GCSE Speaking Agreement Trial

Agenda Look at our experience from last year Look at Mark Scheme and give an explanation of it Set the standard Mark six / seven candidates and have a discussion about marks awarded Answer any questions Allow you to leave today feeling more confident in relation to marking the speaking element

Our Experience so far Generally a good news story! Very High standard of performance Mixture of tasks both CCEA produced and teacher produced Some issues with style of questioning Marks – generally within tolerance Issue with over preparation, use of templates ?

Things to be aware of in 2014/2015 Bullet points – candidates must address ALL bullet points on the task sheet Tasks should NOT exceed 6 mins or be less than 4 mins. Choice of topic for tasks Centre agreement on tasks Careful to adhere closely to the Mark Scheme

Format of the Speaking Controlled Assessment 2 Speaking Tasks over the two years (one of these MUST be a conversation) Candidates have the opportunity to prepare the task Candidates are aware of most elements of the task There will be 2 unprepared questions – conversation and interview. 1 unprepared question in the Presentation. Teachers will mark both tasks Marks are not submitted until both tasks are complete Marks are moderated by CCEA

General Mark Scheme – 3 Sections covering 5 Bands Communication Grammar and structure Pronunciation, intonation and fluency Ethos of GCSE – helping candidates achieve Positive Mark Scheme Realistic standard – looking holistically at the performance

Moderation Process Each centre will be allocated a moderator CCEA will inform you of the required sample and candidate numbers Sub Sample listened to (50% of sample +1) If all within tolerance then marking is accepted If even 1 is out of tolerance then all of the sample is listened to Marking may be accepted after that or there may be adjustments – CCEA can ask for further samples Once Assist Mod completes his / her work it is checked by the Principal Moderator

Internal standardisation Cannot emphasise enough the importance of Internal standardisation – the sample is random covering all teaching groups in a centre Be careful if there has been a long term absence in department. Adjustment is made not to a teaching group but to a whole centre – so candidates could be disadvantaged if internal standardisation has not taken place

Band 5 Communication Understands all of the prepared questions Understands and responds if question is rephrased in the unprepared element Confidence – Development of answer – can extend the answer beyond the basic answer by giving 2 / 3 extra bits of information naturally – very little hesitancy Déan cur síos ar an scoil. Is scoil --- í agus freastalaíonn cailíní agus buachaillí uirthi. Is scoil measartha nua aimseartha í agus tá aiseanna ar dóigh againn, mar shampla ___ ____ ____. Sílim gur scoil mhaith í mar tá suim ag na múinteoirí sna scoláirí agus déanann siad na ranganna suimiúil, mar sin de bíonn torthaí iontach maith ag an scoil. Is breá liom an craic ar scoil mar tá mo chairde uilig anseo agus bíonn neart craic againn istigh agus taobh amuigh den rang. Opinions must be given and justified

Band 4 Communication Understands all of the prepared questions. Still might have difficulty after rephrasing of the unprepared questions Confidence – Gives considerable basic information – accept some hesitancy Déan cur síos ar an scoil Téim ar scoil Is scoil í Tá cailíní agus buachaillí ar an scoil. Tá áiseanna iontach maith sa scoil. Téann mo chairde ar an scoil. Is maith liom an scoil mar is maith liom na múinteoirí ach ní maith liom obair bhaile Opinions must be given and some justification at basic level – Is maith liom é mar

Band 3 Communication Understands – Most of prepared questions but might need some rephrasing. Have considerable difficulty with the unprepared elements – hazard a guess!!!! Confidence Responds to questions with very little development – teacher has to ask more and more closed questions to elicit information Déan cur síos ar an scoil Tá mé ar scoil Tá an scoil measartha mór. Tá na múinteoirí ceart go leor Ní maith liom an scoil Opinions are given but there is no justification

Band 2 Communication Understands some of the prepared questions but will need considerable help and support - a lot of hesitancy. Will have real difficulty with the unprepared element and may not respond to this element at all Confidence – Answers in very simple, sometimes incomplete sentences or even one word responses. Teacher has to give a lot of support Déan cur síos ar an scoil Tá mé ar scoil ---- Tá sé scoil maith – Ní maith liom Opinions – Very basic, if any and no justification

Band 1 Communication Understands very little of the prepared questions, very hesitant. Will not be able to manage unprepared element at all Confidence -No development answers in short phrases, even one word answers or not at all !!! Or in English!!!! Opinions None offered

Band 5 Grammar and Structures Not looking for complete accuracy Good and very competent use of tenses (do not need three tenses) Syntax always correct with tenses but accept some inaccuracies with clauses Good and very competent management of irregular verbs with only minor errors eg Ní rinne me – Major error Ní chuala me- Minor error Good and very competent use of Indirect Sp. With only minor errors eg Sílim go rinne me – major error Sílim gur ndéanaim – minor error Good and very competent use of Copula in Direct Sp but not necessarly with Indirect Sp. eg Is múinteoir é / Is múinteoir m’athair Good use of pronouns and prepositional pronouns (but allow for slips !!) Remember looking for overall impression of competence.

What is idiomatic language? Natural and Not contrived. Phrases that lend a ‘natural flow’ to the response. E.g. Chomh maith leis sin Ar mhaithe le Tá a fhios agat Má thuigeann tú mé Caithfidh mé a rá Is dóigh liom Cosúil le, rud beag Braitheann sé ar Ar dóigh Ar ndóigh

Band 4 Grammar and Structures Competent use of Verbs (answer in the right tense) Syntax with verbs correct Use of pronouns and prepositional pronouns may be erratic e.g. Téim mé, Tá deartháir agat Good use of irregular verbs in Direct Sp but errors may occur in Indirect Sp. e.g. Sílim go rinne mé

Band 3 Grammar and Structures Begin to see a lot of mistakes with tenses but does get some right Cad é a rinne tú? Déanaim An ndeachaigh tú? Rachaidh mé Basic syntax mostly correct but major errors with complex syntax – sílim mo dhearthair rinne Management of irregular verbs will be very erratic even in Direct Sp. – Ní rinne mé Use of pronouns and prepositional pronouns will be very erratic – Bhí sé le mé Use of Indirect Sp very erratic – Sílim tá / sílim rinne

Band 2 Grammar and Structures A lot of major errors with tenses, getting very few tenses correct No real control with irregular verbs An ndeachaigh tú? Tá Prepositional pronouns in simple sentences may be a bit of a mystery !!!!! Basic syntax will start to become a problem usually with a noun instead of a pronoun – Mo dheartháir rinne

Band 1 Grammar and Structures Candidate really struggling No accuracy with tenses in either prepared or unprepared elements Syntax a problem even with pronouns Mé dhéanaim No control of even very basic structures Sea / Tá - to nearly all questions

Pronunciation and Intonation Bands really speak for themselves Remember not looking for total accuracy Remember mark for pronunciation should not be adversely affected by poor content !!!!!!