My learners take ESOL exams with a different awarding body; the speaking and listening exams at all levels are recorded for reference when I am marking, and for Internal and External Moderation, and there are clear marking schemes.
Whilst I have not yet entered any learners at level 1 or above, I have listened to level 1 recordings as part of Internal Moderation and used the marking scheme.
I cannot see how quality and standards in assessing speaking and listening can be assured without recordings for moderation, let alone meaningful feedback to learners after marking. I think all speaking and listening exams should be recorded, with the number of candidates in ‘discussion’ activity at higher levels limited to 2 or possibly 3, for ease of identification at marking and especially at moderation. A video recording would be even better but that would probably be impossible for various reasons.
Taking part in the Internal Moderation of speaking and listening, where I can listen to candidates and topics at all levels assessed by my colleagues, is also very helpful for me as a tutor assessor as is the feedback I receive from them.
Not helped at times by teachers who think their students should be allowed to’have a go’-though I’m bound to say that it can be quite hard to predict potential passes with the pass marks so variable-and in the case of the Speaking and Listening exam no mark scheme and no recording of the exam so hard to predict passes and feed back to students who fail even though they were expected to pass. If anyone else will be at the Cambridge ESOL consultation meeting on Tuesday perhaps we could bring this up…..again!!!
Helen
-----Original Message-----
From: ESOL-Research discussion forum and message board [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Porter, Joy
Sent: 15 May 2009 17:52
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: useful website[MESSAGE NOT SCANNED]
I agree with all that you say Helen, but particularly the last sentence. We are currently dealing with serious complaints from learners who want to ‘have a go’ at taking all 3 modes when their course lasted just a year, part-time. They believe that it’s their right, especially when they’ve paid for the course.
Joy Porter
From: ESOL-Research discussion forum and message board [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Helen Cottington
Sent: 15 May 2009 17:18
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: useful website[MESSAGE NOT SCANNED]
Very interesting! I will have a look at our results from last year in light of your comments. I have to say that we are now much more strict about not moving people up if they haven’t got through all 3 modes-however much we like them and how ever many times they’ve repeated the same level for exactly the reason Matt outlines-that is that not only does the gap get wider-ie. the profile more spikey-but also the class becomes harder to teach. I think one of the hardest things is to convince students that it can take more than a year to be ready to take and pass all 3 modes-especially on part-time courses such as we run.
Helen
-----Original Message-----
From: ESOL-Research discussion forum and message board [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Matt Davis
Sent: 15 May 2009 16:52
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: useful website
This 'lag' as you go up the levels is quite a common phenomenon in language teaching. Part of the reason is that learners who progress year to year may just have scraped through the previous level (or maybe not even passed it but been progressed anyway, just because you like them, or because they can't do E3 AGAIN!), while the new ones are in that level on their merits (as shown by your IA results). That applies for all the levels but the gap gets wider each time you progress when, strictly speaking, you shouldn't/ Does that explanation make sense?
I think in the case of ESOL it's also that the R&W side of the exams change at Level 1 to the National Literacy Test.
Matt
Matt Davis
Research and Development Manager
City of Bristol College
Bedminster Centre (2.07)
Marksbury Road
BS3 5JL
0117 312 5557
07739 863 450
>>> Rachel Thake <[log in to unmask]> 5/15/2009 4:12 pm >>>
We have just had the Cambridge ESOL Reading results back.
As usual, there is a high pass rate at the Entry levels and much lower
achievement at Levels 1 and 2.
The overriding problem is that the learners who progressed from Entry 3
to Level 1 have very poor success rates, whereas those who were assessed
as working towards Level 1 or 2 at initial assessment achieve much
better.
The jump from Entry 3 to Level 1 seems to be too challenging for most
students to achieve in one year - even for those on full-time courses.
Achievement is particularly low for those educated outside the European
setting.
Any thoughts, suggestions, strategies?
Rachel Thake
ESOL Programme Leader
TVU
Crescent Road
Reading
RG1 5RQ
tel: 0118 967 5551
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