Integrated Skills in English (ISE) Guide For Teachers - ISE Foundation (A2)

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Integrated Skills in English (ISE)

Guide for Teachers — ISE Foundation (A2)


Reading & Writing | Speaking & Listening

Trinity College London


trinitycollege.com
Charity number 1014792
Patron HRH The Duke of Kent KG
Chief Executive Sarah Kemp
Copyright © 2015 Trinity College London
Published by Trinity College London
Online edition, December 2017
Contents

Contents

ISE Foundation Reading & Writing exam


Overview of the ISE Reading & Writing exam 6
Who is ISE Reading & Writing for? 6
Introduction to ISE Reading & Writing tasks at ISE Foundation 7
Glossary of reading skills for ISE Foundation 8
Glossary of writing aims for ISE Foundation 8
Candidate profile 9
Task specifications for ISE Foundation Reading & Writing 10
Task 1 — Long reading 10
Task 2 — Multi-text reading 11
Task 3 — Reading into writing 12
Task 4 — Extended writing 12

ISE Foundation Speaking & Listening exam


Overview of the ISE Speaking & Listening exam 14
Who is ISE Speaking & Listening for? 14
Introduction to ISE Speaking & Listening tasks 15
Glossary of speaking aims for ISE Foundation 17
Glossary of listening skills for ISE Foundation 17
Candidate profile 18
Task specifications for ISE Foundation Speaking & Listening 19
Topic task 19
Conversation task 20
Independent listening tasks 21

Appendices
Appendix 1 — Sample Reading & Writing exam paper 24
Appendix 2 — Blank topic form 36
Appendix 3 — Sample completed topic form 37
Appendix 4 — Information on the Speaking & Listening exam  38
Appendix 5 — Language functions and suggested grammar for ISE Foundation 41
Appendix 6 — ISE Foundation Task 3 Reading into writing rating scale 42
Appendix 7 — ISE Foundation Task 4 Extended writing rating scale 44
Appendix 8 — ISE Foundation Speaking and listening rating scale 45
Appendix 9 — ISE Foundation Independent listening task 2 rating scale 46

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Foreword
Trinity’s Integrated Skills in English (ISE) exam assesses all four language skills — reading, writing,
speaking and listening. In the two modules of the exam the skills are tested both individually and
together. This integrated approach reflects how skills are used together in real-life situations.
This guide gives you a detailed overview of the two modules of the ISE Foundation exam — Reading
& Writing and Speaking & Listening — and includes a sample exam paper and the rating scales for
the level. For classroom activities to help prepare your students for ISE Foundation, as well as the
qualification specifications, see trinitycollege.com/ISEfoundation
Please check trinitycollege.com/ISE for the latest information about Trinity’s ISE exams, and to make
sure you are using the latest version of the related documents. Trinity’s policies can be found at
trinitycollege.com/policies
Please note that ISE IV has a different format to ISE Foundation, I, II and III — see trinitycollege.com/
ISEIV for details.

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5
ISE Foundation Reading
& Writing exam
Overview of the ISE Reading & Writing exam

Overview of the ISE Reading & Writing exam


Trinity’s ISE Reading & Writing exam tests reading and writing skills through an integrated approach.
The integrated skills approach mirrors how we use reading and writing skills both together and separately
in our studies and work. The reading texts reflect the range of subjects a student may encounter in an
educational or academic setting and the way that he or she needs to find, select and report relevant
and appropriate information. The writing tasks reflect the kind of activities a student does in a school
or college context, such as essay writing. In the exam, candidates may highlight parts of the texts or
questions with highlighter pens, reflecting how many students gather information in real-life.
The purpose of the exam is to assess a candidate’s skills in reading and writing in the English language
through tasks which correspond to his or her real-life activity and reason for learning English.
The ISE Reading & Writing exam is currently offered at four levels of the Common European Framework
of Reference (CEFR) from A2 to C1.

Who is ISE Reading & Writing for?


The intended candidates are young people or adults who use English as a second or foreign language
as part of their studies in order to develop their skills and improve their knowledge in a range of
subject areas.
Candidates at the lower levels of the exam (ISE Foundation and ISE I), are generally young people or
adults in school or college who are taking ISE as evidence to progress to a higher level of English study
within their mainstream or English language school. The higher levels of the exam (ISE II and ISE III),
are appropriate for young people or adults preparing for further or higher education who are required
to prove their English language proficiency levels within an educational context. ISE qualifications
taken as a Secure English Language Test (SELT) are also accepted by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI)
as evidence of English language proficiency.

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Overview of the ISE Reading & Writing exam

Introduction to ISE Reading & Writing tasks at ISE Foundation


The Reading & Writing exam consists of four tasks.
Task 1 is the Long reading task, where the candidate reads a single text and answers 15 questions.
The aims of this task are to understand:
 the main idea of a paragraph or text
 specific information at sentence, phrase and word levels.
Task 2 is the Multi-text reading task, where the candidate reads three texts and answers 15 questions.
The aims of this task are to:
 understand the main idea of a paragraph or text
 understand specific information at sentence, phrase and word levels
 find specific information in different texts in order to create a text summary.
Task 3 is the Reading into writing task, where the candidate produces a piece of writing based on
the three texts in task 2.
Task 4 is the Extended writing task, where the candidate produces a piece of writing in response
to a prompt.

Overview of ISE Reading & Writing

ISE Foundation ISE I ISE II ISE III

CEFR level A2 B1 B2 C1

Time 2 hours 2 hours 2 hours 2 hours

Task 1 Long reading Long reading Long reading Long reading


 300 words  400 words  500 words  700 words
 15 questions  15 questions  15 questions  15 questions

Task 2 Multi-text reading Multi-text reading Multi-text reading Multi-text reading


 3 texts  4 texts  4 texts  4 texts
 300 words  400 words  500 words  700 words
 15 questions  15 questions  15 questions  15 questions

Task 3 Reading into writing Reading into writing Reading into writing Reading into writing
 70–100 words  100–130 words  150–180 words  200–230 words

Task 4 Extended writing Extended writing Extended writing Extended writing


 70–100 words  100–130 words  150–180 words  200–230 words

Please see pages 8 and 9 for glossaries of reading skills and writing aims for ISE Foundation.

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Overview of the ISE Reading & Writing exam

Glossary of reading skills for ISE Foundation

Reading for general  Reading a range of short, simple texts on familiar subjects that use
comprehension everyday vocabulary
Skimming  Reading to understand the general meaning of a paragraph, text or
infographic (eg a diagram, plan, graph, drawing or map with some writing)
Reading for gist  Reading to understand the main idea of a paragraph, text or infographic
Scanning  Reading to find specific key words or information in a paragraph,
text or infographic
Careful reading to  Reading to understand specific, factual information at the word and/or
understand specific phrase level
facts, information  Reading to understand important points in a text
and significant points
Careful reading to  Understanding specific factual information at the sentence level
understand specific  Identifying the specific information needed
information and
its context
Deducing meaning  Guessing the meaning of words and phrases from their context
Summarising  Collecting key information from different texts or parts of texts and
completing a short, simple overview

Glossary of writing aims for ISE Foundation

Reading for writing  Showing understanding of reading texts


 Identifying common themes in reading texts
 Summarising or paraphrasing ideas from reading texts

Task fulfilment  Responding to the prompt fully


 Achieving the communicative aim
 Showing awareness of the reader and the purpose for writing

Organisation and structure  Presenting ideas and arguments clearly


 Using the best text type to fulfil the task
 Structuring the writing appropriately, eg using beginnings,
endings and paragraphs

Language control  Using a range of language functions, grammar and vocabulary


 Using language functions, grammar and vocabulary accurately
 Using spelling and punctuation accurately

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Overview of the ISE Reading & Writing exam

Candidate profile
Reading (tasks 1 and 2)
A candidate who passes ISE Foundation Reading can:
 understand the main ideas and specific information/facts in short, simple texts on familiar topics,
which use common, high-frequency, everyday language
 identify specific information in simple written texts
 deduce the meaning of unknown words from their context.
In tasks 1 and 2, the candidate is assessed on his or her ability to use several reading skills including
skimming, scanning, reading for gist, for specific information and to understand specific facts,
and summarising.

Reading into writing (task 3)


A candidate who passes ISE Foundation Task 3 — Reading into writing can:
 select relevant content from the texts in task 2
 identify connections between multiple texts in task 2
 adapt the information in task 2 to use in task 3.

Writing (tasks 3 and 4)


A candidate who passes ISE Foundation Writing can:
 write about everyday aspects of his or her life, eg people, places, a job or study experience, in
linked sentences
 write very short, basic descriptions of events, past activities and personal experiences
 write simple phrases and sentences linked with simple connectors like ‘and’, ‘but’ and ‘then’.

This profile is based on the level A2, Basic User, of the Council of Europe’s Common European
Framework of Reference (CEFR).

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Task specifications for ISE Foundation Reading & Writing

Task specifications for ISE Foundation Reading & Writing


Task 1 — Long reading
Task One reading text followed by 15 questions

Text The text is simple and factual. It is the type of text that a candidate is familiar with
from his or her own educational setting.
Subject areas for ISE Foundation:
 Holidays  Places in the local area
 Shopping  Place of study
 School and work  Home life
 Hobbies and sports  Weather
 Food  Free time
 Weekend and seasonal activities  Times and dates
 Jobs  The natural world
Text length  300 words (approximately), divided into five paragraphs

Number of
15 questions
questions

Question Title matching (questions 1–5)


types In this section, the candidate chooses the most appropriate title for each paragraph
of the text. The text has five paragraphs and there are six titles to choose from.
The candidate must demonstrate that he or she understands the main idea of
each paragraph.
Some useful reading subskills to practise for this section are:
 skimming
 scanning
 reading for gist.

Selecting the true statements (questions 6–10)


In this section, the candidate selects five true statements from a list of eight
statements. Five statements are true, and three are false, according to the text.
The candidate must demonstrate that he or she understands specific, factual
information at the sentence level.
Some useful reading subskills to practise for this section are:
 careful reading for specific information at the sentence level
 deducing meaning of words and phrases from their context
 scanning.

Completing sentences (questions 11–15)


In this section, the candidate completes sentences with an exact number, word or
phrase (up to three words) taken from the text.
The candidate must demonstrate that he or she understands specific, factual
information at the word and/or phrase level.
Some useful reading subskills to practise for this section are:
 careful reading for specific information at the word level
 deducing meaning of words and phrases from their context.

Timing The candidate is advised to spend 20 minutes on this part of the exam

Assessment The task is scored against an answer key

10
Task specifications for ISE Foundation Reading & Writing

Task 2 — Multi-text reading


Task Three reading texts, presented together, and 15 questions

Text The three texts are simple and factual. They are the type of text that a candidate
is familiar with from his or her own educational setting. One text is an infographic
(eg a diagram, plan, graph, drawing or map with some text).
Subject areas for ISE Foundation:
 Holidays  Places in the local area
 Shopping  Place of study
 School and work  Home life
 Hobbies and sports  Weather
 Food  Free time
 Weekend and seasonal activities  Times and dates
 Jobs  The natural world
All three texts are on the same subject area and thematically linked.

Text length  300 words (approximately) across three texts


 One text is an infographic

Number of
15 questions
questions

Question Multiple matching (questions 16–20)


types In this section, the candidate chooses which text each question refers to. There are
five questions and each refers to one text only. The same text can be the correct
answer for up to two questions. The candidate must demonstrate that he or she
understands the main idea or purpose of each text.
Some useful reading subskills to practise for this section are:
 skimming  reading for gist
 scanning  understanding the main idea or purpose of text.

Selecting the true statements (questions 21–25)


In this section, the candidate selects five true statements from a list of eight
statements. Five statements are true, and three are false, according to the texts.
The candidate must demonstrate that he or she understands specific, factual
information at the sentence level.
Some useful reading subskills to practise for this section are:
 careful reading for specific information at the sentence level
 deducing meaning of words and phrases from their context
 scanning.

Completing notes from a bank of options (questions 26–30)


In this section, the candidate completes sentences with an exact word or phrase
(up to three words) taken from the three texts. Ten possible options are given in
the word bank, out of which the candidate selects five correct words or phrases.
The completed task represents a summary in note form of all the texts in this task.
The candidate must demonstrate that he or she understands factual information at
the word and/or phrase level across the texts.
Some useful reading subskills to practise for this section are:
 careful reading for specific information at the word level
 deducing meaning of words and phrases from their context
 gathering information from different texts to create a text summary.

Timing The candidate is advised to spend 20 minutes on this part of the exam

Assessment The task is scored against an answer key

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Task specifications for ISE Foundation Reading & Writing

Task 3 — Reading into writing


Task A writing task in which the three texts from task 2 are used to respond to a prompt.
The prompt gives three content points that the candidate should include in his or
her response.
The response should only include information from the texts in task 2, rather than
use the candidate’s background knowledge or imagination. The candidate must use
his or her own words as far as possible. There is space for planning.
The candidate should check his or her response when he or she has finished.

Task focus This task assesses the candidate’s ability to:


 identify factual information that is relevant to the writing prompt from three texts
 paraphrase key words and phrases or short sentences
 summarise and combine information in a short and simple response to meet the
purpose for writing.

Output length 70–100 words, excluding headings and addresses

Output genre The genre will be one of the following:


 Descriptive essay
 Article (magazine or online)
 Informal or neutral email or letter
 Review

Timing The candidate is advised to spend 40 minutes on this part of the exam

Assessment The task is assessed using the Reading into writing rating scale on pages 42–43
NUM

Task 4 — Extended writing


Task A writing task in which the candidate responds to a prompt. The prompt includes
two content points that the candidate should use in his or her response. There is
space for planning.
The candidate should check his or her response when he or she has finished.

Task focus This task assesses the candidate’s ability to produce a narrative, descriptive
or instructional response to a prompt. For the target ISE Foundation language
functions see page 41.

Output length 70–100 words, excluding headings and addresses

Output genre The genre will be one of the following:


 Descriptive essay
 Article (magazine or online)
 Informal or neutral email or letter
 Review

Subject area The writing prompt relates to one of the subject areas for ISE Foundation:
 Holidays  Places in the local area
 Shopping  Place of study
 School and work  Home life
 Hobbies and sports  Weather
 Food  Free time
 Weekend and seasonal activities  Times and dates
 Jobs  The natural world
Timing The candidate is advised to spend 40 minutes on this part of the exam

Assessment The task is assessed using the Extended writing rating scale on page 44

For a sample ISE Reading & Writing exam paper, please see appendix 1.
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13
ISE Foundation Speaking
& Listening exam
Overview of the ISE Speaking & Listening exam

Overview of the ISE Speaking & Listening exam


ISE Speaking & Listening exams are communicative and performance-based exams which assess
speaking and listening skills through an integrated approach. The integrated skills approach reflects how
we use listening and speaking skills both together and separately in our studies and work. The integrated
speaking and listening tasks reflect the kind of activities a student does at school, college or university.
Additionally, the Independent listening tasks reflect the way that a student finds, selects and reports
relevant and appropriate information in an educational or academic setting.
The purpose of the exam is to assess a candidate’s English language skills in speaking and listening
through tasks which correspond to his or her real-life activities and reasons for learning English.
The ISE Speaking & Listening exam is currently offered at four levels of the Common European
Framework of Reference (CEFR) from A2 to C1.

Who is ISE Speaking & Listening for?


The intended candidates are young people or adults who use English as a second or foreign language
as part of their studies in order to develop their skills and improve their knowledge in a range of
subject areas.
Candidates at the lower levels of the exam (ISE Foundation and ISE I), are generally young people or
adults in school or college who are taking ISE as evidence to progress to a higher level of English study
within their mainstream or English language school. The higher levels of the exam (ISE II and ISE III),
are appropriate for young people or adults preparing for further or higher education who are required
to prove their English language proficiency levels within an educational context. ISE qualifications are
also accepted by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) as evidence of English language proficiency.

14
Overview of the ISE Speaking & Listening exam

Introduction to ISE Speaking & Listening tasks


The Speaking & Listening exam consists of several tasks and increases in length as the level increases.
The table below shows the progression across the levels.

ISE Foundation ISE I ISE II ISE III


CEFR level A2 B1 B2 C1
Total exam time 13 minutes 18 minutes 20 minutes 25 minutes
Topic task 4 minutes 4 minutes 4 minutes 8 minutes
Collaborative task — — 4 minutes 4 minutes
Conversation task 2 minutes 2 minutes 2 minutes 3 minutes
Independent listening task 6 minutes 10 minutes 8 minutes 8 minutes
Examiner administration time 1 minute 2 minutes 2 minutes 2 minutes

The Topic task


What is the Topic task?
Before the exam the candidate prepares a topic of his or her own choice. This is used as a basis for
discussion in the exam. The Topic task provides the candidate with the opportunity to talk about a topic
which is of personal interest or relevance and which he or she feels confident about. This task gives the
candidate some degree of autonomy and control.
What language skills can the candidate demonstrate in the Topic task?
The candidate can demonstrate the ability to:
 link sentences together to talk about a subject at some length
 use the language functions of the level
 engage in a one-to-one, unscripted discussion with an expert speaker of English
 understand and respond appropriately to examiner questions and comments
 ask the examiner at least one question about the topic.
Can the candidate bring notes with them?
In the ISE Foundation exam the candidate is required to bring a topic form with notes, which he or she
gives to the examiner at the beginning of the exam. The notes help to support the candidate in his or her
preparation for the exam and also in his or her discussion with the examiner. It is important to tell the
candidate that the examiner chooses which points to talk about. There is no fixed order. The topic form is
used by the examiner to ask the candidate questions and make comments. This encourages spontaneous
conversation and discourages recitation by the candidate.
Can the candidate bring an item with them?
The candidate may bring a small item such as a picture, an event ticket or medal into the exam room to
support the topic dicussion. However, mobile phones, live animals or dangerous objects such as knives
must not be brought into the exam room.

Level Support
ISE Foundation Topic form with four points, plus optional small item
ISE I Topic form with four points, plus optional small item
ISE II Candidate may use notes or a mind map and may bring a small item
ISE III Formal handout must accompany the presentation

See page 36 for a blank topic form and page 37 for a sample completed topic form. Centres and
candidates may use the Trinity topic form available at trinitycollege.com/ISEtopicform or they may
create their own form with four points for discussion.

15
Overview of the ISE Speaking & Listening exam

The Conversation task


What is the Conversation task?
The Conversation task is a meaningful and authentic exchange of information, ideas and opinions.
It is not a formal ‘question and answer’ interview. In this task, the examiner selects one subject area
for discussion with the candidate.
What are the possible subjects for discussion?
The subject areas have been carefully selected to offer a progression from the ‘concrete’ subjects
at ISE Foundation to the ‘abstract’ at ISE III. For the subject areas for the Conversation task at ISE
Foundation, please see page 20.
What does the interaction in the Conversation task involve?
The examiner asks some questions to start the conversation. The candidate is expected to ask the
examiner at least one question in order to develop the interaction. These questions should be relevant
to the subject of the conversation.

The Independent listening task


What is the Independent listening task?
Listening skills are tested in an integrated way together with speaking skills in the Topic task and
Conversation task. In the Independent listening task the candidate has the opportunity to demonstrate
the kind of listening skills that are required in lessons and lectures.
What is the procedure for the Independent listening task?
In ISE Foundation there are two tasks. The candidate listens to a different recording for each task. In
the first task, the candidate uses the information on the audio recording to identify and locate places
on a map or plan. The candidate completes the graphic with letters A–F. The audio is played twice.
In the second task, the candidate listens twice to a factual, documentary-style text and reports five
facts to the examiner. The examiner asks a further three questions, which the candidate answers orally.
In task 2, candidates are encouraged to take notes while listening to the recordings. However, the
candidate’s notes are not assessed as part of the exam.

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Overview of the ISE Speaking & Listening exam

Glossary of speaking aims for ISE Foundation

Communicative  Responding appropriately to interaction


effectiveness  Maintaining simple exchanges
Interactive listening  Showing understanding of the examiner
 Following the speech of the examiner
Language control  Using a range of language functions, grammar and vocabulary
 Using language functions, grammar and vocabulary accurately
 Avoiding errors which affect the understanding of the listener
Delivery  Using clear and understandable pronunciation
 Using stress and intonation appropriately

Glossary of listening skills for ISE Foundation

Intensive, ‘bottom-up’  Listening to find specific key words and facts in simple recordings
listening
Intensive listening in  Understanding specific, factual information at the word and/or phrase level
detail to gather as  Identifying the specific information needed
much information  Understanding explicitly stated ideas and information
as possible

17
Overview of the ISE Speaking & Listening exam

Candidate profile
Speaking
A candidate who passes ISE Foundation Speaking can:
 participate in short, one–to-one conversations with the examiner in routine contexts
 exchange ideas and information on familiar topics or topics of interest to the candidate
 interact in short conversations without much difficulty, although he or she may need some help at times
 ask and answer questions on familiar topics in predictable, everyday situations
 express how he or she feels in simple terms
 give greetings, farewells and introductions
 ask and answer questions about habits, routines and past activities, work and/or free time activities
 give simple descriptions of people, daily routines and likes/dislikes as a short series of simple phrases
and sentences
 make himself or herself understood in short contributions, even though pauses, false starts and
reformulation may be very evident.

Listening
A candidate who passes ISE Foundation Listening can:
 understand enough to complete the task if the speech they hear is clear and slow
 understand phrases and expressions related to personal circumstances (eg very basic personal
and family information, shopping, local geography, employment)
 understand and extract the essential information from short recorded passages which discuss
predictable everyday subjects
 understand enough to manage simple, routine exchanges without much effort
 generally understand clear, standard speech when they are discussing everyday subjects, although
he or she might ask for repetition or reformulation from time to time
 use an idea of the overall meaning of short texts on everyday topics to deduce the probable meaning
of unknown words from the context.

This profile is based on the level A2, Basic User, of the Council of Europe’s Common European
Framework of Reference (CEFR).

18
Task specifications for ISE Foundation Speaking & Listening

Task specifications for ISE Foundation Speaking & Listening

Topic task
Task The Topic task is an integrated speaking and listening task.
The candidate prepares a topic for discussion and a topic form with four
points, which he or she must bring to the exam and may use to help in
the discussion. The examiner uses the same form to ask the candidate
questions about his or her chosen topic. The examiner chooses the order
to discuss the topic points.
The candidate may bring a small item such as a picture, an event ticket or
medal into the exam room to support the topic discussion.

Timing 4 minutes

Language functions The candidate is expected to show his or her ability to use the language
functions of the ISE level. These functions are:
 Giving personal information about present and past circumstances/activities
 Describing routines
 Expressing ability and inability
 Describing future plans
 Expressing likes and dislikes
 Describing people, objects and places
 Expressing simple comparisons
 Asking for information (eg simple questions about everyday life)
 Asking for clarification
 Responding to requests for clarification

Examiner role The examiner uses the topic form to ask the candidate questions in order
to elicit the language functions of ISE Foundation. The examiner may
also interrupt when necessary to discourage recitation and encourage
spontaneous conversation. The candidate should ask the examiner a question.

Assessment The Topic task and Conversation task are given one score using four criteria:
 Communicative effectiveness
 Interactive listening
 Language control
 Delivery
Please see the Speaking and listening rating scale (appendix 8) for the full
performance descriptors for each criterion and level of performance.

19
Task specifications for ISE Foundation Speaking & Listening

Conversation task
Task The Conversation task is an integrated speaking and listening task. The
examiner selects one conversation subject area from the list given below
and asks the candidate a question to start the conversation.
Timing 2 minutes
Language functions  Giving personal information about present and past circumstances/activities
 Describing routines
 Expressing ability and inability
 Describing future plans
 Expressing likes and dislikes
 Describing people, objects and places
 Expressing simple comparisons
 Asking for information (eg simple questions about everyday life)
 Asking for clarification
 Responding to requests for clarification
Examiner role The examiner uses the list of subject areas below to ask questions and elicit
the target language functions of the level. The candidate should ask the
examiner a question.
Subject area for  Holidays
conversation  Shopping
 School and work
 Hobbies and sports
 Food
 Weekend and seasonal activities
Assessment The Conversation task and Topic task are given one score using four criteria:
 Communicative effectiveness
 Interactive listening
 Language control
 Delivery
Please see the Speaking and listening rating scale (appendix 8) for the full
performance descriptors for each criterion and level of performance.

20
Task specifications for ISE Foundation Speaking & Listening

Independent listening tasks


Task type The Independent listening tasks are audio recordings. The candidate listens to
the recordings and responds orally.
Task 1
Task format The candidate listens twice to basic information. The candidate completes five
blanks with letters B–F on a map or plan. The information is visual/graphic.
The recording is approximately 45 seconds long.
Timing 2 minutes 15 seconds (approximately)
Task focus Listening for specific information — recognise content words and process facts
at word level.
Examiner role The examiner plays the recording and reads the instructions (see text of
sample exam in appendix 4). If the candidate asks, the examiner may repeat
the instructions once.
Assessment The number of correct responses out of a total of five. The notes are
not assessed.
Task 2
Task format The candidate listens twice to a factual text (usually a narrative) such as a radio
programme, educational podcast, lecture or teacher talk. He or she reports five
facts from the recording orally. The examiner then asks three questions about
the content of the recording and the candidate responds.
The candidate is given blank notepaper and a pen/pencil to write notes if they
want to. The notes are optional and are not assessed.
The recording is approximately 1 minute long.
Timing 3 minutes 45 seconds (approximately)
Task focus  Listening for main ideas and factual information
 Processing facts at word level, recognising content words and understanding
utterances
Examiner role The examiner reads the instructions (see appendix 4) and then plays the
recording. The candidate may take notes. The examiner asks three follow-up
questions after the candidate has reported five facts.
If the candidate asks, the examiner may repeat the instructions and individual
questions once.
Assessment This task is assessed using a rating scale of 0–4. The number of facts reported
correctly is taken into account as well as the promptness with which the
candidate responds.
Please see the Independent listening rating scale (appendix 9) for more detail.

For text of a sample ISE Speaking & Listening exam, please see appendix 4. There are also sample
videos and audio files of ISE Foundation exams at trinitycollege.com/ISEfoundation

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Appendices
Appendix 1 — Sample Reading & Writing exam paper

Appendix 1 — Sample Reading & Writing exam paper

ISE Foundation

Integrated Skills in English Foundation


Time allowed: 2 hours
This exam paper has four tasks. Complete all tasks.

Task 1 — Long reading


Read the following text about a teacher called Nancie Atwell and answer the 15 questions on page 3.

Paragraph 1
The winner of the World’s Best Teacher Prize was Nancie Atwell, from the USA. There were
10 fantastic teachers in the final part of the competition. But people thought Nancie was the
best teacher and she won one million dollars. The World’s Best Teacher Prize is not only about
the money. It wants to show young people that teaching is a very important job.
Paragraph 2
Nancie did not want to be a teacher at first. She studied English at university and didn’t know
what job she wanted to do. She started to work at a school in New York. She was so surprised
— she loved teaching! She especially liked teaching 13- and 14-year-olds. That was nearly 40
years ago, and she is still a teacher.

Paragraph 3
Nancie enjoyed discussing books with her students, but she soon understood that the teenagers
didn’t like the same books as she did. So the students chose the books they wanted to read and
chose to write about things they were interested in. The other teachers weren’t very keen on
this idea, but Nancie continued teaching in this way.

Paragraph 4
What happened was very interesting. The students read some great books, started working
harder and they were more enthusiastic about their lessons. Nancie moved from New York to
Maine, and started her own school. She uses her special way of teaching there. All classrooms
have libraries and there are not many students in each class.

Paragraph 5
Students at the school read about 40 books a year. This is many more than is usual for young
people in the USA. Also, 97 per cent of the students go on to university or college. It’s not
surprising that Nancie won the prize. So what is she going to do with the prize? Is she going
on holiday? No! She’s going to spend it on a new roof for the school and more books.

page 2 This exam paper has four tasks. Complete all tasks.

24
Appendix 1 — Sample Reading & Writing exam paper (contd)

ISE Foundation

Questions 1–5
The text on page 2 has five paragraphs (1–5). Choose the best title for each paragraph from A–F
below and write the letter (A–F) on the lines below. There is one title you don’t need.

1. Paragraph 1 A The best job for Nancie


2. Paragraph 2 B A new school for Nancie

3. Paragraph 3 C Nancie’s plan for the money


D No better teacher than Nancie
4. Paragraph 4
E What Nancie’s students think of her
5. Paragraph 5
F Nancie’s new way of teaching

Questions 6–10
Choose the five statements from A–H below that are TRUE according to the information given in
the text on page 2. Write the letters of the TRUE statements on the lines below (in any order).

6. A The most important thing about the prize is the money.


7. B Nancie wanted to be a teacher when she was a child.

8. C Nancie enjoyed teaching young teenagers the most.


D The students weren’t interested in the same books as Nancie.
9.
E In Nancie’s new school the pupils decide which books to read.
10.
F There are shelves of books in every classroom of Nancie’s school.
G Many American teenagers don’t read any books.
H Nancie isn’t going to buy something for herself with the money.

Questions 11–15
Complete sentences 11–15 with an exact number, word or phrase (maximum three words) from the text.
Write the exact number, word or phrase on the lines below.

11. Ten people got to the of the World’s Best Teacher Prize.

12. Nancie first started teaching almost .

13. In New York, Nancie’s pupils what they wanted to read.

14. The students became better students and were


in class.

15. The school building is going to have a .

Turn over page page 3

25
Appendix 1 — Sample Reading & Writing exam paper (contd)

ISE Foundation

Task 2 — Multi-text reading


In this section there are three short texts for you to read and some questions for you to answer.

Questions 16–20
Read questions 16–20 first and then read texts A, B and C below the questions.
As you read each text, decide which text each question refers to. Choose one letter — A, B or C —
and write it on the lines below. You can use any letter more than once.

Which text
16. compares the size of parks?

17. gives information to visitors to a park?

18. says how many people do different activities in parks?

19. explains who can use a place in a park in winter?

20. says what people think of different parks?

Text A

www.parks.com

Hyde Park, Central London


Activities
There is a lake for boating called the Serpentine. It is open from April to October, from 10am
to sunset. It is closed in winter. The boats hold six people, but there is a larger boat for up
to 40 people.
There is an open-air swimming pool. It opens at weekends in May and every day from June to
September. After this season, only members of a swimming club can use the lake. They have a
race every year on Christmas Day. There is a café by the pool for drinks and light snacks.

Text B

Suzi: I went to Hyde Park today, it was great!

Leo: Yeah, it’s nice, but I love St James’s Park.

Suzi: It’s quite small. Hyde Park is much bigger.

Leo: Yes, but there are bicycles everywhere. There aren’t so many cyclists in St
James’s Park – so it’s safer for walkers like me.
Suzi: Yes, but cycling is fun! There are football pitches and tennis courts in Hyde
Park, too. There aren’t any in St James’s Park.

Leo: No, but I like walking by the lake, even in winter!

Suzi: You can’t swim there! There’s a lake at Hyde Park, too. I swim at five
o’clock, after college!

Leo: Well, I like resting in the park.

page 4 This exam paper has four tasks. Complete all tasks.

26
Appendix 1 — Sample Reading & Writing exam paper (contd)

ISE Foundation

Text C

PARKS FACT FILE


70% of park users visit parks more than once a week
More people use parks in the evening than at other times
74% of park users stay more than 1 hour

Park users’ top activities

What do people like doing in parks?

walking the dog

playing basketball
or soccer

meeting friends

going to children’s
playground

sitting

walking

1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000 5,000 6,000


Visitors per week

Questions 21–25
Choose the five statements from A–H below that are TRUE according to the information given
in the texts above. Write the letters of the TRUE statements on the lines below (in any order).

21. A More people go to parks to play with their children than to play team sports.

22. B A group of more than six people cannot go on a boat on the lake.
C Suzi does more activities in a park than Leo does.
23.
D The boating lake closes when it gets dark.
24.
E Leo thinks it’s more dangerous to walk in Hyde Park than St James’s Park.
25.
F The morning is the most popular time of day to go to a park.
G In May you can only go swimming in Hyde Park on a Saturday and Sunday.
H Suzi goes to Hyde Park for a rest after work.

Turn over page page 5

27
Appendix 1 — Sample Reading & Writing exam paper (contd)

ISE Foundation

Questions 26–30
The notes below contain information from texts A–C. Find a word or phrase from the box at the
bottom to complete the missing information in gaps 26–30. Remember to look back at the texts
when you choose your answer from the word bank.
Write your answers on the lines below. You don’t need all the words and phrases.

Notes

Activities in Hyde Park

• Boating on the lake from (26.)

• Swimming — (27.) in the summer

• You can see people in a swimming (28.) once a year

Comparing Hyde Park and St James’s Park

• Hyde Park is the biggest park in London

• Both parks have a (29.)

• A lot of bicycles in Hyde Park

Popular activities in parks

• More than half of all visits to parks last for over (30.)

• People enjoy:
– walking

– sitting

– playing

Word bank
club
June to September
1 hour
race
every day
lake
at weekends
members
April to October
pool

page 6 This exam paper has four tasks. Complete all tasks.

28
Appendix 1 — Sample Reading & Writing exam paper (contd)

ISE Foundation

Task 3 — Reading into writing


Write an article (70–100 words) about parks for your school or college magazine.
Use the information you read in texts A, B and C (pages 4 and 5) to:
» describe what people can do in Hyde Park
» compare Hyde Park and St James’s Park and
» say what activities people enjoy doing in parks.

Do not copy from the texts. Use your own words as far as possible.

You should plan your article before you start writing. Think about what you are going to write and
make some notes to help you in this box:

Planning notes

(No marks are given for these planning notes)

Now write your article of 70–100 words on the lines below.

Turn over page page 7

29
Appendix 1 — Sample Reading & Writing exam paper (contd)

ISE Foundation

page 8 This exam paper has four tasks. Complete all tasks.

30
Appendix 1 — Sample Reading & Writing exam paper (contd)

ISE Foundation

When you have finished your article, spend 2–3 minutes reading through what you have written.
Make sure you have covered all three bullet points. Remember to check how you made use of the
reading texts, as well as the language and organisation of your writing.

Turn over page page 9

31
Appendix 1 — Sample Reading & Writing exam paper (contd)

ISE Foundation

Task 4 — Extended writing


A friend from another country wants to know about your home. Write an email (70–100 words) to
your friend. You should:
» describe your home and
» say what you like doing there.

You should plan your email before you start writing. Think about what you are going to write and
make some notes to help you in this box:

Planning notes

(No marks are given for these planning notes)

Now write your email of 70–100 words on the lines below.

page 10 This exam paper has four tasks. Complete all tasks.

32
Appendix 1 — Sample Reading & Writing exam paper (contd)

ISE Foundation

Turn over page page 11

33
Appendix 1 — Sample Reading & Writing exam paper (contd)

ISE Foundation

When you have finished your email, spend 2–3 minutes reading through what you have written.
Make sure you have covered both bullet points and remember to check the language and
organisation of your writing.

End of exam
Copyright © 2017 Trinity College London

34
Appendix 1 — Sample Reading & Writing exam paper (contd)

ISE Foundation Sample paper 3


Answers

Task 1 — Long reading


1. D
2. A
3. F
4. B
5. C

6–10 can appear in any order


6. C
7. D
8. E
9. F
10. H

11. final part


12. 40 years ago
13. chose
14. (more) enthusiastic / working harder
15. new roof

Task 2 — Multi-text reading


16. B
17. A
18. C
19. A
20. B

21–25 can appear in any order


21. A
22. C
23. D
24. E
25. G

26. April to October


27. every day
28. race
29. lake
30. 1 hour

35
Appendix 2 — Blank topic form

Appendix 2 — Blank topic form

Integrated Skills in English Topic Form —


ISE Foundation

Title of topic:

The information on this form must be presented to the examiner during the exam.
Please note, candidates do not have to use the Trinity topic form, they can make their own with
four points for discussion.

36
The information on this form must be presented to the examiner during the exam.
Appendix 3 — Sample completed topic form

Appendix 3 — Sample completed topic form

Integrated Skills in English Topic Form —


ISE Foundation

What we did and saw The activity I enjoyed


the most

Title of topic:

My school trip to Paris

What we’re going to do Some differences between


next year Paris and my city

The information on this form must be presented to the examiner during the exam.
Please note, candidates do not have to use the Trinity topic form, they can make their own with
four points for discussion.

37
The information on this form must be presented to the examiner during the exam.
Appendix 4 — Information on the Speaking & Listening exam

Appendix 4 — Information on the Speaking & Listening exam


Videos of sample ISE Foundation Speaking & Listening exams may be viewed at trinitycollege.com/
ISEfoundation

Sample Independent listening task 1


Examiner rubric
This is a map of an island. Here, it shows north, south, east and west.
You’re going to hear someone talking about the island. You’ll hear the talk twice. These pictures show
some places on the island. The talk will tell you where the places are. Each picture has a letter. Write
the correct letters in the circles on the map. There’s one circle that you do not need to use. There’s an
example to show you what to do. Please look at the map and the pictures now. You have 15 seconds.
Are you ready?

Below is an example map for the exam.

Integrated Skills in English — ISE Foundation


Listening exam form

Candidate name:

Task 1

W E

The pictures show some places on the island. Each picture has a letter. Write the correct
38 letters in the circles on the map. There is an example to show you what to do.
Appendix 4 — Information on the Speaking & Listening exam (contd)

Audio script for Independent listening task 1


This map shows an island in the Pacific Ocean. There is only one village, which is on the east of the
island. The people who live here mainly eat rice and fish. The rice is grown in the centre of the island
which is very flat. A river runs through the rice fields, and there is a small fishing port where the river
Integrated Skills in English — ISE Foundation
meets the sea. The people grow fruit in the north-west of the island, especially oranges and bananas.
There areListening exam
also small farms form
in the north where the farmers keep goats. The west side of the island is
mainly covered by trees.
Candidate name:

Task 1 answer key


Task 1

W E

D
E S

F B A

The pictures show some places on the island. Each picture has a letter. Write the correct
letters in the circles on the map. There is an example to show you what to do.

39
Appendix 4 — Information on the Speaking & Listening exam (contd)

Sample Independent listening task 2


Examiner rubric
You are going to hear a short talk about a writer. You will hear the talk twice. As you listen, write
down some facts about the writer on your notepaper, if you want to. Then I’ll ask you to tell me
five facts about the writer. Are you ready?

Audio script for Independent listening task 2


Roald Dahl was a famous writer. He was born in Wales in 1916. His parents were from Norway.
When he was 23 years old he became a pilot. Everybody called him ‘Lofty’ because he was very
tall. Dahl wrote mystery stories for adults at first. Later when he had children he started writing
children’s stories. Dahl worked in a small building in his garden. He wrote for four hours every day.
He always used pencil and yellow paper. When he had an idea for a story he wrote it in an old red
notebook. Dahl loved chocolate and his most famous book was about a chocolate factory.

Answers
Facts from the recording

1 Born in Wales 1916

2 Parents from Norway

3 Age 23 he became a pilot

4 Called ‘Lofty’ — very tall

5 First wrote mystery stories for adults

6 Had children — wrote children’s stories

7 Worked in small building in his garden

8 Wrote for 4 hours every day

9 Used pencil/yellow paper/old red notebook

10 Loved chocolate/wrote about chocolate factory

Examiner questions
The examiner asks three questions

1 Where/when was he born?

2 Where were his parents from?

3 What did he do when he was 23?


How old was he when he became a pilot?

4 Why was he called ‘Lofty’?

5 What did he write first?

6 When did he start writing children’s stories?

7 Where did he work?

8 How often/when did he write?

9 What did he use?

10 What food did he love?

40
Appendix 5 — Language functions and suggested grammar for ISE Foundation

Appendix 5 — Language functions and suggested grammar


for ISE Foundation
Language functions
 Giving personal information about present and past circumstances/activities
 Describing routines
 Expressing ability and inability
 Describing future plans
 Expressing likes and dislikes
 Describing people, objects and places
 Expressing simple comparisons
 Asking for information (eg simple questions about everyday life)
 Asking for clarification
 Responding to requests for clarification

The list below gives some suggested grammar for students to practise when preparing for ISE
Foundation. This list is intended to be for guidance only and is not a list of grammar structures
the candidate must produce in the exam.

Grammar
◗◗ Present simple tense ◗◗ Prepositions of place, movement and time
◗◗ Present continuous tense ◗◗ Imperatives
◗◗ Past simple tense of regular and common ◗◗ Demonstratives
irregular verbs ◗◗ Determiners
◗◗ Going to future ◗◗ Can and can’t
◗◗ Nouns (singular and plural, regular and ◗◗ There is/are and has/have got/have you got?
irregular, countable and uncountable)
◗◗ Link words and, and then, but
◗◗ Pronouns (including possessives)
◗◗ Like + gerund/infinitive, eg I like shopping,
◗◗ Adjectives (including comparatives and I like to read books
superlatives)
◗◗ Formation of questions and the use of
◗◗ Adverbs of manner and frequency question words

41
Appendix 6 — ISE Foundation Task 3 Reading into writing rating scale

Appendix 6 — ISE Foundation Task 3 Reading into writing rating scale


Score Reading for writing Task fulfilment
Understanding of source materials Overall achievement of communicative aim
Selection of relevant content from source texts Awareness of the writer–reader relationship (style and register)
Ability to identify common themes and links within Adequacy of topic coverage
and across the multiple texts
Adaptation of content to suit the purpose for writing
Use of paraphrasing/summarising

4 Full understanding of source material demonstrated Full achievement of the communicative aim
An adequate and accurate selection of relevant content The text is easily read and understood by the reader
from the source texts All requirements of the task completely satisfied with no
An excellent synthesis/interpretation of content from omissions or irrelevance
multiple sources
An excellent transformation of content from source texts
to own text to fulfil the communicative purpose of the task
Excellent paraphrasing/summarising skills demonstrated

3 Full and accurate understanding of the ideas of most Good achievement of the communicative aim (ie immediate aim
source materials demonstrated addressed, eg expressing thanks, pass notes and messages)
An appropriate and accurate selection of relevant content Good awareness of the immediate writer–reader relationship,
from the source texts (ie most relevant ideas are selected usually personal
and most ideas selected are relevant) Most requirements (ie genre, topic, reader, purpose and number
Good ability to identify specific and predictable ideas of words) of the instruction appropriately met
within and across the multiple texts
A good adaptation of content to suit the purpose for
writing (eg to provide a solution to a straightforward
problem)
Good paraphrasing/summarising skills of key words and
phrases or short sentences demonstrated (with very
limited lifting and few disconnected ideas)

2 Full and accurate understanding of more than half of the Acceptable achievement of the communicative aim
source materials demonstrated Some awareness of the writer–reader relationship
An acceptable selection of relevant content from the Most requirements (ie genre, topic, reader, purpose and number
source texts (the content selected must come from more of words) of the instruction acceptably met
than one text)
Acceptable ability to identify specific and predictable
ideas within and across the multiple texts
Acceptable adaptation of content to suit the purpose
for writing
Acceptable paraphrasing/summarising skills of key words
and phrases or short sentences demonstrated (with some
lifting and disconnected ideas)

1 Inaccurate and limited understanding of most source Poor achievement of the communicative aim (ie difficult to follow
materials for reader)
Inadequate and inaccurate selection of relevant content Poor awareness of the writer–reader relationship
from the source texts (ie fewer than half of the relevant Most requirements (ie genre, topic, reader, purpose and number
ideas are selected and most of the selected ideas are of words) of the instruction are not met
irrelevant)
Poor ability to identify specific and predictable ideas
within and across the multiple texts
Poor adaptation of content to suit the purpose for writing
(ie does not use the source texts’ content to address the
purpose for writing)
Poor paraphrasing/summarising skills of key words and
phrases or short sentences demonstrated (with heavy
lifting and many disconnected ideas)

0 Task not attempted


Paper void
No performance to evaluate

42
Appendix 6 — ISE Foundation Task 3 Reading into writing rating scale (contd)

Score Organisation and structure Language control


Text organisation, including use of paragraphing, Range and accuracy of grammar
beginnings/endings Range and accuracy of lexis
Presentation of ideas and arguments, including clarity Effect of linguistic errors on understanding
and coherence of their development Control of punctuation and spelling
Consistent use of format to suit the task
Use of signposting

4 Use of complete sentences throughout the text A range of grammatical items relating to common/everyday
Ideas/themes are grouped logically situations used with high level of accuracy and some degree
Appropriate format adopted for the task of sophistication
Some use of simple connectors to form compound A range of lexical items relating to common/everyday
sentences to avoid repetitious structures situations used with high level of accuracy and some degree
of sophistication
Correct use of capital letters for proper nouns
Any minor errors do not impede understanding
The majority of commonly occurring vocabulary is spelt correctly

3 Good organisation of text (ie complete sentences Appropriate range of simple grammatical items sufficient to the
are linked) task with good level of accuracy (may contain basic systematic
Clear presentation and logical grouping of most ideas errors, eg tenses, agreement)
(although a few sentences may seem out of place) Appropriate range of lexical items sufficient to the task with good
Appropriate format in most of the text level of accuracy
Good signposting (eg appropriate use of simple connectors) Errors may impede understanding but the overall message
is clear
Good spelling (with phonetic accuracy) and punctuation

2 Acceptable organisation of text (complete sentences have Acceptable level of grammatical accuracy and appropriacy
been used) relating to the task, though range may be restricted
Acceptable presentation and logical grouping of most Acceptable level of lexical accuracy and appropriacy relating to
ideas (some sentences may seem out of place) the task, though range may be restricted
Appropriate format in general Errors sometimes impede understanding
Acceptable signposting Acceptable spelling and punctuation

1 Very limited or poor text organisation (heavy use of Inadequate evidence of grammatical range and accuracy (may
incomplete sentences) have control over the language below the level)
Poor presentation and logical grouping of most ideas Inadequate evidence of lexical range and accuracy (may have
Inappropriate format throughout the text control over the language below the level)
Poor signposting (lacks use of any cohesive devices) Errors frequently impede understanding
Poor spelling and punctuation throughout

0 Task not attempted


Paper void
No performance to evaluate

43
Appendix 7 — ISE Foundation Task 4 Extended writing rating scale

Appendix 7 — ISE Foundation Task 4 Extended writing rating scale


Score Task fulfilment Organisation and structure Language control
Overall achievement of Text organisation, including use of Range and accuracy of grammar
communicative aim paragraphing, beginnings/endings Range and accuracy of lexis
Awareness of the writer–reader Presentation of ideas and arguments, Effect of linguistic errors on
relationship (style and register) including clarity and coherence of understanding
Adequacy of topic coverage their development Control of punctuation and spelling
Consistent use of format to suit the task
Use of signposting

4 Full achievement of the communicative Use of complete sentences throughout A range of grammatical items relating
aim the text to common/everyday situations used
The text is easily read and understood Ideas/themes are grouped logically with high level of accuracy and some
by the reader Appropriate format adopted for degree of sophistication
All requirements of the task completely the task A range of lexical items relating to
satisfied with no omissions or irrelevance Some use of simple connectors to common/everyday situations used with
form compound sentences to avoid high level of accuracy and some degree
repetitious structures of sophistication
Correct use of capital letters for Any minor errors do not impede
proper nouns understanding
The majority of commonly occurring
vocabulary is spelt correctly

3 Good achievement of the communicative Good organisation of text (ie complete Appropriate range of simple
aim (ie immediate aim addressed, eg sentences are linked) grammatical items sufficient to the
expressing thanks, pass notes and Clear presentation and logical task with good level of accuracy (may
messages) grouping of most ideas (although a few contain basic systematic errors, eg
Good awareness of the immediate sentences may seem out of place) tenses, agreement)
writer–reader relationship, usually Appropriate format in most of the text Appropriate range of lexical items
personal Good signposting (eg appropriate use sufficient to the task with good level
Most requirements (ie genre, topic, of simple connectors) of accuracy
reader, purpose and number of words) Errors may impede understanding but
of the instruction appropriately met the overall message is clear
Good spelling (with phonetic accuracy)
and punctuation

2 Acceptable achievement of the Acceptable organisation of text Acceptable level of grammatical


communicative aim (complete sentences have been used) accuracy and appropriacy relating
Some awareness of the writer–reader Acceptable presentation and logical to the task, though range may be
relationship grouping of most ideas (some restricted
Most requirements (ie genre, topic, sentences may seem out of place) Acceptable level of lexical accuracy
reader, purpose and number of words) Appropriate format in general and appropriacy relating to the task,
of the instruction acceptably met Acceptable signposting though range may be restricted
Errors sometimes impede
understanding
Acceptable spelling and punctuation

1 Poor achievement of the communicative Very limited or poor text organisation Inadequate evidence of grammatical
aim (ie difficult to follow for reader) (heavy use of incomplete sentences) range and accuracy (may have control
Poor awareness of the writer–reader Poor presentation and logical grouping over the language below the level)
relationship of most ideas Inadequate evidence of lexical range
Most requirements (ie genre, topic, Inappropriate format throughout and accuracy (may have control over
reader, purpose and number of words) the text the language below the level)
of the instruction are not met Poor signposting (lacks use of any Errors frequently impede understanding
cohesive devices) Poor spelling and punctuation
throughout

0 Task not attempted


Paper void
No performance to evaluate

44
Appendix 8 — ISE Foundation Speaking and listening rating scale

Appendix 8 — ISE Foundation Speaking and listening rating scale


Score Communicative Interactive listening Language control Delivery
effectiveness Comprehension and Range Intelligibility
Task fulfilment relevant response Accuracy/precision Lexical stress/intonation
Appropriacy of contributions Level of understanding Effects of inaccuracies Fluency
/turn-taking Speech rate of examiner Effects on the listener
Repair strategies interventions
Speed and accuracy
of response

4 Fulfils the task very well Understands short and Uses a sufficient range Mostly intelligible
Maintains simple exchanges simple interventions with of basic grammatical despite noticeable use
Says or signals in basic little repetition structures/lexis and of non-standard phonemes
ways that he/she did Identifies factual information memorised phrases to deal Uses basic lexical stress and
not follow (eg ‘Can you Follows conversational with topics at this level intonation appropriately
repeat?’) speech, sometimes slowed Shows a sufficient level of Speaks slowly with frequent
Sometimes responds slowly grammatical accuracy and pausing and hesitation
lexical precision to deal Requires some careful
with simple exchanges listening
Makes basic mistakes, but
most errors do not impede
communication

3 Fulfils the task appropriately Understands short and Uses a range of basic Mostly intelligible
Maintains simple exchanges, simple interventions but grammatical structures/ despite noticeable use of
despite some difficulty, may need repetition lexis and memorised non-standard phonemes
some examiner support is Identifies factual information, phrases to deal with topics Uses basic lexical stress
necessary sometimes incomplete at this level and intonation enough
Attempts to say or signal Follows slow conversational Shows a basic level of to follow
in basic ways that he/she speech grammatical accuracy and Speaks slowly with
did not follow (eg ‘Repeat?’, May make slow responses lexical precision to deal frequent and extended
‘Mm?’ with a facial due to the need to make with simple exchanges pausing and hesitation
expression) sense of the input Makes basic mistakes — Requires careful listening
major errors occasionally
impede communication

2 Fulfils the task acceptably Does not always understand Uses an acceptable range Sometimes unintelligible
with support interventions, quite often of basic grammatical Use of non-standard
Examiner support is needs repetition structures/lexis and phonemes is very evident
necessary to keep the Identifies factual information memorised phrases to deal Uses some basic lexical
interaction going just enough to respond with topics at this level stress and intonation
Attempts to signal in basic Follows slow conversational Shows a basic level of Speaks slowly with frequent
ways that he/she did not speech in places grammatical accuracy and noticeable pausing and
follow Makes slow responses due and lexical precision — hesitation
to difficulty in making sense just enough to follow
Requires careful listening,
of the input Makes basic mistakes — sometimes difficult to follow
major errors sometimes
impede communication

1 Does not fulfil the task Understands few or no Uses some basic grammatical Sometimes or often
even with support examiner interventions structures/lexis, but does unintelligible
Difficult to keep the Does not identify factual not manage to deal with Does not use basic lexical
interaction going even information topics at this level stress or intonation
with examiner support Has difficulty in following Does not show an Speaks very slowly with
May attempt to signal even slow conversational adequate level of frequent and noticeable
in basic ways that he/she speech grammatical accuracy pausing and hesitation
did not follow Makes slow responses due and lexical precision for Requires careful listening,
to failure to understand simple exchanges often difficult to follow
input Makes basic mistakes, and
major errors often impede
communication

0 No performance to assess (candidate does not speak, or does not speak in English).

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Appendix 9 — ISE Foundation Independent listening task 2 rating scale

Appendix 9 —
ISE Foundation Independent listening task 2 rating scale

4  Identifies and reports all/almost all relevant facts accurately (eg eight or more)
 Responds to questions with promptness
 Needs no/little repetition or rephrasing of questions
3  Identifies and reports required number of relevant facts accurately (eg five
to seven)
 Responds to questions with relative promptness
 May need some repetition or rephrasing of questions
2  Identifies and reports some relevant facts, despite gaps in understanding
(eg three to four)
 Responds to questions after some hesitation
 May need some repetition or rephrasing of questions
1  Identifies and reports limited number of relevant facts (eg zero to two)
 Responds to questions only after noticeable hesitation
 May need extensive repetition and/or rephrasing of questions
0  No performance to assess (eg candidate does not speak)

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Notes
Notes

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