1. A brief introduction to Cambridge English: Key for Schools and Cambridge English: Preliminary for Schools
Length of presentation: approximately 30 minutes
Target audience:
School owners, ministries, school boards, directors, decision-makers
Materials for participants: Cambridge English: Key for Schools and Cambridge English: Preliminary for Schools Handbooks Printout of PowerPoint slides Additional relevant marketing slides (available to download on Fronter)
Seminar delivery:
The seminar is most appropriate for those who have little or no knowledge of the existing Cambridge English: Key for Schools and Cambridge English: Preliminary for Schools, also known as Key English Test (KET) for Schools and Preliminary English Test (PET) for Schools.
If there are some participants who are familiar with these exams, be prepared to use them as sources of information, especially when dealing with information about format and tasks.
If you have established that your audience is already familiar with the exams, you may decide to change the emphasis or pace of certain parts of the seminar in order to accommodate participants’ needs.

2. Aims of the seminar
To highlight why taking English language exams is important
To explain how the exams are:
constructed
assessed
administered.
To show what support is available for teachers
Go through the aims and encourage participants to make comments and ask questions during the seminar, particularly anything helpful for other participants.

3. The importance of English language exams
English is spoken internationally by 1.5 billion people
Certified proof of ability in English gives individuals:
confidence to live and travel in other countries
the skills to follow a course of study in English at tertiary level
a competitive advantage and workplace opportunities for appointment and promotion.
Cambridge English exams are recognised worldwide.
There may be some scepticism amongst the participants as to the need for children of this age to be taking international exams. If necessary, point out that although at this age, few children will be using English on a regular basis, in the future, increasing demands will be placed on them to use English actively and understand it passively in a global society.
Success at this level, and at this age, will provide a stepping stone to examinations at higher levels in the future, as Cambridge English: Key for Schools and Preliminary for Schools are aimed at secondary school children worldwide in both state and private schools.
Workplaces and places of study will need to be able to assess applicants’ ability in English, and the lifelong certification that Cambridge English: Key for Schools and Preliminary for Schools give them will be useful in this regard. The only differences between the existing Cambridge English: Key and Cambridge English: Preliminary (adult) exams and Cambridge English: Key for Schools and Cambridge English: Preliminary for Schools exams lie in the topic areas and, consequently, in the source materials used. There are no differences in format and administration. This ensures that the transition up the levels of the Cambridge English exams is unaltered.
Emphasise that one of the strengths of the Cambridge English exams is their status and recognition all over the world.

4. Trusted and accepted worldwide
6,000+
corporate users
11,000+
higher and further education institutions
This slide is optional, depending on your audience. Explain the following:
Every Cambridge English qualification carries the same quality and standard. That’s why our exams are accepted by over 20,000 universities, employers and governments around the world.
Organisations that accept our exams are added to our global online database, which can be found on our website.
Our level-based exams (Cambridge English: Key/Key for Schools, Preliminary/Preliminary for Schools, First, Advanced and Proficiency, as well as Business Certificates) provide in-depth assessment targeted at a certain level, so we maintain that the language acquired should stay with the learner longer, which is why our certificates and exam results do not expire.
However, recognising organisations such as universities, colleges and employers can choose how long to accept results for. We suggest that candidates always check the requirements with the recognising organisations.
N.B. These numbers do not equal 20,000 as there are 3,000 ‘other’ types of recognising organisations, including charitable organisations, schools and professional bodies.
500+
governments and ministries from 80 countries

5. The Council of Europe founded 1949 promotes languages for:
mutual understanding
personal mobility
access to information in a multilingual and multicultural Europe.
developed the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR)
N.B. The Council of Europe and The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) slides are optional.
The council examines the present-day emphasis on skills, rather than knowledge for its own sake, in the teaching and assessment of languages.
For audiences in non-European countries, it should be emphasised that, although the Council of Europe was one of the ‘founding fathers’ of the emphasis on ‘using’ language, rather than simply ‘knowing’ it, the effects of its thinking are now firmly established throughout the world.
This slide shows how the present-day movement of people around the globe for work and leisure was anticipated by the council. Its philosophy underpinned the writing of the CEFR.

6. Explain that the levels (A1 to C2) form the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) scale, established by the Council of Europe.
This framework provides the theoretical background for the teaching and testing of modern languages worldwide.
It has been used by education ministries, schools and testing agencies in a wide range of countries as the basis for the development of language-learning curricula and forms of assessment.
You may also wish to mention that Cambridge English Language Assessment is a member of the Association of Language Testers in Europe (ALTE). ALTE is an organisation whose aim is to promote common levels of proficiency and testing across European member countries.
Cambridge English: Key for Schools and Cambridge English: Preliminary for Schools are at Levels A2 and B1 of the CEFR. Point out how these two exams act as stepping stones to the higher level exams.
If you wish, refer participants to the Cambridge English: Key for Schools and/or Cambridge English: Preliminary for Schools handbooks for teachers (introduction), where it explains what learners of these levels can do in more detail.

7. The test development process
Cambridge English: Key for Schools and Preliminary for Schools follow the same rigorous test development process as other Cambridge English exams.
You may need to point out the nature and purpose of the main stages to the audience.
There are five main stages in the production process:
commissioning
pre-editing and editing
pretesting
analysis and banking of materials
question paper construction and preparation.
The aims of these stages are to ensure that the exams are reliable, contain no bias or ambiguity and that each version operates at the same level as other versions.
Participating in pre-testing is a valuable training exercise for students, who take the test under exam conditions and are then given a score.
Cambridge English Language Assessment sometimes needs new centres for pre-testing. Ask participants to contact the Cambridge English Pre-testing Unit if they are interested in their school becoming a pre-test centre, via the link on the slide or if they are a live centre, they can find information about pretesting on the Cambridge English Support Website:

8. Testing the right things
a syllabus based on current language use
the four skills: speaking, listening, reading, writing
the strategies and skills needed to cope with a foreign language in everyday, real-life communication
This slide is a summary of the concepts underpinning the Cambridge English examinations.
It establishes that all Cambridge English exams:
are based on task types that are central to the use of English in the modern world
cover all four language skills
assess candidates’ ability to use appropriate strategies and skills to deal with real-life situations.
The Cambridge English: Key for Schools and Cambridge English: Preliminary for Schools handbooks give lists of the Can Do statements for the various skills in the opening pages of each handbook, and the language specifications, including functions, grammatical areas, topics and lexis can be found at the back of the handbooks.
The next part of the seminar examines some of the texts, skills and strategies used in more detail.

9. Topics
Texts and topic areas researched from up-to-date sources such as the internet, magazines and real-life situations, and adapted to the level
Relevant to experience and interests of school-aged children:
daily life, holiday destinations, entertainment, media, natural world, hobbies, school and study, celebrations, clothes, environment, sport, food, inventions, shopping, the home, lifestyles.
Emphasise that the topics of the exam materials have been chosen with the interests of school-aged children in mind.

10. Cambridge English: Key for Schools Reading and Writing
Reading and Writing are combined
1 hour 10 minutes; 50% of total mark
Reading:
based on signs, short messages, brochures, newspapers and magazines
understand the main message
choose the best word to fill a gap
match functional statements or questions with responses.
Writing:
identify and spell words from definitions
complete gaps in a text
write a short message or note based on three required pieces of information
Point out that both levels have Reading and Writing on the same paper. This slide shows the details of the Cambridge English: Key for Schools paper.

11. Cambridge English: Preliminary for Schools Reading and Writing
Reading and Writing are combined
1 hour 30 minutes
Reading (25% of total mark):
based on signs, labels, journals, newspaper and magazine articles
understand the main points, attitude and intended effect
select words to fill gaps in a text through understanding of lexico-structural patterns.
Writing (25% of total mark):
write a short message
write a story or letter of 100 words on a familiar subject
manipulate sentence structure using given lexical and grammatical patterns.
This slide shows the details for the Cambridge English: Preliminary for Schools paper.
Point out the following:
The timing is longer for Cambridge English: Preliminary for Schools as there is a second, more complex writing task involved.
Although the text types are similar, at Cambridge English: Preliminary for Schools more ‘reading into’ some of the texts is required, as questions are based on attitude and effect as well as the more straightforward facts and detail.
Cambridge English: Preliminary for Schools candidates are required to do a task on sentence transformation and write either a story or a letter of about 100 words, in addition to the first task (short message) which is similar to that required at Cambridge English: Key for Schools level.
You may be asked how important the length of the 100-word task is. Over-length or under-length answers are not penalised per se, but it is often found that long answers may become irrelevant or incoherent and candidates penalise themselves in that they are spending too much time on this section of the test; short answers may not have an adequate range of language or may not include all the information required.

12. Listening Cambridge English: Key for Schools about 30 minutes
25% of total mark
understand announcements and other everyday spoken material
listen for key information
Cambridge English: Preliminary for Schools
about 30 minutes
25% of total mark
understand a range of recordings including monologues and dialogues from everyday life
listen for specific and detailed meaning, attitude and opinion
Point out that all materials are based on real-life situations.
Emphasise the extra demands which are made of Cambridge English: Preliminary for Schools candidates – that they are not just listening for facts, but interpreting attitude and intention – listening at a more subtle and not always factual level of detail than is required at Cambridge English: Key for Schools level.

13. Speaking Cambridge English: Key for Schools
basic level (A2)
paired test
two tasks
8–10 minutes
25% of total mark
familiar situations – meeting people, giving factual, personal and non-personal information
Cambridge English: Preliminary for Schools
intermediate level (B1)
paired test
four tasks
10–12 minutes
25% of total mark
familiar situations – giving information, suggesting, negotiating agreement, describing, discussing opinions, etc.
Participants familiar with the existing Cambridge English: Key and Preliminary exams will find no differences here in terms of the parts of the exams and the level at which they are assessed.
There is not time to go into detail about the precise content and timings of the Speaking tests, but point out:
the length of the tests
the fact that the tests are done in pairs (or a group of three if there is an uneven number of candidates in a session)
the situations around which they are based and the type of language that they require candidates to use
at Cambridge English: Preliminary level, the tasks are more demanding and may include study and leisure situations involving discussion with a partner, describing a photograph, asking and answering questions and talking about likes and dislikes.
It is worth pointing out to participants that years of testing experience have shown that the tasks embodied in all the skills at these levels are those which are considered to test them most effectively.
In addition, you could mention that the same types of task continue up the levels of Cambridge English exams, thus ensuring that the exams at Cambridge English: Key for Schools and Preliminary for Schools levels are creating a good foundation for candidates who want to go on to higher levels.

14. Speaking assessment At both levels:
candidates are assessed independently according to specific criteria
there are two examiners:
assessor focuses on detailed criteria
interlocutor conducts the test and focuses on overall effectiveness in dealing with the tasks.
Candidates are assessed on their language skills and ability to develop the conversation and respond to the tasks set.
They are assessed on their individual performance.
Both examiners assess according to criteria which are interpreted at Cambridge English: Key or Preliminary level.
Assessor awards marks for grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation and interactive communication (plus discourse management at Cambridge English: Preliminary level).
Interlocutor manages the interaction and gives a global mark, focusing on the overall effectiveness in dealing with the tasks.

15. Administration
Exams are available multiple times per year (search for dates on
Find examination centre information on
Computer-based versions are available:
more exam dates
registration when the candidate feels ‘exam ready’
faster turnaround times for results
headphones with adjustable volume for Listening tests.
The Cambridge English website gives details under each separate exam of dates on which they can be taken and how to apply. Information can also be found on the website regarding the location of centres where the exams can be taken.
Paper-based or computer-based versions are available for the Reading and Writing, and Listening papers. The format of the papers is exactly the same in the computer-based versions as in the paper-based exams, but the papers are given and marked on computer. The Speaking tests are done in exactly the same way as the paper-based exams.

16. Grading and results Cambridge English: Key for Schools:
Reading and Writing – 50%
Listening – 25%
Speaking – 25%
no minimum pass mark on individual papers
results reported as Distinction (B1 certificate), Pass with Merit and Pass (A2 certificate), CEFR Level A1, Fail
candidates given Statement of Results for each paper
Pass candidates receive a lifelong certificate
N.B. The information is repeated on the next slide for Cambridge English: Preliminary for Schools, as there are minor differences between them.
The process is identical to that of the existing Cambridge English: Key and Cambridge English: Preliminary exams.
Here are points to highlight:
Reading and Writing are graded together as one skill.
The final score is an aggregate of the marks obtained in each paper.
There are four pass grades: Distinction (certificate will state that candidate has achieved Level B1); Pass with Merit and Pass (both at A2 level); and CEFR Level A1. More information on the scores is given on the next slide.
Candidates get their Statements of Results approximately 5–6 weeks after sitting the exam, although this is shorter for computer-based exams (3–4 weeks).
The certificates have lifelong value; a successful candidate does not have to ‘refresh’ their credentials at a later date.

17. Cambridge English Scale: Key for Schools
Point out that the Cambridge English Scale was introduced in 2015, and represents a single range of scores that covers a wide range of language ability, aligned to the CEFR. Each level of the CEFR is covered by 20 points on the Cambridge English Scale.
Cambridge English: Key for Schools, at A2 level, maps to the scale between 120 and 140.
Candidates scoring between 120 and 139 get a Pass or Pass with Merit grade, and a Certificate at A2 level. Those scoring between 140 and 150 get a Distinction and receive a Key Certificate showing evidence of performance at B1 level.
Although targeted at Level A2, the exam reliably scores at the CEFR level below as well. Those falling below a Pass, but who achieve a score between 100 and 119, gain a Cambridge English certificate stating they demonstrated ability at A1 level.
Candidates receive a Statement of Results showing the candidate’s scores on the Cambridge English Scale for their performance in each of the three exam papers (Reading and Writing, Listening and Speaking). It also shows their overall performance score in the exam, grade and CEFR level.
N.B. There is more information on the reporting of results in the Cambridge English: Key for Schools handbook.

18. Grading and results Cambridge English: Preliminary for Schools:
each skill – 25%
no minimum pass mark on individual papers
results reported as Distinction (B2 level certificate;) Pass with Merit and Pass (B1 level certificate); CEFR Level A2 (Fail)
candidates given Statement of Results for each paper
Pass candidates receive a lifelong certificate
Point out the following:
All four skills are equally weighted.
Enhanced certification works in the same way as Cambridge English: Key for Schools, with a Distinction gaining a B2 certificate and a candidate who does not pass Cambridge English: Preliminary for Schools, but demonstrates ability at CEFR Level A2, getting an A2 certificate. See next slide for more information.

19. Cambridge English Scale: Preliminary for Schools
As shown here, Cambridge English: Preliminary for Schools, at B1 level, maps to the scale between 140 and 160.
Candidates scoring between 140 and 159 get a Pass or Pass with Merit grade, and a Certificate at B1 level. Those scoring between 160 and 170 get a Distinction and receive a Preliminary Certificate showing evidence of performance at B2 level.
Although targeted at Level B1, the exam reliably scores at the CEFR level below as well. Those falling below a Pass, but who achieve a score between 120 and 139, gain a Cambridge English certificate stating they demonstrated ability at A2 Level.
Candidates receive a Statement of Results showing the candidate’s scores on the Cambridge English Scale for their performance in each of the four language skills (reading, writing, listening and speaking). It also shows their overall performance score in the exam (average of their scores for the four skills), grade and CEFR level.
N.B. There is more information on the reporting of results in the Cambridge English: Preliminary for Schools handbook.

20. Teaching English Free resources for teachers Teaching Qualifications
Sample papers, handbooks, lesson plans and teacher guides
Teaching Qualifications
For new and experienced teachers
Teaching Framework
Helps you assess which stage you are at in your professional development and work out where you want to get to next
Point out that the Teaching English pages on the Cambridge English website provide resources for teachers to prepare for tomorrow’s lesson and help prepare candidates for the exams, as well as plan for their (teachers’) future career.
There are four main areas:
Free resources for teachers – where you can download free sample papers, handbooks, lesson plans and teacher guides.
Teaching Qualifications – where you can access information about our suite of teaching qualifications for new and experienced teachers.
Teaching Framework – this helps you assess which stage you are at in your professional development and work out where you want to get to next. There are four levels, from Foundation to Expert.
Webinars – these are for teachers and are about our exams and teaching. The webinars are delivered by experts and you have the opportunity to ask questions when you join a live webinar; past webinars can be accessed here.
And to stay in touch with new developments, please sign up to our teacher-focused newsletter, Update, by simply typing your name and address. (N.B. If asked: this is currently distributed monthly, but could change in the future to more or less frequently, depending on the reviews, etc.).
N.B. If you have access to the internet, show participants how to find the resources for Cambridge English: Key for Schools and Preliminary for Schools on the Teaching English page of the website.
Webinars
About our exams and teaching

21. Further information Cambridge English Language Assessment
1 Hills Road, Cambridge CB1 2EU,
United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0)
Fax: +44 (0)
Keep up to date with what’s new via the website:
For important information about Cambridge English exams:
Note to presenters: In addition to the slides that already accompany this presentation, before the end of the presentation you will also need to add the relevant marketing slides – these are available to download on Fronter.
Thank participants for attending.
Leave the final slide up as they prepare to leave.