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Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia English Language: Instructions For Writing Examiners
Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia English Language: Instructions For Writing Examiners
Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia English Language: Instructions For Writing Examiners
ENGLISH LANGUAGE
ES Examiner
Management
Team
Chief Examiner
Co-chief
Examiners
Team Leaders
Examiners
Training
All WEs must complete an annual training phase prior to the live Writing test. This may be
conducted face-to-face or remotely. Regardless of mode of delivery, the following must be
covered in training:
• Standardisation of Assessment
This focuses on ensuring that examiners are able to interpret the assessment criteria
consistently and appropriately.
Examiners have a responsibility to ensure that they:
o are familiar with the test format and materials
o minimize security risks (e.g. treating materials as strictly confidential)
o examine effectively (i.e. spending neither too long nor to little time on scripts)
o interpret and applying the assessment criteria
The most significant of several sources of feedback information is monitoring of WEs during
live marking sessions by Chief Examiner/Co-chief Examiners/Team Leaders/ES. WEs must
supply examples of marked scripts if requested by their Chief Examiner/Co-chief
Examiners/Team Leaders/ES, as a means of monitoring application of assessment criteria in
line with agreed standards and training.
Examiners must respond positively to guidance given in the context of training and/or
monitoring.
• maintain the security and confidentiality of the Writing test and assessment criteria
• ensure that all candidates are treated fairly and in accordance with the instructions in
this booklet
• be familiar with all relevant sections of this booklet
• be familiar with the appropriate test procedure
• be familiar with the appropriate test materials and use them as instructed
• be familiar with the appropriate assessment criteria and apply them as instructed
• familiarise themselves with all relevant updates and revisions as appropriate
• be professional in their working practices and communications with fellow examiners.
Examiners should be supportive and flexible, as appropriate.
• minimise security risks by:
− ensuring that no test materials are taken out of their possession
− maintaining the confidentiality of the examination materials throughout the
examining period and thereafter.
A1 Basic User Can understand and use familiar everyday expressions and very basic phrases aimed
at the satisfaction of needs of a concrete type. Can introduce him/herself and others
and can ask and answer questions about personal details such as where he/she lives,
people he/she knows and things he/she has. Can interact in a simple way provided the
other person talks slowly and clearly and is prepared to help.
A2 Can understand sentences and frequently used expressions related to areas of most
immediate relevance (e.g. very basic personal and family information, shopping, local
geography, employment). Can communicate in simple and routine tasks requiring a
simple and direct exchange of information on familiar and routine matters. Can
describe in simple terms aspects of his/her background, immediate environment and
matters in areas of immediate need.
B1 Independent Can understand the main points of clear standard input on familiar matters regularly
encountered in work, school, leisure, etc. Can deal with most situations likely to arise
User whilst travelling in an area where the language is spoken. Can produce simple
connected text on topics which are familiar or of personal interest. Can describe
experiences and events, dreams, hopes & ambitions and briefly give reasons and
explanations for opinions and plans.
Can understand the main ideas of complex text on both concrete and abstract topics,
B2 including technical discussions in his/her field of specialisation. Can interact with a
degree of fluency and spontaneity that makes regular interaction with native speakers
quite possible without strain for either party. Can produce clear, detailed text on a wide
range of subjects and explain a viewpoint on a topical issue giving the advantages and
disadvantages of various options.
Can understand a wide range of demanding, longer texts, and recognise implicit
C1 Proficient meaning. Can express him/herself fluently and spontaneously without much obvious
User searching for expressions. Can use language flexibly and effectively for social,
academic and professional purposes. Can produce clear, well-structured, detailed text
on complex subjects, showing controlled use of organisational patterns, connectors and
cohesive devices.
Can understand with ease virtually everything heard or read. Can summarise
C2 information from different spoken and written sources, reconstructing arguments and
accounts in a coherent presentation. Can express him/herself spontaneously, very
fluently and precisely, differentiating finer shades of meaning even in more complex
situations.
UPSR Part 2 UPSR Part 3 PT3 Part 1 PT3 Part 2 SPM Part 1 SPM Part 2 SPM Part 3
C2
C1 Band 5
Pre A1 Band 1
The overarching aim of the test and the scales is to provide as broad a level of coverage as
is feasible within the practical limits of the paper-based test.
Examiners must ensure they are using the correct assessment scale every time they mark.
The Part 1 scale is focused on the A2 CEFR level. The Part 2 scale is focused on the B1
CEFR level. Part 3 scale is focused on the B2 CEFR level.
In this way, the scales (and their performance descriptors) have been developed as a
continuum as opposed to individual ‘stand-alone’ scales. It is important to interpret the
scales in this way, as illustrated below.
Cont Comm Org Lang Cont Comm Org Lang Cont Comm Org Lang
C1 11 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5
10 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 4 4 4 4
B2 9 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 3 3 3 3
8 5 5 5 5 4 4 4 4 2 2 2 2
B1 7 5 5 5 5 3 3 3 3 1 1 1 1
6 4 4 4 4 2 2 2 2 0 0 0 0
A2 5 3 3 3 3 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0
4 2 2 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
A1 3 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Below 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
As shown above, task 1 in SPM Writing will cover the A2 range, task 2 the B1 range and the
final task the B2 range.
Underpinning this scale is an ethos of allowing both weaker and stronger candidates to have
something to show for their efforts.
Linguistic
Task completion
competence
Communicative
Content
Achievement
Organisation
Language
Content
The focus is on fulfilment of task requirements, e.g. content elements are addressed
appropriately. If they are asked to give advice, they must do this rather than ask for advice.
The important thing to note in relation to content is that the scale descriptors do not alter
from task to task, from test part to test part. Hence, content must be interpreted every time in
the context of the task. A score of 5 requires that ‘all content is relevant to the task’ and that
the ‘target reader is fully informed’. In the context of Part 1’s email this would translate to the
candidate having answered any questions posed by the input email (i.e. it is relevant and
informative). Similarly, in Part 2’s essay, the candidate is asked to write about three main
aspects on a topic and to provide a rationale for their point(s) of view – if a candidate fails to
provide reasons, for example, they would perhaps score 4 or 3 because their response
contains ‘minor omissions’.
Low scores for content will often be the result of misinterpretation of task requirements. For
example, if a candidate misinterprets a prompt as ‘ask to borrow Sam’s book’ when it is
actually ‘offer to lend Sam a book’ the response they give in reply will be irrelevant and only
minimally inform the target reader (i.e. Sam). Misinterpretation of task requirements may be
global or it may relate to a specific aspect of the task – examiners need to consider these
factors when assessing for content and give credit for relevance and informing the target
reader where this occurs.
CEFR
Number of
Component Timing Task types Weighting main
items/parts
focus
• interview
Speaking
• individual long turn based on
25% of overall B1-B2
13 minutes text/verbal prompt
Paper 3 test parts candidate CEFR
(approx.) • discussion based on mind
Code: grade range
map stimulus
1119/3
• further discussion task
Listening
• 3-option multiple-choice 25% of overall B1-B2
40 minutes 30 items
Paper • Matching candidate CEFR
(approx.) 4 test parts
Code: • note completion grade range
1119/4
While the main focus of the Writing test is B1-B2 levels, there is some allowance within the
test design and assessment criteria for levels below or above this range of proficiency (i.e.
the assessment criteria span A1-C1 levels across three separate tasks).
The writing test is intended to cover as wide a range of written genres as feasible within the
practical limits of testing – an email focused on informal contexts, an essay task and an
extended writing task where candidates can choose from three options e.g. report, review or
story.
The format of SPM Writing
The standard Writing test takes 1 hour 30 minutes and consists of three parts which are
designed to elicit a range of writing skills from the candidates.
The first two tasks (email and essay) are obligatory, the third task is chosen by the
candidates from a range of three options (e.g. review, article, report or story). Candidates
must complete all three tasks.
As in the example above the scenario is an email from ‘your new friend’, the task sets the
scene – in this case that Amy has just moved to your town and the school holidays have
started. The task then includes certain points (framed as questions) which the candidate
needs to answer (‘where shall we go?’; ‘what can we do there?’; ‘what should we bring?’).
To: amy@mymail.my
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Given the nature of the task and the focus of the assessment scales, it will not be
uncommon for candidates at near-B2 or above levels to score 5-5-5-5 in this task.
Examiners should bear this in mind, as the task is primarily designed to differentiate
performances at A1-B1 levels.
The Part 2 essay task
This is an obligatory task and all candidates must complete it.
The word length requirement is approximately 120-150 words.
The task is designed to be generally accessible to candidates of most proficiency levels as it
will typically require a response not unlike those candidates experience in their school
context. This task is aimed at a proficiency range of A2-B2 which is aligned to the CEFR
assumptions of ability to write essays and reports at these levels (Figure 4).
Figure 4 Updated CEFR descriptors for written reports and essays (Council of Europe, 2019: 77)
Given the nature of the task and the focus of the assessment scales, it will not be
uncommon for candidates at near-C1 or above levels to score 5-5-5-5 in this task.
Examiners should bear this in mind, as the task is primarily designed to differentiate
performances at A2-B2 levels.
The Part 3 extended writing task
In Part 3 the candidates must complete one of the three tasks presented to them on the
question paper.
− You see this notice on the board outside the school library. Articles wanted!
− You recently saw this notice in a magazine. Reviews required!
− Your teacher has asked you to write a story for a school magazine.
Examiners also need to consider what the task requirements are (i.e. across the assessed
criteria), for example, in the review task (Figure 6) there are a series of questions to be
answered and an expectation that some form of rationale will be provided. Aside from
content-related concerns, candidates need to show an awareness of the communicative
conventions of a review, how it should be organised and what language is appropriate
and/or effective in such texts.
The topic is one which is accessible to all but which can allow stronger candidates to show
what they can do.
This task is assessed with reference to the Part 3 assessment scale which has B2 as its
midpoint.
Errors do not
impede
communication.
Content is totally
0 irrelevant. Performance below Score 1
Target reader is not
informed.
Occasional errors
and slips may be
present.
Errors do not
impede
communication.
Content is totally
irrelevant.
0 Performance below Score 1
Target reader is
not informed.