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Teaching Resources > KET > Speaking > Understanding the Task - Answers and Discussion |
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KET Speaking Part 1 Understanding the Task Look at the discussion of the points raised by questions 1 to 7. What suggestions do you have for how to prepare your students for this part of the test? 1. The candidates should prepare responses in advance. FALSE. If a candidate does this, it often means that they don't answer the question appropriately. It is also not effective Interactive Communication (see Assessment Criteria) and examiners spot it easily.
2. Candidates should only give the minimum answer possible in Part 1. FALSE. Although it is enough at KET to give one or two-word answers (e.g. 'Where do you live?' 'Madrid'), candidates will get a better mark if they try to extend their answers to a complete utterance (e.g. 'In the centre of Madrid'). Candidates need to try to extend their answers beyond the minimum, particularly in Part 1. In the last section of Part 1, candidates are expected to give an extended response to a 'Tell me something about…' prompt. (In the video, Julio is asked to talk about his family and Tuba about her home town). The response should be between three and five utterances. An utterance does not need to be a sentence, indeed a sentence may contain several utterances. Assessment begins as soon as the candidates introduce themselves, and Part 1 is when examiners get their first impressions of the candidates. One word answers represent adequate performance only and candidates will not score highly on the Interactive Communication scale (see Assessment Criteria) if they give only limited responses.
3. Candidates are expected to interact with each other. FALSE. This part of the test is more like an interview and candidates only respond to the questions asked by the interlocutor. They interact with their partner in Part 2. 4. Each candidate is given an equal number of turns. TRUE. Candidates will be asked roughly the same number of questions, but not necessarily the same questions. Candidates need to pay careful attention to the question they are asked and make sure they answer it appropriately. In this part of the test, the interlocutor will make it clear which candidate should answer each question.
5. Candidates can ask for clarification if they don't understand something. TRUE. If they don't hear or understand something, the interlocutor will repeat it. At KET level, it is an indication of good performance to be able to ask for repetition or clarification, and candidates will be credited for this. Make sure that your students know this and that they have the appropriate strategies for requesting clarification. However, they will get no marks for silence (if they are afraid to admit that they haven't understood) and may lose marks for Interactive Communication (see Assessment Criteria) if they answer a question inappropriately. 6. Candidates only need to speak about their home and family in Part 1. FALSE. There is a wide range of topics that they may be asked to talk about. They should be prepared to talk about their past experiences, present activities and future plans (and to try to use the appropriate verb forms). The topic areas include:
7. Candidates must spell their name. TRUE. They are asked to spell their surname, or family name. |
Tip:
It is much better for students to have as much practice as possible
talking about themselves and their lives, with different people
and different focuses, so that they feel more confident.