Exam Report 2015 Flashcards

Question

c) i) was born • past simple of ‘be’, irregular verb, 3rd person singular, • ‘to be born’ fixed pattern • born = participial adjective, only exists in this form • use to give the specific, finished time of his birth in the past. ``` he also wrote • past simple • irregular verb write • part of phrase ‘write for s/o / s/t’ • 3rd person singular • finite • past simple used to show finished action + time in the past – he no longer writes for them • main verb ``` i) had sent • past perfect structure • auxiliary ‘had’ (past simple of ‘have’), 3rd person singular • + past participle of irregular verb ‘send’ • sent = transitive verb, main verb • past perfect used to show action (sending the message) before main event of narrative (Orwell’s death) ``` have made • present perfect structure • auxiliary ‘have’ 2nd person, singular • + past participle ‘made’ (irregular) • present perfect used to show Orwell’s influence started in the past + continues at the time of writing (time of writing = before his death) • made = delexicalised ``` part of expression “make a mark on” meaning “to influence” “leave a legacy” ii) (page 29) liaison – linking intrusive /w/ you /w/ are intrusive /r/ are /r/ among due to vowel + vowel • weak forms – schwa /ə/ the /θə/ memorable /memrəbəl/ also elision of o ``` /ə/ Writers of becomes/əv/ also assimilation /f/ becomes /v/ because precedes /j/ /ə/ /ə/ generation ```

Answer 1

Part c Here the candidate gains 20 out of a possible 35 marks. She identifies 2 out of the 6 points in terms of the form of was born, omitting to mention that was is an auxiliary verb used in the passive and born is an irregular past participle (she inaccurately describes it as being a participial adjective only exists in this form). Her analysis of the use of was born is slightly more confident and she recognises that it is a fixed expression to describe a completed action. There is no mention of the use of the passive or that it is an event in a biography. In terms of wrote, she identifies 3 out of a possible 5 points: it is the simple past of an irregular verb to describe a finished past action. Again, she refers to it as part of a phrase but this is not relevant because for is not bolded for analysis, it is not relevant that it is a finite verb or that it is third person singular because the form never changes in the simple past. Regarding had sent, she identifies 5 out of a possible 8 points: the auxiliary had is in the simple past and combines with the irregular past participle of send. It is used because the action of sending the message happened before Orwell’s death. The other two points regarding the use of had sent were rarely made by candidates so the fact that she has not included them in her answer is typical of the cohort. The only other part of her answer where she could have gained a mark was when she described had sent as being a past perfect structure – to be credited this point, she needed to provide the full name of the verb form, i.e. past perfect simple. This comment also applies to the final verb form in this section as the candidate did not provide its full name, i.e. the present perfect simple although she identified all the other points regarding form and the fact that it is used to show the relationship between the past and present. The two points about the use of made could not be credited because candidates were specifically asked not to talk about lexical meaning in the rubric (the fact that it is a delexicalised verb falls under lexical meaning) and a mark on are not bolded so cannot be included in the analysis. Her phonological analysis is reasonable and she identifies the features of the intrusive /w/ and /r/ and the schwa in the. However, the reference to schwas in memorable, writers and generation and the elision of o in memorable are not relevant as the rubric asks for features of connected speech not in individual words. Layout and spelling are also strengths in this part of her answer and her use of the phonemic script and symbols to show the features of linking and the schwa are accurate.

Answer 2

Part d As with the majority of answers to this part of the task, this candidate gains less than half the available marks, i.e. she gains 14 out of a possible 35. In terms of where, she identifies all of the points regarding form but not that its use avoids repetition of Eton or that it is anaphoric reference to Eton. She struggles to analyse the form and use of from then on and only recognises that it is an adverbial clause; that from is a preposition; then is an adverb; and is anaphoric reference to the time he was admitted to a sanatorium. She states that on is a preposition not an adverb; she also does not state that it is a fixed expression and that it avoids repetition of 1938. The point about the ellipsis of he is not relevant because was never fully fit is not bolded in the rubric and the comment that it makes the text more concise is too vague – this also applies to the mention of these two points later in her answer. Her analysis of there also suffers from a lack of precision and she only gains two marks for the fact that it is an adverb and is anaphoric reference to Morocco. To be awarded a mark for her points about the avoidance of repetition/use of substitution, she needs to be more precise and state that it is avoiding the repetition of in Morocco rather than just Morocco. In terms of in which, she is reasonable in her analysis of form and only omits mention of the fact that it is a preposition of place and that no comma is needed. However, the same lack of precision means that none of the points that she makes about use can be credited: she needs to state that it gives essential information about the contents of the message and, as mentioned above, the points that it is more concise are too vague to be credited.

Answer 3

8.1 Guideline Answer Positive points * The instructions are clear / an example is given * The design of the task is simple / the layout is clear / there are key words in the task to guide the learners through the text * The items that the learners are listening for are well spread out in the transcript * The test is a direct test of the learners’ listening skills * There is minimal text to read and very little writing required in the answers * The learners know that they will have the chance to listen to the recording twice * The test is an appropriate level / there are simple short sentences in the recording / the complexity of the language is appropriate * Shopping is a general/familiar/relevant topic / lexical area of shopping * The marking is practical / objective * The learners are given time to write down their answers Positive applications * The learners will feel motivated to do the test / will have faith in the test/course / see the relevance of the test (because it’s testing their listening skills) * The learners will know what to do * The learners will feel reassured/confident because of the clear format / won’t panic because they know they will hear it again * The learners will be able to perform to the best of their abilities / shouldn’t be blocked by unknown vocabulary or complex grammar * The test will provide the teacher with some evidence of the learners’ listening skills / it should work well as a diagnostic test of their listening abilities * The results of the test will be (more) reliable / efficient to mark

Answer 4

Negative applications * The learners may not be motivated by the test / have faith in the test/course / may not trust the results of the test * The teacher will get limited data about the students’ listening sub-skills / will be unable to diagnose the students’ listening abilities / may get inaccurate/false information about their listening ability * The learners may not be able to perform to the best of their abilities * It may be difficult for the teacher to design the listening component of the course

Answer 5

The most common strengths and weaknesses identified were: shopping the instructions are clear it is a direct test of listening skills the level of the test is appropriate only one listening sub-skill is tested the learners have two opportunities to listen to the recording (this is a strength and a weakness) the test relies on the learners’ ability to write and spell certain words the test is too short to test the learners’ listening ability. The least common strengths and weaknesses identified were: the items that the learners are listening for are well spread out in the transcript there is minimal text to read and very little writing is required in the answers the learners are given time to write down their answers the tapescript does not contain features of spoken language the learners may not be familiar with the task type. The inaccurate/imprecise points listed below were frequently identified: the learners may not be familiar with the topic of shopping or may not understand the lexis (this is very unlikely to be true) the instructions are unclear (this is not the case as there are examples of completed information) the test does not test other skills (this was not the aim of the test as is clearly stated in the rubric) the test will have positive/negative backwash (it has neither as it is a diagnostic test) the test contains fresh starts (it contains five gaps that the learners have to complete not new opportunities if they get stuck on one item). Candidates who made this point did not understand what constitutes a fresh start.

Answer 6

* ensure that they understand the meaning of key testing terms, particularly backwash, fresh starts and construct validity and refer to them where appropriate * read the situation in the rubric carefully, seeing how each part of it can be relevant to the test and to the specified learner * make sure their answers are specifically about the particular test and situation, and not repeated from previous Guideline Answers * avoid approaching their evaluation through assessing the test against testing concepts, such as validity, reliability, objective marking, as this means that their points may not be fully explained or developed and so they lose marks * make sure they always show how the points they make about the test’s effectiveness apply to the particular learner, i.e. always include an application for each point they include * avoid repeating the same application to the learner under different points, e.g. that the learners would be motivated or demotivated by the test * avoid laying their answers out in columns or two separate sections as this may mean that they lose marks if they inadvertently outline more than six strengths/weaknesses * number the points that they make from 1-6 so that they do not outline more than the maximum of 6 * use the headings of Point and Application, so that they remember to include both elements in their answer.

Answer 7

Examiner’s comments on sample answer The candidate outlines six points about the relative effectiveness of the test with how these apply to the learners, five of which are accurate. The points and applications are that the test is an appropriate level which will give the learners confidence to complete the test; the marking is objective which means that the results will be reliable; it is a direct test of listening skills so the learners will have faith in the test; the instructions are clear so the learners will know what to do; and that the test is quite short so that the teacher may not be able to design an effective listening component of the course. The point about the test having the benefit of fresh starts could not be credited as it is inaccurate. These points cover a reasonable range of criteria, e.g. test design, type of test and assessment mode but the answer would be stronger if the candidate also gave consideration to the design of the transcript and type of spoken language it contains, what listening skills are tested or not, and how the test is administered, i.e. the opportunity to listen twice. However, the organisation and layout of the task is a particular strength. It is very helpful that the candidate has separated each point from its application by leaving a line between the two; that she has indicated which are positive and negative points; and that she has numbered these although it would be a safer strategy if she numbered them from 1-6 rather than 1-4 for the positive points and 1-2 for the negative ones.

Answer 8

9.1 Guideline Answer A Purpose of the exercises Exercise Intended Purpose Language focus 1, Exercise 1 * generate interest / introduce topic / set context for rules / activate schemata * provide the opportunity to use TL (of obligation & permission in the present) / for teacher/learners to assess the students’ ability to express obligation and permission * provide the opportunity to teach/use context-related vocabulary Language focus 1, Exercise 3 * provide examples of/introduce/present the TL (obligation/permission structures) * review and extend different ways of talking about obligation and permission * draw attention to the form * allow teacher to see/test what the students know / allow students to show/check what they know / to check students’ understanding of the meaning/use of the TL * contextualise the TL (NB: this point was either awarded for this exercise or the next one) Practice 1a • contextualise the TL (NB: this point was either awarded for this exercise or the previous one) • give controlled/written practice of the TL • check understanding of the TL / use of the TL • check understanding of the form/spelling of the TL

Answer 9

Practice 3a • maintains context/topic established in Language focus 1 Exercise 1 • gives learners freer/written practice of the TL after controlled practice in Practice 1a • further checks understanding of/consolidates the form/meaning of the TL in Language focus 1 Exercise 3 • allows the learners choice/more freedom to write about the places they want to which they didn’t have in Language focus 1 Exercise 1 • allows the learners to improve their ideas/ability to produce the TL after their initial attempts in Language focus 1 Exercise 1 • the learners produce sentences on their own/individually which they also did in Language focus 1 Exercise 1 Practice 3b • gives the learners practice in listening to the TL from Language focus 1 Exercise 3/Practice 1a • provides freer/oral practice of the TL from Language focus 1 Exercise 3/Practice 1a • provides a change of interaction patterns/pace – some group work after individual work in Language focus 1 Exercises 1 & 3, Practice 1a • provides enjoyable/fun activity to balance the previous activity types

Answer 10

Learners need to look at meaning, form and pronunciation of a language item / meaning comes first, form second, pronunciation third (Language focus 1 Exercise 3, Pronunciation 1 & 2) Because this will allow them to use the new language effectively / really ‘knowing’ an item involves all three aspects • Learners need to focus on pronunciation/features of connected speech / need to have pronunciation models (Pronunciation 1, 2) Because this helps them to recognise them outside the classroom / learners often struggle with pronunciation • Learners need controlled pronunciation practice/repetition/drilling of target language (Pronunciation 2) Because this helps consolidate learning / gives learners a chance to focus on form and accuracy / allows for identification and elimination of error / helps fluency / helps them to be understood outside the classroom / aids automaticity / reflects more recent theories such as chunking • Learners need cognitive engagement/challenge (Language focus 1 Exercise 3) Because if learners are actively engaged, language is more likely to be learnt/retained • It’s important to scaffold learning / guide learners step-by-step (Language focus 1 Exercise 3, Pronunciation 1 & 2) Because this gives learners confidence / will help them achieve accuracy with the language • It’s helpful to use visuals (Language focus 1 Exercise 3, Pronunciation 1 & 2) Because it saves time / helps learners to memorise the language / helps to clarify meaning • Learners will benefit from moving from recognition to production (Language focus 1 Exercise 3, Pronunciation 1,2) Because learners may notice the language / this is how languages are learned outside the classroom / this provides useful scaffolding for less confident learners

Answer 11

The most common points made about how the exercises combine with those in part (a) were: Pronunciation 1 extends the focus to pronunciation of the TL in Practice 1a Practice 3a gives learners freer/written practice of the TL after controlled practice in Practice 1a Practice 3b provides freer/oral practice of the TL after controlled practice in Practice 1a. The least common points made were: * Pronunciation 1 focuses on features of connected speech * Pronunciation 2 stages the production of the TL / practice connected speech * Pronunciation 2 moves the focus from written to spoken * Practice 3a maintains the topic of the extract established in Language focus 1 Exercise 1 * Practice 3a further checks understanding of the form/meaning of the TL in Language focus 1 Exercise 3 * Practice 3a allows the learners more choice/freedom to write about the places they want to which they didn’t have in Language focus 1 Exercise 1 * Practice 3a allows the learners to improve their ideas /ability to produce the TL after their initial attempts in Language focus 1 Exercise 1 * Practice 3a allows the learners to produce sentences individually which they also did in Language focus 1 Exercise 1 * Practice 3b gives the learners practice in listening to the TL from Language focus 1 Exercise 3/Practice 1a * Practice 3b provides a change in interaction patterns/pace/some group work after individual work in Language focus 1 Exercises 1 & 3/Practice 1a. The inaccurate/imprecise points listed below were frequently identified: • • Pronunciation 1 provides oral practice (it is a receptive rather than production exercise). Candidates often did not realise that the pronunciation exercises moved from receptive to productive work. • Pronunciation 2 provides practice of the TL (this is too general and the candidates need to specify the type of practice, i.e. controlled oral practice). • Practice 3a provides oral practice of the TL (it does not as the learners are working individually and are asked to write a list). • Practice 3a & 3b allow for personalization (they allow for choice rather than personalization as the learners are not talking about their own experiences). • Candidates were often imprecise in their choice of verbs, particularly in terms of checking learner understand of the form/meaning of the TL, e.g. they often chose the verb to focus on the meaning rather than to check understanding of the meaning.

Answer 12

Candidates are recommended to: • • read the rubric carefully to ensure that they discuss only those exercises specified in the task rubric • • do the exercises themselves so that they really understand what the learners have to do and therefore what their purposes are, how they combine and the assumptions behind them • • group their answers together as indicated by the task rubric sections i.e. discuss only purposes in part (a), combinations in part (b) and assumptions and reasons for them with clear reference to the exercises where they are evidenced in part (c) • • look at each exercise separately, even if they are listed together • • lay out their answers using plenty of space/paper so that the Examiners can read their answers • • number the purposes, combinations and assumptions 1-6 so that they ensure that they provide the maximum number required in the rubric and no more • • ensure that they outline a range of purposes, combinations and assumptions so that they avoid the possibility of repeating them and so not gaining as many marks as possible. Part (a) • • write six relevant purposes and no more as only the first six will be marked • • write more than one purpose for each exercise • • avoid repeating pre-learnt purposes from previous Guideline Answers and generic purposes, e.g. that the exercises prepare the students for the next one, which could apply to most exercises in a sequence of material • • ensure that all the purposes cited refer to the stated focus of the material, i.e. to enable learners to express obligation and permission • • look at the language included in a text (written or spoken) and within the different exercises cited in the rubric in relation to the focus of the extract • • look at the skills necessary to achieve the focus of the extract if appropriate • • look at the purposes of the exercise rather than describe what the learners have to do in them • • clearly state what the target language is in the first purpose that they outline, i.e. in this exam, it is language to express obligation and permission • • state the purposes of each exercise separately so that they ensure that they look closely at the purposes of each exercise and identify how they differ from the other exercises in the rubric • • use numbers1-6 to highlight each purpose that they outline Part (b) • • read the rubric carefully and only discuss the exercises they are asked to discuss • • identify six ways that the exercises combine with those in part (a) as no more than six will be marked • • write more than one combination for each exercise • • approach this task by discussing each exercise on its own so that they maximise the number of points that they make and ensure that they look closely at how each exercise combines with the ones in part (a) • • make sure they discuss how the specific exercises combine with the exercises in part (a) rather than with each other • • make sure they say how the exercises combine rather than describe what the learners have to do in them • • consider a range of ways exercises can combine, e.g. in terms of language and skills, the focus of the extract, the type of practice, presentation to practice, student interaction patterns, opportunities for personalisation, progression, recycling, the balance between accuracy and fluency, the topic/context etc. • • use numbers1-6 to signpost each combination that they outline Part (c) • • research in detail the principles behind the design of material • • identify six assumptions as no more than six will be marked • • give one different reason for each assumption to a maximum of six different reasons • • use headings to organise their answers, e.g. assumption, reasons, exercise which means that they ensure that they provide all the information required in the rubric • • avoid using exercises as headings because this can result in the repetition of assumptions if they are evident in more than one exercise • • use numbers1-6 to signpost each assumption that they outline.

Answer 13

Examiner’s comments on sample answer Part (a) The candidate identifies seven purposes over the three exercises which are all valid but the seventh one cannot be credited because the maximum number of purposes which can be marked is six. The purposes that she identifies are: to test what language of obligation and permission the learners already know; to introduce the context used to teach the TL (Language focus 1 Exercise 1); to introduce the TL; to check that the learners understand the meaning of the TL (Language focus 1 Exercise 3); to provide controlled written practice of the TL; to check understanding of the meaning of the TL; and to check learner understanding of the form of the TL (Practice 3a). It is understandable that the candidate combined meaning and form under one purpose although the two are generally focused on separately in Guideline Answers and it did not matter that she had done this as the previous six purposes were all accurate and she therefore gained maximum marks for this section. Her answer contains no inaccuracies, clearly states what the TL is in the first purpose and makes good use of space to highlight the answers. The candidate could use numbers rather than bullet points to signpost the purposes to ensure that she does not produce more than the required six. Part (b) The candidate’s response to this part of the task is also convincing although she outlines seven rather than the required six ways that the exercises combine with the ones in part (a). The points that she makes are that: Pronunciation 1 focuses on the pronunciation of the TL; Pronunciation 2 provides productive practice of the pronunciation of the TL; Practice 3a provides the learners with freer written practice of the TL, revisits the context established in Language focus 1 Exercise 1 and allows the learners to improve their initial ideas; and Practice 3b provides oral practice of the TL. The final point that Practice 3b allows for group work after individual work could not be marked as the candidate had already outlined six combinations. There are two other potential points that she attempts to make but which lack sufficient detail: that Pronunciation 1 focuses the learners on contractions (to get this point she would need to state another feature of connected speech, e.g. elision); and that Practice 3b provides a fun activity without saying that this balances the previous activity types. However, this was not problematic for this candidate as she had already outlined six valid combinations. Again, the layout of the task is clear with each exercise discussed separately, thereby ensuring that each one is discussed in depth. She also makes it clear which exercise she is referring to by underlining it but again, she would be wise to replace the bullet points with numbers so that she ensures that she only outlines six combinations. Part (c) This is the weakest part of the candidate’s answer (thus reflecting the general trend of the cohort) but she still manages to identify five appropriate assumptions out of the six which she states with a reason and exercise for each one. These are that: it is useful for learners and teachers to find out what the learners already know because the lessons can be tailored to the learners’ needs; it is useful to compare/contrast different language items because students will be able to understand the TL and use it correctly; learners benefit from seeing the TL before producing it because it gives them models; learners need to focus on pronunciation, particularly connected speech, because this will help their understanding when listening; and scaffolding pronunciation builds their confidence. Her penultimate assumption could not be credited because she does not explicitly state that learners benefit from controlled oral practice/drilling – rather she simply writes it is useful for learners to practise pronunciation. In terms of the organisation of the answer, it has the benefit of a clear layout, but the candidate could use the headings of assumption, exercise, reason (rather than because) and number the assumptions rather than use bullet points.

Answer 14

10.1 Guideline Answer A Reasons for reducing TTT and increasing STT * It allows the teacher to listen to/monitor learners / to spend time with (individual) learners * Learners have the opportunity to make errors and learn from them / the teacher can diagnose errors * It allows the teacher to give learners individual feedback * If the teacher talks too much, there is no guarantee that students understand / they can get confused / lost in TTT (=white noise) / especially at lower levels * Learners can get frustrated/bored/switch off if they are being talked at / STT can raise learner engagement/motivation/confidence * Speaking is often a high priority for learners / language is a communication tool * It encourages the learners to be independent of the teacher so they can continue learning outside the classroom * The learners can use the teacher as a resource/a facilitator / encourages learners to be active participants in the classroom/learning process / it makes for a student centred classroom * The more learners use language, the more they will acquire it * The classroom is an important opportunity to use L2 / some learners have little opportunity to use the L2 outside the classroom / benefit from a safe environment * It is essential to maximise practice of language that is the focus of the lesson / students need to try out/use language * It reflects a central tenet of CLT / some approaches do not require it, e.g. Silent Way, CLL * It reflects the importance of communicative competence/fluency rather than focus on accuracy * It increases the opportunity for risk-taking / experimenting / stretches learners * Learners can learn from each other / easier to speak to a peer rather than a teacher / peer correction * It allows learners to negotiate meaning/use communication strategies/features of spoken discourse e.g. asking for clarification * It helps ensure a variety of classroom interaction / tasks * It helps with group cohesion / socialising * It can mirror real life as learners are often more likely to interact with non-LI users * It’s less tiring for the teacher / gives them a break

Answer 15

10.2 Candidate performance Examiners commented that the focus of Teacher Talking Time was a familiar one which meant that all candidates had something to say, although they often only restricted their points to a limited context. They tended to make more points in part (a) and there was quite a lot of repetition, which reflected candidate performance in previous sessions, but they were not penalised for doing this. The average number of marks gained in this task was 22 marks, which is in line with previous sessions. However, these marks were generally gained for making eleven points (i.e. breadth) rather than developing them (i.e. depth). This is not surprising as this is a new feature of the examination and is an indication to centres that they need to make candidates aware of the possible allocation of 10 marks for reference to their own experience and observation of learners, examples from a range of contexts, and reference to different sources and theories of language learning. However, the Examiners commented that centres need to be careful about training their candidates explicitly to do this and indeed, it is debatable whether candidates can be trained to provide evidence of ‘depth’ as this can result in vague comments such as I tend to .. or In my experience … or In my classes, I always .. In the case of candidates with less experience, they could be better advised to focus on outlining fifteen different points. Candidates should note that they are not penalised for outlining more than fifteen points because all points are marked by the Examiners but capped at 30 marks for breadth. Overall, all the Examiners agreed that this change in the markscheme is a positive one because it discriminates well between candidates who have a range of experience and those who do not. It allows the former to display the knowledge that they have which the previous markscheme did not do as the quantity of points made was more important than their depth.

Answer 16

The most common points identified in Part (b) were: • TTT can allow the teacher to build a good relationship with the learners • it provides models of language • it improves learners’ listening skills • TTT is needed to provide feedback on tasks and correct learners’ errors • the teacher needs to speak in order to manage the learners • the teacher needs to speak in order to perform a variety of classroom techniques and procedures. The least common points identified in Part (b) were: • TTT provides learners with information about culture • learners benefit from working with a ‘better other’ • it can remove pressure for learners to perform immediately • moving between TTT and STT allows for a change in pace. Candidates are recommended to: • • read the rubric very carefully • • only provide the information they are asked for about a topic, i.e. keep to the point • • consider the question (where appropriate) from the viewpoints of learners, teachers, institutional requirements, materials, etc. in order to generate a greater range of ideas • • make as many relevant different points, up to a maximum of 15 over the two sections • • develop the points made, supporting them with rationale based on relevant reference to one or more of the following: specific examples from their own experience; examples from a range of contexts; reference to sources and theories • • prepare for this task by reading a methodology book which covers a range of topics, e.g. Learning Teaching (Scrivener) or The Practice of English Language Teaching (Harmer) • • allow themselves enough time for both parts of the task.

Answer 17

Examiner’s comments on the sample answer Breadth Points The candidate makes fourteen valid points over parts (a) and (b) which is one less than is needed to achieve the maximum number of points for breadth. In terms of part (a), she makes eight points which are that: low TTT encourages learners to be active participants in the classroom (stated twice); the classroom is an important opportunity to use the L2, especially in countries where English is not the L1 (stated twice); students can learn from each other; learners can be more motivated; language is a communication tool; they need to practise language; increasing TTT is part of certain methodologies e.g. CLT (although the Examiners noted that this is not particularly the case in Test Teach Test or Task Based Learning as stated by the candidate); and it increases learner autonomy. In terms of part (b), she makes six valid points which are that: TTT provides models of language; it provides learners with listening practice; it is needed to give instructions; it allows the teacher to give oral feedback; it is needed to carry out certain classroom procedures/to ask concept check questions; and learners expect the teacher to give them information. Depth Points The candidate gains three marks out of a possible five (which are doubled to six) for depth as the points that she makes are generally supported by rationale, mostly from her own experience. For example, when she makes the first point about language being a tool for communication, she expands on this point by writing If the students cannot find enough chances to practice in class, they become the passive listener in a conversation and they cannot keep the conversation. She provides a supporting reason for her point about students learning from each other, i.e. because they can become more self-confident and a reference to a specific context (large classes) when she states the points about the classroom providing an important opportunity to use the L2. Depth is also evident in part (b). For example, when writing about TTT providing listening practice, she cites the context of where English is taught by an L1 teacher, they may have no other opportunity to listen to the spoken language. When talking about the use of TTT to give spoken instructions and feedback, she usefully contrasts this with the potential confusion that can be caused by relying on written instructions/feedback which strengthens her argument. When talking about classroom procedures, she gives an additional example of the need to use TTT when presenting a topic. The Examiner commented that her rationale could be more wide-ranging in that she could refer to sources (e.g. reference to her reading); or theories (e.g. the importance of involving the learner in humanistic approaches), but future candidates should note that the most important consideration in terms of awarding marks for depth is that the rationale provided is convincing in terms of the points made. In terms of organisation, this could be neater but it is good that the candidate has added more points to her answer and that the sections are clearly signposted so that Examiner can identify which part of the task they belong to. There is some unnecessary repetition of points but this is not penalised in this task.