Section outline
-
Low level response
-
- Whole test - click to listen
Transcript and commentary
Example candidate response – low
Role play card 6
Teacher/examiner: OK? 准备好了？那我们现在开始考试。第一个部分是情景对话，Role Play. 现在老师要问你。你是你自己，老师是老人院的经理。请说(no need)。。你要在一家老人院做义工。你跟经理说话。我是老人院的经理 .
[The teacher/examiner clearly indicates the start of the test and introduces the first part, Role Play. She introduces the scenario and what role she is playing. This helps set the scene for the candidate.]
Teacher/examiner: 你现在上几年级？
[The teacher/examiner asks the first question.]
Candidate: [No response to the question.]
Teacher/examiner: 你现在上几年级？
[The teacher/examiner repeats the first question.]
Candidate: [No response to the question].
Teacher/examiner: 你现在上几年级？
[The teacher/examiner repeats the first question a second time. Please note the teacher/examiner should only repeat a role play question once.]
Candidate: 十一
[Even though the candidate responded on the 3rd time of asking, she is given the full 2 marks as the information is communicated even though she answered simply and did not include the word 年级。This is permitted as a minor error as it did not impede communication. ]
Teacher/examiner: 你什么时候可以开始做义工？
[The teacher/examiner asks the second question.]
Candidate: 每天我。
[ The candidate answers partly with a time word but it is ambiguous, so 1 mark is awarded. The teacher/examiner could have repeated the question to give the candidate second chance.]
Teacher/examiner: 在老人院，你想为老人做什么？
[The teacher/examiner asks the third question.]
Candidate: [No response to the question.]
Teacher/examiner: 在老人院，你想为老人做什么？
[The teacher/examiner repeats the third question.]
Candidate: [No response to the question.]
Teacher/examiner: 你以前在什么地方做过义工？
[The teacher/examiner moves on to the fourth question.]
Candidate: [No response to the question.]
Teacher/examiner: 你以前在什么地方做过义工？
[The teacher/examiner repeats the fourth question.]
Candidate: [No response to the question.]
Teacher/examiner: 你明年打算学习什么？
[The teacher/examiner moves on to the fifth question.]
Candidate: 明年我打算。um
[The candidate repeats back part of the question but does not answer it.]
Teacher/examiner: 你明年打算学习什么？
[The teacher/examiner repeats the fifth question.]
Candidate: 明年我打算。um
[The candidate repeats back part of the question again but there is no creditable response.]
Teacher/examiner: 好。第一部分结束。现在开始进行第二部分的考试。 那，现在老师要和你说一说，你自己，家人和朋友 .
[The teacher/examiner clearly indicates that the first part of the test has finished and that she is moving on to the second part. She introduces Topic Conversation 1.]
Topic conversation 1 (Topic 3)
Teacher/examiner: 你最好的朋友长什么样 ?
[The teacher/examiner asks the first question.]
Candidate: 我的朋友很漂亮也很高。
[The candidate responds well.]
Teacher/examiner: 再多说一点 儿。
[The teacher/examiner uses an extension question to elicit more information. The first two questions on each topic conversation are designed to be closed and straightforward in nature so as an easier level to start off the conversation. Teacher/examiners should bear this in mind whether to use an extension question in the first two questions, knowing their candidate’s level well.]
Candidate: 还是 。。
[The candidate doesn’t manage to give further information.]
Teacher/examiner: 再多说一点儿。
[The teacher/examiner uses the extension question again, but this does not help the candidate.]
Candidate: [No response]
Teacher/examiner: 你们是怎样认识的？
[The teacher/examiner moves on to the second question.]
Candidate: [No response to the question.]
Teacher/examiner: 你们是怎么认识的？
[The teacher/examiner repeats the second question as exactly printed in the card.]
Candidate: 我们。。。um
[No creditable response.]
Teacher/examiner: 说说你最近跟朋友过的一天。
[The teacher/examiner moves on to the first part of the third question.]
Candidate: [No response to the question.]
Teacher/examiner: 说说你最近跟朋友过的一天。
[The teacher/examiner repeats the first part of the third question.]
Candidate: [no response to the question.]
Teacher/examiner: 你昨天跟朋友一起做了什么？
[The teacher/examiner asks the first part of the alternative question.]
Candidate: 昨天我和朋友去韩国饭馆。我们吃面条和…比萨饼。
[ The candidate responds well.]
Teacher/examiner: 你觉得怎么样？
[The teacher/examiner asks the second part of the alternative question.]
Candidate: 我觉得um…饭馆很好因为面条好吃。
[The candidate responds well. ]
Teacher/examiner: 你觉得家人比朋友更重要吗？
[The teacher/examiner asks the first part of the fourth question.]
Candidate: 我的朋友重要因为他们让我开心。
[The candidate responds well.]
Teacher/examiner: 再多说一点儿。
[The teacher/examiner uses an extension question.]
Candidate: [No further response.]
Teacher/examiner: 如果有机会，你想跟朋友一起住吗？
[The teacher/examiner moves on to the fifth question.]
Candidate: [No response to the question.]
Teacher/examiner: 如果有机会，…上大学的时候你想跟朋友一起住吗？
[The teacher/examiner asks the alternative question instead of repeating the original question.]
Candidate: [No response to the question.]
Teacher/examiner: 好，那老师现在再问你第二个话题，我们来说一说教育和工作。
[The timing for Topic conversation 1 is more than 4 minutes so no need to ask any further questions. The teacher/examiner clearly indicates that she is moving on to Topic conversation 2 and introduces the topic on education and work.]
Topic conversation 2 (Topic 6)
Teacher/examiner: 你的学校有多少学生 ?
[The teacher/examiner asks the first question.]
Candidate: 我的学校有。。五百学生。
[The candidate is hesitant but responds fairly well.]
Teacher/examiner: 再多说一点儿。请再多说一点儿。
[The teacher/examiner uses an extension question to try and elicit more information, but this is not necessary here.]
Candidate: [No further response.]
Teacher/examiner: 学校有哪些设施？
[The teacher/examiner moves on to the second question.]
Candidate: [No response to the question.]
Teacher/examiner: 学校有哪些设施？
[The teacher/examiner repeats the second question.]
Candidate: 学校在。。。um
[No creditable response.]
Teacher/examiner: 说说你昨天在学校是怎么过的。
[The teacher/examiner moves on to the third question.]
Teacher/examiner: 说说你昨天在学校是怎么过的.
[The teacher/examiner repeats the third question very quickly after the first asking.)
Candidate: 昨天…我骑车(or 汽车？)…
[The candidate starts to respond but gives a limited ambiguous response.]
Teacher/examiner: 你昨天在学校上了什么课？
[The teacher/examiner asks the first part of the alternative question.]
Candidate: [No response to the question.]
Teacher/examiner: 昨天你在学校上了什么课？
[The teacher/examiner asks the first part of the alternative question again.]
Candidate: 昨天。。
[The candidate starts to reply but no creditable response.]
Teacher/examiner: 做了什么活动？
[The teacher/examiner asks the second part of the alternative question.]
Candidate: [No response to the question.]
Teacher/examiner: 你觉得中学生在假期打工有什么好处？有什么坏处？
[The teacher/examiner moves on to the fourth question.]
Candidate: 我觉得中国学校好处因为。。
[The candidate starts to respond but has misunderstood the question and gives irrelevant information.]
Teacher/examiner: 你将来打算做什么样的工作？
[The teacher/examiner moves on to the fifth question without repeating the fourth question or asking the alternative version. This would have given the candidate another chance to answer.]
Teacher/examiner: 你将来打算做什么样的工作？
[The teacher/examiner repeats the fifth question without giving the candidate time to answer the first asking.]
Candidate: 将来我打算。。
[The candidate starts to respond but there is no creditable response as she just repeats back the first half of the question.]
Teacher/examiner: 你以后想做什么工作？
[The teacher/examiner asks the alternative question.]
Candidate: 我以。。。画。画。Um。。
[No creditable response ]
Teacher/examiner: 好的，谢谢你。考试结束。
[The teacher/examiner signals the examination has finished.]
- Whole test - click to listen
-
Moderator comments - Role play
Role play card 6
Conduct of the testThe role play was conducted well by the teacher/examiner. She had clearly carefully read the Paper 3 (Speaking) Instructions for Teachers/Examiners and understood the need to adhere precisely to the teacher/examiner script. The teacher/examiner read the scenario for the role play as instructed in Chinese. This is important to set the scene for candidates.
The teacher/examiner asked the first Role Play question three times but understood the requirement to repeat the role play question only once for the remaining four questions. The teacher/examiner gave the candidate sufficient time to respond.
Candidate response
The candidate found it challenging to answer the role play tasks - she needed all the tasks repeated. She was able to answer partly for tasks 1 and 2 and so was able to gain some marks. However, she was not able to answer tasks 3, 4, and 5.
Mark awarded for task 1 = 2 out of 2
Mark awarded for task 2 = 1 out of 2
Mark awarded for task 3 = 0 out of 2
Mark awarded for task 4 = 0 out of 2
Mark awarded for task 5 = 0 out of 2
Total mark awarded = 3 out of 10
Moderator comments - Topic conversationsTopic 3:
Topic 6:
Conduct of the testThe teacher/examiner prepared reasonably well for the test, and this was further evidenced in the topic conversations. She clearly indicated the transition from the role play to the topic conversations and indicated the name of the topic conversation at the start to give the candidate some context. The teacher/examiner asked each question exactly as it was printed, repeating questions where necessary or using the alternative questions. In Topic conversation 2, Questions 3 and 5, the teacher/examiner could have given the candidate more time to respond before repeating the question.
Candidate response
In Topic conversation 1, the candidate occasionally responded well with basic information and an opinion after questions were repeated or the alternative question was asked e.g. in Questions 1, 3, 4.
In Topic conversation 2, the candidate had difficulty understanding many questions (Questions 2,3,4 and 5) and had difficulty replying. Occasionally she tried to answer by repeating back the first few words of the question, but she did not give a creditable response. As a result, her overall performance was placed in the middle of the Weak band for Communication.
For Quality of Language mark, the candidate showed a limited use of structures and vocabulary in the questions, many were not completed. Her fluency was affected by long pauses, and noticeable hesitations although when she did speak her pronunciation was clear. A mark of 6 at the top of the Weak band is best fit for her performance.
Mark awarded for Communication = 5 out of 15
Mark awarded for Quality of Language = 6 out of 15
Total mark awarded = 14 out of 40
Moderator comments (Whole test)How the teacher/examiner performance could improve
The teacher/examiner conducted the test reasonably well. It can be challenging when faced with a weaker candidate who finds it difficult to understand and answer questions. The teacher/examiner tried her best to elicit as much response as she could.
It is recommended that the teacher/examiner makes sure in all questions, that the candidate has a chance to answer before repeating the question or asking the alternative question.
With a weaker candidate, it may not be useful to use the extension question ‘Please say some more’ especially in the Topic conversations, Questions 1 and 2. The first two questions on each topic conversation are closed and straightforward in nature and are set at an easier level to start off the conversation. They are designed to be answered briefly and with factual language so if a weaker candidate has already answered to the best of their ability, an extension question may cause confusion.
How the candidate performance could improve
This candidate would have benefited from being more familiar and secure with much of the vocabulary in the syllabus. She would also have benefited from more conversation practice to understand key question words and to help with fluency.
-