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In this talk I will look at. how students' profiles change as they move from B2 to C1differences between First Certificate candidates and CAE candidates as shown by the Cambridge Learner Corpus (CLC) some differences in competencies and objectives between the two levels as revealed by the Common E
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1. From learner corpus to learner autonomy: bridging the gap between FCE and CAE Guy Brook-Hart
Cambridge University Press
Moscow, 20th April 2009
2. In this talk I will look at how students profiles change as they move from B2 to C1
differences between First Certificate candidates and CAE candidates as shown by the Cambridge Learner Corpus (CLC)
some differences in competencies and objectives between the two levels as revealed by the Common European Framework (CEF)
discuss how this information can help in designing more focused course materials and teaching approaches.
3. Examples will be taken from
Complete First Certificate (Cambridge University Press 2008)
Complete CAE (Cambridge University Press 2009)
4. How are advanced students different from upper-intermediate students? theyre clearly good at language learning and with the right materials probably enjoy it.
they generally display high motivation.
they are likely to be more mature and therefore
take more responsibility for their learning
can deal with more sophisticated topics.
theyve seen it all before.
5. How are advanced students different from upper-intermediate students? theyre (even more) familiar with coursebook and classroom routines (they wont want to be patronised, but they will want to be challenged).
Theyre more self-confident about their abilities and may be more demanding of their teachers.
they feel the end is in sight (and this may increase motivation).
6. How are advanced students different from upper-intermediate students? theyll make their own decisions about whats worth studying, what can be ignored. This will be based on
whether they think they will ever use the language / see it again
how difficult it is
whether it will come in the exam.
(Course books at advanced level often present language which is only appropriate for native / near-native speakers.)
7. What is the Cambridge Learner Corpus (CLC)? More than 125,000 scripts from Cambridge ESOL Writing Papers allowing analysis of errors according to
level
L1
type of error.
Examples of real student mistakes.
8. What is the Cambridge Learner Corpus (CLC)? Exclusive to
Cambridge ESOL
Cambridge University Press
9. What information can it give? Grammar errors
Ana was dating Bob, that was Christine's boyfriend
I am a 15 year old girl that speaks the English language fluently
10. What information can it give? Grammar errors
I think the better thing we have to do is...
Laura was more calm and a little bit frightened.
11. Modals to express ability Can instead of could in conditionals (including polite requests) and other hypothetical situations
It's a mountain bike and if you can see it, I'm sure that you'd like it.
Can instead of could for past situations
In contrast to this, I can swim when I was six.
12. What information can it give? Lexical errors
a fiesta with typical Spanish clothes
I hope your holiday was funny.
13. What information can it give? Collocation errors
I felt free to use the phone and I did some phone calls home.
It was an important day and I had to hold a speech in front of international visitors.
14. What information can it give? Spelling errors
confortable
belive
preffer
accomodation
excelent
15. How does the Cambridge Learner Corpus (CLC) help us to understand changing student profiles? It permits analysis of errors according to
candidates level
candidates first language
type of error e.g. grammar, lexis, collocation, spelling etc.
i.e. the language students are trying to use and where they are having problems.
16. This allows the course book writers at FCE level to cover the main grammar areas, but focus on the aspects of each grammar area where students are having problems.
17. The CLC allows the course book writers at CAE level to see what areas of grammar students are trying to use and where they are having problems
design activities and exercises to resolve the problems.
18. Do students continue to make the same mistakes at CAE level as at FCE? Yes, in many cases
but fewer.
19. How errors change from FCE to CAE: Many errors cease to be statistically significant e.g. adjectives + -ed / + -ing; errors with modals to express obligation / possibility.
Lower frequency of grammatical errors
CAE grammar errors tend to be: wrong preposition, wrong determiner, wrong verb tense, verb form, or verb agreement; missing or wrong pronoun; linking words / phrases. Have a hand-out here where audience have to sort out which are FC errors and which CAE.Have a hand-out here where audience have to sort out which are FC errors and which CAE.
20. Which is the most frequent area of CAE errors? Missing determiner
Missing punctuation
Spelling (accommodation spelt accomodation the most frequent)
Wrong noun
Wrong preposition
Wrong punctuation
Wrong tense of Verb
Wrong verb
Wrong verb form (to+ infinitive or + -ing) CAE errors:
Lexical
Discourse management / linking phrases
Infinitive vs ing
Collocation errors expressing contrast, concession, purpose, cause and result (may reflect type of tasks)
Articles and determiners
Prepositions
Modal verbs
Conditionals
Past simple present perfect confusions
Missing punctuation
Spelling (accommodation spelt accomodation the most frequent)
Wrong preposition
Wrong verb
Missing determiner
Wrong punctuation
Wrong tense of Verb
Wrong noun
Wrong verb form (to+ infinitive or +-ing)
Missing preposition
Verb agreement errors
Wrong adjective
Wrong noun form (singular/plural)
Derivation of adjective
Wrong adverb
Wrong determiner
Missing pronoun
Spelling confusion
Derivation of noun
Wrong pronoun
Derivation of adjective
Derivation of noun
Missing determiner
Missing preposition
Missing pronoun
Missing punctuation
Spelling (accommodation spelt accomodation the most frequent)
Spelling confusion
Verb agreement errors
Wrong adjective
Wrong adverb
Wrong determiner
Wrong noun
Wrong noun form (singular/plural)
Wrong preposition
Wrong pronoun
Wrong punctuation
Wrong tense of Verb
Wrong verb
Wrong verb form (to+ infinitive or +-ing)
CAE errors:
Lexical
Discourse management / linking phrases
Infinitive vs ing
Collocation errors expressing contrast, concession, purpose, cause and result (may reflect type of tasks)
Articles and determiners
Prepositions
Modal verbs
Conditionals
Past simple present perfect confusions
Missing punctuation
Spelling (accommodation spelt accomodation the most frequent)
Wrong preposition
Wrong verb
Missing determiner
Wrong punctuation
Wrong tense of Verb
Wrong noun
Wrong verb form (to+ infinitive or +-ing)
Missing preposition
Verb agreement errors
Wrong adjective
Wrong noun form (singular/plural)
Derivation of adjective
Wrong adverb
Wrong determiner
Missing pronoun
Spelling confusion
Derivation of noun
Wrong pronoun
Derivation of adjective
Derivation of noun
Missing determiner
Missing preposition
Missing pronoun
Missing punctuation
Spelling (accommodation spelt accomodation the most frequent)
Spelling confusion
Verb agreement errors
Wrong adjective
Wrong adverb
Wrong determiner
Wrong noun
Wrong noun form (singular/plural)
Wrong preposition
Wrong pronoun
Wrong punctuation
Wrong tense of Verb
Wrong verb
Wrong verb form (to+ infinitive or +-ing)
21. Most frequent CAE errors are Missing punctuation
Spelling (accommodation spelt accomodation the most frequent)
Wrong preposition
Wrong verb
Missing determiner
Wrong punctuation
Wrong tense of Verb
Wrong noun
Wrong verb form (to+ infinitive or +-ing) CAE errors:
Lexical
Discourse management / linking phrases
Infinitive vs ing
Collocation errors expressing contrast, concession, purpose, cause and result (may reflect type of tasks)
Articles and determiners
Prepositions
Modal verbs
Conditionals
Past simple present perfect confusions
Missing punctuation
Spelling (accommodation spelt accomodation the most frequent)
Wrong preposition
Wrong verb
Missing determiner
Wrong punctuation
Wrong tense of Verb
Wrong noun
Wrong verb form (to+ infinitive or +-ing)
Missing preposition
Verb agreement errors
Wrong adjective
Wrong noun form (singular/plural)
Derivation of adjective
Wrong adverb
Wrong determiner
Missing pronoun
Spelling confusion
Derivation of noun
Wrong pronoun
Derivation of adjective
Derivation of noun
Missing determiner
Missing preposition
Missing pronoun
Missing punctuation
Spelling (accommodation spelt accomodation the most frequent)
Spelling confusion
Verb agreement errors
Wrong adjective
Wrong adverb
Wrong determiner
Wrong noun
Wrong noun form (singular/plural)
Wrong preposition
Wrong pronoun
Wrong punctuation
Wrong tense of Verb
Wrong verb
Wrong verb form (to+ infinitive or +-ing)
CAE errors:
Lexical
Discourse management / linking phrases
Infinitive vs ing
Collocation errors expressing contrast, concession, purpose, cause and result (may reflect type of tasks)
Articles and determiners
Prepositions
Modal verbs
Conditionals
Past simple present perfect confusions
Missing punctuation
Spelling (accommodation spelt accomodation the most frequent)
Wrong preposition
Wrong verb
Missing determiner
Wrong punctuation
Wrong tense of Verb
Wrong noun
Wrong verb form (to+ infinitive or +-ing)
Missing preposition
Verb agreement errors
Wrong adjective
Wrong noun form (singular/plural)
Derivation of adjective
Wrong adverb
Wrong determiner
Missing pronoun
Spelling confusion
Derivation of noun
Wrong pronoun
Derivation of adjective
Derivation of noun
Missing determiner
Missing preposition
Missing pronoun
Missing punctuation
Spelling (accommodation spelt accomodation the most frequent)
Spelling confusion
Verb agreement errors
Wrong adjective
Wrong adverb
Wrong determiner
Wrong noun
Wrong noun form (singular/plural)
Wrong preposition
Wrong pronoun
Wrong punctuation
Wrong tense of Verb
Wrong verb
Wrong verb form (to+ infinitive or +-ing)
22. Typical CAE verb errors: He can to come here to attend the interview.
You can combined different colours if you want.
I accept the employment you had offered me.
I cannot believe my eyes when I saw the figures.
23. Many errors indicate carelessness, suggesting where in FCE we may place emphasis on encouraging fluency,
at CAE level learners have achieved fluency but often at the expense of accuracy.
24. In many cases, absence of errors at CAE level indicates learners have learnt the grammar, or
have strategies for avoiding the grammar (especially in an exam situation),
(e.g. participle clauses: Having finished my studies
) or
the grammar is rarely required in writing tasks (e.g. If only
).
25. Absence of errors at FCE level may indicate unawareness of the grammar, or
other grammar mistakes are much more frequent.
26. Grammar at FCE level should therefore: cover the main areas of grammar
work on areas where students have problems
27. Grammar at CAE level should: cover areas of grammar which students will clearly need for performing speaking and writing tasks at this level
work on areas where students are still having problems
teach what students appear to be avoiding.
CAE error: At the same time, I noticed some drawbacks, nevertheless they did not concern every student.
28. The CLC can help to provide a lexical syllabus based on vocabulary students are trying to use, but making mistakes with.
29. Some typical lexical confusions at FCE: work and job
I had a part-time work at a pop concert in the Tokyo Dome.
trip, travel and journey
I had to make a travel to my parents house.
space, room, place
They dont have enough place to store all the rubbish.
stay, spend and pass
Maybe it would be better to stay all the time in the camp.
hope and wish
I wish you answer me soon.
30. Some FCE lexical errors persist to CAE, e.g.: Know, learn and find out:
You must go to the information desk to know where to pick up your luggage.
Give, provide and offer:
The university catering service aims to give food at low cost.
31. Collocation errors at FCE: Make, do and give: make a mistake, do a job, give a speech etc.
32. Collocation errors are more significant at CAE as other errors are less frequent, e.g.: Get: get (not have) advice, get (not become) wet etc.
Misuse of big, wide, large, strong, great and high:
The clothes come in a big variety of colours.
He has a wide teaching experience.
There is a large choice of activities.
We heard a strong noise coming from the street.
He has great experience of voluntary work
Id recommend her because of her high qualifications.
33. Conclusions: CAE students need to work on collocations
They struggle to express themselves emphatically
i.e. they can manage the broad aspects of communication, but they struggle to nuance what they want to say.
34. Going on to CAE (source IELTS Handbook) C2 (7.5+)
C1 (6.5-7)
B2 (5-6) Why go on to C1 level?
Lengths of time students take to get to these levels
How C1 sts may be different
theyre good at language learning, probably intelligent and with the right materials probably enjoy it.
they display high motivation
they are likely to be more mature and therefore take more responsibility for their learning
they often know more than they realise, but they also often realise what theyd do not know
theyve seen it all before
theyre familiar with coursebook and classroom routines (they wont want to be patronised, but they will want to be challenged)
they feel the end is in sight (and this may increase motivation)
they can tell a good teacher from a bad one and they recognise when a class has been prepared
theyll make their own decisions about whats worth studying, what can be ignored. This will be based on
whether they think they will ever use the language / see it again
how difficult it is
whether it will come in the exam.
(Course books at advanced level often present language which is only appropriate for native speakers.)Why go on to C1 level?
Lengths of time students take to get to these levels
How C1 sts may be different
theyre good at language learning, probably intelligent and with the right materials probably enjoy it.
they display high motivation
they are likely to be more mature and therefore take more responsibility for their learning
they often know more than they realise, but they also often realise what theyd do not know
theyve seen it all before
theyre familiar with coursebook and classroom routines (they wont want to be patronised, but they will want to be challenged)
they feel the end is in sight (and this may increase motivation)
they can tell a good teacher from a bad one and they recognise when a class has been prepared
theyll make their own decisions about whats worth studying, what can be ignored. This will be based on
whether they think they will ever use the language / see it again
how difficult it is
whether it will come in the exam.
(Course books at advanced level often present language which is only appropriate for native speakers.)
35. How long from FCE to CAE?
36. How does the CEF describe differences between B2 and C1?
37. Listening
38. Listening
39. Reading
40. Reading
41. Speaking
42. Speaking
43. Writing
44. Writing
45. Summary: There are strong reasons for studying English to C1 level.
The CEF provides a constant reference for teachers and students about the skills and competencies they need to acquire.
The CLC pinpoints the grammatical and lexical areas where students are having problems when working towards those competencies.
Course material and syllabuses need to reflect these concerns
46. Complete First Certificate (Cambridge University Press 2008) andComplete CAE (Cambridge University Press 2009) teach CEF competencies
are Corpus-informed throughout.
47. Complete First Certificate Students Book has been written specifically for the new FCE exam (December 2008)
is aimed at students aged 16 - 18 and young adults
has 16 units containing
skills for one part of each FCE paper (Reading, Writing, Use of English, Listening and Speaking)
Corpus-informed vocabulary and grammar input.
48. Complete CAE Students Book has been written specifically for the new CAE exam (December 2008)
is aimed at students young adults
has 14 units containing
skills for one part of each CAE paper (Reading, Writing, Use of English, Listening and Speaking)
Corpus-informed vocabulary and grammar input.
49. They have a 16-page Grammar reference section
an 8-page Writing reference section
a 4-page Speaking reference section
a complete model exam for the new exam, supplied by Cambridge ESOL
a CD-ROM for self-study.
50. Other components A Teachers Book with step-by-step teaching notes, photocopiable activities, progress tests, photocopiable word lists, answer keys and recording scripts.
3 audio CDs including recordings for the model Listening Paper supplied by Cambridge ESOL.
A Workbook with audio CD (authors Barbara Thomas and Amanda Thomas).
51. Useful websiteswww.cambridge.org/corpushttp://www.cambridge.org/elt/completecaehttp://www.coe.int/T/DG4/Portfolio/?L=E&M=/main_pages/portfolios.html/guybrookhart@gmail.com