You are on page 1of 1

Teaching Cambridge exams - what you need to know

What are the different exams? The Cambridge suite of exams are general English exams which test all four skills, reading, writing, listening and speaking, and provide the students with a certificate to show that they have reached a specific level of competence in English. The ones which are most taught here in Seville, and so the ones youre most likely to come across as a teacher are PET, FCE and CAE. For KET, PET and FCE there are two versions, one of which is FS, for schools. The tasks and the levels are exactly the same but the topics are more suited to the interests and experience of younger learners. Once they get to CAE theyre in with the big boys, regardless of age! Abbreviation KET PET FCE CAE CPE Full name Key English Test Preliminary English Test First Certificate in English Certificate in Advanced English Certificate of Proficiency in English Common European Framework level A2 B1 B2 C1 C2 Course book equivalent level Pre-intermediate Intermediate Upper-intermediate Advanced Proficiency

What do the levels mean and when do students take the exams? Passing the exam means that the student has reached that level and is ready to move on to the next. However, studying for the exam, with all the techniques etc is a course in itself, so typically students follow a general course and then an exam course at the same level. Its especially true of the FCE exam, students shouldnt expect to take PET and then be ready to take FCE six months later. The ideal path would be: B1 general english course PET exam course EXAM B2 general english course FCE course EXAM What is in the exams? KET and PET both have three parts: a reading and writing paper, a listening paper and a speaking test. FCE, CAE and CPE have five parts: reading, writing, listening, speaking and something called use of english, which is a test of grammar and vocabulary. Formerly all five were in separate papers but this year CPE combined reading and use of english into a single paper, FCE will do the same from next year and I imagine that CAE will fairly soon, making the exam four parts not five. For more detail about what is in each exam, the format, the marking system etc I strongly advise reading the handbook for the exam, which has a sample paper, descriptions of each task and what it is designed to test and some sample answers to writing questions with examiners comments. Ive put a copy of the handbooks for each exam on the computers here at school. Where can I find resources to help me teach these exams? The best online resource I know is the official Cambridge one, as well as lots of information about the exams and sample papers it has lesson plans, teaching ideas and videos of students doing the speaking exams: https://www.teachers.cambridgeesol.org/ts/ Also very popular with teachers and students is Flo Joe, which has teacher and student resources, some free, some not: www.flo-joe.co.uk/ Cambridge publish books for each exam: past papers we have here in school, Tips for... and Common Mistakes at... can be bought or found online. Theres also an excellent photocopiable resource book for FCE called FCE Games and Activities, which we have a digital copy of.

You might also like