Speaking Test Training Handbook

www.xtremepapers.com Speaking Test Training Handbook Cambridge IGCSE Mandarin Chinese 0547 Cambridge Secondary 2

Cambridge International Examinations retains the copyright on all its publications. Registered Centres are permitted to copy material from this booklet for their own internal use. However, we cannot give permission to Centres to photocopy any material that is acknowledged to a third party even for internal use within a Centre. IGCSE is the registered trademark of Cambridge International Examinations. Cambridge International Examinations 2013

Contents Section 1: Introduction...3 1.1 The purpose of this training handbook 1.2 How to use this training handbook Section 2: About the Speaking Test... 5 2.1 General principles 2.2 Administration of the test 2.3 Elements of the Speaking Test 2.4 Differentiation asking the right questions Section 3: May/June 2012 Teachers Notes Booklet... 13 Section 4: May/June 2012 Role Play Cards...33 Section 5: Commentary and assessment of recorded Speaking Tests... 51 Appendices...63 Appendix A: Defined Content Topic List Appendix B: Speaking Examination Working Mark Sheet Appendix C: Cover Sheet for moderation sample This handbook is to be used with the accompanying CD of recorded material containing work produced by candidates in the May/June 2012 Examination.

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Section 1: Introduction Section 1: Introduction 1.1 The purpose of this training handbook This handbook provides guidance on the conduct and assessment of the 0547 Cambridge IGCSE Mandarin Chinese Speaking Test (Paper 3). It offers practical advice and support on conducting and assessing the Speaking Test and should be read in conjunction with the syllabus booklet. The aim of the handbook is to: clarify points of administration, marking and interpretation which have been brought up in training sessions and enquiries made to Cambridge offer advice and guidance on examination procedures provide examples on CD of Speaking Test practice, together with suggested marks. 1.2 How to use this training handbook When you have read Sections 2 and 3 of this Speaking Test Training Handbook you will be ready to start the assessment of the accompanying CDs which contain recordings of six Speaking Tests. Only when you have completed the assessment of the CDs should you consult Section 5 to compare your assessment with that of the Principal Moderator. If possible, you will find it helpful to carry out your first assessment with other teachers and then to discuss your marking together before you read Section 5. Do not worry too much if you are a few marks too harsh/ too lenient try to aim for consistency. If your marks do differ from the agreed ones, try to identify in which particular part this has occurred, then go back to it on the CD, listen again and re-read the Principal Moderator s comments. When you have completed Section 5, you should conduct four Speaking Tests yourself, preferably with candidates across a range of abilities (weak to strong). These should be conducted using the June 2012 Role Play situations (provided in Sections 3 and 4) and recorded onto cassette or CD. Please note that only recordings at normal speed and on standard size cassettes/cds can be accepted. The Speaking Tests should be marked according to the mark scheme provided and marks recorded on a copy of the Working Mark Sheet (see Appendix B). Marking should take place as you conduct the test, that is, you should mark the live performance and not a recording. The completed Working Mark Sheet should then be returned to the Accreditation Coordinator at Cambridge (see below for contact details), together with the recordings. Feedback can then be given not only on the standard of assessment but also on the questioning techniques used. Should you have fewer than four candidates, please contact Cambridge for further advice. Your sample tests (recordings and working mark sheets) and any queries relating to this training handbook should be addressed to: IGCSE Accreditation Coordinator EDM Cambridge International Examinations 1 Hills Road Cambridge CB1 2EU United Kingdom Please allow four six weeks for us to assess the work and for Cambridge to inform you of the outcome. Cambridge IGCSE Mandarin Chinese 3

Section 1: Introduction Further help We hope that after working through this training handbook and its CDs, the criteria and requirements for the conduct and assessment of the Cambridge IGCSE Mandarin Chinese Speaking Test (0547) will be clear to you. However, if you have any problems or if you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us, and we will do our best to help. The address to which queries should be sent is: Customer Services Cambridge International Examinations 1 Hills Road Cambridge CB1 2EU United Kingdom Telephone: +44 1223 553554 Fax: +44 1223 553558 Email: info@cie.org.uk Website: www.cie.org.uk 4 Cambridge IGCSE Mandarin Chinese

Section 2: About the Speaking Test Section 2: About the Speaking Test 2.1 General principles The IGCSE Mandarin Chinese Speaking Test is aimed at Foreign Language candidates and its main aim is to assess language used with a purpose. In all Speaking Test work you should be seeking to mark positively; rewarding the candidate s ability to communicate in a foreign language rather than withholding marks for whatever the candidate is unable to achieve. Try to put yourself in the position of a well-disposed native speaker who does not know the candidate s mother tongue. Your role is to draw out the candidate by giving him/her opportunities to speak rather than by seeking to show what s/he cannot do. Therefore, the fundamental principle when assessing is to reward what is right and not to penalise what is wrong. The mark scheme for the Speaking Test makes use of marking bands which feature specific descriptions of levels of performance. Many teacher/examiners have commented on how easy it is to use these bands after a little practical experience. This system aims to reward candidates: (a) for the successful transmission of messages in tasks which are related to real life (b) for the varying degrees of linguistic complexity they achieve in the process. It should be stressed, when referring to communication, that errors of language should not be taken into account unless they obscure meaning. If you find yourself in the position of examining for the first time you may feel that a scheme which attempts to mark the productive skill of speaking cannot be an objective one, given that your assessment may differ from that of other teacher/examiners. One can only reiterate that the bands of performance can be applied well with a little experience and that one of the most important factors in successful examining is for the teacher/examiner to be consistent in his/her marking. Moderation procedures allow for adjustments to be made to consistently harsh or consistently generous marking. Therefore, if you are unsure of the mark to award, err on the side of generosity, and be consistent in doing so. An important criterion for successful assessment is that of the amount of teacher/examiner input. To what extent can the candidate manage, unaided? The extent to which your candidate can cope without your help is a useful indicator of how successful s/he is. As the Speaking Test is the only examination common in its entirety to both Core and Extended level candidates, it is the teacher/examiner s task to adjust his/her level of questioning according to the ability of the candidate in order to give the candidate adequate and appropriate opportunity to respond. Prompting and help can be given by you (but not feeding a choice of possible answers in which the candidate s own input is nil). Obviously the extent of your input has to be borne in mind when allocating marks. Finally, it is important to remember that it is not necessary for a candidate to be of native-speaker standard in order to be given maximum marks within any single category of the Speaking Test. You are urged to use the full range of marks and to bear in mind that the candidate who has a level in the target language more typical of a working language or first language will be off the top of the scale according to the bands of performance for Foreign Language candidates. Cambridge IGCSE Mandarin Chinese 5

Section 2: About the Speaking Test 2.2 Administration of the test Please also refer to Section 3 of this handbook. This comprises the Teachers Notes Booklet which is sent out to Centres for each examination series in an administrative dispatch and offers step-by-step instructions. Please note that although this document bears the date of March-April this is because the window in which the Speaking Test can take place is during that period even though the rest of the examination may be sat in the May/June period of the year. The following comments are matters that have been raised at training sessions and might prove useful. 2.2.1 Sample size If your Centre has more than 16 candidates it is vital that you send a sample that represents the full spread of marks. Such samples allow moderators to check the standard of marking over the full range of performance and allow any necessary adjustments to be made with greater accuracy. If you have a large range of marks (e.g. 40 90), try to send tests spread evenly across the range, not just the top two, middle two and bottom two. It is helpful to record all candidates first and choose the candidates to make up a sample after the completion and assessment of all the tests. Choosing the candidates to feature on the sample prior to the examination may result in surprises as candidates may perform better or worse than expected. You should not send all your recordings, but only the sample and you should be prepared to submit a further sample should the moderators feel it to be necessary. NB. Please check the quality of recordings prior to despatch. Please label all CDs/cassettes clearly, and pack them in plastic boxes inside a padded envelope, not just paper envelopes, which offer little protection. 2.2.2 Preparation You should give candidates a practice examination using a previous examination paper well ahead of the live examination. This will enable both you and the candidates to feel more confident and will give you the opportunity to familiarise yourself with the marking criteria. Candidates should be recorded as it will then be less of an ordeal for them on the actual day of the live test. For the live examination, confidential test materials are despatched approximately 2 3 weeks before the assessment period (which is 1 March to 30 April for the May/June session). If you are the person who will be conducting and assessing the tests you can open these materials up to 4 working days prior to the first live test in order to familiarise yourself with the Role Play material to be used and the marking criteria. This preparation is vital as teacher/examiners who have prepared their own roles fully and are confident in what they are doing are better able to help candidates who experience any difficulty. Once the materials have been opened, they must remain in the examination Centre their contents must not be disclosed to candidates. After the tests have taken place, the test materials remain confidential and must be kept in a secure place by the Centre until the end of the Speaking Test period. All recording equipment should also be tested in situ before (and occasionally in between) recording candidates. If testing in between candidates, it is important not to forget to press the Record button before the next candidate s test! In areas prone to electricity cuts, a supply of batteries should be kept handy. If external microphones are used, you should check they are switched on. If the internal microphone is used, the position should favour the candidate. 6 Cambridge IGCSE Mandarin Chinese

Section 2: About the Speaking Test 2.2.3 Recording For the purpose of moderation, Speaking Tests may be recorded onto CD or cassette, but these must be standard size and all recordings must be at normal speed. Please label CD tracks as explained in Section 3 of this Handbook (Teachers Notes Administrative Arrangements 9. Recording of candidates) page 17. For effective and efficient moderation to take place, it is essential that good quality recordings are provided to Cambridge. Recording of a candidate s test should be continuous, once started. Please do not stop a recording between different sections of a candidate s test. 2.2.4 Mark sheets A copy of the Working Mark Sheet (Oral Examination Summary Mark Sheet) is provided each year in the syllabus and should be photocopied as required. A copy is provided in Appendix B for use with this handbook. Marks for each section for each candidate must be entered with care on the Working Mark Sheet as this enables moderators to identify specific sections of the test in which under- or over-marking may have occurred. Such information can be included in the report on moderation and can help you in preparing candidates for future examinations. Do not enter Total Marks only. Ideally, one teacher/examiner only should be used per Centre. However, Centres with large numbers of candidates may apply to the Languages Group at Cambridge for permission to use more than one teacher/examiner. This permission must be sought on an annual basis, well before the start of the oral examination period, in order to allow Cambridge to allocate the correct amount of work to each moderator. If more than one teacher/examiner is used, internal moderation must take place at the Centre to ensure that all its Speaking Tests are marked to the same standard. The recorded sample should include the work of each teacher/examiner and a Working Mark Sheet should be submitted for each teacher/ examiner, with candidate names and numbers clearly entered. Once the Working Mark Sheet is completed, you should check all additions carefully, then transfer the total for each candidate to the computer-printed Internal Assessment Mark Sheet (MS1). All transferred marks must be checked carefully. It is the Centre s responsibility to ensure that all marks are transferred correctly. 2.2.5 Despatch of samples You must ensure that you despatch your moderation sample in good time to meet Cambridge s deadlines. For the live examination, moderation samples from Centres must be with Cambridge, for onward transmission to moderators, by 15 May for the May/June session. Late submission of samples can cause great problems in the moderation procedure and delay the final process of grading candidates. Please pack CDs/cassettes carefully, using a plastic box enclosed in a padded envelope. 2.2.6 Dictionaries Dictionaries are not allowed. They may not be used during preparation time immediately prior to the examination nor in the course of the examination. Cambridge IGCSE Mandarin Chinese 7

Section 2: About the Speaking Test 2.3 Elements of the Speaking Test (See also Section 3 of this handbook) The Speaking Test lasts for approximately 15 minutes for all candidates (during which time the next candidate prepares his/her Role Plays) and has three distinct sections: (i) 2 Role Play situations of 5 tasks each (each task with a maximum of 3 marks) = 30 marks (ii) Topic Conversation = 30 marks (iii) General Conversation = 30 marks Impression: at the end of the test an Impression mark is awarded out of 10 marks Total available marks = 100 It is crucial that all three sections of the test are examined. Marks cannot be awarded for parts of the test which are not examined. It is also vital that a clear distinction is made between the end of the Topic Conversation and the start of the General Conversation. 2.3.1 Role Plays (5 minutes approximately) (See also Section 3 of this handbook) You will examine each candidate in two Role Play situations. The first of the two Role Plays (Role Play A) on each card is more straightforward, the second (Role Play B) is more open. Role Play A will test material taken from Areas A, B or C of the Defined Content in terms of topics and vocabulary. The teacher/examiner delivers prompts and/or responses, suggestions for these are printed in the Teachers Notes. These suggestions may be altered, as appropriate, as long as the overall framework of the original set tasks is adhered to. However, teacher/examiners must remember that the set testing points are the ones which earn the marks and candidates can only be awarded marks for completing the tasks printed on the Role Play cards. Should a candidate miss out a task, then try to guide him/her back to it, in as natural a way as possible. It does not matter to moderators that tasks may occur in a different order as long as they are all attempted. Remember that if a task is not attempted or is omitted by you, marks cannot be awarded. A mark of 1 is awarded if some relevant meaning is transmitted, but the message remains incomplete. A candidate with an initial mark of 1 may well be helped to work for a mark of 2, if the situation allows it to be done appropriately. A mark of 2 is awarded if the response communicates and transmits the message of the set task. The quality of language only plays a part if the level of language used obscures the meaning. If the meaning is obscured then a mark of 2 would not be appropriate. In order for a mark of 3 to be awarded, perfection is not sought. Minor errors are tolerated. A mark of 3 is, in essence, a bonus quality mark which goes beyond the basic transmission of the message. Remember, however, that a short response can be worthy of 3; quantity does not always equal quality. When awarding marks, it is essential to start at the bottom mark of 0 and work up the marking bands. If one starts off marking with a notional 3 in mind, it is all too easy to mark negatively, e.g. deducting marks for errors. Starting from a bottom mark of 0 or 1 is a positive reinforcer of positive marking. The extent to which the candidate is successful in assuming his/her own role often depends on the extent to which the teacher/examiner assumes his/her role. It is, therefore, vital that you study the Role Plays 8 Cambridge IGCSE Mandarin Chinese

Section 2: About the Speaking Test well in advance (see 2.3.2 Preparation) and that you feel familiar with the situations and testing points. If you make a genuine error and part of a task is omitted for a candidate, a covering note explaining what has happened should be included with the recorded sample. A copy of the note should also be sent to the Product Manager for 0547 IGCSE Mandarin Chinese at Cambridge. If possible, the recording of the candidate affected should be included as an extra sample. 2.3.2 Topic Presentation/Conversation (5 minutes approximately) (See also Section 3 of this handbook) Marks out of 15 are awarded (total = 30) for: (a) Comprehension/responsiveness (b) Linguistic content. This section starts with a presentation by the candidate on a topic of their choice. The topic must be prepared by candidates in advance. You should allow the candidate to speak on their choice of topic for one to two minutes uninterrupted and then follow this up with specific questions on the topic. Where a candidate has been talking for two minutes and shows no sign of finishing their initial exposition, you must interrupt and ask specific questions. It is the extent to which candidates can manipulate their prepared material according to the needs of the teacher/examiner that determines their marks. The use of illustrative materials is welcomed (e.g. photographs appropriate to their topic), but candidates are not allowed to make use of written notes/cue cards. Encourage candidates to talk clearly in their initial exposition minute. Although teacher/examiners will offer guidance, it is important that candidates are given the freedom to choose their own topic. Teacher/examiners should not encourage candidates to all prepare the same topic. They should check that the choice of topic is not overambitious and that it is a topic on which the candidate can do him/herself justice. Candidates should not be allowed to choose Myself as a topic as it often leads to over-generalised performances, leaving little new material to explore in the General Conversation section. The Topic Presentation/Conversation section of the test is intended to enable candidates to talk about something in which they have a genuine interest. For example suitable topics might include: holidays school my country life in another country pastimes (general or specific) my ambitions. Topics dealing with politics or social and economic issues are ambitious for this level of achievement and may disadvantage candidates if they do not possess the linguistic skills and maturity of ideas which such subjects necessitate. When assessing the communicative content of a candidate s topic, refer to Scale (a) of Table B on page 25 in this handbook. When assessing the linguistic content, refer to Scale (b). It may be helpful to bear in mind that marks in Scales (a) and (b) usually do not vary by more than one band. Please do not confuse the two scales of marking. In Scale (a), we are looking for the successful transmission of messages in terms of comprehension of, and response to, the teacher/examiner. Cambridge IGCSE Mandarin Chinese 9

Section 2: About the Speaking Test In Scale (b), linguistic content, please note that for a mark of 7+ to be awarded, candidates must be able to display control over more complex structures, including those structures which convey past and future meaning. Please remember therefore to ask questions that will allow candidates to demonstrate the extent to which they can use these structures (see pages 21 22 for further guidance). It is the role of the teacher/examiner here to probe and seek more in-depth repsonses wherever possible, adjusting the level of questioning according to the level of ability of the candidate. A variety of interrogative forms will help to elicit good performances. Candidates who are allowed to present a series of pre-learnt answers and who do not demonstrate the ability to deal with unexpected questions will not score high marks. You should indicate the end of the Topic Conversation section by the use of a general comment such as, and must not try to examine the Topic Conversation and General Conversation sections simultaneously over ten minutes. The two sections must appear as distinct sections of the test. 2.3.3 General Conversation (5 minutes approximately) (See also Section 3 of this handbook) 2 marks out of 15 are awarded (total = 30) for: (a) Comprehension/responsiveness (b) Linguistic content. The discussion of the Topic will have paved the way for the General Conversation. Any point of interest can be developed, and you are free to cover any number of subjects according to the ability of the candidate. However, topics chosen by you for discussion in the General Conversation should be different from the topic discussed in the Topic Conversation. A greater number of subjects covered at a superficial level is frequently the hallmark of the less able candidate. It is here that the role of the teacher/examiner is so important; questions should try and stretch the candidates, and encourage them to give extended responses. You should try to give the candidate the opportunity to display his/her level of linguistic sophistication. If you avoid the more demanding questions, able candidates may not have adequate opportunity to do themselves justice. Avoidance of error does not always equal positive quality of language. You should aim to cover at least two or three of the Defined Content Topics in this section of the test (these are listed in Appendix A). If candidates are clearly out of their depth with a certain level or type of questioning, then be ready to pass on to another subject or rephrase the question. Likewise, if the candidate presents you with something of interest, be prepared to follow it up. The style of questioning is also important: you should avoid the use of closed questions which only elicit yes/no answers. In order to extend candidates, use a variety of interrogative forms (see pages 11 12: 2.5 Differentiation asking the right questions, for further guidance). You need to be careful, when awarding marks, that you do not reward your own performance! Wherever possible, your input should be kept to a minimum and the candidate given the opportunity to work for the marks. Try to use the full range of marks and if you have any bilingual students, remember that their performance does not equal a 30 mark student by which all other Foreign Language candidates are to be judged. 10 Cambridge IGCSE Mandarin Chinese

Section 2: About the Speaking Test 2.3.4 Impression (See Section 3 of this handbook) 10 marks are awarded. The marking criteria featured on the Impression table give the opportunity for an overall Impression mark to be awarded. Here, the main criteria are pronunciation, intonation and fluency. Again, candidates do not have to be of native-speaker standard to score 9 or 10 marks. Above all, in all sections of the Speaking Test, be consistent in your marking and if in doubt between two marks, go for the higher one. Also, if you are examining a full range of ability, try not to be harsh/lenient at one end of the range. The whole approach to the Speaking Test should be a positive one. The test is meant to reflect and sample classroom practice, so please ensure that candidates have sufficient preparation so as not to feel unnerved by the format of the test itself. Candidates will also benefit from the opportunity to perform to a tape/cd, prior to the Speaking Test. 2.4 Differentiation asking the right questions The Speaking Test is common in its entirety to all candidates. In the Topic Presentation/Conversation and General Conversation sections, differentiation is by outcome. Successful differentiation depends on the teacher/examiner asking the right questions, thus enabling each candidate to show what s/he knows and can do whatever his or her ability. The level of questioning must therefore be adjusted according to the ability of the candidate. It is sometimes useful to use closed questions which demand only yes or no answers as starter questions, but generally it is wiser to use a variety of question types, from a basic level of simple questions which demand simple short responses, to more searching questions such as Why? or Tell me more about... or What do you think about...?. If candidates are clearly out of their depth on a certain question then you should feel free to rephrase it or pass on to a different kind of question. Likewise, if the candidate presents you with something of interest, it should be pursued. Questions never asked cannot be answered and, if you avoid asking the more stretching questions, the more able candidates may not have adequate opportunity to do themselves justice. Scale (a) (Comprehension/responsiveness) makes reference to a hierarchy of questions which move up from: (i) simple predictable questions to (ii) predictable questions with some unpredictable or unexpected elements to (iii) unexpected questions which may require candidates to give reasons, explain and/or justify their opinions. Candidates responses are judged in terms of the readiness of response to such questions and the need (or not) for rephrasing. Scale (b) (Linguistic content) assesses the complexity and accuracy of structures and vocabulary used, together with the extent to which the candidates can use different time frames. Candidates must be able to express past and future meaning for a mark of 7 or more to be awarded. You should keep your input to an appropriate minimum and aim to provide a framework that allows candidates to achieve spontaneity of performance. Cambridge IGCSE Mandarin Chinese 11

Section 2: About the Speaking Test Although it is a good idea for teacher/examiners to have banks of questions which can be used to practise eliciting performance at certain levels, it is not recommended that such lists of questions are used in the examination, as the spontaneity of the situation is removed and candidates can sound very pre-rehearsed. It is far better to familiarise candidates on topic areas during the course of study beforehand and then to approach things more freely on the day. You need to give the candidate the opportunity to shape his/her response not just to the expected question, but also, at a higher level, to the less predictable question. The kinds of questions which could be used are ones which use a variety of interrogative forms, pitched at different levels of candidate ability. A suggested hierarchy of questions on School could be as follows. At a low level: At a slightly higher level, different time-frames can be used alongside slightly more open question forms which are an invitation to respond. These questions could be used at a higher level still and could include more invitations to respond and more short questions of the Why? variety which demand explanations and justifications. In general, more able candidates often respond well to the Tell me about kind of question, but this should not be allowed to develop into a monologue. You could try building up such banks of questions on topics such as holidays, sport, free time/ entertainment, my home/country, school, work and future plans, life in another country. These can then be used in class, in pair work or indeed as starting points for candidates preparing Topic Conversation subjects. Remember, it is helpful to start candidates off with an easy question or two to warm them up. It is also helpful to ask a series of questions in the same topic area do not change topics without telling the candidate as s/he can lose the train of thought very easily. The best performances from candidates of all abilities come from situations in which the teacher/examiner listens to the candidate. 12 Cambridge IGCSE Mandarin Chinese

Section 3: May/June 2012 Teachers Notes Booklet Section 3: May/June 2012 Teachers Notes Booklet Cambridge International Examinations Cambridge International General Certificate of Secondary Education MANDARIN CHINESE 0547/03 Paper 3 Speaking Role Play Cards One Nine TEACHERS NOTES Approx. 15 minutes No Additional Materials are required. READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS FIRST Each candidate s Speaking Examination must consist of the following three parts: Part One of the examination is two role plays. The role play situations are set out on pages 27 32 of this booklet and must be followed carefully by the teacher/examiner. The teacher/examiner must play his/her role as prescribed by Cambridge in order that candidates are given the opportunity to attempt all tasks. Extra tasks must not be created. Candidates should study the situation for fi fteen minutes and then be prepared to act the roles assigned to them and respond to the parts played by the teacher/examiner. Part Two of the examination starts with a presentation by the candidate on a topic of his/her choice. The teacher/examiner must allow the candidate to speak for 1 2 minutes on his/her prepared topic and then follow this up with specifi c spontaneous questions related to the topic. This section of the examination should last about five minutes in total. Part Three of the examination is a spontaneous conversation of a more general nature and should last about five minutes. In the interests of candidates, Centres must adhere to the stipulated timings for the Topic Presentation/ Conversation and General Conversation. The Speaking Examination must be marked by the Centre according to the instructions and a sample recorded for external moderation. This document consists of 22 printed pages and 2 blank pages. UCLES 2012 [Turn over Cambridge IGCSE Mandarin Chinese 13

Section 3: May/June 2012 Teachers Notes Booklet Contents Page ADMINISTRATIVE ARRANGEMENTS 15 1 Examination period 15 2 Appointment of teacher/examiner 15 3 Materials for the Speaking examination 15 4 Recorded sample 16 5 Two types of mark sheet are provided 16 6 Despatch of materials to Cambridge for External moderation 16 7 Arrangements for the examination 17 8 Conduct of the examination 17 9 Recording of candidates 17 10 Internal moderation 19 STRUCTURE OF THE EXAMINATION 20 Test 1: Role Plays 20 Test 2: Topic Presentation/Conversation 20 Test 3: General Conversation 21 Impression 22 MARKING INSTRUCTIONS 23 Table A Test 1: Role Plays 24 Table B Tests 2 and 3: Topic Presentation/Conversation and General Conversation 25 Table C Impression 26 ROLE PLAYS 27 Each candidate role play card contains two role plays. The list below gives details of the pages on which the role play cards appear in this booklet. Role Play A Role Play B CARD ONE Page 27 Page 30 CARD TWO Page 27 Page 31 CARD THREE Page 27 Page 32 CARD FOUR Page 28 Page 30 CARD FIVE Page 28 Page 31 CARD SIX Page 28 Page 32 CARD SEVEN Page 29 Page 30 CARD EIGHT Page 29 Page 31 CARD NINE Page 29 Page 32 THE WORKING MARK SHEET 66 THE COVER SHEET FOR MODERATION SAMPLE 67 14 Cambridge IGCSE Mandarin Chinese

Section 3: May/June 2012 Teachers Notes Booklet ADMINISTRATIVE ARRANGEMENTS 1 Examination period The Speaking examination takes place before the main examination period: between 1 March and 30 April for the June examination. Each Centre decides on a convenient period within these dates for its Speaking examinations. It is important that dates given for the completion of the Speaking examination and the despatch of recordings and mark sheets to Cambridge (see paragraph 6) are adhered to in order to allow suffi cient time for moderation. 2 Appointment of teacher/examiner Each Centre selects its own teacher/examiner to conduct and assess the Speaking examination for its candidates. This is normally a teacher from within the Languages department, but could be someone local from outside the Centre. Cambridge is not responsible for any fees agreed. In the interests of standardisation there will be only one teacher/examiner per Centre. Where a Centre wishes to use additional teacher/examiners because it has a large number of candidates, permission to do so must be sought from the IGCSE Languages Group at Cambridge before the start of each Speaking examination period. Permission to use more than one teacher/examiner will only be granted on the understanding that teacher/ examiners at the Centre work together to ensure a common approach to the conduct of the Speaking examination and the application of the mark scheme. The sample the Centre submits to Cambridge should include the work of each teacher/examiner and a Speaking Examination Working Mark Sheet should be submitted for each teacher/examiner, with candidate names and numbers clearly entered. Please see paragraph 10 Internal Moderation on page 19 for further details. 3 Materials for the Speaking examination Confi dential test materials (Teachers Notes Booklet and Role Play Cards) are despatched by Cambridge approximately two to three weeks before the assessment period. These should be opened four working days before the Centre s assessment starts and studied carefully by the teacher/examiner before conducting his/her fi rst Speaking examination. Teacher/examiners who have prepared their own roles fully and are confi dent in what they are doing are better able to help candidates who experience any diffi culty. Once the materials have been opened, the Speaking examinations must be completed as soon as is realistically possible. Once the Centre has completed its Speaking examinations, the materials remain confi dential and must be kept in a secure place by the Centre until the end of the examination period (e.g. until 30 April for the June examination). Cambridge IGCSE Mandarin Chinese 15

Section 3: May/June 2012 Teachers Notes Booklet 4 Recorded sample In order to allow Cambridge to check accurately the standard of assessment, each Centre must record and send to Cambridge a recorded sample as follows: Centres entering 1 16 candidates must send the recordings of all candidates Centres entering 17 or more candidates must send: (i) the recordings of the first 10 candidates according to candidate number and (ii) the recordings of 6 candidates spread evenly across the ability range. The candidates selected should be representative of the range of marks awarded by the Centre and should be spread as evenly as possible across that range. If possible, the recordings of the strongest and the weakest candidates at the Centre should be included, with the other recordings spaced at equal intervals in between. Note Centres entering 17 or more candidates must send a total of 16 recordings. The category (ii) candidates must be chosen from candidates who do not fall into category (i). In Centres with just over 17 candidates, Cambridge accepts this may mean that the category (ii) candidates are not fully representative of the range. The recording should be carried out in accordance with the instructions headed Recording of candidates (see paragraph 9). The recording must be sent to Cambridge together with the Moderator copy of the completed MS1 mark sheet and copies of the completed Speaking Examination Working Mark Sheet and Cover Sheet for Moderation Sample (see pages 65 and 67). 5 Two types of mark sheet are provided (a) The Speaking Examination Working Mark Sheet is provided in this handbook (see page 65) and should be photocopied as required. It is a working document to be completed during each candidate s Speaking examination. Candidates must be marked as they are being examined and not afterwards from a recording. The marks for each section of the examination must be entered in detail as specified in the Marking Instructions. All additions must be carefully checked. (b) The total marks must then be transferred to the computer-printed Internal Assessment Mark Sheet (MS1) or to a marks file for Centres submitting marks electronically. 6 Despatch of materials to Cambridge for external moderation (a) Mark sheets and recordings must be returned to Cambridge as soon as all the Speaking examinations have been completed. The deadline for receipt by Cambridge of these items is 15 May for the June examination. Centres must not wait until the end of the assessment period before despatching them. (b) (i) The Board copy of the completed Internal Assessment Mark Sheet (MS1) must be returned to Cambridge in the separate envelope provided. (ii) The following items must be sent, to reach Cambridge by no later than 15 May for the June examination. the Moderator copy of the completed Internal Assessment Mark Sheet (MS1) or a signed print-out of the marks file for Centres submitting marks electronically a copy of the completed Speaking Examination Working Mark Sheet a copy of the completed Cover Sheet for Moderation Sample the recorded sample details of Internal Moderation procedures (only for Centres permitted to use more than one teacher/examiner). 16 Cambridge IGCSE Mandarin Chinese

Section 3: May/June 2012 Teachers Notes Booklet (c) Copies of both types of mark sheet are to be retained by the Centre in case of postal losses or delays. 7 Arrangements for the examination (a) Quiet conditions: Centres should ensure well in advance of the Speaking examination that a suitably quiet room will be available. Rooms which are too close to a playground, recreation room or noisy classroom are to be avoided. It is essential to exclude unnecessary background noise, e.g. lawn-mowers, phones. Notices must be displayed to prevent interruptions from people entering the room unaware that an examination is in progress. (b) Invigilation: examination conditions must prevail in the area where the Speaking examination takes place, including the space set aside for a candidate to study the role play situations. Adequate supervision must be provided to ensure that each candidate can study alone and in silence and that candidates leaving the interview room do not communicate with those waiting to enter. Candidates are not allowed to bring any notes for use during their preparation time. Nor are they allowed to make notes. (c) The examination room: Centres should ensure that a suitably-sized, e.g. not too big, room will be available. Candidates must be examined singly. No other person should be present during the examination with the exception of another teacher/examiner or an Offi cer from Cambridge. In those cases where it is necessary for a second teacher/ examiner to be present during the Speaking examination, only one teacher/examiner must conduct each examination. The teacher/examiner should be positioned so that they face the candidates when they enter the room, with a table between themselves and the candidates. Candidates should not be positioned where they can see what the teacher/examiner is writing on the mark sheets as this can be distracting. Teacher/examiners must not smoke in the examination room or in the presence of candidates. Smokers should arrange for breaks in the timetable as necessary. 8 Conduct of the examination (a) Teacher/examiners should do their best to put candidates at their ease, e.g. by smiling when they enter the room, and indicating where they should sit. A good teacher/examiner will usually send a candidate out of the interview room smiling, no matter how good or bad the performance has been. However, the use of expressions such as very good, which candidates may interpret as a comment on performance, should be avoided. (b) In addition, teacher/examiners should not walk about or distract candidates in any way (e.g. by doodling or fi ddling with papers, etc.); should always appear interested, even in mundane matters; should never show undue surprise, impatience or mockery; and should never correct a candidate. 9 Recording of candidates The Centre is responsible for supplying blank cassettes/cds for the recording of its moderation sample: these will not be supplied by Cambridge. The Centre is also Cambridge IGCSE Mandarin Chinese 17

Section 3: May/June 2012 Teachers Notes Booklet responsible for supplying recording equipment (e.g. cassette recorder and microphone). All recording equipment, including cassettes/cds, must be of as high a standard as possible to ensure that moderation samples are clearly audible. In order to ensure that recording levels are satisfactory for both candidates and teacher/examiner, the equipment to be used must be tested in situ some time before the actual examination, ideally with one of the candidates. If at all possible, external microphones should be used so that separate microphones can be supplied to the candidate and the teacher/examiner. If only one microphone is used it should be placed nearer to the candidate than to the teacher/examiner. With a softly-spoken candidate the microphone should be placed even nearer to the candidate before the start of the examination. Moderation samples must be recorded at normal speed onto either C90 audiocassettes or standard format CDs. Mini cassettes and mini CDs must not be used. Where Centres make use of digital recording software, each candidate s fi le must be saved individually and saved as.mp3 so that it can be accessed for the purposes of moderation. If C90 cassettes are used, these are 45 minutes per side and therefore 6 Speaking examinations should fi t on each cassette, 3 on each side. An audio CD will record approximately 80 minutes of sound/5 candidates. The recording must not be stopped once a candidate s examination has started. Each cassette/cd must be introduced by the teacher/examiner, as follows: Cassette/CD number... Centre number e.g. HK215 Centre name e.g. King s College Examination number 0547 Examination name IGCSE Mandarin Chinese Name of examiner e.g. Mr R Peters Date e.g. 2nd March 2012 Each candidate must be introduced by the teacher/examiner, as follows: Candidate Number e.g. 047 Candidate Name e.g. William Lee Role Play Card e.g. Number 4 After the last recording on side A of a cassette the teacher/examiner must announce No more recordings on this side. Recording continues on side B. Cassettes must be wound on to the end before turning over or starting a new cassette. After the last candidate on each cassette/cd, the teacher/examiner must announce end of cassette/cd no.... ; and after the last candidate on the last cassette/cd end of examination. Cassettes Each cassette box must be clearly labelled with syllabus name, syllabus/component number, Centre name/number and candidate name/number in recording order. Labels are provided by Cambridge for this purpose. In addition each cassette must be labelled with syllabus/ component number and Centre number. CDs Each CD sleeve must be labelled with syllabus name, syllabus/component number, Centre 18 Cambridge IGCSE Mandarin Chinese

Section 3: May/June 2012 Teachers Notes Booklet name/number and candidate name/number in recording order. Each CD must be labelled with syllabus/component number and Centre number. CD friendly marker pens must be used to label CDs as the use of biro, for example, may make the contents of the CD unreadable. Each recorded fi le on the CD must be clearly named using the following convention: Centre number_candidate number_syllabus number_component number. Before cassettes/cds are despatched, spot checks must be made to ensure that every candidate is clearly audible. Cassettes must then be rewound to the start of side 1. If for any reason the cassette/cd has failed to record or there are problems with the audibility of the recordings, the Centre must contact Cambridge Customer Services immediately to seek advice. 10 Internal moderation Where Centres with large numbers of candidates request permission from Cambridge to use more than one teacher/examiner to conduct and assess the Speaking examination for their candidates, this will be granted on the understanding that the following procedures are put in place. The purpose of these procedures is to ensure that marks submitted by the Centre are consistent for all candidates, irrespective of which teacher/examiner conducted and assessed the examination: The teacher/examiners conducting and assessing Speaking examinations at the Centre must work together to ensure a common approach to the conduct of the Speaking examination and the application of the mark scheme. One teacher/examiner at the Centre must take responsibility for the standardisation of the marking of teacher/examiners at the Centre. This person must ensure that all candidates taking the 0547/03 Speaking test at the Centre are judged against the same standards and that a valid rank order of candidates for the Centre as a whole is produced. Standardisation can take various forms, but the initial marking of each candidate must be done as the test is being conducted and not on the basis of a recording. The Speaking tests of all candidates at the Centre must be recorded. A single recorded sample for External Moderation should then be produced according to the instructions in paragraph 4 (Recorded sample), with the additional requirement that the sample should, as far as possible, include equal numbers of recordings from each teacher/examiner used at the Centre. A Speaking Examination Working Mark Sheet should be submitted for each teacher/examiner, with candidate names and numbers clearly entered. The final column on the Working Mark Sheet (Internal and/or External Moderation) must be used to record the results of Internal Moderation and details of the Centre s Internal Moderation procedures must be enclosed with the materials for External Moderation. Guidelines for the Internal Standardisation/Moderation of Cambridge IGCSE Foreign Language Speaking tests are available from Cambridge. Cambridge IGCSE Mandarin Chinese 19

Section 3: May/June 2012 Teachers Notes Booklet Test 1: Role Plays (about 5 minutes) 30 marks STRUCTURE OF THE EXAMINATION (a) A number of alternative role play cards are supplied by Cambridge, and these should be used at random during each session of examining. The teacher/examiner gives each candidate one card containing two role play situations (Role Play A and Role Play B). Each of these situations consists of five tasks (numbered 1-5 on the Role Play Cards). Candidates must be examined in both role play situations on the card they have been given and must complete all the tasks specified on their card. Having given the first candidate 15 minutes to prepare his/her two situations, the teacher/examiner should hand a different card to the second candidate to prepare while the first candidate is being examined. Candidates may not make written notes during their preparation time. They may take the Role Play Card they have prepared into the examination room. However, they may not take the Role Play Card away with them once the Speaking examination is over. Teacher/examiners should note that although the timing for the role plays is given as 5 minutes, the actual time it takes to complete them will often be less and will vary from candidate to candidate. (b) For each role play situation, the role of the teacher/examiner is specified on pages 25 30 of this booklet. Usually, the teacher/examiner has to initiate the dialogue. The teacher/examiner is to assume the role of a well-disposed native speaker with no knowledge of the candidate s first language. Teacher/examiners must prepare the situations carefully and ensure that they play their role as prescribed by Cambridge in order that candidates are given the opportunity to attempt all the required tasks. The teacher/examiner must not create extra tasks, nor must s/he omit tasks. (c) Each situation must be carried out in full. If the candidate cannot handle one of the tasks set, the teacher/examiner should not leave too long a pause, but should lead the candidate on to the next task. (d) Should a candidate miss out a task, the teacher/examiner should try to guide him/her back to it, in as natural a way as possible, e.g. by repeating or rephrasing a question if the candidate fails to complete the task at the first attempt or gives an ambiguous response. It does not matter to Moderators that this may lead to tasks occurring in a different order, as long as they are all attempted. However, teacher/examiners must ensure that when rephrasing a task they do not change its nature, e.g. if the task requires a candidate to produce a particular vocabulary item and this is in fact supplied by the teacher/examiner, no credit can be given. For mark scheme, see Table A of the Marking Instructions. Test 2: Topic Presentation/Conversation (about 5 minutes) 30 marks (a) This part of the examination starts with a one to two minute presentation by the candidate on a topic of their choice which they will have prepared in advance. The teacher/examiner will follow up the presentation with specific questions on the topic bringing the total time for the Topic Presentation and Topic Conversation to approximately 5 minutes. 20 Cambridge IGCSE Mandarin Chinese