Teacher Guidance Flip Book, Entry v0.9

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Contents

About ESB

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Message from our Chief Executive

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The Entry Suite of Graded Examinations in Speech

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Guidance for Activity 1: The Talk

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Guidance for Activity 2: Speaking by Heart

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Guidance for Activity 3: Reading Aloud

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Guidance for Activity 4: Speaking and Listening

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Suggested Choices

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Setting up the assessment

Marking the assessment

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Final thoughts

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© 2018 English Speaking Board (International) Ltd.

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About ESB English Speaking Board (International) Ltd. is a national awarding organisation offering accredited qualifications in speech and language. With over 65 years of experience, ESB offers a wide range of flexible, Ofqual regulated qualifications which promote clear, effective communication skills in the UK and internationally. Founded on a philosophy which values the worth of every individual, ESB strives to stretch the most able and support the least confident through the development of speaking and listening skills.

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Message from our Chief Executive, Tina Renshaw

Thank you for wanting to put Oracy and its assessment into your teaching and learning. ESB has been assessing communication skills for 65 years and we're passionate about the impact we know Oracy has on the lives of children and young people. ESB considers Oracy or speaking and listening as a set of key life skills that unlocks potential and is central to work and life. Our assessments provide benchmarks for achievement with speaking and listening. They outline what learners should be able to demonstrate in line with National Curriculum Spoken Language / Spoken English standards. By using an external assessment model we provide an ‘expert’ validation of your work with your learners through their assessment outcomes. We also provide training and feedback to you to support your preparation of your learners to achieve their potential.

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Whatever our route to employment, employers consistently tell us that teamwork and communication skills are central to their success and need to be of a higher standard when our young people enter the workforce.

Our assessments develop and validate those skills:

 Confidence in formal communication settings;

 Audibility of voice, choice of vocabulary, and use of pace to communicate a message or information clearly;

 The practice of engaging your listeners with eye contact;

 Listening and asking questions to demonstrate your engagement with the subject or to secure knowledge;

 Ability to research a topic and present your research outlining different perspectives;

 Cognitive skills to read out loud published pieces of English written in a form that less familiar to you and being able to convey their meaning;

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 Facilitating a small group to discuss a topic, play back and sum up the viewpoints in the room.

Central to our assessment ethos is that of personal, social and emotional development and choice for the learner – finding their voice through structured activities, building on their interests. Wouldn’t it be great if all our learners’ experiences of assessment contributed to their confidence and sense of achievement, self-respect and respect for the views of others? We have the evidence from our centres and learners to say that it does. Why don’t you watch this short clip to see our showcase of achievement?

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The Entry Suite Our Entry suite of Graded Examinations in Speech is designed to promote Oracy by building learners’ confidence and developing their core skills in speaking, reading, listening and responding. The suite contains the following three qualifications:

 ESB Entry-Level Award in Speech (Entry 1)  ESB Entry-Level Award in Speech (Entry 2)  ESB Entry-Level Award in Speech (Entry 3)

The Entry suite of Graded Examinations in Speech is mainly aimed at pupils between Year 3 and Year 5.

All three qualifications are mapped to National Curriculum requirements in Spoken Language at Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 in England and support the teaching of national curricula in English and Literacy in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland . Our portfolio of Graded Examinations in Speech can help you to promote Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural (SMSC) education and British values, which is an Ofsted requirement.

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By encouraging students to plan and give a talk on a subject of interest, as well as participate in a discussion, these qualifications can help students to: reflect; use imagination and creativity; offer reasoned views; use a range of social skills; appreciate different viewpoints; and understand, accept, respect and celebrate diversity. In addition, these qualifications have been designed to inspire students to engage with poetry and prose, which can help them to: explore beliefs and experience; respect faiths, feelings and values; investigate moral and ethical issues; and engage with the British values of democracy, the rule of law, liberty, respect and tolerance. Each qualification can also be flexibly taught. They can be delivered during the classroom study of a curriculum topic or as a standalone activity as part of a lunchtime or after school group. Moreover, you can teach each qualification at a pace that works for you. It could be taught in a full dedicated week as part of a literacy or oracy focus. Alternatively, it can be taught more slowly as part of a project. For example, Black History Month or the commemoration of the First World War.

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Qualifications in our Graded Examinations in Speech portfolio can be made more accessible for pupils with additional educational needs. You can make a reasonable adjustment application for a pupil. Reasonable adjustments can include, but are not limited to:  Changing usual assessment arrangements such as giving extra time to complete an activity (e.g. a talk);  Re-organising the assessment room, so that a pupil with a hearing impairment can sit closer to the assessor;

 Choosing a pre-selected reading passage.

For further information, please see our Reasonable Adjustments and Special Considerations Policy.

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Each qualification contains the following four assessment sections:

 A Talk – Pupils give a talk on a topic of personal interest (2-3 minutes).

 Speaking by Heart – Pupils introduce and then recite a short poem from memory (1-2 minutes).

 Reading Aloud – Pupils introduce a chosen book and then read a prepared passage (2 minutes).

 Speaking and Listening – Pupils respond to

questions and comments from the assessor and the group in a friendly and supportive discussion.

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This guide is intended to support teachers in preparing their pupils for these qualifications and it contains a number of tips on how to help pupils with each of the four assessment sections. In the guide, you will find information about how to help pupils to plan and give a talk, recite a short poem from memory, read aloud a chosen passage from a story and answer questions from others. The guide also contains a series of short bite-size videos from ESB specialists in Oracy. Here, they will provide you with tailored advice in key areas of assessment. Please see this introductory video:

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Teaching Guidance

Activity 1: The Talk Giving a talk can help pupils find their voice and really boost their confidence. However, we recognise that this can be a difficult thing to achieve. Many pupils, of all ages, feel nervous about the prospect of speaking in front of their teachers and class. So, how can we help them give a talk? Below are top tips that can help them plan and present a talk about their chosen topic:  Ask pupils to choose something that they really like, so that they have plenty to talk about. The more interested pupils are in their chosen talk, the more enjoyable the process will be for them.  Working in small groups can be invaluable. For example, if pupils work in a group of 6, they can share ideas and practise their talks. Pupils can help each other in finding topics for their talks by working together, and rehearsing talks within an informal small group can really build confidence.  Encourage pupils to breathe naturally when speaking. Breathing naturally will help them build their confidence and project their voice.

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 Talks should have an introduction, body and conclusion. Encourage pupils to be creative with introductions and conclusions as a way to capture the attention of an audience.  Encourage pupils to make bullet points or to use picture cues instead of writing the talk out and learning it as this inhibits speaking from the heart.  Visual aids need to be clearly seen by the audience. Encourage pupils to hold up their visual aid (chosen object) at the beginning of the talk so that everyone can clearly see it. If they use a display board, it should only contain a few large images as it can be hard to see a display board with lots of pictures.

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For further guidance about structuring talks, please watch this video:

For further guidance about how to speak spontaneously, please watch this video:

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For further guidance about using visual aids, please watch this video:

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Activity 2: Speaking by Heart

Poetry can play a major role in capturing pupils’ imagination and stimulating their creative thinking. We hope that each pupil feels inspired by their chosen poem and really enjoys learning and delivering it. However, we understand that it can be difficult to choose the right poem for a pupil. Below are top tips for helping pupils to prepare for Speaking by Heart :  It is important to ensure that pupils enjoy their selected poem. Pupils should really like their choice of poem (not a self-composition). If possible, try to select poems in an area of genuine personal interest.  If there is too much choice and time is limited, select a small number of poems and allow each group (for example 6 pupils) to read and pass them round. Each pupil might then select one or two poems to read aloud to their group. You can then ask pupils who have chosen the same poem to work together.

 Poems need to meet the following criteria:

 Be short enough to allow pupils to maintain concentration;

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 Have content that is simple and straightforward, which has real or imagined familiar subjects;  Contain accessible language which is supported by a clear and unambiguous structure.  Try to ensure that pupils choose and practise a poem that contains as much opportunity for vocal variation as possible.  Practice makes perfect! Encourage pupils to practise their poem often. This will help them get the words secure in their memory. Please see the Suggested Choices section for a list of recommended poems. For further guidance about choosing poetry, drama and prose, please watch this video:

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For further guidance about performing poetry, drama and prose, please watch this video:

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Activity 3: Reading Aloud

We all know the benefits of reading at a young age – it can build confidence and self-esteem, develop understanding and empathy, and create a thirst for knowledge. In addition, it can greatly improve writing skills by broadening the range of vocabulary, as well as improving spelling and punctuation. However, it is sometimes a challenge getting pupils to read aloud, especially if it does not come naturally to them. Below are top tips for helping pupils prepare for Reading Aloud :  A thoughtful introduction to a book can help pupils to arouse the interest of the listening group. Encourage pupils to spell out to the audience why they like their chosen book.  Always encourage pupils to choose books that they genuinely enjoy reading. They should read out their favourite part of the story, which should ideally

contain dialogue. Try to steer them towards an exciting part of the book where something interesting is happening.

 Book choices should ideally contain opportunities for good vocal variety. For example, a book extract may contain parts where pupils can use soft and/or loud voices, parts which can be spoken slowly and/or quickly, and sections where pupils can use a low- pitched and/or high-pitched voice.

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 Practise in small groups is effective and reading aloud in small groups of 5-6 pupils helps build confidence.

 Encourage pupils to look up at the audience when reading their book as the assessor will be looking for regular eye contact.

Please see the Suggested Choices section for a list of recommended books.

For further guidance about how to read aloud to an audience, please watch this video:

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Activity 4: Speaking and Listening

Developing listening and responding skills at an early age can significantly help pupils in receiving factual information correctly, making sense of their thoughts, and developing their abilities to successfully complete activities. The listening and responding section of the assessment is all about the sharing of opinions and ideas, with pupils contributing to each other’s work. Nevertheless, it is common for some pupils to feel shy about putting their hand up and asking a question.

Below are top tips for preparing pupils for this speaking and listening section:

 Listening encouragingly within a group is a skill which must be learnt over time. Encourage pupils to support each other and to act respectfully at all times.

 Ensure that pupils don’t rush to respond to

questions. It is always worth making sure that they fully understand a question before answering it.

 Encourage pupils to provide as much relevant detail as possible when answering a question.

 Pupils should be asking questions because they did not know something or because they want to know more.

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 Encourage pupils to ask open-ended questions from genuine interest, such as:

“ Why did you …?” “ What happens if you …?” “ How do you …?” “Can you tell us about …?”

 Active participation is crucial. The more engaged pupils are in the discussion, the more they will learn and develop their understanding.

For further guidance about asking questions, please watch this video:

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For further guidance about responding to questions, please watch this video:

For further guidance about participating in a discussion, please watch this video:

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Suggested choices ESB aims to encourage and realise the potential of all learners and we recognise the individuality of each learner. Pupils are free to choose any poems, books or pieces of drama that they enjoy.

However, if you are looking for level appropriate choices for them, we suggest the following poets and authors.

Poets for Speaking by Heart: Valerie Bloom; Charles Causley; June Crebbin; Richard Edwards; Max Fatchen; Aileen Fisher; Colin McNaughton; Spike Milligan; Brian Moses; Judith Nicholls; Jack Prelutsky; James Reeves; and Christina Rossetti.

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Authors for Reading Aloud: John Agard; Atinuke (Anna Hibiscus) ; Emily Bearn ( Tum Tum and Nutmeg series) ; Elizabeth Beresford (The Wombles series) ; Enid Blyton (The Secret Seven series) ; Michael Bond (Paddington series) ; Andrew Cope (Spy Dog series) ; Richard Compton (Just William series) ; Roald Dahl; Max Fatchen; Anthony Horowitz (Alex Rider series) ; Michael Morpurgo; Nnedi Okorafor (Chicken in the Kitchen) ; JK Rowling (Harry Potter series) ; Shel Silverstein; Francesca Simon (Horrid Henry series) ; Chitra Soundar; Jill Tomlinson; David Walliams; and Ursula Moray Williams (Spid series) .

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Setting up the assessment Each learner should present to a minimum group of 5. This permits full interaction for the assessment as a whole. The assessment group should be seated in a horseshoe with the assessor at one end and the speaker in the mouth of the horseshoe. This allows for easy eye contact across the group and ensures the assessor is part of the audience.

Please see the diagram below for an example:

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Visual aids, whether it be a display board or presentation software such as Prezzi or PowerPoint, should be situated close to the speaker. It should be clearly seen by both the assessor and assessment group. It is always worth testing any audio/visual equipment prior to the assessment and we find that learners who have their material on a pen drive manage to accomplish a quick changeover.

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Marking the assessment

During an assessment, an ESB assessor will review a learner’s performance in each of the four activities. In the process, an assessor will mark a learner against a set of grading criteria for each activity. The set of criteria for each activity is mapped to the qualification learning outcomes and assessment criteria. For a specific activity, an ESB assessor will review a learner’s performance in relation to each criterion (for example, Visual Aids in the Talk) and allocate a grade of either:

Unsuccessful

Pass

Good Pass

Merit

Merit Plus Distinction

Each criterion in an activity is reviewed by the assessor in order to determine a learner’s overall performance.

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Our assessments aim to promote clear, effective and confident oral communication amongst all learners, and subsequently, they have been designed to encourage learners to reach a minimum ‘Pass’ standard in speaking, listening and responding. The tables in this section of the guide show the broad requirements of a ‘Pass’, ‘Merit’ and ‘Distinction’ grade for each of the four assessments. However, please note that the tables refer to a shortened interpretation of the full grading criteria. In addition, the grading criteria of each qualification is slightly different.

So, please do check the individual specifications if you are unsure about anything.

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Activity 1 (40% of assessment): Talk

Pass

 Structured with a beginning, middle and ending.

Talk is reliant on notes.

Contains general explanations. Shows visual aid to the group. Well-structured with a clear beginning, middle and ending.

Merit

Mostly natural delivery.

 Contains clear explanations with detail.

Confident use of visual aid.

Distinction 

Well-structured and well-planned, with originality in beginning and ending.  Fluent and spontaneous delivery.

Contains clear and detailed explanations, with reference to personal experience.

 Confident and competent use of visual aids.

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Activity 2 (20%): Speaking by Heart

Pass

 Brief introduction, including title and poet.

Poem remembered with prompting from the assessor.

 Delivered with an audible voice.

Interpreted with a focus on rhythm and structure.

Merit

 Fuller introduction, with a reason for choice.  Poem remembered, but with some hesitation.  Delivered with a clear and audible voice. Well-interpreted, with mood communicated to the audience.  Full introduction, with a detailed reason for choice, which awakens interest in the poem.  Delivered with vitality in voice and facial expression.  Interpreted with understanding. Mood and spirit communicated to the audience in an enthusiastic way.   Words are totally secure.

Distinction

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Activity 3 (20%): Reading Aloud

Pass

Short introduction.

 Book is read with some hesitation.

Read in an audible voice.

 Eye contact with the audience at the beginning and at the end.  Full introduction, with additional detail. Lively reading at an appropriate pace.  Read in a clear and audible voice.  Regular eye contact with audience, while keeping the flow.  Full introduction, with additional detail and enthusiasm.  Lively reading, appropriately paced, with a clear distinction between narrative and dialogue.  Read in a clear and audible voice. Vocal and facial responses to the words. Regular and comfortable eye contact that shows a full awareness of the audience. 

Merit

Distinction 

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Activity 4 (20%): Speaking and Listening

Pass

Brief responses to questions.

 Asks one or two basic questions.

Takes part when reminded.

Merit

 Provides full answers to questions.

Asks questions that seek additional information. Takes part without being reminded.

Distinction

 Provides full and lively responses to questions.  Asks questions that are thoughtful in nature.  Always ready to support the group with comments.

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Final thoughts We really want your experience of teaching ESB to be enjoyable and rewarding. Our aim is to recognise and fulfil the potential of all learners and we fully recognise the importance of developing Oracy skills as part of educational development. We know first-hand that many pupils learn, build their confidence, and have a great time preparing for the assessment. Our final thoughts to successfully teaching these qualifications are:  Look for opportunities for group work and use peer groups to give feedback.  Don’t use overly complex visual aids - any object will do!  Select a poem they are studying in class.  Ensure that your pupils really enjoy reading their choice of book. For further information, please contact English Speaking Board (International) Ltd. at teacherquestions@esbuk.org.uk  Keep it fun and simple.

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