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      Cambridge PET exams
      Submitted by sm_counsell on 26 June, 2009 - 06:58

      I would really appreciate hearing from any teachers who like me are having problems with the results of  Speaking exams particullarly the PET one.

      I have been preparing 16-17 year-olds for over 10 years so I think I can safely say that I have a pretty good idea how they will get on in this exam. Obviously nerves play an important role. however,up to now this has not been a significant problem.

      The reults from the last few sessions have all been in the 'Weak-Borderline' band. This is very strange as I know my students are ahead of this level (some of them were children of mother tongue teachers)

      It appears that if you want to complain, it is a very expensive procedure and the local centre (mine in particular) seem unable to do anything as the examiners are all external.

      I'd love to know what happens to these results. Are they given the final mark on site or is it Cambridge that decide from the examiners assessment. Whatever the case, we teachers have absolutely no way of knowing what happens to our students and exactly how they perform inside the examining room. This is very unfair and as there is very little feedback (something written after a year!) we have no way of  adjusting our methods.

      I have heard from one or two teachers who are having the same problem (in Italy) but I would like to hear some comments (even from examiners!).

      I watched the video on the Cambridge site ('What we do') and the level of the PET examinees did not appear to be so difficult)

      I'd appreciate any help

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      CoffeeAddict's picture
      CoffeeAddict
      Mock exam
      Submitted on 3 February, 2011 - 17:57

      Yoy should get together with your colleagues at your school and organize a mock exam! Try to create as accurate a setting as possible, use the materials offered by Cambridge to pre test the kids as many times as you like. The better you prepare your students, the better their scores will be!

      Good luck!

      abigailfulbrook's picture
      abigailfulbrook
      PET
      Submitted on 19 December, 2011 - 18:10

      Oh dear, I know this post is two years old, but wanted to give you my experience. I think they're quite strict with the type of language the students use. So in part 1 they need to give more than one word answers, but not too much info. So the examiner will say, do you like your school? and they answer yes, I do, I like my classmates and teacher especially. And that's about all. In part two, they must discuss together and listen and respond to each other, teach them to turn their chairs towards each other. In part three they must use present continuous to describe the people, and use 'there are', 'there is' to describe the objects in the picture, as well as prepositions of place.

      In part 4 they must talk to each other - not the examiner and it must be a conversation, not just taking turns to speak, so they must listen and respond and back-channel (nod, smile, uh-huh, oh really!). The content is less important here, but of course if they can correct their own mistakes that is a huge bonus.

      I'd love to know how it's going with the PETs. I really enjoyed teaching it. 

      musarat.anjum's picture
      musarat.anjum
      My Opinion
      Submitted on 19 December, 2011 - 19:42

      Dear Friend

      I think you are right we should teach them step by step and it will be more fruitful for them. we should also give them some space and should not force them follow the rules strictly but there should be some flexibility.

       

      Regards

      Musarat Anjum