Cambridge International Examinations

Cambridge International General Certificate of Secondary Education

ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE 0511/05

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Paper 5 Speaking Assessments A–J For Examination from 2017

SPECIMEN TEACHER’S/EXAMINER’S NOTES
Great care should be taken to ensure that any confidential information given does not reach the
candidates either directly or indirectly.

READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS FIRST

This booklet contains:

(a) administrative guidelines on conducting the tests
(b) marking criteria
(c) copies of Cards A–J, with Notes for Teacher/Examiner.

The syllabus is approved for use in England, Wales and Northern Ireland as a Cambridge International Level 1/Level 2 Certificate.

This document consists of 9 printed pages and 1 blank page.

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CONTENTS

NOTES ON CONDUCTING AND RECORDING THE TESTS Page 3

MARKING CRITERIA Page 8

SPEAKING ASSESSMENT A [Topic] Page 9

(Core and Extended)

SPEAKING ASSESSMENT B [Topic] Page X

(Core and Extended)

SPEAKING ASSESSMENT C [Topic] Page X

(Core and Extended)

SPEAKING ASSESSMENT D [Topic] Page X

(Core and Extended)

SPEAKING ASSESSMENT E [Topic] Page X

(Core and Extended)

SPEAKING ASSESSMENT F [Topic] Page X

(Core and Extended)

SPEAKING ASSESSMENT G [Topic] Page X

(Core and Extended)

SPEAKING ASSESSMENT H [Topic] Page X

(Core and Extended)

SPEAKING ASSESSMENT I [Topic] Page X

(Core and Extended)

SPEAKING ASSESSMENT J [Topic] Page X

(Core and Extended)

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NOTES ON CONDUCTING AND RECORDING THE TESTS

Please note important change from June 2015

The warm-up section may give the examiner an indication of the best card to select but the examiner
must not allow the candidate to lead the choice of topic.

Please note important changes from November 2014

1. The speaking assessment cards must not be opened until one working day before the test.
Please note, this is a change from previous instructions.
2. All tests must be recorded in full throughout. The recording must not be paused or stopped at
any point during the test.

GENERAL

1. The speaking tests take place in the period before the main examination series, as notified on the
timetable. Each Centre decides on a convenient period within these dates for its speaking tests. It
is recommended that the tests are conducted within one week to allow sufficient time for a single
examiner to conduct all of the tests. See Section 4 below.

2. Centres must ensure well in advance of the tests that a suitably quiet room is available and that
recording equipment is in good order.

3. Centres must adhere to dates for completion of the speaking tests and for the receipt of mark
sheets and recordings at Cambridge to allow sufficient time for external moderation. It is vital that
material does not arrive late.

4. For Centres with 30 or fewer candidates, there should normally be just one examiner. Each Centre
will select its own examiner. This is normally a teacher within the English Language Department,
but could be someone local from outside the Centre. A group of neighbouring Centres might
choose the same teacher to conduct all their tests; in such a case each Centre is still responsible
for submitting properly completed forms and samples. Cambridge is not responsible for any fees
agreed.

Centres with more than 30 candidates may use more than one examiner (applying the ratio of an
additional examiner for each 30 candidates). If using more than one examiner, internal moderation
must be carried out by the Centre so that a common standard is applied to all candidates.

5. Centres receive a set of speaking assessment cards accompanying this set of examiner’s notes.
These cards must not be opened until one working day before the test. Please note this is a
change from the previous instructions. These materials must remain confidential and must
be kept in a secure place by the Centre until the end of the examination period. [Please note that
speaking assessment cards are not included in these specimen examiner’s notes.]

6. Each centre must send to Cambridge the following: (a) recorded sample on CD; (b) completed
MS1 Forms (or printout of marks submitted electronically); (c) completed Speaking Examination
Summary Form(s).

(a) Recorded sample

Each Centre must provide a sample of speaking tests, to be recorded on CD. The size of
the sample required is given in the instructions on the back of the Speaking Examination
Summary Form.

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Please ensure that you do not send the recordings of all the candidates (unless there are
10 or fewer). Ideally the sample should be transferred to one or two CDs. You should keep a
copy of the recorded sample in case of loss or damage to the original. If the sample sent to
Cambridge is inaudible or faulty in any way, you may be asked to provide a replacement.

The teacher responsible for internal moderation at the Centre must ensure that the sample
covers the whole mark range of the candidates at the Centre, with marks spaced as evenly
as possible from the top mark to the lowest mark. Where there is more than one teacher
involved, the sample must include, in equal number, candidates tested by all teachers.

For instructions on recording the samples, see Section 14 below. CDs must be sent to
Cambridge together with completed documents. CDs must be clearly labelled with details of
the candidates whose speaking tests have been submitted.

(b) Form MS1

The computer-printed school-based assessment mark sheet (Form MS1) has three parts:

• The top sheet must be sent to Cambridge in the separate envelope provided.
• The middle sheet (which is for the external moderator’s use) must be sent separately to
Cambridge, together with the sample recording and Speaking Examination Summary
Form(s).
• The bottom sheet must be retained by the Centre in case of postal loss or subsequent
enquiries, until after the issue of results.

Form MS1 is to be completed by transferring the mark for each candidate from the ‘total
mark’ column, or the ‘internally moderated mark’ column if a process of internal moderation
has taken place, on the Speaking Examination Summary Form.

Centres submitting marks electronically must include a printout of the internal marks report,
together with the recorded sample and Speaking Examination Summary Form.

(c) Speaking Examination Summary Form

This is a document on which marks for each candidate are to be entered in detail. Instructions
for its completion are found on the reverse of the form. The form must be submitted
together with the recorded sample and the middle MS1 copy (or printout of marks submitted
electronically).

Please be careful to check all mark additions. The Speaking Examination Summary Form
must show the breakdown of marks for all the candidates, not just those selected for the
sample. Please put an asterisk (*) against the names of candidates whose speaking tests
have been submitted on the CD. The candidates’ names should appear in the same order on
both the summary form and the MS1.

7. The sample CD(s), along with completed MS1 (or printout of marks submitted electronically) and
Speaking Examination Summary Form, should be returned to Cambridge as soon as the tests
have been completed at the Centre. Please do not wait until the end of the assessment period
before sending them.

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CONDUCTING THE SPEAKING TESTS

8. Please note important change from June 2015

The warm-up section may give the examiner an indication of the best card to select but the
examiner must not allow the candidate to lead the choice of topic.

Please note important changes from November 2014

1. The speaking assessment cards must not be opened until one working day before the test.
Please note, this is a change from previous instructions.
2. All tests must be recorded in full throughout. The recording must not be paused or stopped
at any point during the test.

The speaking tests should proceed as follows:

Part A Start the recording. Give the candidate’s name and number. Welcome the candidate and
explain briefly what is going to happen in the test, using the examiner script on the relevant
assessment card page in these notes.

Part B Warm-up section. The purpose of this section is to give the candidate time to get used to the
examination situation, and put the candidate at ease by conducting a short conversation (2–3
minutes) on general topics and the candidate’s hobbies and interests.

Part C Give the speaking assessment card to the candidate. This must take place AFTER the warm-
up. Any necessary explanation is given at this point, followed by a short preparation period
(about 2–3 minutes), when the candidate may ask questions. The candidate cannot make
notes during this period.

Please note: the preparation period must be recorded.

Part D Main part of the test. Conversation based on the speaking assessment card. Either the
examiner or the candidate may start the conversation. All prompts must be used, in the order
they appear on the card. Do not allow candidates to deliver speeches or monologues at any
point during the test. The main part of the test should last approximately 6–9 minutes.

The total duration of the speaking test, from the beginning of (A) to the end of (D), should
be approximately 10–15 minutes and recorded in full.

Note that only (D) is to be assessed.

The speaking test must be conducted in English throughout.

9. Examination conditions must prevail in the area where the speaking tests take place. Adequate
supervision must be provided to ensure that candidates leaving the examination room do not
communicate with those waiting to enter.

10. No other person should be present during the speaking test, with the exception of another teacher/
examiner, moderator or representative of Cambridge.

11. Candidates cannot bring any notes into the examination room. They are not allowed to consult
dictionaries.

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12. A range of speaking assessment cards is provided, and the examiner (not the candidate) chooses
the card to be used for each candidate. As wide a variety as possible of the cards should be used
during the speaking tests at the Centre. In order that candidates are given every chance to do
themselves justice, the speaking assessment card should be selected with care. The warm-up
may give the examiner an indication of the best card to select but the examiner must not allow
the candidate to lead the choice of topic.

13. The examiner should be positioned so that he/she is facing the candidate, with a table or desk in
between, and not allow candidates to see notes made on Speaking Examination Summary Forms
or similar paperwork.

RECORDING THE SAMPLE

14. Before the start of the speaking test session, Centres must make sure their recording equipment
is in good working order by testing the equipment in the room where the speaking tests will take
place. Check audibility levels to avoid adjusting the volume during the speaking test and ensure
there is no extraneous noise in the examination room. Checks for audibility should continue
throughout the speaking test session.

Once the speaking test has begun, the recording must run without interruption.

Each CD should begin with a clear statement by the examiner as follows:

Centre Number: [e.g.] AZ 999

Centre Name: [e.g.] Abcxyz Academy
Examination: 0511 English as a Second Language
Examiner Name: [e.g.] Ms Z. Abced
Date: [e.g.] 1 October 2014

Each candidate should be clearly indicated by the examiner as follows:

Candidate Number: [e.g.] 0021

Candidate Name: [e.g.] Abdi Zachariah

At the end of the sample the examiner should state clearly ‘end of sample’.

Before the CD is despatched, spot checks must be made to ensure that every candidate is clearly
audible. The contents of each CD must be clearly labelled. Each track on the CD should be
re-named, giving the candidate name and number, rather than ‘track 1’, ‘track 2’, etc.

GENERAL ADVICE

15. Please bear in mind the following when marking:

Be objective. Do not allow any knowledge of a candidate’s personality and attributes to influence
objective assessment. For example, knowledge that a candidate is very conscientious in his/
her homework is irrelevant in assessing his/her speaking test. If the candidate’s performance is
affected because he/she faces difficult circumstances or personal problems at the time of the test,
this is a matter to be dealt with via special considerations procedures, for which exams officers
at Centres complete separate documentation. Examiners must not make any separate allowance
themselves.

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Be realistic. Remember that it is not necessary for a candidate to be of native speaker standard
to be given maximum marks within any single category. But knowledge of a candidate’s first
language must not lead an examiner to ignore particular habitual errors and overlook inaccuracy.

Be consistent. It is important that the marking criteria are applied in the same way for all the
candidates at the Centre, so that a reliable rank order for the Centre is obtained.

Be positive. Marking the test should be seen as giving credit for what candidates can do, not
penalising them for what they cannot do. This does not mean that matters of inaccuracy in, for
example, grammar and pronunciation are to be overlooked, but is a reminder that a speaking test
is intended to credit positive achievement.

16. To conduct speaking tests effectively:

• try to put candidates at their ease from the outset (smiling as they enter the room, indicating
where they should sit) while maintaining a clear sense that the speaking test is being
conducted in a formal examination situation
• show interest, even in mundane matters
• use ‘open’ questions which allow candidates to respond at length, not ‘closed’ questions
which prompt yes/no answers.

Please avoid:
• walking about or distracting candidates
• interrupting with your own views or correcting mistakes
• showing undue surprise or impatience
• giving the impression that there are ‘right’ answers to questions or that the test is a test of
knowledge
• making written notes during the test
• indicating how well the candidate has performed during or after the test.

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MARKING CRITERIA

Give a mark out of 10 for each category (structure, vocabulary, development and fluency), and
then add these marks to give an overall total out of 30.

Mark Structure Vocabulary Development and Fluency

The candidate uses The candidate uses The candidate shows
a range of structures a sufficient range of sustained ability to maintain a
accurately and vocabulary to respond conversation (and contribute)
consistently, and is with precision. Shades of at some length. The candidate
confidently in control of meaning are achieved and responds to a change of
the structures used. some sophisticated ideas direction in the conversation,
9–10
are communicated. demonstrating the ability to
expand and develop the topic
and contribute original ideas.

Pronunciation and intonation

are clear.
The candidate uses a The candidate uses The candidate maintains
range of structures that a sufficient range of a competent conversation,
are generally accurate vocabulary to convey responding relevantly and at
(and used) with some information and ideas with length, using some original
7–8 confidence. Errors will competence and some ideas. Frequent prompting is
occur when attempting confidence. unnecessary.
to use more complex
sentences. Pronunciation and intonation
are generally clear.
The candidate uses simple The candidate uses The candidate makes an
structures securely, but a sufficient range of attempt to respond to questions
has difficulty venturing vocabulary to convey and prompts. Effort is needed
beyond them. simple ideas and to develop the conversation
information clearly, but not which will not be entirely
5–6
entirely successfully. successful.

Pronunciation and intonation

are not always clear, but the
candidate can be understood.
The candidate uses very The candidate uses The candidate has to be
simple, limited structures a restricted range of encouraged to go beyond
with errors which restrict vocabulary and has responses which are brief and
communication. difficulty in conveying widely spaced. The candidate
simple ideas. There is likely struggles to develop a
3–4
to be hesitation, repetition conversation.
and searching for words.
Pronunciation and intonation
cause some communication
difficulty.
The candidate attempts The candidate has The candidate’s responses
a response, but rarely insufficient vocabulary to are so brief that little is
achieves communication. convey even simple ideas. communicated.
1–2
Pronunciation and intonation
patterns cause difficulty for
even the most sympathetic
listener.
0 No response. No response. No response.
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Instructions to the teacher/examiner

When you have started the recording, given the candidate’s name and number and welcomed
the candidate, please read the following explanation to the candidate.

First we will have a 2–3 minute general discussion about your interests and life outside school, this
part isn’t assessed.

Then I will give you an assessment card which has the topic we will discuss in the last part of the test.
You will have 2–3 minutes to read the five prompts on the card to prepare for this part. You can’t make
any written notes but you can ask me to explain anything you don’t understand.

Finally, we will have a discussion based on the five prompts on the card and any ideas of your own on
the topic. This part lasts 6–9 minutes and is the only part that is assessed.

Do you have any questions?

Then start the test.

A [Topic]

Candidate’s Card

[topic and prompts are here]

You may introduce related ideas of your own to expand these prompts.

Remember, you are not allowed to make any written notes.

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Cambridge International Examinations is part of the Cambridge Assessment Group. Cambridge Assessment is the brand name of University of Cambridge Local
Examinations Syndicate (UCLES), which is itself a department of the University of Cambridge.

© UCLES 2015 0511/05/STN/17