SPOKEN  ENGLISH FOR SPEAKERS OF OTHER LANGUAGES

ABOUT TRINITY´S GRADED EXAMINATIONS IN SPOKEN ENGLISH FOR SPEAKERS OF OTHER LANGUAGES

Trinity’s graded examinations in spoken English provide a reliable and valid scheme of assessment through which candidates, teachers and parents may measure progress and development, whether for educational and vocational purposes or as a leisure activity. The grades provide a continuous measure of linguistic competence from absolute beginner to full mastery.

This series of twelve progressively graded tests is designed for speakers of languages other than English and sets realistic objectives in listening to and speaking with other English speakers . The grades take  the learner from a very low level of proficiency (Grade 1) to an advanced level of proficiency comparable with first-language ability (Grade 12).

THE FOUR STAGES

At Initial stage(Grades 1-3), the conduct of the examination is initiated by the examiner .Examinations at initial stage relate to the first common reference level (Basic User)  in the Common European Framework for Languages:
Learning, teaching, assessment(2001).

At Elementary stage(Grades 4-6), the candidate introduces a topic of his or her own choice. The examiner directs the discussion using the points prepared by the candidate. Then the examiner moves on to the conversation phase, selecting two subject areas for discussion from the list provided.  Examinations at Elementary stage provide a bridge from the first to the second common reference levels (Basic User to Independent User)in the Common European Framework for Languages.

At Intermediate stage(Grades 7-9), the candidate initiates and maintains a discussion on a topic of his her own choice. This is followed by an interaction initiated by the examiner and the maintained by the candidate, and the examination ends with a conversations on two subject areas selected by the examiner from the list provided. Examinations at Intermediate stage relate to the second common reference level (Independent User) in the Common European Framework for Languages.

At Advanced stage(Grades 10-12), the examination begins with a formal presentation of a topic leading into a discussion of the presentation. The candidate-controlled interaction is followed by a listening task, and the examination ends with a  conversation on two subject areas selected by the examiner from one of the lists provided. Examinations at Advanced stage take the learner from the second to the third common reference level (Idependent User to Proficient User) in the Common European Framework for Languages.