CA1 Read and write all about it!

CA1 Objectives

● become familiar with and test yourself on Parts 5, 6, 1 and 2 of the Reading and Use
of English paper
● focus on essay writing for Part 1 of the Writing paper
● do some optional speaking activities to build your confidence for the Speaking test

TASK 1.1 23/02/21 - 01/03/21 Tool/Classroom space

Pre-task 1.1 Unit 1 self-correcting exercises 01.01, 01.02, Materials

01.03 and 01.04

TASK 1.1 CA1 Exam practice 1 (Reading and Use of CA1 Exam practice 1
(40% CA1 English Parts 5, 6, 1 and 2)
mark)

Post-task 1.1 Error correction exercise Forum

TASK 1.2 02/03/21 - 14/03/21

Pre-task 1.2 1. Unit 1 self-correcting exercises 01.05, 01.06 1. Materials

2. Essay language brainstorming 2. Google Drive

TASK 1.2 1. Write two essays and post version 1s Forum

(60% CA1 2. Comment on classmates’ essays
mark) 3. Revise and post finished essays

Post-task 1.2 I’ve learnt something today Forum

Optional speaking! 23/02/21 - 14/03/21

Optional Find a partner and get some speaking practice Tandem/Langblog

speaking in Tandem and/or go to Langblog and practise
speaking there.

CA1 is worth 20% of your Final CA mark. See Appendix 1 for how you will be assessed for CA1.
You’ll receive individual feedback on your work for TASK 1.2.

NB: In order to pass Continuous Assessment, you must participate in the tasks in all five CAs.
CA1 Read and write all about it!

Pre-task 1.1

Start CA1 by doing the exercises in 01.01, 01.02, 01.03 and 01.04 of Unit 1 in Materials.

These exercises introduce you to and practise Part 5 (Multiple choice Reading), Part 6 (Gapped
text), Part 1 (Multiple-choice cloze) and Part 2 (Open cloze) from the Reading and Use of
English paper.

As with all of the exercises in the self-correcting units, you can do them as many times as you
want to. If you have any doubts or questions, write to the Queries_&_doubts folder in the
Forum.

TASK 1.1 CA1 Exam practice 1

Do CA1 Exam practice 1. The link is in the classroom.

This exercise will be open from day 1 of CA1 and stay open during the course. It tests Reading
and Use of English Parts 1, 2, 5 & 6.

The mark you get for your FIRST ATTEMPT counts towards your CA1 mark. You will see your
mark as soon as you finish and submit your answers. You can do the quiz as many times as you
like (for extra practice) but remember the mark that counts is the first attempt.

This first quiz is not timed, but later in the course, quizzes will be timed.

Post-task 1.1

Do Error correction exercise 1 your teacher posts in your classroom. The exercise focuses on
common mistakes for this level.
CA1 Read and write all about it!

Pre-task 1.2

In Part 1 of the Writing paper, you must write an essay. The following pre-tasks will help you
prepare for essay writing.

1) Self-correcting exercises

The exercises in 01.05 and 01.06 of Unit 1 in Materials introduce you to and practise Part 1
(Essay) from the Writing paper and also focus on some language areas that students often have
difficulties with in the various exam papers.

As with all of the exercises in the self-correcting units, you can do them as many times as you
want to. If you have any doubts or questions, write to the Queries_&_doubts folder in the
Forum.

2) Essay language brainstorming

Good essays are well organised. To organise your writing, you need organising words and
expressions, such as the linking words “and”, “but”, “however”.

Go to the Essay language document in the Google Drive Classroom folder and add words and
expressions for essay writing to help build up a bank of and useful vocabulary and expressions
for writing essays for everyone in the classroom for the following categories:

adding information
indicating time
referring to place
comparing things or ideas
contrasting things or ideas
emphasising a point
clarifying
giving examples
indicating the result of something
concluding

Add at least THREE items in your post to the folder. You can add three items for one category,
or one to three different categories! You mustn’t add words and expressions that other
students have already posted to the folder, so the quicker you do this, the easier it will be!

Make a note of any new expressions and then try to use some of them in your writing for Task
1.2!
CA1 Read and write all about it!

TASK 1.2 Essay writing

While you’re learning, it’s best to write in stages. It’s also helpful to read other people’s work
because it’s easier to see errors in someone else’s work than your own.

For Task 1.2, you’re going to 1) write two essays (140-190 words each), 2) read and comment
on at least two of your classmates’ essays, and finally 3) REWRITE your own essays and send
them to the Forum.

1) Write your essays

Essay 1: In your English class you have been talking about crime and punishment. Now your
English teacher has asked you to write an essay.

Write an essay using all the notes and giving reasons for your point of view.

Some people say that community service work is a better punishment than paying a fine.
Do you agree?
Notes
Write about:
1. effort and time community service needs
2. the lesson learned
3. …….. (your own idea)

Essay 2: In your English class you have been talking about the environment. Now your English
teacher has asked you to write an essay.

Write an essay using all the notes and giving reasons for your point of view.

Every country in the world has problems with pollution and damage to the environment.
Do you think these problems can be solved?

Notes
Write about:
1. transport
2. rivers and seas
3. ……... (your own idea)

Post your essays in the body of two separate messages (no attachments) to the CA1 Essay
drafts folder in the Forum. Indicate “Essay 1” or “Essay 2” in the subject of the message.
CA1 Read and write all about it!

2) Comment on two of your classmates’ essays

Read and comment on at least two of your classmates’ version 1 essays. Use the Essay
feedback checklist in Appendix 2 to help you.

3) Edit and post revised essays

Edit your original essays, incorporating any changes you feel necessary, and post them in two
Word (or similar) documents as attachments to the CA1_Essays_finished folder in the Forum.
In the message, indicate which essay you want to be assessed. Your teacher will give you
individual feedback on the essay you choose, although they will also read your other essay and
give you general comments about that one.

Post-task 1.2 I’ve learnt something today!

I’ve learnt something today!

Throughout the course, you’re encouraged to share your experiences on the

course and with English in general, both inside and outside the classroom in the
folder I've learnt something today in the Forum. You can talk about new words
you learn, grammar areas you work on, the practice tests, etc. Reflecting on
what you learn is a great way to go over new language areas you’ve learnt or
consolidate existing ones!

Optional speaking

You need to practise speaking as much as possible. Go to the Speaking availability spreadsheet
in the Google Drive Classroom folder and follow the instructions there. Post a message to the
Optional speaking folder in the Forum and make an appointment to meet a partner in Tandem.
Try to do at least one pair work speaking activity every week during the course. Even
unassessed practice will help with your confidence for the Speaking test. You can work with the
same partner or different partners during the course, depending on your availability.

There are also extra individual speaking activities in Langblog.

Share your thoughts on the optional speaking tasks in the classroom Forum.
CA1 Read and write all about it!

Appendix 1 Assessment criteria CA1

Your CA1 mark will be calculated in the following way:

40% from your mark in CA1 Exam practice 1

40%* from the Essay you post in the CA1_Essays_finished folder in the Forum

20%* from your comments to classmates about their essays

*See the CF_Assessment_criteria.pdf document in the classroom for full details

Appendix 2 Essay feedback checklist

Content

Is the content of the essay relevant for the task?

Is the target reader fully informed? (For essays, the “target reader” is most likely a teacher!)

Communicative achievement

Does the essay hold the target reader’s attention?

Are simple and complex ideas expressed effectively?

Organisation

Is the text well organised?

Is paragraphing appropriate? Is there a range of linking words/expressions?

Language

Is there a range of simple and complex grammatical structures?

Is there a range of vocabulary?

If there are errors, do they impede communication?