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EXTENDED ASSGNMENT
JUNE 2005
Contents
2. The test…………………………………………………………….5
3.1 Areas of the test……………………………………………….5
3.2 Administration of the test……………………………………..5
3.3 Backwash effect………………………………………………6
3.4 Validity………………………………………………………..6
3.5 Reliability……………………………………………………..6
4.2 Writing……………………………………………………….11
4.2.1. Part One…………………………………………………11
4.2.2 Part Two…………………………………………………11
4.2.3 Part Three………………………………………………...12
4.2.4 Part Four………………………………………………....13
5. Listening………………………………………………………..........11
5.1.1 Part One……………………………………………………11
5.1.2 Part Two……………………………………………………12
5.1.3 Part Three…………………………………………………..12
5.1.4 Part Four…………………………………………………...12
6. Speaking……………………………………………………………..12
6.1.1 Part One……………………………………………………12
6.1.2 Part Two……………………………………………………12
6.1.3 Part Three…………………………………………………..13
6.1.4 Part Four…………………………………………………...13
H. is 16 years old and she is currently attending the first grade of Senior
High School in Paros. H.’s plan is to study Law or Political Science at the
University of Moscow in Russia, after she has completed her studies at the
Secondary School of Paros, since her country of origin is Ukraine and her
mother tongue is Russian.
She has also been studying English at the intermediate level B1+
(PET / independent user according to ALTE European Framework) at my
language centre for a couple of years now and she has just begun learning
Italian for almost a year now in order to obtain CELI 1 –relevant to the
waystage level A2 (KET), according to ALTE European Framework-
which she hopes to use at her university studies in the future.
The main reason for doing this programme is to prepare H. to sit for the
PET exam in May 2004 .I have been tutoring H. privately since September
2003, giving her three two-hour lessons three times a week.
2.2. Personality
In addition, a student with a positive attitude towards the classroom and the
teacher may seek out intake by volunteering and may be more accepting of the
teacher as a source of intake (Stevick, 1976 and Seliger, 1977). Observing the
learner during the weekly sessions, I believe that H. is an analytically
orientated learner who demonstrates a positive attitude towards the classroom
and the teacher but displays a low self-confidence in English, which allows
her to understand the input, but, not acquire it.
2.3. Motivation
3. The test
H. will need to sit for the PET exams in May 2005 in order to use it as a
basis for entering the course she is interested in at the University of
Moscow, Russia. Therefore, taking into serious consideration my student’s
personal needs, I decided to use the PET exam as a preparatory test prior
to her sitting for the exam in May 2005.
3.5. Reliability
Another essential quality is reliability. Reliability concerns the extent to
which test results are stable, consistent and accurate, and therefore the
extent to which they can be depended on for making decisions about the
candidate. In fact, H. was informed about the results of the particular exam
from the beginning of a teaching programme and throughout the academic
year she was assessed based on the Cambridge Marking criteria.
The analysis of the test will be divided into 4 sections to reflect the exam
components.
4.1. Reading
4.1.1. Part one
Part one test the candidate’s understanding of various kinds of short texts:
authentic notices and signs, packaging information and communicative
messages.
Score: 5/5
Areas of Strength
• Good understanding of the purpose of the text
• General ease in understanding the global meaning of the visual prompt
with the aid of the choices of answers (please queue here while our
staff get your train ready – wait here with your ticket , until staff have
prepared your train for boarding)
• Successful knowledge of relevant application relationships, i.e. certain
knowledge of the world ( Dakin, 1973)
4.1.2. Part 2
Part two tests the candidate’s detailed comprehension of factual material.
Candidates are presented with five short descriptions of people and have to
match this content to five of eight short texts on a particular topic.
Score: 5/5
Weak areas:
• Lack of familiarity with questions whose answers are implied or
stated ( to record a message --------------you learn how to record a
message)
• Mother tongue interference in producing the correct answer
• Some misunderstanding of specific text information.
Weak areas:
• General misunderstanding of the global meaning of the last paragraph
• Inability to think about alternative ways of saying the same thing, i.e.
paraphrasing
( even with the money I’d won, I wasn’t sure I could afford to buy the
violin, so I started to leave the shop----------- he should not spend al of his
money on it????)
• Hastiness in reaching the appropriate text answer due to pushing time
limits
Weak areas:
• Inability to select the appropriate phrasal verb (give up) within a
specific given context in the text
• Inappropriate use of the grammatical item , abstract – uncountable
noun (not a weather); uncountable, abstract nouns do not get the
indefinite article (a / an)
[Type text] Page 8
• Misunderstanding / confusion of the comparative form in the cloze
text (even harder vs. more harder) ; the –er suffix already exists in the
adjective – a complementary one is not essential
4.2. Writing
The Writing Component contains three parts and it consists of seven
questions. In this part of the exam, candidates should be able to give
information, report events, and describe people, objects and places.
Weak areas:
• Weakness to reformulate the given information above
• Inability to use the Comparative form (–er) of the adjectives in order
to reach the meaning of the Superlative form (-est) given sentence
above (was the eldest of eight children -- ------ she had seven younger
brothers and sisters)
• Unfamiliarity with the use of the indefinite article (a) with its
connection to a singular noun (she has been a successful singer for a
long time)
Weak areas:
• Some effort required by the reader to comprehend the message
• One element omitted by the writer, but all the other elements are
clearly communicated
• Inadequate use of punctuation ; commas are not used at all, therefore,
double effort is made by the reader to comprehend the message
• improper manipulation of wh-questions and verbs followed by
prepositional phrases (thinking of visiting you vs. think to visit you)
• Not complying with the formula of a postcard – opening and closing
phrases.
Strengths:
• Places no strain on the reader (target reader) despite a missing
element (why you have chosen to send Chris this postcard?)
• Content – clearly communicated message (a postcard to a friend
Chris in Australia)
• Satisfactory regarding word limit (40 words)
Weaknesses:
• Insufficient register- the rubric of a postcard is not followed (Bye /
Yours H.) at the end of it
• Inaccuracies in tense formations (Yesterday I had visited….)
• Errors are present, but, generally non-impeding (I`m thinking to visit
you vs. of visiting you…..)
• Range- lack of indefinite articles ( I visited …(an)….art gallery) as
well as no lexical variety in her postcard; this may be attributed to the
fact that she omitted a pertinent point (why you have chosen Chris to
send a postcard in Australia)
Strengths:
• Clearly communicated message- content (the incident of U.F.O.
reflecting the title: A very unusual evening)
• Appropriate register; the written style resembles the one of a true
story (a very unusual evening)
• Evidence of organization (beginning, middle and an ending) and use
of cohesive devices (suddenly, after five minutes, in the deep down of
our heart)
• Fairly ambitious use of language - range(discussing different issues of
interest with my boyfriend,)
• Proficient range of similes / collocations within the task set (it was
like a plate with a lot of lights for a moment only)- poetic use of
structures
• Target reader- Her story places no strain on the reader and there is
clarity of message in it (a U.F.O. in the evening in the country side – a
very unusual evening)
Weak areas:
• Exceeds word count (126 words)
5. Listening
The Listening paper consists of four parts and a total of listening texts. The
paper has a standard format so that the candidates will know what to expect in
each part.
Strengths:
• Visual prompts aid in listening comprehension and result in
recognition of any unknown lexical items (use of 3 alternative
pictures for each question number)
• Recognition of tune of speaker’s voice to express certainty or
uncertainty (Harmer 1991)
• Ease in comprehending clear rhythm, stress and intonation
Strengths:
• Sufficient development of processing bottom-up skills that are needed
for identifying specific information
• Ability to paraphrase the salient points of the transcript
• Ability to understand the local accent
• Ease in inference (PET Handbook March 2004)
Weakness:
• H. misunderstood the intent of a question asking for specific
information (Louise likes designing sport clothes because they are
comfortable for people to wear vs. produced ina variety of styles).
5.1.3. Part three
In this part of the test candidates listen to a longer text which takes the form of
an informational monologue.
Score: 5/6
Strengths:
Weak Areas:
• Poor spelling of key-word (enterous vs. entrance)
Strengths:
• Good understanding of the gist of the situation (talking about
television)
• Correct identification of speaker attitudes (Tony agrees with his
parents’ attitude towards homework)
• Ability to locate and understand detailed meaning in order to make the
right decision (Tony and Rachel both dislike watching cartoons)
Weaknesses:
• Listening for detailed meaning (Tony and Rachel don`t both prefer
watching television vs. they do)
• Failure to identify the attitude and opinion of the speaker`s (Rachel
thinks her mother can afford to buy her a television vs. she doesn`t)
6. Speaking
In the PET speaking test, candidates are assessed in pairs by two examiners,
one of who acts an interlocutor and the other one as an assessor. Adopting its
format, I will act in the role of the examiner and another student of the same
level will act in the role of the second candidate. The transcript of the
speaking test is found in appendix (31) form and H. will be assessed in terms
of Grammar and Vocabulary, Discourse Management, Pronunciation,
Interactive Communication and Global Achievement.
Time: 15 minutes
Weaknesses:
• Tense formation and degrees of comparison ( a family who has…….,
they seems to have a great time, you must to visit, more safer….)
• Appropriate range of structures for conducting Part One (May I sit
down, please?)
• Difficulty in recalling appropriate lexical items for conducting Parts
Two and Four ( cancel the credit card in the bank, vacanze vs.
holidays, tennis gipedo)- interference of another language
• Insufficient use of prepositional phrase (come for holidays vs. on
holidays)
• Failure to comprehend the American vs. British equivalent vocabulary
lexical item (grade vs. class,), even in context
Strengths:
• Samples of self-correction (I think he takes…………… vs. I think he’s
taking……….., recommmendate vs. recommend)
• Effective use of lexical conjunctions expressing opposition (in
summer it`s full of tourists, whereas, in winter, it`s ……)
8. Discourse Management
Reading Paper 29 %
Listening Paper 20 %
Strengths
• Reading Comprehension
• Listening Comprehension
• Effective use of formulating arguments and supporting them
• Effective turn-taking
• Successful interaction in speaking parts
• Inference in meaning and writer`s /speaker`s attitude
• Reading between the lines
• Messages clearly communicated in the TL
• Successful Discourse Management
Weaknesses
• Relatively poor writing skills
• Inadequate transformation at sentence level
• Insufficient use of tense system
• Inappropriate use of prepositional phrases
• Spelling mistakes
• Ineffective use of lexical items
• Inappropriate use of indefinite articles, pronouns, tense formation,
modal verbs, connectives and prepositions.
The learner is already well within the pass range of this exam and any remedial
work will aim to improve her scores in the individual sections where problems
were noted.
12.Causes of errors
.
Despite her strong performance in both her receptive skills, her performance
in writing seems to be disappointing in terms of manipulating the scripted
form of the language. More specifically, her weakness to deal with lexis
ineffectively in written genres may well account for her inability to use them
inappropriately and to misspell them, since she seemed to have had no
previous contact with intermediate vocabulary due to poor living standards
and culture back in Ukraine (the reason for her asking for continuous
explanation).
13.2 Listening
13.3. Speaking
14. Conclusion
This essay presents the case study of an adult learner of English. The purpose
of the essay was to analyse her learning needs based on a diagnostic and exam
preparatory test and make decisions about her strengths and weaknesses for
the exams and assign remedial work in the future.
Online articles
http://www.metemath.com/multiple/multiple_choice_questions.html (A
Learning Style Survey for College) 3/2/2005
Examination Handbooks
First Name: H.
Last Name: Andreewa
Age: 16
Sex: Male……. Female…x……
Circle the most appropriate button after each statement. Tick the suitable
answer.
17. I would rather listen to a lecture than read the material in a book.
a. often b. sometimes c. seldom
19. As a child, I liked to listen to stories told to me, or stories on tape, record
player, or on radio.
a. often b. sometimes c. seldom
20. When learning a new skill, I would rather watch someone demonstrate the
skill than listen to someone tell me how to do it.
a. often b. sometimes c. seldom
21. When trying to remember a new phone number, I can “see” the number
sequence in my head, or I “see” the way numbers look on the phone.
a. often b. sometimes c. seldom
22. When trying to remember how to spell a word, I spell the letters with my
finger in the air or on a table top.
a. often b. sometimes c. seldom
24. When trying to remember how to spell a word, I write down the word
using alternative spellings until I see the spelling sequence I think is correct.
a. often b. sometimes c. seldom
25. When trying to remember a phone number, I “hear” the number sequence
in my head in the way someone told me the number, or in the way I previously
recited the number out loud.
a. often b. sometimes c. seldom
26. I like “hands on” learning better than learning from lecture or textbook.
28. When trying to remember how to spell a word, I say the letters or sounds
out loud until I think I’ve got the spelling right.
a. often b. sometimes c. seldom
31. When taking a test, I can “see” the answer in my head as it appeared in my
notes or textbook when I studied.
a. often b. sometimes c. seldom
Reading:
Part 1:
1. C- write your phone number here
2. A- only come if there is no red light showing
3. B- flour
4. C- as the library is closed, udders can put books through the letterbox
5. C- wait here with your ticket, until staff have prepared your train for
boarding
Part 2:
6. F
7. H
8. A
9. G
10. C
Part 4:
21. B- explain why someone spent a lot of money
22. C- how one couple support each other
23. A- she wishes he had used the money differently vs. D- she accepts the
decisions that he made
24. B- he should not spend all of his money on it vs. A- he might not have
enough money to buy it
25. D- a local musician has decided to continue his career in music in spite
of winning some money in a competition
26. B- decided
27. D- experiences
28. D- around
29. A- although
30. B- progress
31. C- weather vs. B- storm
32. B- back vs. D- up
33. C- reached
34. A- impossible
35. B- more vs. C- even
Writing
Part 1: (use no more than three words)
1. Madonna had seven …youngest …(vs. younger)……. Brothers and
sisters.
2. She moved to New York …because she…… wanted to find singing
work.
3. She …became…… famous very quickly.
4. She has been a successful …in singing (vs. singer)…… for a long
time.
5. Madonna is possibly …more famous…… than any other woman in the
world.
Spelling Punctuation
Hi Cris,
How are you? Yesterday, I visited art gallery, because I am very interested in
it and I bought a lot of postcards, so if you don’t mind, I can send you one, if
you are interested in art, too.
I am thinking to visit you in Australia; by the way, what the weather is like in
Australia?
Bye / yours,
H.
Grammar
Vocabulary
Spelling
Part 2:
8. C- secretary
9. B- studied the history of fashion
10. A- her parents saw her work
11. A- produced in a variety of styles vs. C- comfortable for people to
wear
12. C- in advertising
13. A- start a children’s clothes business
Part 1:
1: Which present will the girl take?
Woman: I really don’t know to give Mrs. Allemano when I go and stay with
her in New York. Do you think she’d like some perfume?
Man: Well, you don’t know her very well; do you, so I’d choose something
like a scarf, or just a box of chocolates.
Woman: Umm…… I like your first idea best- it’ll be much easier to carry.
Part 2:
I enjoyed the last year of the course most, because each student designs
seven sets of clothes for the final fashion show. All the students at the
school come to the final show, and you can invite other friends, as well.
But for me, the best thing was that my Mum and Dad could come and see
what I’d done. Of course, people who are really well-known in the fashion
trade often come, too.
I loved the final show. The things I designed were all sports clothes. The
shape of these clothes is really quite simple, so it’s sometimes hard to
make them look new and interesting. But I particularly like the materials
you use because they feel soft when you’ve got them on.
I was very lucky to get work as a fashion designer as soon as I‘d finished
college. A few students from my course were offered work by really
famous fashion designers, but I was offered permanent work by the store
I’d worked for as a student, and I’m now designing a special range of
clothes for the store. In fact, most of the other students on my course
I really love my work, but I intend to have my own business in the end –
I’d like to design children’s sports clothes, and sell them on the internet. I
don’t expect to be fantastically successful, but if I could earn enough to
live on, that would be great.
Part 3:
Man: Finch Brooke Country Park is open seven days a week from 8a.m. to
7p.m. The Visitor’s Centre is open Tuesday to Sunday, between 9 a.m. and
5.30 p.m. The café, which is next to the Visitor’s Centre, is open from
10a.m. to 5p.m., Wednesday to Sunday.
The park is 10 miles north of Hampton, and there’s a regular bus service to
the park from the centre of the town, number 109, leaving every 15
minutes. For visitors coming by car, parking at Finch Brooke is free.
There’s a 20 miles per hour speed limit inside the park and all drivers are
asked to keep to this.
At the Visitor’s Centre, there’s a wide selection of books and videos for
sale and for no charge, maps are available. These show all the marked
paths inside the park. There are many hard-surfaced paths which are
suitable for pushchairs, wheelchairs and for walking in all weather.
There’s a bike hire service at the park and it is also possible to go fishing
on the lake and to camp in the forest. Further information about these
activities is available from staff at the Visitor’s Centre. Visitors are
reminded that swimming and skating are not allowed on the lake.
Events can be arranged fro groups and schools and bookings should be
made with Visitor Centre staff. The educational staffs at the park are
experienced with all ages. The group will hear a talk and then they will be
taken on a guided tour.
INTERVIEW TAPESCRIPT
Key
H= H.
E= Elephtheria (participating as the second candidate of the same level in
order for the assessor to simulate exam conditions)
E= Examiner (the writer herself)
* Elephtheria speaking
Appendix five
1. Reading Paper
a) Part One: 5/5
b) Part two: 5/5
c) Part three: 8/10
d) Part four: 3/5
e) Part Five: 8/10
2. Writing Paper
a) Part One: 3/5
b) Part Two: Band 3
c) Part Three: Band 4.1
3. Listening Paper
a) Part One: 6/7
b) Part Two: 5/6
c) Part Three: 5/6
d) Part Four: 4/6
4. Speaking Paper
a) Part One: Band 5
b) Part Two: Band 3.1
c) Part Three: Band 3.5
d) Part Four: Band 3.5
4
0
2
0
Reading Listening
PET English Test March 2004
4/4.1
1, 0
3.1/5
1,0
Reading Paper 29
Listening Paper 20