Integrated Skills in English (ISE) Guide for Teachers ISE II (B2) Reading & Writing Speaking & Listening

Transcription

1 Integrated Skills in English (ISE) Guide for Teachers ISE II (B2) Reading & Writing Speaking & Listening Trinity College London Charity number Patron HRH The Duke of Kent KG Copyright 2015 Trinity College London Published by Trinity College London Third impression, April 2016

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3 Contents Contents ISE II Reading & Writing exam Overview of the ISE Reading & Writing exam 6 Who is ISE Reading & Writing for? 6 Introduction to ISE Reading & Writing tasks at ISE II 7 Glossary of reading skills for ISE II 8 Glossary of writing aims for ISE II 9 Candidate profile 10 Task specifications for ISE II Reading & Writing 11 Task 1 Long reading 11 Task 2 Multi-text reading 12 Task 3 Reading into writing 13 Task 4 Extended writing 13 Preparation activities for ISE II Reading & Writing 14 Task 1 Long reading: Reduce, reuse, recycle 14 Task 3 Reading into writing: Happiness report 18 Task 4 Extended writing: The advantages and disadvantages of using mobile phones 25 ISE II Speaking & Listening exam Overview of the ISE Speaking & Listening exam 34 Who is ISE Speaking & Listening for? 34 Introduction to ISE Speaking & Listening tasks 35 Glossary of speaking aims for ISE II 37 Glossary of listening skills for ISE II 37 Candidate profile 38 Task specifications for ISE II Speaking & Listening 39 Topic task 39 Collaborative task 40 Conversation task 41 Independent listening task 41 Preparation activities for ISE II Speaking & Listening 42 Topic task: Talking about various topics from healthy eating to extreme sports 42 Conversation task: A conversation about living in society today 46 Independent listening task: Working from home 49 Appendices Appendix 1 Sample Reading & Writing exam paper 54 Appendix 2 Information on the Speaking & Listening exam 66 Appendix 3 Language functions and suggested grammar for ISE II 69 Appendix 4 ISE II Task 3 Reading into writing rating scale 70 Appendix 5 ISE II Task 4 Extended writing rating scale 72 Appendix 6 ISE II Speaking and listening rating scale 73 Appendix 7 ISE II Independent listening rating scale 74 3

4 Foreword Trinity s Integrated Skills in English (ISE) exam assesses all four language skills reading, writing, speaking and listening. In the ISE exam, all four skills are tested in an integrated way, reflecting how skills are used together in real-life situations. This guide: gives you a brief overview of the two modules of the ISE II exam Reading & Writing and Speaking & Listening offers some practical advice for preparing students for each task in the exam provides some example activities that you can use in the classroom and adapt for your students. For more classroom activities to help prepare your students for ISE II, as well as the exam specifications, see Please note that ISE IV has a different format see for details. Please check trinitycollege.com/ise for the latest information about Trinity s ISE exams, and to make sure you are using the latest version of the related documents. 4

5 ISE II Reading & Writing exam 5

6 Overview of the ISE Reading & Writing exam Overview of the ISE Reading & Writing exam Trinity s ISE Reading & Writing exam tests reading and writing skills through an integrated approach. The integrated skills approach mirrors how we use reading and writing skills both together and separately in our studies and work. The reading texts reflect the range of subjects a student may encounter in an educational or academic setting and the way that he or she needs to find, select and report relevant and appropriate information. The writing tasks reflect the kind of activities a student does in a school or college context, such as essay writing. The purpose of the exam is to assess a candidate s skills in reading and writing in the English language through tasks which correspond to his or her real world activity and reason for learning English. The ISE Reading & Writing exam is currently offered at four levels of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) from A2 to C1. Who is ISE Reading & Writing for? The intended candidate is a young person or adult, typically at secondary school or college, who is using English as a second or foreign language as part of their studies in order to develop their skills and improve their knowledge of a range of subject areas. The typical ISE candidate is aged between 11 and 19, but may be older. A candidate at the lower levels of the exam (ISE Foundation and ISE I), is generally a young person or adult in school or college who is taking ISE as evidence to progress to a higher level of English study within their mainstream or English language school. At the higher levels of the exam (ISE II and ISE III), a candidate is typically a young person or adult preparing for further or higher education who is required to prove their English language proficiency levels within an educational context. 6

7 Overview of the ISE Reading & Writing exam Introduction to ISE Reading & Writing tasks at ISE II The Reading & Writing exam consists of four tasks. Task 1 is the Long reading task, where the candidate reads a single text and answers 15 questions. The aims of this task are to understand: the main idea of a paragraph or text specific information at sentence, phrase and word levels. Task 2 is the Multi-text reading task, where the candidate first reads four texts and then answers 15 questions. The aims of this task are to: understand the main idea of a paragraph or text understand specific information at sentence, phrase and word levels find specific information in different texts in order to create a text summary. Task 3 is the Reading into writing task, where the candidate produces a piece of writing based on the four texts in task 2. Task 4 is the Extended writing task, where the candidate produces a piece of writing in response to a prompt. Overview of ISE Reading & Writing at all levels ISE Foundation ISE I ISE II ISE III CEFR level A2 B1 B2 C1 Time 2 hours 2 hours 2 hours 2 hours Task 1 Long reading 300 words 15 questions Long reading 400 words 15 questions Long reading 500 words 15 questions Long reading 700 words 15 questions Task 2 Multi-text reading 3 texts 300 words 15 questions Multi-text reading 4 texts 400 words 15 questions Multi-text reading 4 texts 500 words 15 questions Multi-text reading 4 texts 700 words 15 questions Task 3 Reading into writing words Reading into writing words Reading into writing words Reading into writing words Task 4 Extended writing words Extended writing words Extended writing words Extended writing words Please see pages 8 and 9 for glossaries of reading skills and writing aims for ISE II. 7

8 Overview of the ISE Reading & Writing exam Glossary of reading skills for ISE II Reading for general comprehension Skimming Reading for gist Scanning Careful reading to understand specific facts, information and significant points Deducing meaning Understand a range of texts Summarising Reading a wide range of complex texts likely to be encountered in social, professional or academic life Reading to understand the general meaning of a paragraph, text or infographic (graphic with writing) Reading to understand the main idea of a paragraph, text or infographic Quickly identifying the content and relevance of news items, articles and reports on a wide range of topics Deciding if closer study is worthwhile Reading longer and more complex texts or infographics to find relevant details Finding information, ideas and opinions from specialised sources on a familiar topic or within his or her field of interest Reading to understand specific, factual information at the word, phrase or sentence level Reading to understand important points in a text Looking for main points and clues from context Identifying which information is factual, which is opinion Identifying which information is the main point and which information is an example or details Comparing and evaluating information at sentence, phrase and word level Adapting style and speed of reading to different texts and purposes Inferring meaning, eg the writer s attitude, line of argument and intentions Anticipate what will come next Guessing the meaning of sentences, phrases and words from their context Reading specialised articles outside his or her field, with occasional use of a dictionary as appropriate Reading articles and reports concerned with contemporary issues in which the writers adopt particular positions or points of view Reading to identify the main conclusions in clearly structured and signposted argumentative texts Synthesising and evaluating information and arguments from a number of different types of texts Commenting on and discussing contrasting points of view and the main themes 8

9 Overview of the ISE Reading & Writing exam Glossary of writing aims for ISE II Reading for writing Task fulfilment Organisation and structure Language control Showing understanding of reading texts Identifying common themes in reading texts Summarising or paraphrasing ideas from reading texts Responding to the prompt fully Using the correct number of words to respond to the prompt Showing awareness of the reader and the purpose for writing Presenting ideas and arguments clearly Using the best text type to fulfil the task Structuring the writing appropriately, eg using beginnings, endings and paragraphs Using a range of language functions, grammar and vocabulary Using language functions, grammar and vocabulary accurately Using spelling and punctuation accurately 9

10 Overview of the ISE Reading & Writing exam Candidate profile Reading (tasks 1 and 2) A candidate who passes ISE II Reading can: read with a large degree of independence, adapting style and speed of reading to different texts and purposes, using appropriate reference sources selectively scan quickly through long and complex texts, locating relevant details quickly identify the content and relevance of news items, articles and reports on a wide range of topics, deciding whether closer study is worthwhile obtain information, ideas and opinions from specialised sources within his or her field use a variety of strategies to achieve comprehension, including reading for main points and checking comprehension by using contextual clues summarise a range of factual and imaginative texts, commenting on and discussing contrasting points of view and the main themes use a broad active reading vocabulary, but may experience some difficulty with unusual expressions understand articles and reports concerned with contemporary problems in which the writers adopt particular stances or viewpoints paraphrase and summarise ideas, opinions, arguments and discussion In tasks 1 and 2, the candidate is assessed on his or her ability to read across several texts and demonstrate a range of reading skills including skimming, scanning, reading for gist and detail, and inferring and summarising. Reading into writing (task 3) A candidate who passes ISE II Task 3 Reading into writing can: identify connections and themes between four texts in task 2 identify content from the text in task 2 that is relevant to task 3 synthesise information in task 2 to produce coherent responses to suit the purpose for writing in task 3 Writing (tasks 3 and 4) A candidate who passes ISE II Writing can: synthesise and evaluate information and arguments from a number of sources express news and views effectively in writing and relate to the views of others write clear, detailed texts on a variety of subjects related to his or her interests, following established conventions of the text type concerned write clear, detailed descriptions of real or imaginary events and experiences, marking the relationship between ideas in clear, connected text write an essay or report that develops an argument systematically, gives reasons and relevant details, and highlights key points explain the advantages and disadvantages of various options evaluate different ideas or solutions to a problem summarise a range of factual and imaginative texts, eg news items, interviews or documentaries discuss and contrast points of view, arguments and the main themes summarise the plot and sequence of events in a film or play. This profile is based on the level B2, Independent User, of the Council of Europe s Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR). 10

11 Task specifications for ISE II Reading & Writing Task specifications for ISE II Reading & Writing Task 1 Long reading Task Text One reading text followed by 15 questions The text is complex with factual ideas, opinions, argument and/or discussion. It is the type of text that a candidate is familiar with from his or her own educational setting (eg textbook, article, review, magazine, website). Subject areas for ISE II: Society and living standards Personal values and ideals The world of work Natural environmental concerns Public figures past and present Education National customs Village and city life National and local produce and products Early memories Pollution and recycling Text length Number of questions 500 words (approximately) 15 questions Question types Title matching (Questions 1 5) These require the candidate to choose the most appropriate title for each paragraph of the text. The text has five paragraphs and there are six titles to choose from. Some useful reading subskills to practise for this section are: skimming scanning reading for gist understanding the main ideas of each paragraph. Selecting the true statements (Questions 6 10) These require the candidate to select five true statements from a list of eight statements. Five statements are true according to the text. Three are false or are not stated in the text. Some useful reading subskills to practise for this section are: careful reading for specific information understanding specific, factual information at the sentence level comparing, evaluating and inferring distinguishing principal statement from supporting examples or details distinguishing fact from opinion. Completing sentences (Questions 11 15) In this section, the candidate completes sentences with a word or phrase taken from the text (up to three words). Some useful reading subskills to practise for this section are: careful reading for comprehension understanding cohesion patterns, lexis, grammar and collocation understanding specific, factual information at the word and/or phrase level OR inferring and understanding across paragraphs (eg writer s attitude, line of argument etc). Timing Assessment The candidate is advised to spend 20 minutes on this part of the exam The task is scored against an answer key 11

12 Task specifications for ISE II Reading & Writing Task 2 Multi-text reading Task Text Four reading texts read as a group followed by 15 questions The four texts are complex with factual ideas, opinions, argument and/or discussion of the kind that is familiar to the candidate from his or her own educational setting. One text is an infographic (eg a diagram, drawing, map or table). Subject areas for ISE II: Society and living standards National customs Personal values and ideals Village and city life The world of work National and local produce and products Natural environmental concerns Early memories Public figures past and present Pollution and recycling Education All four texts are on the same topic and should be thematically linked. Text length Number of questions Question types 500 words (approximately) across the four texts One text is an infographic 15 questions Multiple matching (Questions 16 20) In this section, the candidate chooses the most appropriate sentence to describe each text. Some useful reading subskills to practise for this section are: skimming scanning reading for gist reading for purpose or main ideas. Selecting the true statements (Questions 21 25) In this section, the candidate selects five true statements from a list of eight statements. Five statements are true according to the texts. Three are false or are not stated in the texts. Some useful reading subskills to practise for this section are: careful reading for specific information understanding specific, factual information at the sentence level inferring scanning. Completing summary notes (Questions 26 30) In this section, the candidate completes sentences with a word or phrase taken from the four texts (up to three words). Some useful reading subskills to practise for this section are: careful reading for comprehension at the word and/or phrase level across texts inferring summarising. Timing Assessment The candidate is advised to spend 20 minutes on this part of the exam The task is scored against an answer key 12

13 Task specifications for ISE II Reading & Writing Task 3 Reading into writing Task A writing task in which the four texts from task 2 are used to respond to a prompt. The response should only take information from the texts in task 2. There is space for planning. The candidate should check his or her response when he or she has finished. Task focus Output length Output genre Timing This section assesses the ability to: identify information that is relevant to the writing task and common themes and links across multiple texts paraphrase and summarise factual ideas, opinions, arguments and/or discussion synthesise such information to produce coherent responses to suit the purpose for writing (eg to offer solutions to a problem and/or evaluation of the ideas) words Descriptive essay Discursive essay Argument essay Report Article (magazine or online) The candidate is advised to spend 40 minutes on this part of the exam Assessment This task is assessed using the Reading into writing rating scale on pages Task 4 Extended writing Task Task focus Output length A writing task in which the candidate responds to a prompt. There is space for planning. The candidate should check his or her response when he or she has finished. This section assesses the ability to produce a clear and detailed response to a prompt. For the target ISE II language functions see page words Output genre Descriptive essay Discursive essay Argument essay Article (magazine or online) Informal or letter Formal or letter Review Report Subject area Timing The writing prompt relates to one of the subject areas for ISE II: Society and living standards Personal values and ideals The world of work Natural environmental concerns Public figures past and present Education National customs Village and city life National and local produce and products Early memories Pollution and recycling The candidate is advised to spend 40 minutes on this part of the exam Assessment This task is assessed using the Extended writing rating scale on page 72 For a sample ISE Reading & Writing exam, please see appendix 1. 13

14 Preparation activities for ISE II Reading & Writing Preparation activities for ISE II Reading & Writing Task 1 Long reading: Reduce, reuse, recycle Level: ISE II Focus: Task 1 Long reading Aims: To develop reading strategies by reading a short article about the three Rs (reduce, reuse and recycle) and answer three sets of questions Objectives: To scan an article for gist, to skim an article and answer true/false/not given questions and to skim an article to complete sentences with information from the text Skill: Skimming and scanning Subject area: Natural environmental concerns Recycling Language functions: Giving advice, and giving opinions, preferences and reasons Lexis: Environmental concerns Materials needed: One student worksheet per student, dictionaries, and slips of paper prepared as below Timing: 60 minutes 14 Preparation 1. Print or copy one worksheet per student. 2. Prepare slips of paper and write one of the following categories on each slip of paper: a group of teenagers, a group of elderly people, a group of very young children, a group of students, a group of soldiers, a group of wives/husbands. There needs to be one slip of paper per two students. You can repeat the categories if necessary. In class 1. Explain to the class that today in class they will be doing a reading activity that will help them to prepare for the Long reading task of ISE II. 2. Tell the class they are going to learn about what we should do with the waste and rubbish we produce. Write waste and rubbish on the board and ask what they mean (elicit). Ask students to work in pairs and discuss what they do in their daily life to reduce waste. Carry out feedback as a group. Write suggestions on the board. 3. Put the following words on the board: deal with, packaging, refuse, borrow, durable, collection points, create, fibre. These words are in a text about the environment they are going to read later. Tell the students to discuss the meaning of each word in pairs. Let them look up any unknown words in a dictionary if possible. 4. Go over the answers in open-class. Ask concept-check questions for one or two more challenging words. (Examples of concept-check questions: Do you say yes or no when you refuse to do something?, What is another word for create? ) 5. Tell the students they are going to read about the three Rs of the environment. Write The three Rs on the board. Give each student one worksheet and tell them they have two minutes to read the article. Tell the students they need to answer A. What are the three Rs of the environment? Stop the students after two minutes and let them write down the answers. Then ask the students to compare their answers in pairs. 6. Go over the answer together as a class. (Answer: Reduce, reuse, recycle) 7. Tell the students they are going to read the article again but now they have more time. Ask the students to do task B. Tell the students that there are five statements and that they need to say whether each statement is true, false or not given. Check the students understanding of true, false and not given. 8. After four to five minutes, ask the students to compare their answers with their partner. Ask five students to come to the board and tell them to each write down one answer.

15 Preparation activities for ISE II Reading & Writing 9. Go over the answers together as a class. 10. Tell the class they now need to complete task C which involves them completing the sentences by looking for the information in the text. Do one example together as a class. Ask the students to compare answers once they have finished. 11. Write the following words on the board as headings: teenagers, the elderly, very young children, students, soldiers, wives/husbands. Elicit for each group of people one example of items they use or buy on a regular basis and write it under the corresponding heading. (Examples: teenagers fashionable clothes, the elderly newspapers, very young children toys, wives/husbands a mop.) 12. Now ask the students to work in pairs. Give each pair one of the slips of paper that you prepared before the class. Tell them they cannot show their slip of paper to the other students. Ask each pair to think of a lot of ideas (brainstorm) on what this particular group uses on a daily basis. Then ask the students to brainstorm ideas on how this particular group can reduce, reuse and recycle. 13. After 5 to 10 minutes ask the students to present their ideas for the class. The other students guess which group the presentation is for. Extension activity For students who finish the task early, tell them to write one or two true/false questions for the text. They can then ask their partner the questions and give feedback on their answers to their partner. Further support activity 1. Ask students to check the answers of students who are finding the task difficult. 2. Number the lines in the text and ask the students finding the task difficult to locate the answers in the text. Alternatively ask them to underline the answers in the text. 3. Tell the students finding the task difficult that the answer for the gist task can be found in the first paragraph. 4. Give students finding the task difficult more time to complete the true/false/not given questions. Homework 1. Ask the students to look online or in a book for more ideas on how to reduce, reuse and recycle. Ask the students to report back in the next class. 2. Ask students to find the video of the song Reduce, Reuse, Recycle by Jack Johnson and the lyrics on the internet. Tell the students to listen to the song while following the lyrics. Ask the students in the next class if they liked the song. 15

16 Preparation activities for ISE II Reading & Writing Student worksheet: The three Rs The three Rs of the environment People everywhere in the world produce a lot of rubbish but there is not enough space, and landfills are filling up quickly. If we want to save our planet, then the so-called three Rs are essential for learning how to deal with the waste we produce. The three Rs are reduce, reuse, and recycle. Here are a number of tips on what you can do to save the environment. Reduce A good place to start is by buying things that don t have a lot of packaging. Then there are items you may not use very often, so you might as well borrow them from someone instead of buying them. Nowadays, newspapers can be read online so buying the paper edition is not necessary. The same goes for s and hence it is usually not necessary to print them out. Generally, the use of electricity can be greatly reduced by, for example, turning off lights that are not used. Reuse When you go shopping, refuse plastic bags and bring a bag with you instead. If you re not buying a lot, a bag is not necessary to begin with. Reusable bags should be heavier and more durable. If you prepare your lunch at home, put it in a plastic lunch box. I always keep shoe boxes as they are great to store stuff. Many cities have collection points for used clothes. If you have clothes that are still in good shape, you can bring them to the collection points rather than throwing them away. Recycle Recycling is a process that makes it possible to create new products out of old ones. Paper, aluminium, glass and plastic can often be recycled. Glass has been used for thousands of years and is relatively easy to recycle. Aluminium can be repeatedly recycled quickly and easily. Paper is recyclable but it cannot be recycled forever. The small fibres in paper eventually become very weak so that they can t be recycled into good paper anymore. Also, not every type of paper is recyclable as some high-quality paper is too expensive to recycle. A. Read the text quickly. What are the three Rs of the environment? B. Read the text again. Are the statements True, False or Not Given? Statements True, False or Not Given? 1. The author suggests borrowing certain items rather than buying them. 2. According to the author, shoe boxes can be very useful to store things. 3. Used clothes can be donated. 4. It s not possible to recycle aluminum over and over again. 5. Empty plastic bottles are relatively easy to recycle. C. Complete the sentences with information from the text. 1. are almost to full capacity. 2. If possible, try to buy items with little or no. 3. Bring your own bag but make sure it is and. 4. It s a waste of paper if you print your. 5. Many cities have where people can take used garments that are then redistributed to people in need. 6. There is a limit to how many times paper can be recycled because it is made of. 16

17 Preparation activities for ISE II Reading & Writing Answers: The three Rs A. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle B. 1. True 2. True 3. True 4. False 5. Not Given C. 1. Landfills 2. Packaging 3. Heavy, durable 4. s 5. Collection points 6. Small fibres 17

18 Preparation activities for ISE II Reading & Writing Task 3 Reading into writing: Happiness report Level: ISE II Focus: Task 3 Reading into writing Aims: Students practise writing a report based on four input texts Objectives: Students can demonstrate their understanding of the input texts in a short written text, write a coherent text in the required format, and can locate and summarise/paraphrase ideas and attitudes provided in the texts Skill: Incorporate information from input texts into a written report Subject area: Personal values and ideals Language functions: Expressing and expanding ideas and opinions, speculating, expressing agreement and disagreement, and eliciting further information Lexis: Vocabulary related to feelings and emotions and vocabulary related to research projects Materials needed: One worksheet per student Timing: 80 minutes Preparation 1. Print or copy one worksheet per student. 2. Think about how to explain the vocabulary in step 3 below. In class 1. Tell students they are going to perform a writing task similar to task 3 of the ISE II Reading & Writing exam. Tell them that the subject of their writing task will be happiness. 2. Write happiness on the board. Ask students individually to list five things that make them happy. Ask the students to compare what they have written with a partner. Elicit some answers from the class, and write on the board. 3. Tell students they are going to take a happiness survey. Give each student a worksheet. Before they read text A, check the students understand the following words: rewarding, optimistic, sense of purpose, satisfied, committed, involved, in control. Now ask the students to complete the survey individually and read what their score means. Tell students they will not be asked to share their answers, as they may find the topic sensitive. 4. Write on the board Are men or women happier? Divide the class into groups of three or four students. If possible, group students with members of the same gender. Ask them to discuss the question and try to come to an agreement. After five minutes, stop the discussion and ask each group to briefly give feedback to the class. 5. Tell students they are going to read three more texts about happiness. Put students in pairs. Give each pair one text to read, either B, C or D. Ask them to discuss what kind of text they think it is and where they would expect to find it. After two minutes, discuss as a class. Example answers: Text B Part of a research report comparing men and women s happiness. It could be found as an appendix to an undergraduate essay. Text C An online forum on men and women s happiness. It could be found following an online article about the same topic. Text D An article about men and women s happiness. It could be found in a magazine or newspaper. 6. Put students back in the same groups as in step 4. Ask them to discuss the evidence they can find in the three texts to support the argument that men are happier than women, and the opposing argument that women are happier than men. After 10 minutes, stop them and ask if anyone has changed their opinion. 18

19 Preparation activities for ISE II Reading & Writing 7. Ask the students to read the Writing task instructions on the worksheet. Ensure the students are aware of what they have to do. Before they start writing, ask the students some questions to check their knowledge of reports, for example: How is a report typically structured? How is it different from an essay? What kind of language is used? 8. Tell the students they have 10 minutes to plan the task. Monitor and make sure they plan in note form, not full sentences. 9. Tell students they have 30 minutes to write the task. After 25 minutes, ask students to stop writing and to check their work for errors. 10. Collect in their writing and mark for the next lesson. Extension activity Students who finish more quickly can be asked to invent and write more entries for the forum in text C. Further support activity For students finding the tasks difficult, the writing task can be broken down into stages. Firstly, ask them to write two or three sentences summarising the information for each of the texts B, C and D. Secondly, ask them to link these sentences together to form a paragraph. Finally, ask them to write an introductory and a concluding sentence. Homework Students write a questionnaire similar to that in text A about values and ideals in general. You can elicit some example questions at the end of the lesson to help them. In the following lesson, they can carry out the questionnaire and write a report on their findings. 19

20 Preparation activities for ISE II Reading & Writing Student worksheet: Happiness report Aim: To practise task 3 of the ISE II Reading & Writing exam. Reading texts Read the following texts about happiness and then perform the writing task below. Text A How Happy Are You? Take this Happiness Survey to discover how happy you are. Instructions: Read the sentences about happiness then rate how much you agree or disagree with each one by ticking the appropriate box. When you have finished, add up your total points and read what your score means. Strongly disagree (1 point) Slightly disagree (2 points) Neither agree nor disagree (3 points) Slightly agree (4 points) Strongly agree (5 points) I think that the world is a good place I feel that life is very rewarding I am very optimistic about the future I have warm feelings towards almost everyone I have a sense of purpose in my life I am satisfied about everything in my life I have happy memories of the past I feel pleased with the way I am I am always committed and involved I feel that I am in control of my life What your score means: Your happiness levels are above average. You are satisfied with most aspects of your life Your happiness levels are average. There are some aspects of your life that could be improved, but generally you are happy Your happiness levels are below average. This does not necessarily mean you are unhappy, but there could be an imbalance in your life, and particular areas may need attention. 20

21 Preparation activities for ISE II Reading & Writing Text B Results of the happiness survey at Burlesbrook University Participants = 15 male and 15 female third year Sociology undergraduate students 12 Number of responses Score Male Female Text C Are men or women happier? Rachel (female) Amy (female) Carlo (male) Kaya (female) Jon (male) Divia (male) Definitely men. Women worry too much about the way they look, what other people think of them, getting old. Men don t bother about stuff like I agree. I often think I d be happier if I was a man! I think men are happier. My girlfriend is always upset about something, and my mum and my sister aren t much better. I think women are happier. We are more focused and ambitious. We also make better use of our I d have to disagree with you. I think women are less happy precisely because they take on too much and they don t know how to relax! I m not sure that s something men normally think about 21

22 Preparation activities for ISE II Reading & Writing Text D Are men or women happier? According to a recent study, men are happier than women. The study compared the amount of time each gender spent relaxing with the amount of time they spent worrying. The results showed that women spend two hours per week more than men worrying, and men spend more hours per week relaxing. However, a similar study carried out in the same month revealed that women are happier. Women rated their happiness as an average of 7 out of 10 compared to just 6.5 out of 10 for men, and 1 in 5 said that they were a 10 out of 10 in terms of happiness, compared to 1 in 8 of men. The question that arises is whether more studies are needed, or whether it is impossible for research to prove that one gender is happier than the other. Writing task Use the information from the four texts you have read to write a report ( words) entitled: A comparison of men and women s happiness levels Plan your report before you start writing. Think about what to include and make some notes in this box: Planning notes: Now write your report of words. Try to use your own words as far as possible. 22

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24 Preparation activities for ISE II Reading & Writing 24

25 Preparation activities for ISE II Reading & Writing Task 4 Extended writing: The advantages and disadvantages of using mobile phones Level: ISE II Focus: Task 4 Extended writing Aims: To write an essay on the advantages and disadvantages of using mobile phones and also give an opinion Objectives: Planning an essay, writing an introduction, giving advantages and disadvantages, writing a conclusion and giving an opinion Skill: Writing an essay in four paragraphs Topic: Technology Language functions: Highlighting advantages and disadvantages, and giving opinions, preferences and reasons Lexis: Essay writing Materials needed: Student worksheet Timing: 1 hour Preparation Print or copy one worksheet per student. In class 1. Tell the class they are going to do an activity which will help them prepare for ISE II Task 4 Extended writing. For this part of the exam, they have to write an essay of between words in 40 minutes. 2. Write Mobile Phones on the board. Ask the class to think of one word which they think of when they see those words. Ask the students to whisper to their partner what that word is. 3. Ask 5 10 students for some words their partner thought of. Write some of the good examples on the board (eg great, convenient, essential, expensive, easy, fun, apps, friends, music ). 4. Give each student a number from 1 4 (depending on class size maximum six students per group). Now ask all number 1s to work together, all the number 2s to work together, all the number 3s and the number 4s to work together. Give them a few minutes to find their groups and ask them to sit in different parts of the room. 5. Give each student one worksheet and tell the groups of 1s and 3s they are going to work on advantages of mobile phones, and the groups of 2s and 4s that they are going to work on disadvantages of mobile phones. Ask students if they know the meaning of advantages (good or positive things), and disadvantages (bad or negative things). For 10 minutes, each group talks together and writes down their ideas under A on the worksheet. Ask them to write at least five advantages or disadvantages. 6. Now ask the groups to present their ideas to the class. Write down the ideas on the board under two columns: Advantages and Disadvantages. Advantages Disadvantages 25

26 Preparation activities for ISE II Reading & Writing Ask the class which ideas they think are the best. Choose four good ideas for advantages and four for disadvantages. Leave only the good ideas on the board. Now ask the students to look at B on the worksheet, which introduces an essay question. Tell the students that this is a typical exam question. 8. Ask the students the following questions about essays: What is an essay? What is the purpose of an essay? Who do you write an essay for? What types of language do you use in an essay? First ask the students to discuss the questions with their partner and then give feedback in open-class. 9. Explain to the class that before writing any essay, it is essential that they think carefully about the essay question for 10 minutes and write down any ideas they may have in note form. Ask them why they think this is important. (Answer: It gives them time to think about the topic and focus on the best ideas.) 10. Elicit from the students how many paragraphs they think is best for this type of essay. Explain that four paragraphs are appropriate for this type of essay and this is how it should be structured: paragraph 1 an introduction, paragraph 2 a paragraph on the advantages, paragraph 3 a paragraph on the disadvantages and paragraph 4 the conclusion. Ask the students to complete C on the worksheet and then give feedback in open-class. 11. Now ask the students to discuss with their partner what the purpose of the introduction is and what they should include. Elicit some ideas from the students. Then tell the students that in the introduction they should: introduce the topic (for example: There are a number of advantages and disadvantages to using mobile phones ) then tell the audience what the purpose of the essay is (for example: In this essay I will discuss both the advantages and disadvantages of using mobile phones and finally I will give my opinion. ). Ask the students to complete D on the worksheet. 12. Draw the students attention to some of the common expressions used to express the advantages or disadvantages of something. See E on the worksheet. Ask the students to place the expressions in the correct column. Ask students to complete the task individually and then give feedback in open-class. 13. Ask the students to discuss what they should include in paragraph 2 (the first paragraph of the main body). In paragraph 2, they should discuss the advantages (or disadvantages) of using a mobile phone. Elicit some ideas from the students. For example, One advantage of having a mobile phone is that you can contact anyone at any time. This has made life much easier because you can be more flexible and you can contact people at the last minute to change plans. Ask the students to complete the first part of F on the worksheet. 14. Ask the students to discuss what they should include in paragraph 3 (the second paragraph of the main body). In paragraph 3, they should discuss the disadvantages (or advantages) of using a mobile phone. Elicit some ideas from the students. For example, One disadvantage of having a mobile phone is that you might become addicted to using it and you use it too much, so you stop talking to people and instead play games on your phone or use social media. Ask the students to complete the second part of F on the worksheet. 15. Draw the students attention to linking expressions on the worksheet. Explain they are words or phrases used to connect or join language. For example, this is because... Ask the student to complete G on the worksheet. 16. Finally, ask the students to discuss what they should include in paragraph 4 (the conclusion). The final paragraph should be a short conclusion. Elicit from the students what they should include. (For example: It should state both the advantages and disadvantages of mobile phones and their opinion In conclusion, there are both advantages and disadvantages to using a mobile phone. In my opinion the advantages outweigh the disadvantages and mobile phones are essential for our lives today we could not live without them.) Draw the student s attention to key phrases such as in conclusion and in my opinion. The students should complete H on the worksheet. Give feedback in open-class. 17. Give students feedback on their writing and review the main focus of the lesson.

27 Preparation activities for ISE II Reading & Writing Extension activity More advanced students can write down the advantages and disadvantages of something else. Further support activity Students finding the task difficult can practise writing the notes for longer, and writing fewer words. Homework Ask the students to write an essay ( words) (four paragraphs) on the advantages and disadvantages of going to university. 27

28 Preparation activities for ISE II Reading & Writing Student worksheet: The advantages and disadvantages of using mobile phones You are going to do an activity which will help you prepare for ISE II Task 4 Extended writing. For this part of the exam you have to write an essay. The topic of the essay is mobile phones. A. Introduction to the topic What is the first word you think of when you see the words mobile phones? Tell your partner quietly what the word is. Tell your teacher what your partner s word is. Working with your group, think of some advantages (good things), or disadvantages (bad things), about mobile phones. Write down your best ideas. You should spend 10 minutes on this activity. Think of five or more ideas. Ideas B. An essay question Look at the essay question below. Write an essay ( words) for the school magazine about the advantages and disadvantages of using mobile phones. Give your opinion about whether there are more advantages than disadvantages. C. Overview of an essay (fill in the gaps) An essay this length should have paragraphs A. An i B. A paragraph about C. A paragraph about D. A c D. Writing the introduction Paragraph 1 With your partner, discuss what the purpose of an introduction is and what it should include. Write an introduction to an essay on mobile phones using the following model. There are a number of and to in this essay. I will discuss both and give my opinion. 28

29 Preparation activities for ISE II Reading & Writing E. Common expressions Here are some expressions used for expressing advantages and disadvantages: A negative effect A good point The downside A drawback An objection A positive aspect An argument in favour of A negative aspect A criticism of Decide which expressions can be used for advantages, and which ones are used for disadvantages. Write them in the box. Advantages Disadvantages F. Main body paragraphs Paragraph 2 In the next paragraph you should discuss the advantages of using mobile phones. For example, One advantage of using a mobile phone is that you can contact anyone at any time. This has made life much easier because you can be more flexible and you can contact people at the last minute to change plans. Now write a paragraph about the advantages of using mobile phones. Write three advantages. Begin like this, One advantage of using a mobile phone is that... Try to use some of the expressions you learned in section E. Paragraph 3 In the next paragraph you should discuss the disadvantages of using mobile phones. For example, One disadvantage of having a mobile phone is that you might become addicted to using it and you use it too much, so you stop talking to people and instead play games on your phone or use social media. Now you write a paragraph about the disadvantages of using mobile phones. Write three disadvantages. Begin like this One disadvantage of using a mobile phone is that... Try to use some of the expressions you learned in section E. 29

30 Preparation activities for ISE II Reading & Writing G. Linking expressions Now here are some linking expressions. What is a linking expression? What does link mean? Decide together or look it up in a dictionary. Link means Here are some common linking expressions: A common example of this is when This is because In other words However So Therefore Another objection to (this) is that Write three sentences explaining the advantages of using mobile phones with your best ideas. Use a common expression from the box on the previous page, and a linking expression from the box above. You have 10 minutes to do this. Now write three sentences explaining the disadvantages of using mobile phones with your best ideas. Use a common expression from the box on the previous page, and a linking expression from the box above. You have 10 minutes to do this. H. The conclusion Paragraph 4 The final paragraph should be a short conclusion stating both the advantages and disadvantages of mobile phones and giving your opinion. For example: In conclusion there are both advantages and disadvantages to using mobile phones. In my opinion the advantages outweigh the disadvantages and they are essential for our lives today, we could not live without them. What do you think outweigh means? Now we are going to work on a conclusion to your essay. Begin like this: In conclusion, there are both advantages and disadvantages to using mobile phones. In my opinion... 30

31 Preparation activities for ISE II Reading & Writing Answers: The advantages and disadvantages of using mobile phones C. Overview of an essay A. An introduction B. A paragraph about advantages C. A paragraph about disadvantages D. A conclusion D. Writing the introduction There are a number of advantages and disadvantages to consider in this essay. I will discuss both and give my opinion. E. Common expressions Advantages: A good point, a positive aspect, an argument in favour of Disadvantages: A negative effect, the downside, a drawback, an objection to, a negative aspect, a criticism of Model essay There are a number of advantages to using mobile phones. In this essay I will discuss both the advantages and the disadvantages and give my opinion. An argument in favour of using mobile phones is that you can contact anyone at any time. A common example of this is when you are going to be late and you can tell people about it so they are not kept waiting. Another positive aspect is that we are all better informed as we can check the internet whenever we want. On the other hand, there are various drawbacks of using mobile phones. One is that people can no longer have so much privacy, so, they may be busy with something important but their phone rings and disturbs everybody. A further objection is that people use them so much they become addicted, this is a problem. In conclusion, there are both advantages and disadvantages to using mobile phones. In my opinion the advantages outweigh the disadvantages and they are absolutely vital for our lives today, we simply could not live without them. 31

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33 ISE II Speaking & Listening exam 33

34 Overview of the ISE Speaking & Listening exam Overview of the ISE Speaking & Listening exam Trinity s ISE Speaking & Listening exam tests speaking and listening skills through an integrated approach. The integrated skills approach reflects how we use listening and speaking skills both together and separately in our studies and work, mirroring the way the two skills interact in the real world. The integrated speaking and listening tasks reflect the kind of activities a student does in a school or college setting. Additionally, the Independent listening task reflects the way that a student finds, selects and reports relevant and appropriate information in an educational or academic setting. The purpose of the exam is to assess a candidate s English language skills in speaking and listening through tasks which correspond to their real world activities and their purpose for learning English. The ISE Speaking & Listening exam is currently offered at four levels of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) from A2 to C1. Who is ISE Speaking & Listening for? The intended candidate is a young person or adult, typically at secondary school or college who is using English as a second or foreign language as part of their studies in order to develop their skills and improve their knowledge of a range of subject areas. The typical ISE candidate is aged between 11 and 19, but may be older. A candidate at the lower levels of the exam (ISE Foundation and ISE I), is generally a young person or adult in school or college who is taking ISE as evidence to progress to a higher level of English study within their mainstream or English language school. At the higher levels of the exam (ISE II and ISE III), a candidate is typically a young person or adult preparing for further or higher education who is required to prove their English language proficiency levels within an educational context. 34