
language-learning skills
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Assessment Objectives (1)

• Reading and Writing
• Speaking
• Listening
• Usage
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Assessment Objectives (2)

• There are 20 Assessment Objectives across
the four skills
• For the receptive skills, reading + listening,
the wording of the AOs is the same
• For the productive skills, writing + speaking,
AOs 1 to 3 use the same wording
• Practice
• Context
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IGCSE E2L Scheme of Assessment

Reading, Writing, Listening
Paper Time allowed/ Which skills are being tested? % of the
Number Marks total mark
available for the
exam
Paper 1 1 hour 30 Exercises 1, 2 and 4: Reading
Core minutes Exercises 3 and 5: Reading and Writing as a 70%
combined skill
56 marks Exercises 6 and 7: Writing
Paper 2 2 hours Exercises 1, 2 and 4: Reading
Extended Exercises 3 and 5: Reading and Writing as a 70%
combined skill
84 marks Exercises 6 and 7: Writing
Paper 3 30-40 minutes Questions 1-6: Listening and responding to short
Core (approx) statements 30%
30 marks Questions 7, 8, 9, 10: Listening for understanding
based on longer
conversations/interviews/monologues
Paper 4 45 minutes Questions 1-6: Listening and responding to short
Extended (approx) statements 30%
36 marks Questions 7, 8, 9, 10: Listening for understanding
based on longer
conversations/interviews/monologues
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IGCSE E2L Scheme of Assessment

Speaking
Paper Time allowed/ How is speaking % of the total
Number Marks assessed? mark for the
available exam
Paper 5 Up to 15 A speaking test, based Graded
minutes on a discussion with the separately from 1
Teacher/Examiner about (high) to 5 (low)
a topic on one of five
30 marks Cards
Paper 6 Completed Coursework – three Graded
during the different speaking separately from 1
course activities monitored and (high) to 5 (low)
marked by the teacher
30 marks
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What is formative assessment? (1)

Here are some views held by E2L teachers:
• ‘Formative assessment is what leads to the constant
improvement of the student.’
• ‘Each type of formative assessment should be different;
formative assessment should be varied to be effective.’
• ‘Formative assessment is more important than summative
assessment in E2L teaching and learning.’
• Formative assessment means immediate feedback.’
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What is formative assessment? (2)

And some more views:
• ‘Formative assessment leads to changes in teaching; it
tells a teacher where next to go.’
• ‘Only by using formative assessment can you find out
about the different types of learners you have.’
• ‘It’s assessment for learning, and not of learning.’
• ‘Formative assessment should not be judgemental.’
• ‘I use formative assessment more to evaluate my own
teaching than my students’ learning.’
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Formative assessment is...

• …an interaction between student and
teacher
• …the means for the teacher to assess
progress, for example, by feedback on tests
• …the means of helping the student assess
their own progress
• …the means of encouraging improvement
in performance
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Formative assessment:
Ways of assessing progress
• Marking
• Feedback on tests
• Answers given to verbal questions
• Target setting
• Student self-evaluation
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Formative assessment methods (1)

• Record students occasionally in their natural
learning environment. Invite them to listen to
themselves and point out the mistakes they make
• Keep a register of common vocabulary errors
and/or deficiencies while teaching/listening to your
students. Test these in a summative/formal way
later
• Use pencil to ‘mark’; suggest only areas to
improve. Do NOT mark anything as ‘wrong’
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Formative assessment methods (2)

• Ask students to mark each others’ work on a regular
basis
• Do more creative, sharing work. Ask your learners
to explore more. It’s OK if they make more mistakes
• Summarise learning by presenting in a different
form - e.g. a summary becomes a poster outlining
key points
• Ask students to keep ‘learning’ journals. Read these
on a regular basis
Closing comments