making the grade at c1, by michael brand - bilbao, spain

Making the grade at C1

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How do you send a spaceman’s baby to sleep?

Rocket!

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What’s the difference between a guitar and a fish?

You can’t tuna fish!

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What do you call a zoo with only one dog in it?

A Shih Tzu

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Why the jokes?!

What is necessary to be able to get a joke?

Awareness of double meanings… homographs… homophones (+ cultural references)

At what level should a student have developed these skills?

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What does it mean to be a C1?

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The capabilities of learners at Level C1 have been summarised in the CEFR as follows:

Can understand a wide range of demanding, longer texts, and recognise implicit meaning. (L & R)

Can express him/herself fluently and spontaneously without much obvious searching for expressions. (S)

Can use language flexibly and effectively for social, academic and professional purposes. (W & S)

Can produce clear, well-structured, detailed text on complex subjects, showing controlled use of organisational patterns, connectors and cohesive devices (W)

(Council of Europe, 2001)

The GSE

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Can-do descriptors. CEFR expanded upon. Descriptors developed and graded with input from teachers.

“I’m a B2. Again.”

More granular defenition of lanuage proficiency. Students are more motivated when they see progreession.

Guess who!

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B2, B2+, C1: IDENTIFY!

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Can make jokes in writing using words with similar spelling but different meanings.

Can contribute fluently and naturally to a conversation about a complex or abstract topic.

Can understand the intended double meaning of a word used in a joke.

Can understand correspondence containing idiomatic or non-standard language

Can engage in extended conversation in a clearly participatory fashion on most general topics.

Can follow a natural group discussion, but may find it difficult to participate effectively.

Can understand unscripted speech delivered quickly, if the accent is familiar.

Can write a formal email/letter of invitation with appropriate register and conventions.

Can understand complex, detailed correspondence, with occasional support from a dictionary.

Can understand when something is being said ironically in a casual conversation.

Can make a clear strong argument during a formal discussion.

Can systematically develop an argument giving the reasons for or against a point of view.

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Can make jokes in writing using words with similar spelling but different meanings.

Can contribute fluently and naturally to a conversation about a complex or abstract topic.

Can understand the intended double meaning of a word used in a joke.

Can understand correspondence containing idiomatic or non-standard language

Can engage in extended conversation in a clearly participatory fashion on most general topics.

Can follow a natural group discussion, but may find it difficult to participate effectively.

Can understand unscripted speech delivered quickly, if the accent is familiar.

Can write a formal email/letter of invitation with appropriate register and conventions.

Can understand complex, detailed correspondence, with occasional support from a dictionary.

Can understand when something is being said ironically in a casual conversation.

Can make a clear strong argument during a formal discussion.

Can systematically develop an argument giving the reasons for or against a point of view.

B2+ C1 B2

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Can make jokes in writing using words with similar spelling but different meanings. 76

Can contribute fluently and naturally to a conversation about a complex or abstract topic. 79

Can understand the intended double meaning of a word used in a joke. 78

Can understand correspondence containing idiomatic or non-standard language. 76

Can engage in extended conversation in a clearly participatory fashion on most general topics. 61

Can follow a natural group discussion, but may find it difficult to participate effectively. 62

Can understand unscripted speech delivered quickly, if the accent is familiar. 64

Can write a formal email/letter of invitation with appropriate register and conventions. 60

Can understand complex, detailed correspondence, with occasional support from a dictionary. 70

Can understand when something is being said ironically in a casual conversation. 71

Can make a clear strong argument during a formal discussion. 74

Can systematically develop an argument giving the reasons for or against a point of view. 67

B2+ C1B2

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SPEAKING AND LISTENING

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SPEAKING

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76 Can substitute an equivalent term for a word they can’t recall so smoothly that it isn’t noticeable.

Can contribute to group discussions even when speech is fast and colloquial.

Can answer questions about abstract topics clearly and in detail.

What does Speaking at C1 mean? (GSE)

77 Can rephrase controversial statements into more neutral language.

78 Can summarise clearly and precisely the arguments and event descriptions from a complex text.

79 Can contribute fluently and naturally to a conversation about a complex or abstract topic.

80 Can participate in a fast-paced conversation with fluent speakers.

81 Can join a conversation already in progress between fluent speakers on complex topics.

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79 Can contribute fluently and naturally to a conversation about a complex or abstract topic.

80 Can participate in a fast-paced conversation with fluent speakers.

81 Can join a conversation already in progress between fluent speakers on complex topics.

Fluency

Fluency: what’s that?

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Clichés

“You know you’re fluent when you think in a foreign language”

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Clichés

“You know you’re fluent when you dream in a foreign language”

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Clichés

“You know you’re fluent when apply the grammar and vocabulary to your own language”

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Real examples

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“I’m going to go correcting the work”

“This school has fantastic installations”

“I’m going to pass the list”

Generally accepted criteria

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Generally accepted criteria

Speed of deliveryFor English native speakers, average conversation has 100-120 words per minute

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BUT. It’s not all about speed. What about this talk?

Generally accepted criteria

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No undue pauses or hesitationThe average pause when two English native speakers are talking is 0.6 seconds

Perceived fluency: what has the biggest impact?

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According to research it’s using language chunks and interactive words appropriately, accurately and automatically.

Language chunks should be said quickly for the speaker to appear fluent. These words are important to react to what the other person has said.

“So, you don’t think it’s a good idea?”

“Well, the thing is, it just looks a bit pricey to me, you know what I mean?”

Or

“No, it looks expensive to me.”

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Basically, we’re going to (gonna) go skiing, rock climbing, hiking, things like that.

Other characteristics of fluent speakers

Fluent speakers repeat and reformulate:

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A: “Was it good?”

B: “Was it good? Yeah, amazing!”

NB. Don’t go overboard!

A C1 candidate

What characteristics of his speech suggest that he is a C1?

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Silvain: I really like, em, doing city trips with my brother. We’ve kind of picked that up in the past, em, so every year, em, we go and visit one city in Europe together, just for a weekend, for example, but it’s always a really good experience.

Examiner: Is there anything you dislike about travelling?

Silvain: Well, not really no, I really like travelling actually, I really enjoy it. Sometimes maybe, em, it’s difficult to find your way, and if you’re in a, in another place you don’t know, it might be difficult to get around but … Actually I really like travelling, to be honest.

Chunks, interactive words

Phrasal verbs, fixed phrases

Helping our students to become C1 speakers

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76 Can substitute an equivalent term for a word they can’t recall so smoothly that it isn’t noticeable.

Can contribute to group discussions even when speech is fast and colloquial.

Can answer questions about abstract topics clearly and in detail.

What does Speaking at C1 mean? (GSE)

77 Can rephrase controversial statements into more neutral language.

78 Can summarise clearly and precisely the arguments and event descriptions from a complex text.

79 Can contribute fluently and naturally to a conversation about a complex or abstract topic.

80 Can participate in a fast-paced conversation with fluent speakers.

81 Can join a conversation already in progress between fluent speakers on complex topics.

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76 Can substitute an equivalent term for a word they can’t recall so smoothly that it isn’t noticeable.

Vocabulary: synonyms and rephrasing

Taboo: synonyms, rephrasing, time pressure!

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Into threes. One person turn around!

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AMNESIA

Forget MemoryRememberHead Bump

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AMNESIA

Forget MemoryRememberHead Bump

Follow up

1.What synonyms can students find in the cards?

Jealousy=envy juvenile=youngobjective=goal assignment=task

2.Can they come up with synonyms for the other words?

Remember = recall, jail = prison, delinquent = criminal

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LISTENING

Helping our students to become C1 listeners

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C1 Listening descriptors. Any ideas?

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C1 Listening descriptors.

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Can follow a fast-paced conversation between fluent speakers well enough to be able to contribute. 76

Can recognise coherence devices and follow complex arguments on unfamiliar topics. 77

Can understand the intended double meaning of a word used in a joke. 78

Can follow presentations on abstract and complex topics outside their field of interest. 79

Can follow films employing a considerable degree of slang and idiomatic usage. 80

Can recognise a wide range of idiomatic expressions and colloquialisms, appreciating register shifts. 83

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77 Can recognise coherence devices and follow complex arguments on unfamiliar topics

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Pre-reading and listening: always make predictions about the content!

• Activate schema• Generate vocabulary and ideas• Check your predictions: a reason to

read/listen

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Right, well, the key to success is really all in the preparation. Firstly, make sure you dress comfortably and in an appropriate style for the job you’re applying for – so nothing too trendy if you’re going for a banking job, and a conservative suit probably won’t help your cause if you’re after a job as a cutting-edge fashion designer.

And obviously remember to prepare everything you’ll need to take the night before. Apart from your personal possessions, you’ll probably need a map, your CV, photocopies of certificates, that sort of thing. Go out and buy yourself a folder to put them in. It’s not too impressive when interviewees are fumbling around dropping paper all over the floor.

Another important point is to go online and work out how you’re going to get to the interview so that you arrive in good time with no last-minute panics. Allow a safety margin for hold-ups and, if at all feasible, do a practice run first. Being late is a definite no-no.

Related to that of course, doing research about the company will definitely pay off. If you do this, you’ll be able to ask one or two intelligent questions of your own.

Finally, prepare yourself psychologically. Visualising success in advance helps. Everyone is nervous; it’s about controlling the butterflies in the stomach and the dry mouth. Take deep breaths and remain calm. 

Why exploit transcripts?

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Pronunciation Elision, contraction, assimilation and other examples of connected speech, sentence stress, intonation

Speed Where and when speakers speed up and slow down

Vocabulary Students relate the written form to the sound in connected speech

Features of good listeners

Backchanelling (mmm, I see, etc), paraphrasing, asking follow-up questions

Features exclusive to speaking

Fillers, false starts, hesitations, repair strategies

Discourse markers

Signals for speech functions such as changing the subject, softening an opinion, returning to the main point, etc

Credit: JJ Wilson ‘How to teach listening’

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B2: Can understand scripted speech delivered quickly, if the accent is familiar

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Jimmy FallonJonathan Ross

Oprah Winfrey Graham Norton

80 Can follow films employing a considerable degree of slang and idiomatic usage83 Can recognise a wide range of idiomatic expressions and colloquialisms, appreciating register shifts

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Yeah we did an advert that started in the UK and it was during a programme called X Factor that we have and erm yeah it just came on. And it was just like a black screen with white writing just with the lyrics of a bit of the first verse of Hello and then it ended with three dots as in to be continued and erm I mean I was watching it, I like X Factor, so we were watching it and I just like shit myself, like absolutely lost the plot when it came on and I got really excited as if it wasn’t me as well and then afterwards I’m very new to like being on social media and afterwards I was like tried to check twitter but I didn’t have a twitter account, so I just saw what was on there if you’re not on there.

Let’s wrap it up…

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...involve students in the learning process…make them responsible for their own learning…and understand why they are learning what they are learning

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Let’s wrap it up…

Let’s wrap it up…

ESP: keeping our students on the right track!

Exposure: variety! Genres, registers, accents

Strategies: chunks, discourse markers, synonyms, paraphrasing

Practice!

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Tests and Beyond l 21/11/1562

Thank you!

Any Doubts?

Contact me!

Mail: michael.brand@pearson.comBlog: http://eltlearningjourneys.com/www.English.com/gse