Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Guide For Teachers - ISE I PDF
Guide For Teachers - ISE I PDF
Contents
Appendices
Appendix 1 Sample Reading & Writing exam paper 58
Appendix 2 Blank topic form 70
Appendix 3 Sample completed topic form 71
Appendix 4 Information on the Speaking & Listening exam 72
Appendix 5 Language functions and suggested grammar for ISE I 75
Appendix 6 ISE I Task 3 Reading into writing rating scale 76
Appendix 7 ISE I Task 4 Extended writing rating scale 78
Appendix 8 ISE I Speaking and listening rating scale 79
Appendix 9 ISE I Independent listening rating scale 80
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Foreword
Trinitys Integrated Skills in English (ISE) exam assesses all four language skills reading, writing,
speaking and listening. In the ISE exam, all four skills are tested in an integrated way, reflecting how
skills are used together in real-life situations.
This guide:
gives you a brief overview of the two modules of the ISE I exam Reading & Writing and
Speaking & Listening
offers some practical advice for preparing students for each task in the exam
provides some example activities that you can use in the classroom and adapt for your students.
For more classroom activities to help prepare your students for ISE I, as well as the exam specifications,
see www.trinitycollege.com/ISEI
Please note that ISE IV has a different format see www.trinitycollege.com/ISEIV for details.
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5
ISE I Reading
& Writing exam
Overview of the ISE Reading & Writing exam
6
Overview of the ISE Reading & Writing exam
CEFR level A2 B1 B2 C1
Task 3 Reading into writing Reading into writing Reading into writing Reading into writing
70100 words 100130 words 150180 words 200230 words
Please see page 8 for glossaries of reading skills and writing aims for ISE I.
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Overview of the ISE Reading & Writing exam
Reading for general Reading texts which are related to personal subjects and interests
comprehension
Skimming Reading to understand the general meaning of a paragraph, text or
infographic (graphic with writing)
Reading for gist Reading to understand the main idea of a paragraph, text or infographic
Identifying the main conclusions in clear signposted texts
Recognising general arguments
Scanning Reading to find specific key words or information in a paragraph, text
or infographic
Careful reading to Reading to understand specific, factual information at the word, phrase
understand specific or sentence level
facts, information Reading to understand important points in a text
and significant points Identifying which information is factual and which information is opinion
Identifying which information is key information and which information
is a supporting example or detail
Deducing meaning Guessing the meaning of phrases and words from their context
Reading to recognise significant points in a text at the sentence level
Summarising Reporting key facts and ideas from the reading texts
Gathering information from longer different texts or different parts of
a text to create a simple text overview
Paraphrasing short written texts in a simple way
8
Overview of the ISE Reading & Writing exam
Candidate profile
Reading (tasks 1 and 2)
A candidate who passes ISE I reading can:
understand main ideas and specific information/facts in a range of factual and descriptive texts
and infographics on familiar subjects or those of personal interest
identify specific information in written texts
deduce the meaning of words and phrases from their context
write short summaries of information in the texts.
In tasks 1 and 2, the candidate is assessed on his or her ability to read across several texts
and demonstrate a range of reading skills including skimming, scanning, reading for gist and
specific information.
This profile is based on the level B1, Independent User, of the Council of Europes Common European
Framework of Reference (CEFR).
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Task specifications for ISE I Reading & Writing
Text The text is factual and descriptive. It is the type of text that a candidate is familiar
with from his or her own educational setting.
Subject areas for ISE I:
Travel Festivals
Money Means of transport
Fashion Special occasions
Rules and regulations Entertainment
Health and fitness Music
Learning a foreign language Recent personal experiences
Number of 15 questions
questions
Timing The candidate is advised to spend 20 minutes on this part of the exam
10
Task specifications for ISE I Reading & Writing
Text The four texts are factual and descriptive. They are the type of texts that a candidate
is familiar with from his or her own educational setting. One text is an infographic
(eg a diagram, drawing, map or table).
Subject areas for ISE I:
Travel Festivals
Money Means of transport
Fashion Special occasions
Rules and regulations Entertainment
Health and fitness Music
Learning a foreign language Recent personal experiences
All four texts are on the same topic and are thematically linked.
Number of 15 questions
questions
Timing The candidate is advised to spend 20 minutes on this part of the exam
11
Task specifications for ISE I Reading & Writing
Timing The candidate is advised to spend 40 minutes on this part of the exam
Assessment The task is assessed using the Reading into writing rating scale on pages 7677
Task focus This task assesses the candidates ability to produce a narrative, descriptive
or instructional response to a prompt. For the target ISE I language functions see
page 75.
Subject area The writing prompt relates to one of the subject areas for ISE I:
Travel Festivals
Money Means of transport
Fashion Special occasions
Rules and regulations Entertainment
Health and fitness Music
Learning a foreign language Recent personal experiences
Timing The candidate is advised to spend 40 minutes on this part of the exam
Assessment The task is assessed using the Extended writing rating scale on page 78
For a sample ISE Reading & Writing exam, please see appendix 1.
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Preparation activities for ISE I Reading & Writing
Level: ISE I
Focus: Task 1 Long reading
Aim: Reading comprehension practice
Objectives: Familiarity with reading comprehension
Skill: Skimming
Subject area: Travel
Language functions: Giving opinions, preferences and reasons, and expressing obligation
Lexis: Travel
Materials needed: One worksheet per student
Timing: 1 hour
Preparation
Print or copy the worksheet (one per student). Be ready to write the questions below (see point 4 below)
on the board.
In class
1. Explain to the students that they are going to practise some techniques to help them with the
Reading & Writing exam, task 1, reading comprehension of the ISE I exam.
2. Write READING in large letters on the board and ask the students to tell you what words they think
of when they see the word reading. Write some good examples on the board (eg books, English,
newspapers, computers, magazines, TV, etc).
3. Explain to the students that there are so many things around us that we read, reading is very important.
4. Write the following questions on the board:
What do you read in (your language)?
How fast do you read?
What do you usually do while reading?
What do you read in English?
How fast do you read in English?
What would you like to read in English?
Why is reading important?
5. Put the students into pairs or small groups and ask them to discuss these questions for about
10 minutes.
6. Ask the students for answers and comments on the questions. Write some good answers on the board.
7. Now explain to the students that today they are going to work on their reading speed. Tell the
students that this is important as in the exam they need to read quickly.
8. Explain to the students that in task 1 of the reading exam, students have to answer five questions and
label the paragraphs with appropriate headings. Tell the students that this uses skimming, which is a
speed-reading technique. So you read something quickly and find out information.
9. Give each student one worksheet. Tell the students that they are going to focus today on skimming.
Explain to the students what skimming is. This is when you read a text quickly to get the general
idea of it and the main points.
10. Ask the students to skim paragraphs AE on the worksheet and to give each paragraph an
appropriate heading. Give the students approximately 15 minutes. Go through the answers in
open-class. Write up the correct answers on the board.
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Preparation activities for ISE I Reading & Writing
11. Now ask the students to skim paragraphs AF on the worksheet and to answer the questions. Give
the students approximately 15 minutes. Go through the answers in open-class. Write up the correct
answers on the board.
Extension activity
For students who finish the task early, tell them to ask and answer questions about paragraph F
(the temperature chart), for example:
What is the temperature in December in C?
What is the average rainfall in January in inches?
In their English books, the students can find a text to skim and explain the main points of to
their partner.
Homework
Ask students to practise their skimming techniques in their daily lives. Ask them to find a newspaper
and practise finding the main events as quickly as they can.
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Preparation activities for ISE I Reading & Writing
Paragraph A
Read the text and add an appropriate heading.
Heading:
Today, many people prefer to travel independently. Firstly, they decide where they want to go and then
think about the details, such as how long they want to stay, where they want to stay, how they will get
there, how much it will cost, when they will go and what they need to take.
Paragraph B
Read the text and add an appropriate heading.
Heading:
The time you go depends on what you want to do. For example, if you want to do outdoor activities
such as walking, cycling or canoeing then you need to choose a time when the weather is dry. If you
prefer a more relaxed holiday spent sunbathing and swimming then the weather should not be too hot.
Answer the following questions
1. What does the time you go depend on?
2. What are some examples of outdoor activities?
3. What do you do on a relaxing holiday?
Paragraph C
Read the text and add an appropriate heading.
Heading:
Most people take too much when they travel travelling light is the key! Remember you will have
to carry it and heavy luggage soon becomes a nightmare. Take enough clothes (but not too many),
a towel, soap, shampoo and your travel documents and money.
Answer the following questions
1. What do most people take when they travel?
2. What is the best solution?
3. Which six items should you take with you?
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Preparation activities for ISE I Reading & Writing
Paragraph D
Read the text and add an appropriate heading.
Heading:
Monalos is a lively, noisy place, suitable for young people and those who do not like peace and quiet. The
information centre is in the main street (number 50, High Street), and their phone number is 324-5698.
They are open every day from 10am to 8pm except Sundays when they are open from 1pm to 4pm.
Answer the following questions
1. What is the address of the information centre?
2. What is their phone number?
3. What time are they open on Fridays?
4. What time do they close on Sundays?
Paragraph E
Read the text and add an appropriate heading.
Heading: Some interesting
The area covers over 2,000 miles and has around 100,000 inhabitants. The coastline is over 500 miles long
and there are 54 islands, 22 of which are inhabited. The highest mountain is 3,007ft, and the deepest lake is
700ft below sea level.
Answer the following questions
1. How large is the area?
2. How many people live there?
3. How long is the coastline?
4. How many islands do people live on?
5. What is the highest point?
6. What is the lowest point?
Paragraph F
Look at the following temperature chart and find the answers.
Average temperatures and rainfall
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Monalos
Centigrade/
6/43 7/45 9/48 11/52 14/57 16/61 17/63 17/63 15/59 12/5 9/48 7/45
Fahrenheit
Millimetres 146 109 83 90 72 63 55 22 36 47 120 132
Inches 5.8 4.3 3.3 3.5 2.8 2.1 1.8 0.9 1.2 1.6 4.0 5.2
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Preparation activities for ISE I Reading & Writing
Paragraph A
1. Independently
2. Where they want to go
3. Six other details are mentioned in the text (how long they want to stay, where they want to stay, how
they will get there, how much it will cost, when they will go, and what they need to take).
Paragraph B
1. What you want to do
2. Walking, cycling, canoeing
3. Sunbathing and swimming
Paragraph C
1. Too much
2. Travel light
3. Clothes, a towel, soap, shampoo, travel documents, money
Paragraph D
1. Number 50, High Street
2. 3245698
3. From 10am to 8pm
4. 4pm
Paragraph E
1. 2,000 miles
2. 100,000 people
3. over 500 miles long
4. 22
5. 3,007ft
6. 700ft below sea level
Paragraph F
1. 15
2. 109
3. 2.8
4. 63
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Preparation activities for ISE I Reading & Writing
Level: ISE I
Focus: Task 2 Multi-text reading
Aims: Reading for gist and specific information
Objectives: To think about time, learn new words about time, read short texts for main ideas and
read short texts to find true and false information
Skill: Skimming and scanning
Subject area: Travel Time
Language functions: Describing past actions in the indefinite and recent past
Lexis: Related to time
Materials needed: One worksheet per student, a map of the world with time zones, a picture of the
date line on a map, an actual clock or a picture of a clock, and a picture of a sundial
Timing: 45 minutes
Preparation
1. Get a map of the world which shows the world divided into time zones and put it on the board.
2. Get a picture of the date line on a map.
3. Draw a picture of a clock or a sundial on the board or show a real clock and a picture of a sundial.
4. Print or copy one worksheet per student.
In class
1. Tell the class that in todays lesson they are going to read about time and that the aim of the lesson is
to read different texts to find out key information about the topic. Tell the class that this is an essential
skill for completing task 2 of the Reading & Writing exam. Tell the students that they are also asked to
talk about the topic in detail.
2. Now ask the class:
How can we find out what time it is? Point to the clock.
We can use a clock and...? The students could respond with: a watch, a phone, the internet, the
radio, the TV. Write the vocabulary on the board.
3. Ask the class:
Did people always have watches and clocks in the past? The students might respond: No, they used
the sun/the stars or they might describe some other instrument like a sundial.
4. Show the class the picture of the sundial and write the word sundial on the board. Ask the class:
How can you tell the time with a sundial? (Answer: Because it has hours marked on it and the sun
makes a shadow on the correct hour.)
5. Ask the class:
Whats the time in our town/city now? Show them the map with the time zones.
6. Now ask:
Is it the same time in the UK (or USA) now? (Answer: No, different countries have different times
and sometimes even different days.) Tell the class what time it is in the UK (or the USA).
7. Show the class the date line map and explain that the day changes from one side of the date line to
the other. Tell the class a country that is on a different day to the day in your country. Write up time
zones and date line on the board.
8. Hand out the worksheet (one per student). Tell the class to read questions 15 about time on the
worksheet. Then tell the class to read the texts and try to find the answer for question 1 only. Give
the class time to read and check their choice of answer with their partner. Check the answer in
open-class. Tell the class that the answer to question 1 is text D. It is about a line that separates
two consecutive calendar days. Point to the date line picture again.
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Preparation activities for ISE I Reading & Writing
9. Tell the class to read and find the answers for the other questions. Give them about 10 minutes.
When they have finished, ask them to check their answers with their partner.
10. Ask the class for the answers and write up the correct answers on the board. 2 = A, 3 = C, 4 = B,
5 = D. Ask the class to show you the line(s) in the text where they found the answers.
11. Tell the students that they are now going to complete exercise 2. Look at number 1 together as a
class. Ask the students to find out if number 1 in exercise 2 is true or false. Then tell the class that
number 1 is true because the time converter can tell you past times.
12. Give the students five minutes to complete the rest of exercise 2. Tell the students to check their
answers with their partner and then write up the answers on the board and check the lines/texts
where the students found the answers.
13. Tell the class that underlining key words and phrases in the text will help them answer the true
and false questions in the exam.
Extension activity
Ask students who finish early to find six new words in the texts and look them up in their dictionaries.
Homework
Find three countries that are in different time zones to your country and also have different calendar
days. Or find three other instruments that can tell the time and describe them. Or find out what people
traditionally do on ships when they cross the date line.
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Preparation activities for ISE I Reading & Writing
Text A
Many countries, and sometimes just areas of countries, adopt daylight saving time (also known
as summer time) during part of the year. This usually means putting the clocks forward by an
hour near the start of spring and putting them back in autumn. Daylight saving was proposed by
Benjamin Franklin in 1784 but it only started seriously in Europe in 1916 to help to conserve fuel and
energy. Most countries around the equator do not adopt daylight saving time because the seasonal
difference in sunlight is very little.
Text B
Text C
Pre-historic man used to tell the time by the sun and the stars. Later, the sundial, a round disc
marked with hours and an upright stick that makes a shadow on the marks, was used. The
hourglass was also popular in ancient times. The hourglass was made of two round glass bulbs
connected by a narrow neck of glass. When you turn the hourglass upside down, sand particles
inside fall from the top to the bottom bulb of glass.
Text D
The International Date Line sits on the 180 line of longitude in the middle of the Pacific Ocean,
and is the imaginary line that separates two consecutive calendar days. It is not a perfectly straight
line and has been moved slightly over the years to accommodate needs (or requests) of varied
countries in the Pacific Ocean. It bends to include all of Kiribati, Samoa, Tonga and Tokelau in the
Eastern Hemisphere.
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Preparation activities for ISE I Reading & Writing
Exercise 2
Read the sentences below. Then read the texts again and decide which statements are True and which
are False. Put T for True or F for False against the statements.
1. You can find out what time it was in another city in 1999 if you use the Time Converter.
2. You do not need to move an hourglass to tell how much time has passed.
3. Daylight saving means people can turn off their lights earlier.
8. You can tell the time on a sundial by looking at where the shade is on the numbers.
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Preparation activities for ISE I Reading & Writing
Exercise 2
1. T
2. F
3. T
4. T
5. F
6. T
7. F
8. T
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Preparation activities for ISE I Reading & Writing
Preparation
1. Print or copy one worksheet per student.
In class
1. Explain to the class that they are going to learn some techniques to help them with Task 3 Reading
into writing, of the ISE I writing exam. Tell students that they are going to read three short texts
about learning a foreign language and then write a 100130 word essay about what they have read.
2. Ask the students about how they feel about learning a foreign language. What do they find easy
or difficult? What are the best ways to learn?
3. Ask the class to read text 1 which offers advice, suggestions, tips and techniques for learning a
foreign language. Give the students three minutes to read the text.
4. Now, with a partner or in a small group of up to four students, ask the students to find and write
down one important word from each of the five points made in the text.
(Possible answers: vocabulary, grammar, apps, friend, films)
5. Now ask the students to read it again and remember as much as they can about each point and tell
their partner.
6. Now ask the class to read text 2 which shows the different stages of learning to speak a second
language. Give the students approximately five minutes to do this.
7. With a partner or in a small group of up to four students, ask the students to find and write
down some important information from each of the following five categories (6 months, 1 year, 12
years, 24 years, 5 years).
(Possible answers: 6 months silence: very few words understood or spoken; 1 year few words
spoken and used; 12 years sentence use; 24 years good sentence use; 5 years advanced,
very good use of sentences)
8. Now ask the students to do the same with text 3. Find and write down an important piece of
information from each of the five students.
(Possible answers: Pablo some English every day, Silvia reading, Tom Skype, Anna vocabulary,
Darius films)
9. Now with their partner or in a small group, ask the students to discuss what they wrote down and
try to remember as much as they can.
10. Now explain to the students that they are going to practise writing notes, then writing an essay
step-by-step, using the texts they have read.
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Preparation activities for ISE I Reading & Writing
11. Tell the students to read the exam prompt and discuss with their partner exactly what they need to do.
12. It is important for students to practise how to write a plan and think carefully about the writing
process. With this in mind, work your way through the different exam prompt stages (on the
worksheet) with the students.
Extension activity
The more advanced students can write the essay by themselves.
Homework
Ask students to research the best ways to learn a foreign language and to write a short essay on the
information they have found.
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Preparation activities for ISE I Reading & Writing
Text 1
Learning English advice, suggestions, tips and techniques
Apps, films, friends and Skype
1. Vocabulary: Try to remember around 2,000 basic words and phrases. Make it fun with 5 to 10
minutes of memorisation each day. You will improve rapidly. Try it with a friend!
2. Learn the grammar, take it step-by-step and practise forming sentences.
3. Find free language learning apps on your phone so you can learn the language anywhere.
4. Find a friend to practise with. You can speak together which will improve your confidence and
ability. You can also do this over Skype.
5. Learn from films. Find a film you want to watch and watch it in English. You can learn a lot
from this.
3. Read text 2 in five minutes. Find some important information from each of the five categories
(6 months, 1 year, 12 years, 24 years, 5 years) and write it down.
Text 2
Stages of learning to speak a second language
4. Read text 3 in five minutes. Find and write down an important piece of information from each
student (Pablo, Silvia, Tom, Anna, Darius).
5. Discuss what you wrote down with your partner or in a small group. Try to remember as much as you can!
Text 3
Advice from language learners
I asked some students for their suggestions on how to improve English language learning. This is what
they said:
@Pablo Speak or listen to some English every day, listen to some English music and sing the words!
@Silvia I think reading is the best way, look online for something youre interested in.
@Tom I use Skype, sometimes I message my friends, sometimes we talk.
@Anna I think learning vocabulary is the most important. I sit with my dictionary and write
down new words and then I try to remember them. Often, I do this with my friends. Its fun!
@Darius I love English films. I listen carefully to them and try to remember the pronunciation
of the words and sentences!
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Preparation activities for ISE I Reading & Writing
Writing a plan
It is important to organise your ideas. You need to spend around 10 minutes writing notes in the box given.
1. Write notes on the first part of the question. Spend only three minutes on this.
Describe some of the techniques given to improve your English.
Planning notes:
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Preparation activities for ISE I Reading & Writing
5. Now write notes on the second part of the question. Spend only three minutes on this.
Explain approximately how long it takes to learn a foreign language.
Planning notes:
9. Now write notes on the third part of the essay. Spend only three minutes on this.
Suggest how you think students can best improve their learning of a foreign language.
Planning notes:
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Preparation activities for ISE I Reading & Writing
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Preparation activities for ISE I Reading & Writing
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Preparation activities for ISE I Reading & Writing
Level: ISE I
Focus: Task 4 Extended writing
Aims: Writing a planned essay of 100130 words based on three reading texts (please note that
there are no texts to base the extended writing on in task 4 of the ISE I Reading & Writing exam)
Objectives: Finding important information, writing a plan based on given information and writing
an essay step-by-step
Skill: Understanding and identifying specific information, writing notes and formulating an essay
using notes
Subject area: Festivals Seasonal celebrations
Language functions: Describing past actions in the indefinite and recent past, and describing the
future informing and expressing intention
Lexis: Seasonal celebrations
Materials needed: One worksheet per student, a picture of a maypole and dancers, a map of Europe
Timing: 1 hour
Preparation
Print or copy one worksheet per student. Search online for a map of Europe and pictures of a maypole
and dancers.
In class
1. Tell the class they are going to prepare for and practise the writing part of the ISE I exam. First,
they are going to talk about celebrations in summer in Sweden, then they are going to read two
paragraphs and write their own paragraphs like they are expected to do in the exam.
2. Tell the class they are going to read about a celebration that happens in Sweden in the summer.
Show students the map of Europe and ask them where Sweden is on the map. Point to Sweden
on the map. Look at its position in northern Europe. Ask the class what kind of weather they think
Sweden has. Tell the class that Sweden has many hours of daylight in summer but in winter there
are many hours of darkness because it is so far north. Ask the class what they think Swedish people
might do in the middle of summer when there are many daylight hours. (The students could answer:
Go outside for most of the day and night, eat something special , do some sport or play some
special games.) Put their answers on the board.
3. Give out the worksheet. Tell the class to read the text and see if what they suggested about
midsummer in Sweden is what happens. Get answers from the class about the paragraphs they
have read. (The students could answer: Swedes go outside and sail boats, they eat special food and
drink, they dance.) Point to the picture of the maypole and dancers and say, they have some special
beliefs about girls who are not yet married.
4. Now ask the students to read the text again and do the exercises. Give them 810 minutes to do this.
In pairs, get the students to check their answers. Then in open-class, check the answers and write up
the correct answers on the board. Teach some new vocabulary, for example bays, cottages, spicy.
5. Now ask the class which celebrations they have in their country and in which seasons. Write two or
three on the board. Then put the students into groups of four and get them to talk together about
when the celebration is and what they do, eat and drink at each celebration and the reasons why
they like the celebrations or not.
6. Get some feedback and write some of their ideas on the board.
7. Tell the class to look at the first paragraph again and find the verbs that show what people do at the
celebration. Put the answers (drive, sail, dance, eat) on the board.
8. Then ask the class if it is true or only possible that the girl will dream of her husband. Ask the
students what language they can use to say that something might happen in the future but we are
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Preparation activities for ISE I Reading & Writing
not sure. Put on the board, The girl will dream of her husband if she puts the flowers under her
pillow. Make another similar sentence about a celebration in your country, for example, I will enjoy
Carnival a lot if the weather stays calm.
9. Then ask the class to tell you again and underline which phrases in the second paragraph help us
express our opinion. They should look at the answers to question 6 on the worksheet.
10. Tell the class they have 15 minutes to write 100130 words about a celebration in a season in their
country. They can use the paragraphs and the language on the worksheet as models. In the first
paragraph they should describe what happens at the celebration. In the second paragraph they
should give their opinion about the celebration.
11. Give the class 15 minutes to write. Then ask pairs to exchange their work and to read their partners
work and tell them if they have the same opinion or not.
12. Take in the work for correction.
Extension activity
Students who finish early can write about a second celebration and give their opinions.
Homework
Students can ask their parents or friends in different classes about seasonal celebrations and what
their opinion is about the celebrations. They can report back in class.
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Preparation activities for ISE I Reading & Writing
Exercises
1. Which paragraph describes the festival?
4. Why does the writer have the opinion that the Midsummer festival is positive?
5. Does the writer have any negative opinion of the Midsummer festival?
6. What phrases does the writer use to express his or her opinion?
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Preparation activities for ISE I Reading & Writing
33
34
35
ISE I Speaking
& Listening exam
Overview of the ISE Speaking & Listening exam
36
Overview of the ISE Speaking & Listening exam
Level Support
ISE Foundation Topic form with four points
ISE I Topic form with four points
ISE II Candidate may use notes or a mind map
ISE III Formal handout must accompany presentation
See page 70 for a blank topic form and page 71 for a sample completed topic form.
37
Overview of the ISE Speaking & Listening exam
38
Overview of the ISE Speaking & Listening exam
Intensive, bottom-up Listening to find specific key words and facts in simple recordings
listening
Intensive listening in Understanding specific, factual information at the word and/or phrase level
detail to gather as Listening for explicitly stated ideas and information
much information
as possible
Intensive listening Listening to understand all or most of the information the recording
for detailed provides
understanding
Extensive listening Listening to understand the topic and main ideas of the recording
for gist, for main
ideas and for global
understanding
Deducing meaning Guessing the meaning of unknown words from their context
39
Overview of the ISE Speaking & Listening exam
Candidate profile
Speaking
A candidate who passes ISE I Speaking can:
initiate, maintain and close simple, unprepared one-to-one conversations on topics that are familiar
or of personal interest
communicate with some confidence on familiar routine and non-routine subjects or topics of
personal interest
express personal opinions and exchange information on everyday topics that are familiar or of
personal interest (eg family, hobbies, work, travel)
maintain a conversation or discussion but with some errors
describe one of a variety of familiar subjects, presenting it as a linear sequence of points, with
reasonable fluency
give accounts of experiences, describing feelings and reactions
describe dreams, hopes and ambitions
describe events, real or imagined
give reasons and explanations for opinions, plans and actions
demonstrate a basic repertoire of language and strategies to help keep a conversation
or discussion going
repeat back part of what someone has said to confirm mutual understanding and help keep the
development of ideas on course
ask someone to clarify or elaborate what he or she has just said.
Listening
A candidate who passes ISE I Listening can:
follow clear speech in one-to-one conversations, although sometimes he or she may have to ask for
repetition of particular words and phrases
understand factual information about common everyday topics, identify general messages and
specific details
understand the main points of familiar topics, eg work, school, leisure, including short narratives
follow a clearly structured lecture or talk on a familiar topic
understand the information content of the majority of slow and clear recorded audio material,
eg radio news, on familiar topics or topics of personal interest
identify unfamiliar words from the context on familiar topics or topics of personal interest.
This profile is based on the level B1, Independent User, of the Council of Europes Common European
Framework of Reference (CEFR).
40
Task specifications for ISE I Speaking & Listening
41
Task specifications for ISE I Speaking & Listening
Conversation task
Task type and format The Conversation task is an integrated speaking and listening task. The
examiner selects a conversation topic from the ISE I list given below and
asks the candidate questions to start a conversation about the subject.
Timing 2 minutes
Language functions Describing past actions in the indefinite and recent past
Describing the future informing and expressing intention
Giving opinions, preferences and reasons
Describing consequences with certainty and uncertainty
Expressing obligation
Asking for opinions and information
Examiner role The examiner uses the list of subject areas below to ask questions and
elicit the target language functions of the level.
Subject areas for Travel
conversation Money
Fashion
Rules and regulations
Health and fitness
Learning a foreign language
Assessment The Conversation task and Topic task are given one score using
four criteria:
Communicative effectiveness
Interactive listening
Language control
Delivery
42
Task specifications for ISE I Speaking & Listening
For text of a sample ISE Speaking & Listening exam, please see appendix 4. There are also sample
videos and audio files of ISE I exams at www.trinitycollege.com/ISEI
43
Preparation activities for ISE I Speaking & Listening
Level: ISE I
Focus: Topic task
Aims: To listen to different pieces of music, and then express and request opinions and impressions
Objectives: To formulate a wide variety of questions after listening to pieces of music and to
answer questions relating to pieces of music
Topic: Music
Language functions: Describing the future informing and expressing intentions, giving
opinions, preferences and reasons, and asking for opinions and information
Lexis: Vocabulary specific to the topic of music
Materials needed: Music playing device (eg mobile phone, MP3, computer, radio, TV, CD player),
three or more pieces of music
Timing: 1 hour
Preparation
1. Prepare three pieces of music to play to students, preferably from a range of music for example,
pop, rock, classical, heavy metal (on a mobile phone, MP3, computer, etc).
OR
2. Ask students to bring in one piece of music to play on their own devices, for example, their mobile
phones or their MP3 players.
3. If any students play a music instrument, you could ask them to play a short piece of their favourite music.
In class
1. Write on the board in large letters MUSIC. Ask for words that the students think of when they see
this word, for example, happy, sad, loud, romantic, pop, CD, money, famous, concerts, party, disco,
etc. Write some of these words on the board.
2. Explain to the students that they are going to listen to some pieces of music and to practise
asking and answering questions about them. This will help them to speak more naturally, which is
something that they need to do in the Topic task of the exam. Tell the students that they will be
using music to help them with their ideas.
3. Write PIECE 1 on the board.
4. Play piece 1. Ask students to listen and be ready to tell everyone their opinion.
5. Ask students questions about the music, for example: Have you ever heard this piece of music?,
When did you last hear it?, Did you like it? Why/why not? (Try to exploit the language requirements
of ISE I).
6. In groups of four, ask students to think of as many questions as they can about that piece of music
using these prompts: Do you ?, What kind of ?, Who is ?, Have you ever ?, When you were
younger ?, If you have a choice, what ?, What were you doing the last time you ?, What music
might you ?, What do you need to ?, Do you prefer ?
7. Ask students to write down 10 questions on a piece of paper.
8. Write PIECE 2 on the board.
9. Play piece 2. Ask students to listen and be ready to ask and answer questions as above (in number 6).
10. Students ask each other their questions, taking it in turns in their groups of four.
11. Students exchange their question papers (as in number 7) with another group.
44
Preparation activities for ISE I Speaking & Listening
Extension activity
The more advanced students can be asked to think of their favourite piece of music and describe it to
the class. While the students are describing their favourite music, the class have to ask questions and
try to guess what it is.
Homework
Listen to a piece of music of your choice and write down some questions about it. Then, practise
answering questions with a classmate or friend. Prepare a piece of music to play to the class and write
down some questions to ask the class. Also be prepared to tell the class why you chose this piece of music.
45
Preparation activities for ISE I Speaking & Listening
Level: ISE I
Focus: Conversation task
Aims: Introducing students to making conversation in preparation for the ISE I exam and raising
awareness of the language functions of the grade
Objectives: Students think of lots of ideas for (brainstorm) aspects of the topic Rules and regulations
and think about how the language functions of the grade can be included into the conversation
Subject area: Rules and regulations
Language functions: This activity is designed to use all language functions specified for ISE I
(see student worksheet)
Lexis: Vocabulary connected to the topic of rules and regulations
Materials needed: Student worksheet (one per student)
Timing: 1 hour
Preparation
1. Read through the stages in the lesson and note down your own ideas about rules and regulations for
the activities.
2. Print or copy one student worksheet per student.
In class
1. Introduce the students to the topic and aim of the lesson. They will be talking about one of the ISE I
subject areas Rules and regulations and developing conversations using the language functions
specified for the exam.
2. Give out the student worksheet and introduce the class to the language functions of ISE I. Provide
examples of the functions and check any necessary grammar.
3. Divide the class into groups of three.
4. The first few activities can be carried out using the students first language. Ask groups to think
about a number of questions about rules and regulations, eg What rules and regulations can they
think of? Where are such rules found? Are there too many rules and regulations? Why do people
need rules and regulations? Try to encourage students to be creative with their ideas. You could
write some or all of the questions on the board and ask the students to copy them down.
5. Brainstorm the topic of rules and regulations with the class on the board and develop vocabulary
ideas. For example, you could discuss school rules, the rules for a sport, or legal requirements for
driving. Aim at developing a list of different ideas.
6. Ask each group to choose an idea and write notes about it. Give feedback in open-class.
7. Ask each group to choose a different topic related to rules and regulations and discuss. Ask two
members of the group to have a conversation about the subject area while the third observes and
makes notes on key words and phrases.
8. At this stage, students can still use their first language.
9. Ask the groups to write down key English words and phrases needed in the discussion.
10. Students now continue/repeat the previous conversation using English and with roles changed.
11. After all members of each group have practised talking about the subject area in English and acting
as an observer, bring the class together and focus on the ISE I language functions (See student
handout). If necessary, review the grammar needed for some or all of the language functions.
12. Finally, ask the groups to have another conversation about rules and regulations, using language
from the different language functions.
46
Preparation activities for ISE I Speaking & Listening
Extension activity
For students who finish the activities early, divide the members of the group into other groups and ask
them to share their ideas with their new groups.
Homework
Set a short writing task for example, ask students to list rules and regulations for a sport.
To provide regular practice for the ISE I Conversation task, repeat this activity with classes regularly
as they prepare for the exam. Each time select a different ISE I subject area.
47
Preparation activities for ISE I Speaking & Listening
48
Preparation activities for ISE I Speaking & Listening
Level: ISE I
Focus: Independent listening task 1
Aims: Students practise listening to a factual text and completing a worksheet representing
notes from the recording (please note that students do not complete a worksheet in the ISE I
Independent listening tasks)
Objectives: Students report facts that are partly derived from understanding whole utterances
and partly inferred from content words recognised
Topic: Special occasions
Language functions: Describing past actions in the indefinite and recent past, describing the
future informing and expressing intention, giving opinions, preferences and reasons, and
expressing obligation
Lexis: Vocabulary related to special occasions
Materials needed: Recording of audio script or audio script for teacher to read from, one copy
of worksheet per student and copies of audio script for students who may find the task difficult
Timing: 45 minutes
Preparation
1. Pre-record the audio using three different people speaking if possible, and also record the examiner
rubric if required. If necessary you can read out the audio script yourself in class at a normal pace.
2. Print or copy one worksheet per student.
In class
1. Tell the students that they are going to practise listening to a factual text and writing notes like in
task 1 of the ISE I listening exam. Tell them the audio is about New Years Eve.
2. Elicit the date of New Years Eve and ask a student how they celebrated it last year. Ask questions
to elicit more information, such as where they spent it, who with, what they ate, what they wore,
and whether they followed any traditions. Write the questions on the board if necessary.
3. In pairs, tell the students to ask each other about their last New Years Eve. Encourage them to talk
for five minutes.
4. Tell the students they are going to hear about New Years traditions in three different countries. Ask the
students the first time they listen to write down the three countries. Play the recording or read the audio
script. Repeat if necessary and then elicit the answers in open-class. Write the answers on the board.
5. Give out a worksheet to each student. Ask the students, in pairs, to try to complete as much of
the worksheet as possible from memory. If they dont know an answer, encourage them to make
a logical guess.
6. Play the recording again and students complete the worksheet. Ask the students to compare their
answers with their partners.
7. Go through the answers as a class, repeating any parts of the audio that were problematic.
8. Write the following discussion questions on the board:
Which of the three countries would you rather spend New Years Eve in? Why?
Which of the traditions do you like the most/least? Why?
Do you know any New Years traditions from any other countries?
9. Put students into small groups and encourage them to talk for 10 minutes answering the discussion
questions on the board. While students are speaking, write up errors on the board. Once the
students have completed the task, briefly elicit some answers, comment on their progress and
then address the errors.
49
Preparation activities for ISE I Speaking & Listening
Extension activity
Students who are able to complete the worksheet after listening just once can be asked to write down
as many extra details as possible during the second listening.
After class
Ask the students to research other countries New Year traditions on the internet. Tell the students to
prepare three interesting facts about the country of their choice, which they can then share with the
class in the next lesson.
Examiner rubric:
Youre going to hear three people talk about how New Year is celebrated in their countries. As
you listen, complete the notes on this worksheet. Write one or two words in each space. The
recording is about one minute. Youll hear the recording twice. Now you have 15 seconds to read
the worksheet. (Wait 15 seconds) Are you ready?
Audio script
Hanna from Denmark
In Denmark we usually spend New Years Eve with friends. A typical dish at New Year is boiled fish.
One tradition is to throw plates at our friends doors. If you have a lot of broken plates outside
your door it shows you are very popular. Another tradition is to jump off chairs at midnight.
Jack from the Philippines
In the Philippines, we believe that round objects bring good luck. That is why people eat a lot of
round fruit on New Years Eve, such as grapes and oranges. Some people wear clothes covered
in circles. We also throw coins at New Year to increase wealth and prosperity.
Gustavo from Mexico
On New Years Eve in Mexico, we usually have dinner at home with the family. We eat 12 grapes as
the clock strikes midnight on the 31st. As we eat each grape, we make a wish for the New Year.
Some people believe that if you carry a suitcase around the block, you will do a lot of traveling
the following year.
50
Preparation activities for ISE I Speaking & Listening
Speaker 1 Hanna
Country Denmark
Food Boiled 1)
3) chairs
Speaker 2 Jack
Throw coins
Speaker 3 Gustavo
Country Mexico
Food 6) grapes
51
Preparation activities for ISE I Speaking & Listening
Speaker 1 Hanna
Country Denmark
Speaker 2 Jack
Throw coins
Speaker 3 Gustavo
Country Mexico
Food 6) 12 grapes
52
Preparation activities for ISE I Speaking & Listening
Level: ISE I
Focus: Independent listening task 2
Aims: To listen for key information and then answer questions about the information
Objectives: To listen for key information, to remember key information, to write down key
information, to repeat key information verbally and to ask questions about key information
Topic: Elephants
Language functions: Asking for opinions and information
Lexis: Numbers and units of measurement
Materials needed: Two or three pictures of elephants, one worksheet per student
Timing: 50 minutes
Preparation
Find two or three pictures of elephants with tusks from the internet or from a book and put them on
the board.
In class
1. Tell the class that they are going to learn to listen for important information about elephants and
then ask and answer some questions with their partners about the information. Point to the pictures
on the board and ask what the class knows about elephants. For example, you could ask: Do they
have a nose? (Answer: Yes, its called a trunk), What are the white things on their faces called?
(Answer: Tusks), How do they get their food?, What do they eat? and Where do they live?
2. Write all new words on the board. Practise the pronunciation of the new words.
3. Tell the class you are going to read them some information about elephants and you will read the
information twice. They must listen for key information.
4. Read the following text quite slowly and emphasise the bold words:
Read: There are two main kinds of elephant, the Asian elephant and the African elephant. Stop
reading and say: In this case, two main kinds of elephant is key information.
5. Continue reading: Elephants use their tusks and trunks to get food They use the tusk to dig up
food and the trunk to suck up water. An elephant drinks about 210 litres of water every day, and an
elephants trunk can grow to be about two metres long. Repeat the information.
6. Ask the class to tell you one piece of information that they heard, for example two kinds of
elephants or drinks 210 litres of water every day. Then, put the students in pairs and tell them
to write down three other pieces of information that they heard. Once the students have completed
this task, ask the class to give you the key information and write it on the board.
7. Ask the students some questions about the key information you have written on the board. For
example: What do elephants use to get food?, How do elephants get water?, How much water do
they drink?
8. Tell the class you are going to read some more information about elephants. Again, they must listen
for key information.
Read: Elephants often live in forests. They eat grasses, fruit and roots. And an adult elephant can eat
about 136 kilograms of food in one day. Elephants can live to be 70 years old. They can hear another
elephant calling through its trunk eight kilometres away. Repeat this information for a second time.
9. Tell each student to write down three pieces of new information on his/her own. Then tell the
students to share their information with their partner. Ask the class to give you the new information
and write up more key facts on the board, for example: live in forests, eat fruit, eat 136 kilograms
of food, 70 years old, 8 kilometres away.
53
Preparation activities for ISE I Speaking & Listening
10. Write up one question on the board about the information that is on the board: For example:
Where do elephants live? Then, ask one pair of students to demonstrate, using the question and
the answer on the board. For example, one student asks Where do elephants live? and the partner
responds in forests. Then all the students should practise asking and answering in pairs, using the
information on the board for the answers.
Extension activity
Ask students to read the extra information about elephants on the worksheet. Then ask them to make
questions that would help them to find out this extra information.
Homework
Ask the students to find out three more facts about elephants and then write the questions for the
facts that they could ask the class (for example: Fact Male elephants do not live in a group, they live
alone. Question for the class Do male elephants live in a group?).
54
Preparation activities for ISE I Speaking & Listening
Question:
Question:
3. Baby elephants are about one metre tall.
Question:
Question:
Question:
55
Preparation activities for ISE I Speaking & Listening
56
57
Appendices
Appendix 1 Sample Reading & Writing exam paper
ISE I
page 2 This exam paper has four tasks. Complete all tasks.
58
Appendix 1 Sample Reading & Writing exam paper (contd)
ISE I
Questions 15
The text on page 2 has five paragraphs (15). Choose the best title for each paragraph from AF
below and write the letter (AF) on the lines below. There is one title you dont need.
1. Paragraph 1
A Why the first underground train system was built
2. Paragraph 2
B Tickets for the first underground system
3. Paragraph 3 C Peoples feelings about the first underground train system
4. Paragraph 4 D What the first underground system was like
Questions 610
Choose the five statements from AH below that are TRUE according to the information given in
the text on page 2. Write the letters of the TRUE statements on the lines below (in any order).
6.
A The stations and tunnels of the first underground system were smoky.
7.
B The first underground trains were late because of traffic jams.
8.
C There were three types of tickets for the first underground trains.
9.
D The first underground trains were built in Paris.
10. E At first, people were worried about using the first underground trains.
F The first underground train stations were made of wood.
G Ordinary working people could not buy first class underground tickets.
H The ticket prices today are still cheap for ordinary working people.
Questions 1115
Complete sentences 1115 with a word, phrase or number from the text (maximum three words).
Write the word, phrase or number on the lines below.
15. When the London Underground opened, most of the tickets sold were the
59
Appendix 1 Sample Reading & Writing exam paper (contd)
ISE I
In this section there are three short texts for you to read and some questions for you to answer.
Questions 1620
Read questions 1620 first and then read texts A, B, C and D below the questions.
As you read each text, decide which text each question refers to. Choose one letter A, B, C or D
and write it on the lines below. You can use any letter more than once.
Which text
16. makes negative comments about the activities of local people and businesses?
17. reports a good news story about recent improvements to a river environment?
18. shares lots of practical ideas from different people about how to improve a local river?
19. calls for more political action and public education to protect a nearby river?
Text A
From: Eva
Sent: 11 November 2014 19:37
To: editor@eveningnews.co.uk
Subject: River Mle
Dear Editor
The River Mle causes health problems in the city, so we need to take action. Although the other local
factories have stopped putting waste into the river, the paper factory is still breaking pollution laws,
and should have to pay big fines.
The mud of the riverbed needs to be taken away because its polluted with chemicals. Politicians are
scared to say this, because it brings jobs to the city, but it is obvious that the paper company should pay.
Also, people need to be educated: drinks bottles and plastic bags wouldnt be such a problem if
people reused or recycled them.
Yours
Eva Strauss
Text B
20
Waste from Oxygen (O2) Fish numbers Water birds Rubbish Chemicals from
factories levels in water down 3% down 2.4% up 14% farms in riverbed
up 6.4% down 3.5% up 5.5%
page 4 This exam paper has four tasks. Complete all tasks.
60
Appendix 1 Sample Reading & Writing exam paper (contd)
ISE I
Text C
The city is getting millions from the government to improve the River Lamm! How should it
spend the money?
Paul: Ive always thought that the river would be great for kayaking so how about a
watersports centre for people to do things like that?
Marcus: It would be great to see people using the river for transport, like in the old days.
Divna: Fear stops a lot of people going to the river! Even a little lighting along the
riverbank would help people to feel safe.
Alex: Id like to see one of the old factories become a museum of the citys
industrial history.
Inge: @Alex And some quality waterside cafs would attract visitors too.
Simone: @Divna I agree security cameras too, to protect people from criminals!
Alex: @Inge Hopefully theyll close that fast food place that would mean less litter
on the ground!
Text D
Questions 2125
Choose the five statements from AH below that are TRUE according to the information given
in the texts above. Write the letters of the TRUE statements on the lines below (in any order).
21. A The Big Clean-up and tree-planting projects are improving the
River Vico.
22. B Waste paper and cardboard are causing serious pollution in the
23. River Mle.
C Some people dont go to the River Lamm because they are worried
24. about safety.
25. D The water quality on the River Tollen has continued to improve.
E The Big Clean-up Project on the River Vico takes place once a year.
F On the River Tollen rubbish has increased more than farm or
factory pollution.
G Money needs to be raised for improvements to the River Lamm.
H The paper factory near the River Mle is an important local employer.
61
Appendix 1 Sample Reading & Writing exam paper (contd)
ISE I
Questions 2630
The summary notes below contain information from the texts on pages 4 and 5. Find a word or
phrase (maximum three words) from texts AD to complete the missing information in gaps 2630.
Write your answers on the lines below.
Summary notes
The main causes of river pollution:
industrial pollution, eg waste from factories
page 6 This exam paper has four tasks. Complete all tasks.
62
Appendix 1 Sample Reading & Writing exam paper (contd)
ISE I
Write a short essay for your teacher (100130 words) about the problem of river pollution in a city
or town.
Use the information you read in Task 2 (pages 46) to:
w describe some problems from river pollution in a town or city
w explain some steps that can be taken to help clean up a polluted river and
w suggest how you think people can be encouraged to look after their local river better.
You should plan your essay before you start writing. Think about what you want to say and make
some notes to help you in this box:
Planning notes
Now write your essay of 100130 words on the lines below. Try to use your own words as far as
possible dont just copy sentences from the reading texts.
63
Appendix 1 Sample Reading & Writing exam paper (contd)
ISE I
page 8 This exam paper has four tasks. Complete all tasks.
64
Appendix 1 Sample Reading & Writing exam paper (contd)
ISE I
When you have finished your essay, spend 23 minutes reading through what you have written.
Make sure you have covered all three bullet points. Remember to check how you made use of the
reading texts, as well as the language and organisation of your writing.
65
Appendix 1 Sample Reading & Writing exam paper (contd)
ISE I
You should plan your article before you start writing. Think about what you want to say and
make some notes to help you in this box:
Planning notes
page 10 This exam paper has four tasks. Complete all tasks.
66
Appendix 1 Sample Reading & Writing exam paper (contd)
ISE I
67
Appendix 1 Sample Reading & Writing exam paper (contd)
ISE I
When you have finished your article, spend 23 minutes reading through what you have written.
Make sure you have covered both bullet points and remember to check the language and
organisation of your writing.
End of exam
Copyright 2015 Trinity College London
68
Appendix 1 Sample Reading & Writing exam paper (contd)
11. electric
12. fire and water
13. the first day
14. gas
15. third class tickets / cheap tickets
69
Appendix 2 Blank topic form
Title of topic:
70
The information on this form must be presented to the examiner during the exam.
Appendix 3 Sample completed topic form
Title of topic:
My volleyball club
71
The information on this form must be presented to the examiner during the exam.
Appendix 4 Information on the Speaking & Listening exam
Questions
1. Where do giraffes get water from?
2. How fast can giraffes run?
3. After how long can a baby giraffe stand up?
4. What happens to baby giraffes after 10 hours?
5. How long do giraffes live for?
6. How do you know the age of a giraffe?
Answers
1. From plants/the plants they eat
2. (Up to) 55 kilometres an hour
3. They are standing up
4. They can run around (with their mothers)
5. (Up to) 25 years
6. (By/from) its spots
72
Appendix 4 Information on the Speaking & Listening exam (contd)
Answers
What the talk is about: How babies learn language/to speak (any broadly similar formulation
is acceptable)
73
Appendix 4 Information on the Speaking & Listening exam (contd)
Notes
w w
w w
w w
w w
w w
Extra notes
74
Appendix 5 Language functions and suggested grammar for ISE I
Language functions
Describing past actions in the indefinite and recent past
Describing the future informing and expressing intention
Giving opinions, preferences and reasons
Describing consequences with certainty and uncertainty
Expressing obligation
Asking for opinions and information
Please note that the language functions are cumulative through the ISE levels.
The list below gives some suggested grammar for students to practise when preparing for ISE I.
This list is intended to be for guidance only and is not a list of grammar structures the candidate
must produce in the test.
Grammar
Present perfect tense including use with for, Expressions of preference, eg I prefer, Id rather
since, ever, never, just Zero and first conditionals, using if and when
Connecting clauses using because Present continuous tense for future use
Will referring to the future for informing Past continuous tense
and predicting
Modals connected to the functions listed above,
Adjectives and adverbials of quantity, eg must, need to, might, dont have to
eg a lot (of), not very much, many
Infinitive of purpose
75
Appendix 6 ISE I Task 3 Reading into writing rating scale
4 Full and accurate understanding of the straightforward Excellent achievement of the communicative aim
ideas of all source materials demonstrated Excellent awareness of the writer-reader relationship
A wholly appropriate and accurate selection of relevant All requirements (ie genre, topic, reader, purpose and number of
content from the source texts words) of the instruction appropriately met
Excellent ability to identify the main conclusions,
significant points and common themes within and across
the multiple texts
An excellent adaptation of content to suit the purpose
for writing
Excellent paraphrasing/summarising skills of short pieces
of information demonstrated
3 Full and accurate understanding of the straightforward Good achievement of the communicative aim (ie important
ideas of most source materials demonstrated messages conveyed)
An appropriate and accurate selection of relevant content Good awareness of the writer-reader relationship (ie appropriate
from the source texts (ie most relevant ideas are selected use of style and register throughout the text)
and most ideas selected are relevant) Most requirements (ie genre, topic, reader, purpose and number
Good ability to identify the main conclusions, significant of words) of the instruction appropriately met
points and common themes within and across the
multiple texts
A good adaptation of content to suit the purpose for writing
Good paraphrasing/summarising skills of short pieces of
information demonstrated (with very limited lifting and a
few disconnected ideas)
2 Full and accurate understanding of more than half of the Acceptable achievement of the communicative aim
source materials demonstrated Some awareness of the writer-reader relationship
An acceptable selection of relevant content from the Most requirements (ie genre, topic, reader, purpose and number
source texts (the content selected must come from more of words) of the instruction acceptably met
than one text)
Acceptable ability to identify the main conclusions,
significant points and common themes within and across
the multiple texts
Acceptable adaptation of content to suit the purpose
for writing
Acceptable paraphrasing/summarising skills of short
pieces of information demonstrated (with some lifting and
disconnected ideas)
1 Inaccurate and limited understanding of most Poor achievement of the communicative aim (ie difficult to follow
source materials and unconvincing for reader)
Inadequate and inaccurate selection of relevant content Poor awareness of the writer-reader relationship
from the source texts (ie fewer than half of the relevant Most requirements (ie genre, topic, reader, purpose and number
ideas are selected and most of the selected ideas of words) of the instruction are NOT met
are irrelevant)
Poor ability to identify the main conclusions, significant
points and common themes within and across the multiple
texts (ie misunderstanding of the common themes and
links is evident)
Poor adaptation of content to suit the purpose for writing
(ie does not use the source texts content to address the
purpose for writing)
Poor paraphrasing/summarising skills of short pieces of
information demonstrated (with heavy lifting and many
disconnected ideas)
76
Appendix 6 ISE I Task 3 Reading into writing rating scale (contd)
4 Effective organisation of text (ie clear organisation of Good range of range of grammatical items relating to the task
text with ideas sequenced in a linear fashion, the use of with good level of accuracy
paragraphs to separate key themes) Good range of lexical items relating to the task with good level of
Very clear presentation and logical development of all accuracy
straightforward ideas and arguments Any errors do not impede understanding
Appropriate format throughout the text Excellent spelling and punctuation
Effective signposting
3 Good organisation of text (eg appropriately organised into Appropriate range of grammatical items relating to the task with
paragraphs, appropriate opening and closing) good level of accuracy (errors may occur when handling more
Clear presentation and logical development of most complex ideas)
straightforward ideas and arguments Appropriate range of lexical items relating to the task with good
Appropriate format in most of the text level of accuracy (may contain some circumlocutions)
Good signposting (eg appropriate use of cohesive devices Errors occasionally impede understanding but the overall
and topic sentences to address a linear sequence) message is clear
Spelling and punctuation good enough to be followed
(punctuation of simple sentences is free from errors)
2 Acceptable organisation of text (ie showed some Acceptable level of grammatical accuracy and appropriacy
awareness of the need for structure with new ideas relating to the task, though range may be restricted
introduced in new sentences) Acceptable level of lexical accuracy and appropriacy relating to
Presentation and development of most straightforward the task, though range may be restricted
ideas and arguments are acceptably clear and logical Errors sometimes impede understanding
Appropriate format in general Acceptable spelling and punctuation
Acceptable signposting (eg some appropriate use of
cohesive devices and topic sentences to address a
linear sequence)
1 Very limited or poor text organisation which causes the Inadequate evidence of grammatical range and accuracy (may
reader difficulties have control over the language below the level)
Most ideas and arguments lack coherence and do not Inadequate evidence of lexical range and accuracy (may have
progress logically control over the language below the level)
Inappropriate format throughout the text Errors frequently impede understanding
Poor signposting (lacks use of simple cohesive devices) Poor spelling and punctuation throughout
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Appendix 7 ISE I Task 4 Extended writing rating scale
4 Excellent achievement of the Effective organisation of text (ie Good range of grammatical items
communicative aim clear organisation of text with ideas relating to the task with good level
Excellent awareness of the writer- sequenced in a linear fashion. The use of accuracy
reader relationship of paragraphs to separate key themes) Good range of lexical items relating to
All requirements (ie genre, topic, Very clear presentation and logical the task with good level of accuracy
reader, purpose and number of words) development of all straightforward Any errors do not impede
of the instruction appropriately met ideas and arguments understanding
Appropriate format throughout the text Excellent spelling and punctuation
Effective signposting
3 Good achievement of the Good organisation of text (eg Appropriate range of grammatical
communicative aim (ie important appropriately organised into items relating to the task with good
messages conveyed) paragraphs, appropriate opening level of accuracy (errors may occur
Good awareness of the writer-reader and closing) when handling more complex ideas)
relationship (ie appropriate use of style Clear presentation and logical Appropriate range of lexical items
and register throughout the text) development of most straightforward relating to the task with good level
Most requirements (ie genre, topic, ideas and arguments of accuracy (may contain some
reader, purpose and number of words) Appropriate format in most of the text circumlocutions)
of the instruction appropriately met Good signposting (eg appropriate Errors occasionally impede
use of cohesive devices and topic understanding but the overall message
sentences to address a linear sequence is clear
Spelling and punctuation good enough
to be followed (punctuation of simple
sentences is free from errors)
2 Acceptable achievement of the Acceptable organisation of text (ie Acceptable level of grammatical
communicative aim showed some awareness of the need accuracy and appropriacy relating
Some awareness of the writer-reader for structure with new ideas introduced to the task, though range may
relationship in new sentences) be restricted
Most requirements (ie genre, topic, Presentation and development of most Acceptable level of lexical accuracy
reader, purpose and number of words) straightforward ideas and arguments and appropriacy relating to the task,
of the instruction acceptably met are acceptably clear and logical though range may be restricted
Appropriate format in general Errors sometimes impede
Acceptable signposting (eg some understanding
appropriate use of cohesive devices Acceptable spelling and punctuation
and topic sentences to address a linear
sequence)
1 Poor achievement of the Very limited or poor text organisation Inadequate evidence of grammatical
communicative aim (ie difficult to which causes the reader difficulties range and accuracy (may have control
follow and unconvincing for reader) Most ideas and arguments lack over the language below the level)
Poor awareness of the writer-reader coherence and do not progress Inadequate evidence of lexical range
relationship logically and accuracy (may have control over
Most requirements (ie genre, topic, Inappropriate format throughout the text the language below the level)
reader, purpose and number of words) Poor signposting (lacks use of simple Errors frequently impede understanding
of the instruction are NOT met cohesive devices) Poor spelling and punctuation
throughout
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Appendix 8 ISE I Speaking and listening rating scale
4 Fulfils the task very well Understands interventions Uses a good range of Intelligible despite
Initiates and responds with little repetition or grammatical structures/ some noticeable use of
appropriately, both actively rephrasing lexis to deal with topics at non-standard phonemes
and receptively Identifies factual this level Uses lexical stress and
Maintains and contributes information accurately Shows a relatively high level intonation appropriately
to the interaction by Has little difficulty in of grammatical accuracy Speaks relatively slowly
elaborating their utterances following speech at a and lexical precision to deal with some pausing and
spontaneously normal conversational rate with most familiar topics hesitation
Says or signals in basic ways Sometimes responds slowly Errors occur, but they do Requires some careful
that he/she did not follow to consider examiner input not impede communication listening
and these signals are always
effective
3 Fulfils the task appropriately Understands interventions Uses an appropriate range Intelligible despite
Initiates and responds but may need some of grammatical structures/ some noticeable use of
appropriately when repetition or rephrasing lexis to deal with topics at non-standard phonemes
prompted Identifies factual this level Generally uses lexical
Manages to maintain information though it Shows a reasonable level stress and intonation
the interaction, but topic may be short on detail of grammatical accuracy appropriately
development is somewhat Sometimes needs examiner and lexical precision to Generally speaks slowly
dependent on the examiner speech slowed down deal with most familiar with some pausing and
Says or signals in basic ways Responds slowly due to topics hesitation
that he/she did not follow some uncertainty about Errors are frequent Requires some careful
although sometimes examiner input (eg tenses, agreement- listening
awkward, these signals are markers) but they do
effective not usually impede
communication
2 Fulfils the task acceptably Understands short Uses an acceptable range Mostly intelligible despite
with support interventions but may need of grammatical structures/ some noticeable use of
Acceptably initiates and repetition or rephrasing lexis to manage topics at non-standard phonemes
responds when prompted Identifies some factual this level, but grammatical/ Uses lexical stress and
Manages to maintain information, possibly lexical gaps cause some intonation acceptably
the interaction, but incomplete noticeable hesitation and Generally speaks slowly
topic development is Has difficulty following circumlocution with frequent pausing
overly dependent on the speech at a normal Shows an acceptable level and hesitation
examiner conversational rate of grammatical accuracy Requires careful listening
Says or signals in basic Responds quite slowly due and lexical precision to deal
ways that he/she did to uncertainty about input with most familiar topics
not follow. Sometimes Errors are frequent but
awkward, and these signals they do not usually impede
are not always effective communication
1 Does not fulfil the task Has difficulty understanding Uses a limited range of Generally intelligible or
even with support interventions grammatical structures/ sometimes unintelligible
Does not initiate or Identifies some random lexis that is not always use of non-standard
respond adequately factual information but adequate to deal with phonemes is evident
Does not maintain the without an overall context topics at this level Uses lexical stress and
interaction sufficiently Does not follow any speech Does not show an intonation enough to
Contributions are at a normal conversational adequate level of follow
inappropriate and/or rate grammatical accuracy Speaks slowly with
overly dependent on the Consistently responds and lexical precision frequent and noticeable
examiner slowly due to difficulty in Some or many errors pausing and hesitation
Has difficulty in resolving understanding input impede communication Requires careful listening
communication problems may be difficult to follow
0 No performance to assess (candidate does not speak, or does not speak in English). Also use if no topic is prepared.
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Appendix 9 ISE I Independent listening rating scale
4 Identifies and reports all/almost all key information accurately (main points and
supporting detail) (eg nine or more)
Shows good understanding of links between key information
Responds to questions with promptness
Needs no/little repetition or rephrasing of questions
3 Identifies and reports the number of key information points required accurately (main
points and supporting detail) (eg six to eight)
Shows understanding of links between key information
Responds to questions with relative promptness
May need some repetition or rephrasing of questions
2 Identifies and reports some key information points accurately (main points and
supporting detail) (eg four to five)
Shows limited understanding of links between key information
Responds to questions after some hesitation
May need some repetition or rephrasing of questions
1 Identifies and reports limited number of key information points (eg zero to three)
Shows little/no understanding of links between key information
Responds to questions only after noticeable hesitation
May need extensive repetition and/or rephrasing of questions
0 No performance to assess (eg candidate does not speak)
80