Delta 5a

Module Two
Report for the Assessed Language
Systems and Language Skills Assignments
Candidate name
Centre name
Centre number
Candidate number
Assignment focus

Language Skills x Language Systems

Assignment title
Date of assessment
Level of class

Elementary

Intermediate
Number in class
Length of lesson

Pre-intermediate

Upper intermediate

Advanced

9
60

minutes
Tutor's / assessor's grade

Background essay

Fail Pass x Merit Distinction

Planning, Teaching & Post-lesson reflection and evaluation

Fail Pass x Merit Distinction

Overall grade

Fail Pass x Merit Distinction

Tutors / Assessors name

Cambridge ESOL Moderators comments:

Date

Assessment criteria for the background essay

Quality of writing
Successful candidates demonstrate that they can effectively present an
essay which:
a) is written in language which is clear, accurate, easy to follow and is
cohesive and clearly ordered
b) uses appropriate terminology accurately
c)

refers to and references key sources

d) follows the conventions of a standard referencing system for in-text

referencing and the bibliography

e) respects the word limit (2,000-2,500 words) and states the number of words
used.

Met

Not met

Partially
met

X
X
X
x
X

Comment
1a) The language is usually clear. It is generally accurate. It is usually easy to follow but there are occasional
sections that are a little unclear such as the paragraph about chunking in the Issues and Solutions section
and the point made in Issues with Cognitive Processing ..routine if not skipped altogether.. The essay is
cohesive and clearly ordered although there is a section called Teaching Approaches and Evaluation that
shouldnt be there.
1b) Terminology is usually used accurately and appropriately.
1c) Refers to key sources and references them.
1d) City not mentioned in the appendix
1e) Has respected the word limit and has stated the number of words used.

Clarity of topic
Successful candidates demonstrate that they can effectively make clear
the topic of the essay by:
a)
identifying for analysis a specific area of the grammar, lexis,
phonology or discourse system of English, or a skills area (listening,
speaking, reading or writing)
b)

c)
d)
e)

Met

Not met

defining the scope of the area they will analyse with reference to
e.g. learners, teaching approach, method, learning context, learner
needs or text type

explaining with reference to classroom experience, reading and

research why they have chosen this area

making all parts of the essay relevant to the topic and coherent
following through in later parts of the essay on key issues
identified in earlier parts.

Partially
met

X
X

Comment
2a + 2b) The title is too broad and it is not clear from the title or the essay what the relationship is between
listening comprehension and acquisition. A better title might have been Helping Upper-intermediate Spanish
Students with their Listening Using a Top-down Approach. This would narrow the scope more.
2c) You give a potted history of the teaching of listening in the Middle East and you hint at why you chose
this area but it needs to be more obvious. A good way of ensuring that you do this is to start the
paragraph with the words I chose this area because .
2d) Most of the essay is relevant to the topic of listening comprehension but there is little reference to
acquisition. The essay is usually coherent.
2e) You have followed on with key points in later parts of the essay.

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 Analysis and issues

Successful candidates can effectively demonstrate an understanding of
the specific area by:
a) analysing the specific area with accuracy, identifying key points

Met

Not met

Partially
met

b) showing awareness of a range of learning and teaching problems

occurring in a range of learning contexts.

Comment
3a) You have analysed the area with enough accuracy and you have identified key points.
3b) You have identified a range of problems but some of them are not very clearly expressed or argued eg
The (sic) neglect the next part when thinking about the meaning, Learners quickly forget what they have
heard,

Suggestions for teaching

Successful candidates demonstrate that they can effectively draw on
experience and research to:
a) outline and show familiarity with relevant key procedures, techniques,
resources and/or materials
b) evaluate how the selected procedures, techniques, resources and or
materials might be used effectively in classroom practice
c)

demonstrate how the procedures, techniques, resources and/or

materials address points raised under 'Analysis and issues'.

Met

Not met

Partially
met
x
x
X

Comment
4a) The suggestions for teaching are sometimes rather vague and general.
4b) You need to describe a very specific game or activity for each problem that would help to solve the
problem eg PROBLEM: students sometimes have difficulty recognising word divisions in connected speech.
SOLUTION: the teacher reads out some sentences at normal speed and the student has to say how many
words there are in the sentence.
4c) There are some links but they are rather tenuous.

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Overall comment on the background essay

There is evidence of a lot of background reading and the essay shows a reasonable understanding of what a
top-down approach to a lesson is and why it might be thought a good approach. However, some parts could
have been expressed more clearly. The issues and solutions part needs to be a bit more practical. The last
section (Teaching approaches and evaluation) isnt needed.

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Assessment criteria for Planning and preparation, Teaching and Post-lesson reflection and evaluation

Planning and preparation

Successful candidates have designed and presented a lesson plan and
supporting documentation which:
a) Includes
(i) a brief general overview of the group of learners and the course
(ii) information about individual learners relevant to the lesson
b) sets out clear and appropriate overall aims and learning outcomes for
the lesson in relation to language systems and/or language skills and
learner needs
c) provides relevant analysis of target language in terms of meaning,
use, form and pronunciation
d) outlines any relevant link(s) between this lesson and relevant aspects
of preceding and subsequent lessons, and if relevant the course as a
whole
e) states assumptions made about the learners knowledge, abilities and
interests relevant to the aims and learning outcomes of the lesson
f) anticipates and explains potential problems in relation to the lessons
aims and learning outcomes, the learners and the learning context,
and the equipment, materials and resources to be used
g) suggests appropriate solutions to the problems outlined in 5f
h) describes suitably sequenced procedures and activities appropriate to
achieving the stated overall aims and stage aims
i) states materials and/or resources to be used, which are appropriate to
the teaching and learning context, the learners, the lesson aims and
learning outcomes, and the time available, and includes a
copy/copies of suitably presented materials, sourced where
necessary
j) assigns realistic and appropriate timing for each stage and/or group
of stages in the procedure
k) includes a commentary, of between 500 and 750 words, which
provides a clear rationale for the lesson plan with reference to learner
characteristics and needs and the candidates reading and research in
the background essay.

Met

Not met

Partially
met

X
X
X
X
X
x
X
X
X

Comment
5a) The class and students profiles are fine although you should mention the names of the students who said
they encounter difficulties when listening and if possible state what difficulties they have.
5b) There is some confusion between prediction as a subskill and prediction as a classroom activity.
5c) You havent provided an analysis. You could have provided a list of some of the key vocabulary from the
text saying what word class each word is, what the word means and giving the phonemic transcription.
5d) There isnt much of a link between the class that went before and the one that comes after but you need
to explain why this is. You should also liaise with the second teacher to see if you can make a link.
5e) There should be more assumptions.
5f and 5g) Satisfactory but could be more detailed.
5h) The lesson is very logically and clearly sequenced.
5i) achieved
5j) You over-ran by a couple of minutes but in general your timing was realistic.
5k) The commentary isnt always clear eg most of them dont practise these subskills in their own
language.

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6 9 Teaching
Creating and maintaining an atmosphere conducive to learning
Successful candidates demonstrate that they can effectively:
a.

b.
c.
d.

teach the class as a group and individuals within the

group, with sensitivity to the learners needs and backgrounds, level
and context, providing equal opportunities for participation
purposefully engage and involve learners
vary their role in relation to the emerging learning and
affective needs of learners during the lesson
listen and respond appropriately to learner contributions.

Met

Not met

Partially
met

X
X
X

Comment
6a) You have a great rapport with the students You have a relaxed, confident, friendly teaching style
6b) The students are working with interest and motivation. One of them said afterwards how much shed
enjoyed the lesson
6c) you change your role appropriately
6d) you listen to and respond to students well.

Understanding, knowledge and explanation of language and language skills

Successful candidates demonstrate that they can effectively:
a)

use language which is accurate and appropriate for the

teaching and learning context
b)
adapt their own use of language to the level of the group and
individuals in the group
c)
give accurate and appropriate models of language form,
meaning/use and pronunciation
d)
give accurate and appropriate information about language
form, meaning/use and pronunciation and/or language skills/subskills
e)
notice and judiciously exploit learners language output to
further language and skills/subskills development.

Met

Not met

Partially
met

X
X
X
X
X

Comment
7a) In general fine. (Note that neighbor is spelt the American way on your quiz worksheet. Try to be
consistent. The students are more used to British English.)
7b) Your language is well pitched for the level and is clear.
7c) you language models are accurate and appropriate.
7d) In general fine, but when words crop up that you write on the board, dont forget to mark the word class
and if more than 2 syllables, the stress.
7e) You notice and work on learners output well.

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 Classroom procedures and techniques

Successful candidates demonstrate that they can effectively:
a)

Use procedures, techniques and activities to support and

consolidate learning and to achieve language and/or skill aims
b)
exploit materials and resources to support learning and achieve
aims
c)
deliver a coherent and suitably varied lesson
d)
monitor and check students learning and respond as
appropriate.

Met

Not met

Partially
met

X
X
X
x

Comment
8a) You wrote up on the board some of the words that came up such as pickpocket so that you could check
the meaning. You did a lot of drilling of words at the beginning both chorally and individually. (Note that the
pronunciation of magician still wasnt quite right.) Some very effective eliciting. Sometimes you give the first
letter.
8b) Effective and interesting lead in using images of different crimes. Effective use of technology power
point and listening on computer. Giving students time to make notes about what they were going to say
before they started the speaking activity was a good idea. Try to avoid listening tasks that involve a lot of
writing. If they have to write a lot, they cant pay such close attention to the text. True/false questions are
better in this respect.
8c) The lesson was varied (listening and speaking) and very coherent.
8d) Make notes while you are monitoring students in free speaking activities and feed back on performance.
Apart from this, you monitored effectively. Why not get them to put their hands up to indicate which one they
chose when feeding back on the answers to the questionnaire? Similarly, in the ten word activity, find out how
any they got right. Maybe you could explain why the other two answers werent right?

Classroom management
Successful candidates demonstrate that they can effectively:
a)

implement the lesson plan and where necessary adapt it to

emerging learner needs
b)
manage the classroom space, furniture, equipment, materials and
resources
c)
set up whole class and/or group and/or individual activities, as
appropriate
d)
ensure the learners remain focused on the lesson aims and the
learning outcomes.

Met

Not met

Partially
met

X
X
x
X

Comment
9a) You did this well.
9b) The room was well-set up beforehand chairs etc.Classroom management in general very strong eg
regrouping of students
9c) You set up the magician listening very efficiently. The magician listening task was very appropriate as a
gist listening task. There were three alternative summaries that the students had to choose from. You often
get students to compare their answers in pairs. You set up the speaking activity very well by telling them an
anecdote yourself first so they knew what to do. On the other hand, you didnt set up the quiz activity. You
just gave out the photocopy. Its fairly obvious what they have to do but you should still set it up. Ditto the
task with 2 questions. A student asked you what beat means after youd given out the quiz handout, You
explained to her individually but if she doesnt know what it means, maybe the others dont either. If youd
set up the activity rather than just giving out the photocopy, you could have elicited what the word meant
with the whole class. Not all the students understood the instructions for the third listening task. You said they
only had to write two or three words but some of them were writing sentences.
9d) One example of this is when you got selected students to tell their anecdotes to the class. This is the kind
of public performance recommended by Jane Willis.

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 Reflection and evaluation

Successful candidates demonstrate that they can effectively:
a)

reflect on and evaluate their own planning, teaching and the

learners progress as evidenced in this lesson
b)
identify key strengths and weaknesses in planning and execution
c)
explain how they will (would) consolidate/follow on from the
learning achieved in the lesson.

Met

Not met

Partially
met

x
x
x

Comment
10a,b,c) You have reflected well on your lesson and evaluated it with insight
Overall comment (Please summarise strengths and weaknesses with reference to the criteria)
STRENGTHS
You use appropriate and accurate terminology (1b)
You refer to key sources and reference them (1c)
Your referencing system is generally fine but remember that you should include the city of publication in your
appendix (1d)
You have respected the word limit and stated the number of words used (1e)
You have identified a specific area for analysis (2a)
Most parts of the essay are relevant to the topic (2d)
Key issued are followed on later in the essay (2e)
Your analysis of the area is fine (3a)
Class and student profiles adequate (5a)
Anticipated problems and solutions satisfactory but could be more detailed. (5f and 5g)
The lesson is very logically sequenced. (5h)
Materials to be used are stated (5i)
Timing was generall OK but you ran over by a couple of minutes.(5j)
The commentary could be clearer in places. (5k)
All aspects of creating and maintaining an atmosphere conducive to learning were good. (6a-6d)
Your understanding, knowledge and explanation of language is good. (7a-7e)
Classroom procedures and techniques were good in general (8a-8c)
Implementing the lesson plan was successful (9a)
Managing the classroom space was very good (9b)
You always made sure the students were focused (9d)
Reflection and evaluation fine. (10a,b +c)
WEAKNESSES
Your writing is usually clear and easy to read but not always. Its not ordered quite right. (1a)
You need to narrow the scope in your title. (2b)
You havent clearly explained why you chose the area. (2c)
You have shown awareness of a range of problems but they sometimes need to be expressed more clearly
(3b)
Suggestions for teaching are rather vague and too general. (4a and 4b)
The links between your suggestions for teaching and your problems and solutions are sometimes rather
tenuous. ( 4c)
Aims could be clearer ( 5b)
There is no analysis section in your lesson plan. (5c)
Class fit needs a bit more detail (5d)
There should be more assumptions (5e)
Monitoring of free speaking activities needs more work (8d)
Setting up of activities needs more work (9c)
University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations
Teaching Awards
1 Hills Road
Cambridge
CB1 2EU
Tel: +44 1223 553997
E-mail: deltaadmin@cambridgeesol.org
www.cambridgeesol.org

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