Teacher/examiners should ensure that they have read the guidelines provided by Cambridge International prior to conducting the speaking test, and that they are confident of the requirements of all parts of the assessment; they should ensure that they
know when they need to select the topics and have an understanding of how questioning can be used to help candidates reach their potential.
Each candidate’s performance depends on how well the exam is conducted therefore it is crucial that the teacher/examiner understands the requirements of each part of the test. They need to prepare their questions thoughtfully and make sure that questions
are appropriate and relevant.
It is important in Part 2 that candidates refer to the topic covered in Part 1.
There is a lack of consistency of how the test is conducted by the teacher/examiner in each centre.
Middle and low-level candidates lack practice, preparation and confidence. Their language skills could be built upon with adequate preparation.
It could be beneficial for the teacher/examiner to select topics for Part 3, and have some questions ready, prior to the examination; this may be a helpful strategy to avoid the same errors being repeated.
It is very important for candidates to understand the format of the speaking test and prepare their presentation topic well. The first two parts of the test focus on their preparation.