From FCE to CAE: changing profilesand changing aims

Guy Brook-Hart

XIII NATIONAL FENAPIUPE CONGRESS

25th September 2009

In this talk I will look at

• how students’ profiles change as they move from B2 to

C1

• some differences in competencies and objectives

between the two levels as revealed by the Common

European Framework (CEF)

• differences between First Certificate candidates and CAE

candidates as shown by the Cambridge Learner Corpus

(CLC)

• discuss how this information can help in designing more

focused course materials and teaching approaches.

Examples will be taken from

Complete First Certificate (Cambridge University Press 2008)

Complete CAE (Cambridge University Press 2009)

Going on to CAE (source IELTS Handbook)

• C2 (7.5+)

• C1 (6.5-7)

• B2 (5-6)

How long from FCE to CAE?

How are advanced students different from upper-intermediate students?

• they’re clearly good at language learning and with

the right materials probably enjoy it.

• they generally display high motivation.

• they are likely to be more mature and therefore

o take more responsibility for their learning

o can deal with more sophisticated topics.

• they’ve seen it all before.

How are advanced students different from upper-intermediate students?

• they’re (even more) familiar with coursebook and

classroom routines (they won’t want to be

patronised, but they will want to be challenged).

• They’re more self-confident about their abilities and

may be more demanding of their teachers.

• they feel the end is in sight (and this may increase

motivation).

How are advanced students different from upper-intermediate students?

• they’ll make their own decisions about what’s worth

studying, what can be ignored. This will be based

on

• whether they think they will ever use the language / see it

again

• how difficult it is

• whether it will come in the exam.

(Course books at advanced level often present language

which is only appropriate for native / near-native speakers.)

How does the CEF describe differences between B2 and C1?

Listening

B2 C1

I can understand in detail what is said

to me in standard spoken language

even in a noisy environment.

I can follow extended speech even

when it is not clearly structured and

when relationships are only implied

and not signalled explicitly.

I can follow a lecture or talk within my

own field, provided the subject matter

is familiar and the presentation

straightforward and clearly structured.

I can understand lectures, talks and

reports in my field of professional or

academic interest even when they are

propositionally and linguistically

complex.

Listening

B2 C1

I can understand in detail what is said

to me in standard spoken language

even in a noisy environment.

I can follow extended speech even

when it is not clearly structured and

when relationships are only implied and

not signalled explicitly.

I can follow a lecture or talk within my

own field, provided the subject matter

is familiar and the presentation

straightforward and clearly structured.

I can understand lectures, talks and

reports in my field of professional or

academic interest even when they are

propositionally and linguistically

complex.

CFCE p99

CCAE p81

Reading

B2 C1I can rapidly grasp the content and the

significance of news, articles and

reports on topics connected with my

interests or my job, and decide if a

closer reading is worthwhile.

I can read complex reports, analyses

and commentaries where opinions,

viewpoints and connections are

discussed.

I can understand in detail texts within

my field of interest or the area of my

academic or professional speciality.

I can go beyond the concrete plot of a

narrative and grasp implicit meanings,

ideas and connections.

Reading

B2 C1I can rapidly grasp the content and the

significance of news, articles and

reports on topics connected with my

interests or my job, and decide if a

closer reading is worthwhile.

I can read complex reports, analyses

and commentaries where opinions,

viewpoints and connections are

discussed.

I can understand in detail texts within

my field of interest or the area of my

academic or professional speciality.

I can go beyond the concrete plot of a

narrative and grasp implicit meanings,

ideas and connections.

Cfce102-103

Ccae 12-13

Speaking

B2 C1I can initiate, maintain and end

discourse naturally with effective turn-

taking.

I can keep up with an animated

conversation between native speakers.

I can exchange considerable quantities

of detailed factual information on

matters within my fields of interest.

I can use the language fluently,

accurately and effectively on a wide

range of general, professional or

academic topics.

Speaking

B2 C1I can initiate, maintain and end

discourse naturally with effective turn-

taking.

I can keep up with an animated

conversation between native speakers.

I can exchange considerable quantities

of detailed factual information on

matters within my fields of interest.

I can use the language fluently,

accurately and effectively on a wide

range of general, professional or

academic topics.

Cfce 67-68

Ccae 57

Writing

B2 C1I can write clear and detailed texts

(compositions, reports etc) on various

topics related to my field of interest.

I can express myself in writing on a wide

range of general or professional topics in

a clear and user-friendly manner.

I can develop an argument systematically

in a composition or report, emphasising

decisive points and including supporting

details.

I can present points of view in a

comment on a topic or an event,

underlining the main ideas and

supporting my reasoning with detailed

examples.

I can write texts which show a high

degree of grammatical correctness and

vary my vocabulary and style according

to the addressee, the kind of text and the

topic.

Writing

B2 C1I can write clear and detailed texts

(compositions, reports etc) on various

topics related to my field of interest.

I can express myself in writing on a wide

range of general or professional topics in

a clear and user-friendly manner.

I can develop an argument systematically

in a composition or report, emphasising

decisive points and including supporting

details.

I can present points of view in a

comment on a topic or an event,

underlining the main ideas and

supporting my reasoning with detailed

examples.

I can write texts which show a high

degree of grammatical correctness and

vary my vocabulary and style according

to the addressee, the kind of text and the

topic.Cfce 112

Ccae 144-145

What is the Cambridge Learner Corpus (CLC)?More than 100,000 scripts from Cambridge ESOL Writing

Papers allowing analysis of errors according to

• level

• L1

• type of error.

Examples of real student mistakes.

What is the Cambridge Learner Corpus (CLC)?

Exclusive to

• Cambridge ESOL

• Cambridge University Press

How does the Cambridge Learner Corpus (CLC) help us to understand changing student profiles?

It permits analysis of errors according to

• candidate’s level

• candidate’s first language

• type of error e.g. grammar, lexis, collocation,

spelling etc.

i.e. the language students are trying to use and

where they are having problems.

This allows the course book writers at FCE level to

• cover the main grammar areas, but focus on the

aspects of each grammar area where students

are having problems.

Modals to express ability

– Can instead of could in conditionals (including

polite requests) and other hypothetical

situations

It's a mountain bike and if you can see it, I'm

sure that you'd like it.

– Can instead of could for past situations

In contrast to this, I can swim when I was six.

The CLC allows the course book writers at CAE level to

• see what areas of grammar students are trying to

use and where they are having problems

• design activities and exercises to resolve the

problems.

Do students continue to make the same mistakes at CAE level as at FCE?

• Yes, in many cases

• but fewer.

How errors change from FCE to CAE:

• Many errors cease to be statistically significant

e.g. adjectives + -ed / + -ing; errors with modals

to express obligation / possibility.

• Lower frequency of grammatical errors

• CAE grammar errors tend to be: wrong

preposition, wrong determiner, wrong verb tense,

verb form, or verb agreement; missing or wrong

pronoun; linking words / phrases.

Which is the most frequent area of CAE errors?

• Missing determiner

• Missing punctuation

• Spelling (accommodation spelt accomodation the most

frequent)

• Wrong noun

• Wrong preposition

• Wrong punctuation

• Wrong tense of Verb

• Wrong verb

• Wrong verb form (to+ infinitive or + -ing)

Most frequent CAE errors are1. Missing punctuation

2. Spelling (accommodation spelt accomodation the most

frequent)

3. Wrong preposition

4. Wrong verb

5. Missing determiner

6. Wrong punctuation

7. Wrong tense of Verb

8. Wrong noun

9. Wrong verb form (to+ infinitive or +-ing)

Typical CAE verb errors:

• He can to come here to attend the interview.

• You can combined different colours if you want.

• I accept the employment you had offered me.

• I cannot believe my eyes when I saw the figures.

Many errors indicate carelessness, suggesting

• where in FCE we may place emphasis on

encouraging fluency,

• at CAE level learners have achieved fluency but

often at the expense of accuracy.

In many cases, absence of errors at CAE level indicates

• learners have learnt the grammar, or

• have strategies for avoiding the grammar

(especially in an exam situation),

(e.g. participle clauses: Having finished my

studies…) or

• the grammar is rarely required in writing tasks

(e.g. If only…).

Absence of errors at FCE level may indicate

• unawareness of the grammar, or

• other grammar mistakes are much more frequent.

Grammar at FCE level should therefore:

• cover the main areas of grammar

• work on areas where students have problems

Grammar at CAE level should:

• cover areas of grammar which students will

clearly need for performing speaking and writing

tasks at this level

• work on areas where students are still having

problems

• teach what students appear to be avoiding.

CAE error: At the same time, I noticed some

drawbacks, nevertheless they did not concern

every student.

Ccae 110

The CLC can help to provide a lexical syllabus based on vocabulary students are trying to use, but making mistakes with.

Some typical lexical confusions at FCE:• work and job

I had a part-time work at a pop concert in the Tokyo Dome.

• trip, travel and journey

I had to make a travel to my parents’ house.

• space, room, place

They don’t have enough place to store all the rubbish.

• stay, spend and pass

Maybe it would be better to stay all the time in the camp.

• hope and wish

I wish you answer me soon.

Cfce 63

Some FCE lexical errors persist to CAE, e.g.:

• Know, learn and find out:

You must go to the information desk to know

where to pick up your luggage.

• Give, provide and offer:

The university catering service aims to give food

at low cost.

Ccae 93

Collocation errors at FCE:

• Make, do and give: make a mistake, do a job,

give a speech etc.

cfce 13-14

Collocation errors are more significant at CAE as other errors are less frequent, e.g.:

• Get: get (not have) advice, get (not become) wet

etc.

• Misuse of big, wide, large, strong, great and high: – The clothes come in a big variety of colours.

– He has a wide teaching experience.

– There is a large choice of activities.

– We heard a strong noise coming from the street.

– He has great experience of voluntary work

– I’d recommend her because of her high qualifications.

Ccae 62

Conclusions:

• CAE students need to work on collocations

• They struggle to express themselves emphatically

i.e. they can manage the broad aspects of

communication, but they struggle to nuance what

they want to say.

Summary:• There are strong reasons for studying English to

C1 level.

• The CEF provides a constant reference for

teachers and students about the skills and

competencies they need to acquire.

• The CLC pinpoints the grammatical and lexical

areas where students are having problems when

working towards those competencies.

• Course material and syllabuses need to reflect

these concerns

Complete First Certificate (Cambridge University Press 2008) andComplete CAE (Cambridge University Press 2009)

• teach CEF competencies

• are Corpus-informed throughout.

Complete First Certificate Student’s Book

• has been written specifically for the new FCE exam

(December 2008)

• is aimed at students aged 16 - 18 and young adults

has 16 units containing

• skills for one part of each FCE paper (Reading,

Writing, Use of English, Listening and Speaking)

• Corpus-informed vocabulary and grammar input.

Complete CAE Student’s Book

•has been written specifically for the new CAE exam

(December 2008)

• is aimed at students young adults

has 14 units containing

•skills for one part of each CAE paper (Reading,

Writing, Use of English, Listening and Speaking)

•Corpus-informed vocabulary and grammar input.

They have

• a 16-page Grammar reference section

• an 8-page Writing reference section

• a 4-page Speaking reference section

• a complete model exam for the new exam,

supplied by Cambridge ESOL

• a CD-ROM for self-study.

Other components

• A Teacher’s Book with step-by-step teaching notes, photocopiable activities, progress tests, photocopiable word lists, answer keys and recording scripts.

• 3 audio CDs including recordings for the model Listening Paper supplied by Cambridge ESOL.

• A Workbook with audio CD (authors Barbara Thomas and Amanda Thomas).

Useful websites

www.cambridge.org/corpus

http://www.cambridge.org/elt/completecae

www.coe.int/

guybrookhart@gmail.com