Pro-ELT Upskilling Project

APTIS Speaking Exam

1) Overview of the Exam
1a) The APTIS speaking exam has 4 sections. Your trainer will explain about these sections. While ou listen! complete the table below an" a"" an a""itional notes ou ma nee"# Part 1 Name / Notes Time

1b) &ow compare our notes with another teacher. Share an important in'ormation. I' ou ha(e an "i''erences! check them with our trainer. 1c) )iscuss in pairs * %s Which parts o' the exam "i" ou 'in" most "i''icult when ou 'irst took it+ Wh +

2) Part 1 - Personal Information Giving

,ere are some t pical -uestions 'rom part 1 o' the exam. &otice that the all re-uire in'ormation about ou. The shoul" be eas to answer. Tr to use it as an opportunit to relax an" get use" to talking to a computer. $a) Working in pairs or %s! take turns to ask each other the -uestions. /se the stopwatch on our mobile phone to time our answers. You ha(e %0 secon"s 'or each one. 1. $. %. 4. 1. Please tell me about our 'amil . Please tell me about our hobbies. Please tell me about our work or stu"ies. Please tell me about our 'a(ourite 'oo". What "o ou like "oing in our 'ree time+ 2. 3. 4. 5. 10. What is the weather like to"a + What is our t pical "a like+ What is the 'oo" like in our countr + What is our (illage * town * cit like+ ,ow "o ou like to spen" our holi"a s+

Tip: I' ou 'eel ner(ous at this point! begin b repeating * rea"ing out the -uestion! an" then answer it. I' ou nee" time to think! sa # 6et me see7 ,mm7 I woul" probabl sa 7 Well7

The British Council, 2013 The British Council is the United Kingdom's international organisation for cultural relations and education opportunities. British Council ala!sia is a "ranch #$$%232&'( of the British Council, registered as a charit! in )ngland and *ales #20$131( and +cotland #+C03,,33(

Pro-ELT Upskilling Project

) Part 2 - !asi" #es"ription of Pi"t$re an% &omparison with own sit$ation
%a) 8elow are % tasks 'rom part $ o' the exam. &otice that the 'irst task is alwa s to "escribe the picture. You ha(e to speak 'or 41 secon"s! which can be -uite "i''icult. Your trainer will pro(i"e an example o' how to "o part $ o' the exam. 6isten to her*him an" make notes on an use'ul language that s*he uses 'or this part o' the exam# Notes: E.g. In the foreground It looks as if he/she is

Image 1 - Celebrating Special Occasions )escribe this picture. 941 secon"s) Wh is it important to celebrate special occasions with 'amil or 'rien"s+ 941 secon"s) Tell me about a celebration in our countr . 941 secon"s) Image 2 - Relaxing in Nature )escribe this picture. 941 secon"s) Wh are natural places important to us+ 941 secon"s) Tell me about a place ou like to go to relax. 941 secon"s)

Image 3 -

Sporting !"ent

)escribe this picture. 941 secon"s) Wh are sporting e(ents like this popular in man countries+ 941 secon"s) Tell me about an important sporting e(ent in our countr . 941 secon"s) %b) :ompare our notes with these i"eas below. ,ow man o' them "i" our trainer use+

The British Council, 2013 The British Council is the United Kingdom's international organisation for cultural relations and education opportunities. British Council ala!sia is a "ranch #$$%232&'( of the British Council, registered as a charit! in )ngland and *ales #20$131( and +cotland #+C03,,33(

Pro-ELT Upskilling Project

#se$ul structures an% "ocabular& $or %escribing a p'otograp'
(eginning &our %escription This is a picture o'7 9main topic) It shows7 9"escribe ke 'eatures) )e& tenses * structures Present continuous# ,e;s ri"ing a bic cle. The ;re running un"er a bri"ge. T'ere is / are + ob,ect + "erb+ing: There;s a man ser(ing the 'oo". There are se(eral people walking along the path. Speculating -ma.ing guesses/ It looks as i$7 < a sentence 9he * she * it is <ing * the are < ing * there is*are7 etc.) ,e*She*It looks7* The look li.e < a noun ,e*She*It*looks7*The look7 < an a"=ecti(e. I think he;s *she;s*the ;re probabl 7 9(erb < ing) ,e * she * it * the might be7 * must be7 Spatial language In the 'oregroun" * backgroun"7 &ext to * 8ehin" * In 'ront o'7 this! there is * are7 Parap'rasing -explaining a 0or% t'at &ou can1t remember/ It;s a thing that ou use 'or7 9pushing babies * carr ing shopping) It;s similar to a7 It looks like some kin" o'7 %c) Practise using these structures to make sentences about the % pictures. %") &ow tr "oing part $ o' the exam working in pairs or %s. /se the stopwatch on our mobile phone to time our answers. You ha(e 41 secon"s 'or each one. While ou listen to our partner! answer the 'ollowing -uestions an" gi(e 'ee"back at the en"# 1. $. %. 4. )oes s*he speak 'or the 'ull 41 secon"s+ )oes s*he use se(eral o' the expressions in the box abo(e+ )oes s*he ha(e "i''icult remembering an (ocabular + )oes s*he make an ob(ious errors with >nglish+ "own) Yes * &o Yes * &o Yes * &o Yes * &o 9I' es! note them

') Part

- #es"ri(e) &ompare an% Spe"$late

4a) 6ook at the % example sets below an" "iscuss with our partner# 1. What "o the two photographs in each set ha(e in common+ 9e.g. The both show restaurants.) $. In which o' the % -uestions "o ou ha(e to7 a. speculate or imagine a situation+ b. "escribe an" contrast the photographs+ c. choose one 9an" pro(i"e a reason 'or our choice)+ %. What photographs "i" ou get in our exam+ Were the % -uestions similar+

The British Council, 2013 The British Council is the United Kingdom's international organisation for cultural relations and education opportunities. British Council ala!sia is a "ranch #$$%232&'( of the British Council, registered as a charit! in )ngland and *ales #20$131( and +cotland #+C03,,33(

Pro-ELT Upskilling Project

Set 1 1. Tell me what ou see in the two pictures. 941 secon"s) $. What woul" it be like to li(e in these two places+ 941 secon"s) %. Which o' these two places woul" it be better to bring chil"ren up in+ 941 secon"s)

Set 2 1. Tell me what ou see in the two pictures. 941 secon"s) $. What woul" it be like to pla these two sports+ 941 secon"s) %. Which o' these two sports woul" ou pre'er to take up+ 941 secon"s)

Set 3 1. Tell me what ou see in the two pictures. 941 secon"s) $. What woul" it be like to "o these two =obs+ 941 secon"s) %. Which o' these two =obs woul" be most rewar"ing+ 941 secon"s)

The British Council, 2013 The British Council is the United Kingdom's international organisation for cultural relations and education opportunities. British Council ala!sia is a "ranch #$$%232&'( of the British Council, registered as a charit! in )ngland and *ales #20$131( and +cotland #+C03,,33(

Pro-ELT Upskilling Project

4b) :omplete the 'ollowing "escription o' the photos in set % using expressions 'rom the box below. ?eel 'ree to change them to 'it the context# @AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA people at work. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA computers AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA. ,owe(er! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA. In AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA the woman looks -uite relaxe". I think she is probabl a receptionist or a secretar ! whereas! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA the man looks (er excite". ,e probabl works in banking or on Wall Street. ,e might be celebrating a "eal or a success'ul "ecision. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! the picture o' the secretar looks like a nice peace'ul o''ice! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA looks like a crow"e"! stress'ul place to work.B

#se$ul structures an% "ocabular& $or comparing an% contrasting t0o p'otograp's
Note: 2ou can use a lot o$ t'e "ocabular& $rom t'e box abo"e -3escribing a P'otograp'/ T'ings in common 8oth pictures show * ha(e7 I think the are both 9in * on * o'7) There is * are 7 in both pictures. Contrasting t'e pictures There are se(eral important "i''erences. In the top picture7 whereas! in the bottom picture7 The picture o'7 is * looks like7 howe(er! the picture o'7 is * looks like7 %%ing i%eas In a""ition!7 What;s more!7 Cne more thing7

4c) Think o' $ or three sentences to sa about each o' the pictures using the expressions below.

#se$ul structures an% "ocabular& $or speculating an% c'oosing

Speculating I imagine it woul" be7 9a"=ecti(e) I woul" 'in" it7 9a"=ecti(e) C'oosing one image / situation I woul" choose the top * bottom situation * image because7 I think I;" pre'er to7 9(erb) because7 It woul" probabl be better to7 because7 4") Your trainer is now going to pro(i"e an example o' how to "o part % o' the exam. As ou listen to him*her! circle true or 'alse 'or each statement in the checklist below# 1. S*he keeps talking 'or the 'ull 41 secon"s 'or each -uestion. True * ?alse $. S*he a(oi"s pausing 'or more than % secon"s. True * ?alse %. S*he structures her*his answer well. True * ?alse 4. S*he speaks lou" an" clearl . True * ?alse 1. S*he uses appropriate (ocabular ! grammar an" expressions. True * ?alse 4e) Work in pairs * %s. Take turns to choose "i''erent image sets an" "o part % o' the exam. /se the same checklist while ou listen to each other.

The British Council, 2013 The British Council is the United Kingdom's international organisation for cultural relations and education opportunities. British Council ala!sia is a "ranch #$$%232&'( of the British Council, registered as a charit! in )ngland and *ales #20$131( and +cotland #+C03,,33(

Pro-ELT Upskilling Project

*) Part ' - #is"$ssion of Personal A(stra"t I%eas
1a) In part 4 ou will be shown an image! an" presente" with three points to "iscuss. You will ha(e one minute to prepare! an" ou can make notes. 6ook at the example below an" the notes that someone has ma"e.

Notes: Award - Bachelor education programme 3 years ago. Certificate framed on wall at home. eelings - proud - useful to community! respect from family / friends etc. Encouraging" - #f course. $elp in difficult times. %iscipline to complete. E&en those that don't win work hard. E.g. (chool de)ating society - impro&ed (s English. If time - weekly award for hard work in my class. 1b) &otice that the notes are not 'ull sentences D ou "on;t ha(e time 'or this. The are =ust ke points to help ou structure our answer an" remember i"eas or (ocabular . In pairs! turn the notes into 'ull sentences! speaking onl D no writing. 1c) Euick thinking is essential to the preparation phase 'or part 4. 6ook at the % sets o' -uestions 'or part 4 below. Tr to "eci"e what ou woul" talk about as -uickl as ou can. I' ou spen" too much preparation time thinking o' the topic! ou ha(e less time 'or note taking. Tr to choose our topic in =ust 10 secon"s. 1") Working in pairs * %s! tr "oing part 4. Take turns to choose one o' the sets below. Prepare 'or 1 minute 9use the stopwatch) an" then keep speaking 'or $ minutes. 6isten to our partner an" pro(i"e 'ee"back on the 'ollowing# structure o' answer D "oes it co(er all % -uestions in the same or"er+ choice o' (ocabular D is it appropriate to the task+ 'luenc D "oes s*he keep speaking without too man pauses+ accurac D "oes our partner make an mistakes+ Part 4 Set 1 Tell me about an ambition ou ha(e 'or the 'uture. >xplain wh ou ha(e this ambition an" how long 'or. Are ambitions necessar to keep people moti(ate"+ Part 4 Set 2 Tell me about an important e(ent in our li'e. ,ow "i" the e(ent make ou 'eel when it happene"+ ,ow "o e(ents like this bring people together+ Part 4 Set 3 Tell me about an important ob=ect ou own. ,ow woul" ou 'eel i' ou lost it+ )o ou think that nonDelectronic "e(ices ha(e lost their importance in societ +

The British Council, 2013 The British Council is the United Kingdom's international organisation for cultural relations and education opportunities. British Council ala!sia is a "ranch #$$%232&'( of the British Council, registered as a charit! in )ngland and *ales #20$131( and +cotland #+C03,,33(

Pro-ELT Upskilling Project

1") It;s "i''icult to speak 'or $ minutes. ,ere are some use'ul wa s to exten" our answer# !xten%ing &our ans0er in Part 4 %% anot'er sentence @Another important point to make is*thing to sa is7B 3isagree 0it' &oursel$ I' ou 'in" ou ha(e o(er %0 secon"s le't! tr expressing a "i''erent opinion to the one ou originall expresse"# @Cn the other han"! sometimes I think that7B @Then again! it;s also true that7 Coming to a conclusion @So in conclusion! I woul" sa 7B @So it has to be a balance.B @It "epen"s on7B 5/ 6uic. 7ire 8ingle Cne important skill ou will nee" in the speaking exam is the abilit to answer -uestions without much thinking time. Tas.: Stan" up! taking our notes with ou. Fingle with the other teachers. ?in" somebo" an" ask them an -uestion 'rom parts 1! $! % or 4 o' the exam. See i' the can think o' an answer -uickl . 9/ Personal Preparation Notes Fake notes here on how much work ou nee" to "o on the speaking exam be'ore ou take it. Which part "o ou 'in" most "i''icult+ ,ow can ou make it easier+

What research an" practice can ou "o a) on our own b) with a colleague+

,ow can our trainer help ou+

:ompare our notes with our colleagues. )o the ha(e an goo" i"eas ou coul" borrow+

The British Council, 2013 The British Council is the United Kingdom's international organisation for cultural relations and education opportunities. British Council ala!sia is a "ranch #$$%232&'( of the British Council, registered as a charit! in )ngland and *ales #20$131( and +cotland #+C03,,33(