CARIBBEAN EXAMINATIONS COUNCIL
ADVANCED PROFICIENCY EXAMINATIONS
GUIDELINES FOR CONDUCTING
THE INTERNAL ASSESSMENT
(ORAL) IN SPANISH AND FRENCH
1.
The entire examination, including greetings and instructions, should be conducted in
the foreign language.
2.
Before formally beginning the examination, try to put each candidate at ease with one
or two simple warm-up questions/comments.
3.
The examination is to be conducted in the specific order – prepared topic, topic
conversation, general conversation.
4.
Encourage the candidates with positive reinforcement such as muy bien, bien, très
bien, in appropriate places.
5.
Do not put off the candidates by negative reactions to their responses.
6.
Speak at a natural pace. DO NOT distort the language by being too deliberate in
speech.
7.
Ask questions once only and repeat only after the candidate has paused long enough
to indicate lack of understanding.
8.
DO NOT end abruptly.
appropriate speech.
9.
Avoid talking too much, thus interfering with the candidate’s production of the
language.
Bring the examination to a pleasant close with some
GUIDELINES FOR PREPARED TOPIC
Time: 3 Minutes
1.
Each candidate will prepare to speak about the topic which he/she has selected.
Teachers must ensure that the topic selected by the student falls within the scope of
the three Modules.
2.
During the examination, candidates will be required to speak for approximately
THREE MINUTES on the topic chosen. Candidates should be natural and
spontaneous in their delivery of the topic.
3.
Candidates will be allowed to use cue cards as reminders of special points in their
presentation.
4.
During the oral examination, the teacher may only make brief encouraging comments
such as muy bien, bien, très bien, in appropriate places.
PTO
2
GUIDELINES FOR TOPIC CONVERSATION
Time: 5 – 6 Minutes
1.
For the questions on the prepared topic, the teacher should have prepared questions on
EACH topic.
2.
Questions should be formulated to elicit: facts, opinions and comments.
3.
The teacher should ask EACH candidate questions to be based on the selected topic
but should bear in mind that the examination should be conducted as a conversation
between two persons.
4.
The examination should always begin with two or three warm-up questions designed
to put candidates at ease and also to lead smoothly into the questions for which marks
are allocated.
5.
Care must be taken to ensure that the conversational nature of the examination is
developed and maintained throughout.
GUIDELINES FOR GENERAL CONVERSATION
Time: 5 – 6 Minutes
1.
Prior to the examination, the teacher should have prepared questions on current issues.
2.
Questions should be formulated to elicit: facts, opinions and comments.
3.
The teacher should bear in mind that the examination should be conducted as a
conversation between two persons.
4.
Care must be taken to ensure that the conversational nature of the examination is
developed and maintained throughout.
5.
Assessment criteria will be based on the following areas:
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
(iv)
Content and presentation
Comprehension
Correctness of Expression/Range of Vocabulary
Pronunciation/Intonation/Fluency
Examples of Warm-up Questions
1.
¿Cómo está vd hoy?
Comment allez-vous?
2.
¿Cómo se llama?
Comment appellez-vous?
3.
¿Cuántos años tiene?
Quel âge avez-vous?
4.
¿Vive lejos o cerca de aquí?
Où habitez-vous?
Revised June 2007