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writing

1. SPM WRITING TEST

2. OVERVIEW

3. Overview of Writing Test tasks Part 1 (Compulsory task) Candidates have to write an email to a friend in about 80 words Part 2 (Compulsory task) Candidates have to write an essay in about 150 words Part 3 (Candidates have a choice of task) This part has three questions or tasks to choose from. The tasks types may include an article, a review, a report or a story and candidates have to choose one. They have to write about 250 words.   Parts 1 and 2 are compulsory and there is no choice of question. In part 3, candidates have a choice and there are three different tasks to choose from.

4. SPM Writing Test F ormat (Part 1) Part Task Type Number of Items Task Format Relevance to curriculum (examples) 1 Informal message 1 item (20 marks) Write an email to a friend in about 80 words 4.1.2: Make and respond to simple requests and suggestions 4.1.2: Explain simple processes 4.1.3: Narrate factual and imagined events and experiences 4.1.4: Express and respond to opinions and common feelings such as happiness, sadness, surprise, and interest 4.2.1: Punctuate written work with moderate accuracy 4.2.2: Spell written work with moderate accuracy 4.2.4: Begin to use formal and informal registers appropriate to the target audience in familiar situations

5. Part 1 – Example task You received an email from your new friend, Amy who has just moved to your hometown. Hi, The school holiday is finally here! Let’s go for a picnic with our friends. Where shall we go and what can we do there? What should we bring? I’ll be waiting for your reply. Bye! Now write an email to your friend in about 80 words . Write your answer below.

6. SPM Writing Test F ormat (Part 2) Part Task Type Number of Items Task Format Relevance to curriculum (examples) 2 Formal text 1 (20 marks) Guided writing (essay) in about 125-150 words 4.1.2: Explain advantages and disadvantages of ( i ) ideas (ii) plans or (iii) arrangements 4.1.3: Explain the main points for and against an idea or argument 4.1.4: Express and respond to real or imagined opinions and feelings 4.1.5: Organise, sequence and develop ideas within a text of several paragraphs on familiar topics and some unfamiliar topics 4.2.1: Punctuate written work on a range of text types with reasonable accuracy 4.2.2: Spell written work on a range of text types with reasonable accuracy 4.2.4: Use formal and informal registers appropriate to the target audience in most familiar and some unfamiliar situations

7. Part 2 – Example task You must answer this question. Write your answer in 125 – 150 words in an appropriate style .   Question 2 Your class has been discussing how they spend their money and your teacher has asked you to write an essay about what you would spend your money on. In your essay , you should write about: what you would like to buy reasons for your choice where do you usually buy these things   Write your essay using all the notes and giving reasons for your point of view.

8. SPM Writing Test F ormat (Part 3) Part Task Type Number of Items Task Format Relevance to curriculum (examples) 3 Extended writing   1 (20 marks)   An extended text (200-250 words). There are 3 tasks and candidates choose one. Tasks may include, an article, a review, a report or a story. 4.1.2: Explain advantages and disadvantages of ( i ) ideas (ii) plans or (iii) arrangements 4.1.3: Explain the main points for and against an idea or argument 4.1.4: Express and respond to real or imagined opinions and feelings 4.1.5: Organise, sequence and develop ideas within a text of several paragraphs on familiar topics and some unfamiliar topics 4.2.1: Punctuate written work on a range of text types with reasonable accuracy 4.2.2: Spell written work on a range of text types with reasonable accuracy 4.2.4: Use formal and informal registers appropriate to the target audience in most familiar and some unfamiliar situations

9. Part 3 – Example task Article You see this notice on the board outside the school library Articles wanted! My School Canteen   What other types of food would you like to be served? What special facilities should your canteen have? How can you improve your canteen?   Write us an article answering these questions. The best article will be displayed on the school magazine. Write your article .

10. Part 3 – Example task Review You recently saw this notice in a magazine. Reviews required! Have you watched any interesting movies lately? Send us your movie review. Say what you enjoyed about the movie. Would you recommend the movie to your friends? Why?   The best reviews will be published in our newsletter.   Write your review .

11. Part 3 – Example task Story Your teacher has asked you to write a story for a school magazine. The story must have the title: A Dream Comes True   Your story should include: a description of the dream how the dream is achieved   Write your story .

12. The level of the SPM Writing Test The Writing test primarily targets CEFR B1-B2 with the highest results reported at C1. Part 1 is at the lower end of performance and is marked at the A2/B1 level. Part 2 is slightly higher and is marked at the B1-B2 level and part 3 is marked at the B2/C1 level. The assessment scales used to rate candidates’ performance are derived from the guidance provided by the CEFR and there is a separate scale for each part of the test The exam is criterion referenced (i.e. to the CEFR) In line with the positive ‘can do’ ethos of the CEFR, the descriptors aim to describe communicative ability rather than inability

13. SPM Writing and the CEFR B1 Overall Written Production Can write straightforward connected texts on a range of familiar subjects within their field of interest , by linking a series of shorter discrete elements into a linear sequence . The texts are understandable but occasional unclear expressions and/or inconsistencies may cause a break-up in reading . SPM Part 2 Band 3 Organisation Uses simple connectors and a limited number of cohesive devices appropriately. Language Uses basic vocabulary appropriately. Uses simple grammatical forms with a good degree of control. While errors are noticeable, meaning can still be determined.

14. ASSESSMENT SCALES

15. Assessment Scales The SPM test uses three assessment scales, one for each part of the writing test. They all assess three writing skills, Communicative Achievement, Organisation and Language, and the overall task fulfilment in Content. There is some overlap within the scales, i.e. the highest marks in part 1 (5555) are equivalent to the middle marks in part 2 (5333), indicating a solid B1 level. The Content mark reflects how well the task has been achieved and is the same across the levels.

16. Assessment Scales

17. Assessment Scales

18. Which scale for what? always go back to the descriptor may be covered under more than one sub-scale 'but isn’t this unfair?'

19. Understanding the Descriptors SPM Part 1 Scale Organisation 5 Uses simple connectors and a limited number of cohesive devices appropriately. 3 Text is connected using basic, high frequency connectors. 1 Production unlikely to be connected, though punctuation and simple connectors (i.e. and) may be used on occasion. Performance below Band 1

20. Score Points 2 and 4 Part 1 - Band 5 Uses basic vocabulary appropriately. Uses simple grammatical forms with a good degree of control. While errors are noticeable, meaning can still be determined. Part 1 - Band 4 Performance shares features of Bands 3 and 5 Part 1 - Band 3 Uses basic vocabulary reasonably. Uses simple grammatical forms with some degree of control. Errors may impede meaning at times.

21. Descriptors: A Few Notes 'fully informed' ‘relevant content’ ‘omissions’

22. Descriptors: A Few Notes ( PART 1, BAND 5) ‘simple connectors and a limited number of cohesive devices’ ‘basic vocabulary used appropriately' ‘simple grammatical forms'

23. Writing Scales Familiarisation Exercise 1 & 2 ‘Writing Scales activity’ Look at the following activity and complete the exercises.

24. WRITING SCALES ACTIVITIES EXERCISE 1 Some of the descriptors have been removed from the SPM Writing Part 1 mark scheme. Look at the table below and decide which marking criterion the letters A – F refer to. Then, decide which descriptor is higher or lower for the different marking criteria . A Produces isolated short units about simple and concrete matters, not always communicating successfully. B Irrelevances and/or misinterpretation of task may be present. C Target reader is not informed. D All content is relevant to the task. Target reader is fully informed. E Produces a text that communicates simple ideas in simple ways F Uses basic vocabulary reasonably. Uses simple grammatical forms with some degree of control. Errors may impede meaning at times.

25. WRITING SCALES ACTIVITIES Exercise 1 Answers A Produces isolated short units about simple and concrete matters, not always communicating successfully. Communicative Achievement (score 1) B Irrelevances and/or misinterpretation of task may be present. Content (score 1) C Target reader is not informed. Content (score 0) D All content is relevant to the task. Target reader is fully informed. Content (score 5) E Produces a text that communicates simple ideas in simple ways. Communicative Achievement (score 3) F Uses basic vocabulary reasonably. Uses simple grammatical forms with some degree of control. Errors may impede meaning at times. Language (score 3)

26. WRITING SCALES ACTIVITIES EXERCISE 2 Some of the descriptors have been removed from the SPM Writing Part 1 assessment scale. Look at Table 2 and decide which band each descriptor relates to in Part 1 of SPM Writing . Descriptions of performance from Part 1 scales   Part 1 Score? All content is relevant to the task. Target reader is fully informed.   0 1 2 3 4 5 Performance shares features of Bands 3 and 5   0 1 2 3 4 5 Errors may impede meaning at times.   0 1 2 3 4 5 Performance shares features of Bands 1 and 3   0 1 2 3 4 5 Content is totally irrelevant. Target reader is not informed.   0 1 2 3 4 5 Produces a text that communicates straightforward ideas using the conventions of the communicative task reasonably appropriately.   0 1 2 3 4 5

27. Text is connected using basic, high frequency connectors.   0 1 2 3 4 5 Irrelevances and/or misinterpretation of task may be present.   0 1 2 3 4 5 ... a limited number of cohesive devices.   0 1 2 3 4 5 Produces a text that communicates simple ideas in simple ways.   0 1 2 3 4 5 Uses basic vocabulary appropriately   0 1 2 3 4 5 Uses simple grammatical forms with some degree of control.   0 1 2 3 4 5 Produces few simple grammatical forms with only limited control   0 1 2 3 4 5

28. WRITING SCALES ACTIVITIES Exercise 2 Answers Descriptions of performance from Part 1 scales   Part 1 Score? All content is relevant to the task. Target reader is fully informed.   0 1 2 3 4 5 Performance shares features of Bands 3 and 5   0 1 2 3 4 5 Errors may impede meaning at times.   0 1 2 3 4 5 Performance shares features of Bands 1 and 3   0 1 2 3 4 5 Content is totally irrelevant. Target reader is not informed.   1 2 3 4 5 Produces a text that communicates straightforward ideas using the conventions of the communicative task reasonably appropriately.   0 1 2 3 4 5 Text is connected using basic, high frequency connectors.   0 1 2 3 4 5 Irrelevances and/or misinterpretation of task may be present.   1 2 3 4 5 ... a limited number of cohesive devices.   0 1 2 3 4 5 Produces a text that communicates simple ideas in simple ways.   0 1 2 3 4 5 Uses basic vocabulary appropriately   0 1 2 3 4 5 Uses simple grammatical forms with some degree of control.   0 1 2 3 4 5 Produces few simple grammatical forms with only limited control   1 2 3 4 5

29. QUIZ TIME!

30. Content Communicative Achievement Organisation Language Range and control of grammatical structures and accuracy A response that is longer than the guideline number of words.

31. Organisation Conventions of the communicative task (IWE pg 9) Content IWE pg 10 Language I like pop music

32. Moreover Furthermore Organisation A mistake that occurs repeatedly In a manner that suits the context

33. ASSESSMENT

34. THANK YOU!