From Learning to Producing: Taking a closer look at the Cambridge ESOL Writing and Speaking Test

Plenaries:

• Welcome - Lori Kaithan
• Behind the Scenes: Cambridge ESOL Writing Tests - Dr Gad S Lim
• Putting it in writing: what Cambridge is looking for in your leaners' exam scripts - John Potts
  
• In the Spotlight: Cambridge ESOL Speaking Tests - Dr Gad S Lim
  

Workshops:

• Saturday: Writing as a skill and as an exam paper
  - Workshops on all Cambridge exam levels (except for CPE)
  - authentic Swiss writing scripts
  
• Sunday: Speaking as a skill and as an exam paper
  - Workshops on all Cambridge exam levels (except for CPE)
  - Live Speaking Tests
  
  

In order to communicate effectively in any language, writing and speaking are important skills to have. These are productive language skills meaning they require the individual to create, i.e. to produce new language. This is often not easy in an individual’s first language and becomes even more complex when the learner aims to become competent in these skills in second language acquisition.

The teaching and testing of these skills is challenging. It requires the teacher to apply different methods of motivation and skill development than those normally used to teach the receptive skills. At last year’s annual seminar we looked at how to develop vocabulary which is fundamental to learning how to speak and write well in any language. This year we would like to build on that by working with the two productive skills, writing and speaking.

The 2012 Annual Cambridge ESOL Seminar will be taking a closer look at the productive skills. We have engaged experienced teacher trainers and professional EFL presenters who know the Cambridge ESOL exams and will give teachers valuable and practical ideas for the classroom. In the plenary sessions on Saturday and Sunday teachers will get information on what goes on behind the scenes, i.e. the research and development that has gone into designing both the Writing and Speaking Papers of the exams as well as present projects like The English Profile.

The assessment of these two papers will be closely looked at so that teachers will be able to give their students the necessary confidence to succeed in the exams by preparing them well, based on what they will have learned at the seminar. On Saturday authentic Swiss scripts will be used in the workshops. On Sunday we will be demonstrating live speaking tests with real candidates and trained Cambridge ESOL examiners and team leaders. Teachers will be able to watch and then discuss these tests with the presenters and examiners.

The major EFL publishers will be at the seminar and will have the appropriate books for teachers to look at. They will advise and support teachers with their expertise. Lots of free material and hand-outs will be available as well as many opportunities to network and socialise. The evening dinner programme will be unique and you will not want to miss it.

We sincerely hope that you will join us and we promise you a useful and memorable weekend.  We look forward to seeing you there and spending time with you.

Lori Kaithan

Centre Exams Manager