Examiner’s Reflection

We’re fresh off our IO season having done 42 individual orals in 2 weeks. It was a rush and
we’re proud of our students and wanted to pass on a few of our takeaways from the
listening (and examining) experience.

1. Choose the “right” extract - We can’t emphasize how important it is to choose the
right extract. Some students chose extracts that only loosely fit the global issue
and some chose extracts that fit perfectly. Choose extracts that have rich
importance and are rich in literary or stylistic elements.

2. Summarize and situate your extract - Spending 20 seconds situating your extract
in the work as a whole and summarizing what is happening makes the listening
experience so much better AND it shows that you have a strong grasp of how it is
important.

3. Be an expert on the extract and author - Knowing a fact about your author and
thinking about their work as a whole and their background makes you sound more
in command of the text. Think about what the author intended.

4. Watch the clock - We need to be balanced. This means that we need to transition
at the right times. Be sure you teacher has an ipad or a clear timer or use your own.

5. Talk to your teacher - Your job is to communicate ideas to a listener. Have a

conversation with your teacher and think about them listening to you. We know
this is not easy but it makes your style engaging. Robot readers do not score well!

6. Use the phrase “global issue” frequently - Examiners and teachers listen to many
IO’s in a row. Why hope that they “hear” your global issue. Make it obvious and use
the phrase!

7. Share nuances and details - Detailed knowledge means you are reading between
the lines. Show detailed knowledge. Look for details and subtleties and
implications!

8. Leverage the outline - If you wrote a good outline, you have many clues to help you.
Use this. If you get stuck, a good outline will cue you to the next point.