The University of Michigan Examination for

the Certificate of Proficiency in English (ECPE)

Preparing Students for the New ECPE Speaking Test

Aims of the Presentation
„ Brief overview of the test format

„ Evaluation criteria

„ Focus of Seminar: Helping students meet Level C

descriptor criteria of discourse and interaction

‰ Skills candidates need at each stage

‰ Suggestions on the development of skills needed at each

stage

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Format
„ 2 candidates participate in decision-making task
„ Each candidate is given descriptions of 2 different
options
„ During 5 stages, candidates collaborate to decide
on, present and defend a single option
„ Entire test lasts approx. 25-35 minutes (paired
format), approx. 35-45 minutes (3-way format)
„ Two examiners:
‰ Examiner 1 conducts stages 1-4, participates in stage 1
and gives instructions and monitors stages 2-4
‰ Examiner 2 participates in stages 4 and 5

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Evaluation

„ Candidates are evaluated on the following

salient features:
¾ Discourse and interaction (development and
functional range)
¾ Linguistic resources (range and accuracy):
Vocabulary & Grammar
¾ Delivery and Intelligibility

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Level C Descriptors
„ Discourse and Interaction:
¾ Production of Independent, Extended, Spontaneous Speech
ƒ Adequately summarizes information; may rely on written material
periodically
ƒ Elaborates, often without prompting
ƒ Presents decisions clearly and often appropriately

¾ Engagement in and Contribution to Extended Interaction

ƒ Contributes, often appropriately, to the development of interaction
ƒ Usually provides recommendations and/or opinions clearly
ƒ Justifies and defends a position adequately
ƒ Communication breakdowns may occur during challenging speech
events (e.g. defending a position), but are usually repaired

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Stage 1: Introductions and Small Talk
ƒ 2-3 minutes

ƒ Examiner 1 begins with introductions

ƒ Initiates conversation on general topics (e.g.

hometown, leisure activities, etc.) and topic related
questions
ƒ Candidates expected “to actively participate in the
conversation by providing expanded responses and
also by asking each other and Examiner 1 questions.”

(ECPE Speaking Test brochure)

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Stage 1: How to Help Students Develop
Conversational Skills
„ Encourage Ss to personalize the language they
are learning
‰ Use language structures and vocabulary to
talk about their own lives and opinions

„ Encourage Ss to ask questions

‰ In everyday conversation, people listen to
each other and respond, often with a question
‰ Questions reflect genuine interest and help
keep a conversation going
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Stage 1: Activity 1-Mingling at a Party

„ Ss pretend they’re mingling at a party, trying

to get to know some of the guests

„ Each S could be assigned a role or create

one for themselves

„ Ss move about the room, find out about

someone’s profession, pastimes, family, etc.,
and ask relevant questions

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Stage 1: Activity 2 - Practice Providing
Expanded Responses

„ Elaborate on a statement by giving at least

one reason:

A: What do you do in your free time?

B: I don’t have much free time…

…because I have private French lessons Mondays,

Wednesdays, and Fridays. And on Tuesdays and
Thursdays I work in a café after school.

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Stage 2: Summarizing and Recommending

„ Summarizing
‰ Each candidate is given sheet with descriptions of 2 options
(in note form)
‰ Candidates are given 2-3 minutes to read their sheet
‰ Candidates CANNOT look at partner’s sheet

„ Candidates have to:

‰ Summarize to each other descriptions of their options, not
just read list of features under their options
‰ Listen carefully to each other as they may need to ask for
clarification
‰ Recommend one of the two options of the other candidate

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Stage 2: Skills Needed for This Stage
„ Summarizing:
‰ Determine which bullet point (s) is/are clearly
negative
‰ Transfer telegraphic language to communicative
spoken form
‰ Organize bullet points, connecting them and
elaborating on each
‰ Seek clarification

„ Recommending an option

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Stage 2: Skills needed for Summarizing

„ In the 2-3 minutes the candidates have to

read bullet points, they must:
‰ make mental note of which points are positive and
which are negative

‰ transfer the language in note form to the

communicative spoken form of language

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Stage 2: Summarizing - Determining Which
Bullet Point is Negative
Applicant for a High School Science Teacher Position

Mary Thompson
‰ 15 years of experience as a science teacher
‰ Good reputation with students and teachers
‰ Creative lesson plans
‰ Does lots of experiments
‰ Organizes many field trips
‰ Has lost students’ tests several times

(From ELI-UM Brochure)

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Stage 2: Summarizing - Transferring from Note
Form to Communicative Spoken Form
Note form: Communicative spoken form:
„ 15 years of experience as ¾ Mary has taught science for 15 years.
a science teacher

„ Good reputation with ¾ Ss and teachers like her.

students and teachers
¾ She creates interesting lesson plans.
„ Creative lesson plans

„ Does lots of experiments ¾ She asks Ss to do many experiments.

„ Organizes many field ¾ She plans field trips for her students.
trips
„ Has lost tests several ¾ She sometimes can’t find her Ss’ tests.
times

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Stage 2: Summarizing - Organizing Bullet
Points, Connecting them and Elaborating
„ Candidate needs to connect bullet points and to develop
and expand on each one:

‰ This teacher has taught for 15 years, which means she has a lot
of experience. Students like her because her lesson plans are
interesting. In her lessons she asks the students to do many
experiments. She also plans field trips for her students. She isn’t
always organized, though, because she sometimes can’t find her
students’ tests.

„ Note that this text is in written, not spoken form. How do

you think the spoken form will be different?

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Stage 2: Summarizing - Example of Connected,
Developed Spoken Text
“Mary has fifteen years of experience as a science teacher, I mean, she has
taught science for fifteen years….That’s a long time to teach. So, lots of
experience. Let’s see, what else…it says here that she has a good
reputation as a teacher. Students like her…teachers like her, too. Uh…it
seems everybody likes her, maybe because she does lots of um…
experiments in class. She does them so that the students can practice what
they’re studying. They like to learn that way. Let’s see what else…Another
good thing about Mary, she’s creative with her lesson plans. You know, not
the same way of teaching all the time, which is boring. Students also like
the field trips that she organizes. They go to lots of places, like museums, to
learn about science….Places outside of school. The bad thing about Mary,
though, is that she has lost students’ tests more than once. That’s not such
a good thing about her. Well then, lots of experience, a good reputation,
creative lesson plans, lots of experiments and…uh…field trips…So many
good things to recommend Mary. Losing a couple of tests is serious,
but...well… it’s just one thing.”

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Stage 2: Summarizing - Key Features of
Spoken Form

„ Shorter sentences
„ More repetition
„ Simple connectors
„ Fillers

¾ The first three features benefit the other

candidate, who has to listen and comprehend
key information.

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Stage 2: Summarizing - Activity 1-How to Help Students
Develop Connected, Expanded Spoken Text

„ Ask students to work in pairs

„ Take the bullet points of two options from a practice
speaking test and give one to each member
„ Give them time to look at each bullet point and plan
what to say
„ Write guiding questions on the board:
‰ Can you make a sentence out of it?
‰ Can you say what it means in a different way?
‰ Can you comment on it?
‰ Can you summarize it?

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Stage 2: Summarizing - Example Activity to
Connect and Develop Spoken Text
„ Each student turns bullet points into sentences

• 15 years of experience as a science teacher

Mary has 15 years of experience as a science teacher, I mean she

has taught science for fifteen years (says what it means). Fifteen
years is a long time to teach (comments on it ). So, lots of experience
(and summarizes it)

Even at the pre-intermediate level, students can practice paraphrasing

with an activity like the following:

„ Who does the laundry in your house? I mean… (who washes your
clothes?)
„ What do you do on weekends? I mean…(what do you do on
Saturdays and Sundays?)

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Stage 2: Summarizing - Further Classroom
Practice
„ Incorporate activities that prepare Ss for the
test and increase speaking opportunities

Example:
Give Ss topics to speak about for 1 minute,
(then later on, for 2-3 minutes)
„ 3 reasons to buy a cell phone
„ 3 activities to do in the summer
„ 3 ways to make your best friend happy
„ 3 things you can do when you’re bored

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Stage 2: Summarizing - Seeking Clarification

„ Remember, candidates
‰ Are not permitted to look at each other’s sheet
‰ Can read their own options only

„ To compensate for this lack of visual information

‰ Candidates ARE free to ask each other to repeat or clarify
information, using phrases like
„ Did you say that…?
„ Sorry, I didn’t hear what you said.
„ Do you mean that…?
„ Is there any reason not to choose this applicant?
„ WHY do students like her?

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Stage 2: Recommending an Option - Exploring
the Negative Aspect of a Bullet Point
„ So far, we have seen that Ss need to be able to:
‰ Transfer telegraphic language into spoken form
‰ Expand on bullet points and connect them in a coherent
and cohesive way
‰ Seek clarification

„ Ss also need to prepare for and recommend an

option. They must:
‰ Look for a potential negative aspect to bullet points
‰ Weigh the positive and negative features of each option the
other candidate has presented and recommend one of the
two

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Stage 2: Recommending an Option - Exploring
Negative Aspect of Bullet Points
EXAMPLES:
„ “15 years of experience as a science teacher”,
‰ …but maybe the teacher is set in his/her ways.

„ “A good reputation with students”

‰ …may mean that s/he’s too soft/not strict enough.

„ “Creative lesson plans”

‰ …might mean that the teacher ‘wings it’, coming to class
without a plan.
„ “Does lots of experiments”
‰ …could mean that there’s not enough material for a test.

„ “Organizes many field trips”

‰ …may mean students are having fun outdoors instead of
learning.

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Stage 2: Recommending an Option – Making
the Recommendation
„ After a candidate presents his/her two options, the partner
recommends one of them, using the following functions:
„ Expressing an opinion
„ Comparing and contrasting
„ Giving reasons
„ Justifying

LANGUAGE REPRESENTATIVE OF THESE FUNCTIONS:

„ Between A and B, I would choose B because….
„ Of the two, I would choose B because….
„ I think B would be better since…
„ B makes more sense, I think, since….
„ I think you should choose B because…
„ In my opinion, B is the better choice because…

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Stage 2: Recommending – Activity
„ Give Ss the following situation:
In the future, things we take for granted may no longer be
available. If you had to choose one of each of the following
pairs, which would it be, and why?
„ Ask Ss to work individually to decide on one of the two options and
prepare reasons for their choice
„ Ask Ss to work in pairs and present to their partner their final
decision and the reasons for it
„ Then each partner makes his/her recommendation
„ teachers „ doctors
„ flowers „ birds
„ music „ art
„ mountains „ sea
„ health „ wealth
„ to love „ to be loved
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Stage 3: Consensus Reaching
„ Candidates come to agreement on single option by:
‰ Telling their partner which of own 2 options is best
and giving reasons
‰ Discussing advantages and disadvantages of
each option

„ Key functions needed to negotiate and come to

agreement on just one option:
‰ Disagreeing in a polite way
‰ Maintaining a viewpoint (when someone
disagrees with my opinion)
‰ Expanding on ideas suggested by others

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Stage 3: Consensus Reaching - Activity - Raising
Awareness of How to Be Polite When Disagreeing
„ Give Ss the following expressions for disagreeing with someone.
Stress to Ss that they are not all equally polite
„ Have Ss work alone to reorder them along a continuum from rude to
less polite to very polite and try to determine a principle/formula to
follow when disagreeing politely in English
„ Then ask them to share their ideas with a partner and decide which is
the better formula

„ That can’t be right. „ I see what you’re saying, but I

„ That’s not right.
„ No way!
„ You’re wrong.
„ I’m afraid you’re wrong there.
„ I have to disagree with you
on that point.
think…
„ That’s a good/valid point, but…
„ You may be right, but I also think…
„ I see your point, but don’t you
think…
„ But that’s not always the case.
Sometimes…

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Stage 4: Presenting and Convincing
(formal situation)
During this stage, candidates:
ƒ May look at each other’s sheet
ƒ Must each prepare to present 2 different reasons why final
option selected is the best and explain the importance of
these reasons
ƒ Are given 2-3 minutes to collaborate with each other and
decide who will present the final decision and which reasons
they will each present
ƒ Are then introduced to Examiner 2. (Examiner 2 plays role of
person of relatively high status)
ƒ Formally present selected option to Examiner 2

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Stage 4: Presenting and Convincing - Skills
and Functions Needed
„ Planning a presentation
„ Collaborating (establishing guidelines about how to
proceed)
„ Making a formal presentation
„ Expressing opinions
„ Giving reasons
„ Convincing someone that option chosen is indeed
the best

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Stage 4: Presenting and Convincing – Planning
the Presentation

„ When Ss are planning their presentation they

should decide the following:

‰ Who is going to present what

‰ Who goes first
‰ How to make the transition from the first presenter
to the second

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Stage 4: Presenting and Convincing - Activity 1-Helping
Students Recognize Formal and Informal Language
„ When candidates are making their presentation they have to use
more formal language.
„ Give Ss the following and ask them to decide which are formal and
which are informal, or both. They should give reasons.

„ We have decided ƒ Those are the reasons…

„ We’ve decided…
„ Our decision is…
„ Due to the fact that…
„ Because we feel that..
„ …which we think is
important because…
„ Even though A has better
qualifications…, B is…
„ A has more experience…,
but B is…
ƒ So that’s why…
ƒ A second, more important
reason for our decision is
that…
ƒ In addition to what A said,...
ƒ Therefore, we strongly believe
that X is the best option.
ƒ So, A is the best one.

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Stage 4: Presenting and Convincing – Activity 2
- Practice Using More Formal Language
„ Ss work in small groups to select one of four classmates for a Young
Leaders Scholarship. Groups rank candidates from first choice to
last.
„ Ss choose one member of their group to report their decision and the
reasons for it.
Candidates for the Young Leaders Scholarship:
™ Alexander: has high marks; shy and reserved; from middle class
family
™ Maria: has high marks in everything but math; a bit self-centered;
both parents work; 6 children
™ Evi: learns material easily, gets nervous during exams and only gets
average grades; well-liked; only child
™ Kostas: has high marks; cheated to get A in history; popular with
girls; wealthy family
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Stage 5: Justifying and Defending
ƒ Examiner 2 questions candidates about final
decision (option) and reasons for decision

ƒ Functions needed:
‰ Justifying decisions
‰ Defending decisions

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Stage 5: Justifying and Defending – Activity -
Helping Students Justify and Defend
„ Students work in pairs to practice previous stages of Speaking Test
using one topic (e.g. Hiring a High School Science Teacher)
„ Each pair presents their final decision and reasons to the teacher
(Examiner 2)
„ Teacher (Examiner 2) challenges pair’s decision by looking at the
negative side of their arguments
e.g. (if pair chose Mary Thompson): She has 15 years of
experience as a science teacher, but isn’t it possible she is set in
her ways?
„ Candidates take turns in answering Teacher’s questions, justifying
and defending their decision
e.g. Perhaps… But if she were set in her ways, would her
lessons be interesting? Would both her students and colleagues
like her? I rather doubt that.

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Conclusion
Teachers can best help students to prepare for
the ECPE Speaking Test by:

„ Affording them opportunities to personalize language

structures and vocabulary learned in class in conversation
with classmates
„ Incorporating into lessons activities that help students
summarize, paraphrase, elaborate, seek clarification, make
decisions, look for counter arguments, reach a consensus,
present, justify and defend decisions
„ Allowing them to assume greater responsibility in the
classroom by having them do problem-solving and decision-
making activities in pairs and small groups, then report the
collective decision (and reasons for it) to the class

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