Teaching students at KET for Schools and PET for Schools levelAnnie Broadhead November 2009

Content of the Tests

which skills are tested? all four skills how long is each test? KET for Schools = 1 hour 40 mins + Speaking

(8–10 mins) PET for Schools = 2 hours + Speaking (10–12

mins)

KET for Schools Reading and Writing

Reading and Writing are combined 1 hr 10 mins, 50% of total Reading:

based on signs, short messages, brochures, newspapers and magazines

understand the main message choose the best word to fill a gap match functional statements or questions with a response

Writing: write a short message or note based on 3 required pieces

of information

PET for Schools Reading and Writing

Reading and Writing are combined 1 hr 30 mins, 50% of total Reading:

based on signs, labels, journals, newspaper and magazine articles

understand the main points, attitude and intended effect fill in gaps in a text through understanding of lexico-

structural patterns manipulate sentence structure using given lexical and

grammatical patterns Writing

write a short message write a story or letter of 100 words on a familiar subject

ListeningKET for Schools

25–30 mins 25% of total mark understand

announcements and other everyday spoken material

PET for Schools 30–35 mins 25% of total mark understand a range of

recordings including announcements and texts from everyday life

understand attitude and intention

take notes

Speaking

KET for Schools basic level (A2) 2 tasks 8–10 mins 25% of total mark familiar situations –

meeting people, giving factual, personal and non-personal information

PET for Schools intermediate level (B1) 4 tasks 10–12 mins 25% of total mark everyday events in an

English-speaking country

discussion and description

KET for Schools and PET for Schools Reading

Aims of the Reading section

to establish the real-life relevance of KET for Schools and PET for Schools reading tasks

to look at classroom activities to develop appropriate skills

to provide the opportunity for sharing ideas and experiences

Key

novel B1 labels on food and clothes A2 teenage magazine article A2 signs A2 information in a junior encyclopaedia A2 some information in a tourist office A2 note A2 personal letter B1

True or false? Key We need to use familiar texts that our students

recognise and read in L1. True

We need to help students understand every word in a text. False

Students should read a text slowly, word by word.False

Teaching ideas

KET for Schools and PET for Schools Writing

Aims of the Writing section

to establish the real-life relevance of KET for Schools and PET for Schools writing tasks

to look at assessment criteria to look at classroom activities to develop

appropriate skills to provide the opportunity for sharing ideas and

experiences

True or false?

1. Writing tasks need to encourage students to write extended pieces of text.

2. Students’ writing needs to be accurate and error-free.

3. It’s best if they play safe and don’t try and be ambitious with language.

4. ‘What I did last weekend’ (120 words) – this is a good writing task.

Key

1. Writing tasks need to encourage students to write extended pieces of text. False

2. Students’ writing needs to be accurate and error-free. False

3. It’s best if they play safe and don’t try and be ambitious with language. False

4. ‘What I did last weekend’ (120 words) – this is a good writing task. False

Teaching ideas

KET for Schools and PET for Schools

Listening

Aims of the Listening section

to establish the real-life relevance of KET for Schools and PET for Schools listening tasks

to look at classroom activities to develop appropriate skills

to provide the opportunity for sharing ideas and experiences

Listening Task Types

multiple choice gap-fill matching (KET for Schools only) true/false (PET for Schools only)

1

PET for Schools Listening Part 1

Where is the girl’s hat?

2

Teaching ideas

KET for Schools and PET for Schools

Speaking

Aims of the Speaking section

to establish the real-life relevance of KET for Schools and PET for Schools speaking tasks

to look at classroom activities to develop appropriate skills

to provide the opportunity for sharing ideas and experiences

Which level?

What level are these candidates?

Listen and note what these speakers can do.

3

4

5

Teaching ideas

Support websites

www.CambridgeESOL.org/ www.CambridgeESOL.org/teach

teachers’ seminars

handbooks

sample/past papers

exam reports

sample Speaking test video

Further informationUniversity of Cambridge

ESOL Examinations1 Hills Road, Cambridge, CB1 2EU, UK

Tel: +44 (0)1223 553355Fax: +44 (0)1223 460278

Email: esolhelpdesk@cambridgeesol.org

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