ESB Graded Examinations in Speech Teacher Guidance: Pre-Entry

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Contents  

About ESB  

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Message from our Chief ExecuƟve  

The Pre‐Entry Suite of Graded ExaminaƟons  in Speech  

Guidance for Early Steps 1 and 2 

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Guidance for the ESB Pre‐Entry Level Award  in Speech  

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Suggested choices  

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Seƫng up the assessment   Marking the assessment 

Final thoughts  

                                       © 2018 English Speaking Board (InternaƟonal) Ltd.

About ESB  English Speaking Board (InternaƟonal) Ltd. is a naƟonal   awarding organisaƟon offering accredited qualificaƟons in  speech and language. With over 65 years of experience, ESB  offers a wide range of flexible, Ofqual regulated qualificaƟons  which promote clear, effecƟve communicaƟon skills in the UK  and internaƟonally. 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.

Message from our  Chief ExecuƟve, Tina  Renshaw

Thank you for wanƟng to put Oracy and its assessment into your teaching and  learning. ESB has been assessing communicaƟon 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 potenƟal 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  NaƟonal Curriculum Spoken Language / Spoken English standards. By using an  external assessment model we provide an ‘expert’ validaƟon of your work with  your learners through their assessment outcomes. We also provide training  and feedback to you to support your preparaƟon of your learners to achieve  their potenƟal.  Whatever our route to employment, employers consistently tell us that   teamwork and communicaƟon 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 communicaƟon seƫngs;  Audibility of voice, choice of vocabulary and use of pace to communicate a message or informaƟon effecƟvely;  The pracƟce of engaging your listeners with eye contact;  Listening and asking quesƟons to demonstrate your engagement with the subject or to secure your knowledge;  Ability to research a topic and present your research outlining different perspecƟves;

 CogniƟve skills to read out loud published pieces of English wriƩen in a form that is less familiar to you and being able to convey their meaning;  FacilitaƟng 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 emoƟonal   development and choice for the learner – finding their voice through   structured acƟviƟes, 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?

The Pre‐Entry Suite  Our Pre‐Entry suite of Graded ExaminaƟons in Speech is designed to   promote Oracy by building learners’ confidence and helping them find their  voice. The suite contains the following three qualificaƟons:  

 ESB Early Steps – Step 1 (Speaking Together)   ESB Early Steps – Step 2 (Speaking Out)    The ESB Pre‐Entry Level Award in Speech  

The Pre‐Entry suite of Graded ExaminaƟons in Speech is aimed at learners  between RecepƟon and Year 2. Our Early Steps qualificaƟons help pupils to  reach early learning goals in the areas of CommunicaƟon and Language, and  Personal, Social and EmoƟonal Development, as stated in the Statutory  Framework for the Early Years FoundaƟon Stage for England.

In addiƟon, our Pre‐Entry Level Award in Speech is mapped to NaƟonal   Curriculum requirements in Spoken Language at Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2  in England and it supports the teaching of naƟonal curricula in English and  Literacy in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The qualificaƟon can be  delivered during the classroom study of a curriculum topic or as a  standalone acƟvity as part of a lunchƟme or aŌer school group.   QualificaƟons in our Graded ExaminaƟons in Speech porƞolio can be made  more accessible for pupils with addiƟonal educaƟonal needs. You can make  a reasonable adjustment applicaƟon for a pupil. Reasonable adjustments  can include, but are not limited to:    Changing usual assessment arrangements such as giving extra Ɵme  to complete an acƟvity such as 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 informaƟon, please see our Reasonable Adjustments and Special  ConsideraƟons Policy.  This guide is intended to help teachers prepare their learners for these   qualificaƟons and it is divided into two main secƟons. The first secƟon   provides guidance about how to run our Early Steps qualificaƟons, while the  second secƟon offers advice in relaƟon to the Pre‐Entry Level Award in  Speech.

Guidance for Early Steps 1 and 2  Our Early Steps qualificaƟons are teacher‐led parƟcipaƟon awards, which   focus on building learners’ confidence in speaking.   Early Steps 1  contains three group acƟviƟes of between five and eight   children. It involves the group saying ‘Hello’ and ‘Goodbye to the assessor,  joining in a song or rhyme led by the teacher, and listening to a story read  out by the teacher.   Early Steps 2  is based on a group of six children and it contains four   acƟviƟes. Here, there are two group acƟviƟes and two individual acƟviƟes.  Group acƟviƟes are joining in a rhyme, song or game led by a teacher, and  taking part in a discussion. Individual acƟviƟes are speaking a poem for 1   minute and talking about something special for 1 minute. For further   informaƟon, please see the qualificaƟon specificaƟon.

Below are Ɵps about how to run the assessment for Early Steps 1 and 2 :  

 You are free to pick any games or rhymes that you enjoy using with  your class. It is important that the assessment is enjoyable and fun!   There are no rigid rules with breaks. You can build a break during a  group’s assessment and you can place a break between different  groups.   AŌer Early Steps 1 , all groups receive a report and a cerƟficate, and each pupil  is given this badge:   

For Early Steps 2 only:  

 The ‘Joining In’ group acƟvity comes first to build pupils’ confidence by  working with their teacher on something they have pracƟsed together.    Both SecƟon 2 (Circle Time – Speaking by Heart) and SecƟon 3 (Circle  Time – Talking about Something Special) are individual acƟviƟes.   Following the ‘Joining In’ game, pupils will take it in turns to say their  rhymes.    Following the rhymes, the children will take it in turns to speak about  their chosen objects. For pupils who are not yet ready to stand up on  their own, consider beginning with Early Steps 1  to build confidence .

 We recognise that it can be hard speaking to a group. Pupils who are  feeling nervous may be encouraged by the assessor or the teacher to  take their turn whenever they feel ready to do so.   For the talk about something special, encourage pupils to give some  facts about their item which cannot be seen simply by looking at it. For  example, rather than say ‘my box is brown’, they could say: ‘My box is  for me to keep special things in’.    ConversaƟons and interacƟon can happen at any Ɵme during the   assessment, but parƟcularly aŌer the talk about something special. 

AŌer Early Steps 2 ,  each pupil receives a   

cerƟficate and is   given this badge:

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Guidance for The ESB Pre‐Entry  Level Award in Speech   The ESB Pre‐Entry Level Award in Speech develops learners’ core speaking,  reading, listening, and responding skills. The qualificaƟon is comprised of four  assessment acƟviƟes, which are graded by an ESB assessor. These acƟviƟes  are:    Talk (Something Special) ‐ Give a talk about a favourite toy or item  (2 minutes).   Speaking by Heart – Briefly introduce and recite a short poem from  memory (1 minute).   Reading Aloud – Read a prepared passage of about 100 words from a  favourite story (1 minute).   Speaking and Listening – Briefly answer quesƟons and make  comments based on the work of others.  

For further informaƟon about each of the assessment requirements, please  check the qualificaƟon specificaƟon.

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Here are Ɵps about preparing learners for the Something Special Talk: 

 It is important that pupils choose something that they really like. The  more interested pupils are in their chosen item, the more enjoyable  the talk will be for them. It may help them to include how they came  to acquire the object of their talk, where it is kept, or something that  happened to do with it.    Working in small groups can be invaluable. For example, if pupils work  in a group of 6, they can share ideas and pracƟse their talks.   Talks should contain a beginning, a middle and an ending.    Encourage pupils to include as much personal detail as possible in their  talk.    Advise pupils to show an awareness of the audience by looking up at  the assessor and the listening group as much as possible.    It is important to ensure that pupils enjoy speaking their selected   poem. If possible, try to select poems in an area of genuine personal  interest.    If there is too much choice and Ɵme 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.    PracƟce makes perfect! Encourage pupils to pracƟse their poem oŌen,  so that the words are secure.    Ensure that you provide the assessor with copies of the chosen poems  on the day of the assessment.   Please see the Suggested Choices secƟon for a list of recommended  poems.

Below are top Ɵps for Speaking by Heart: 

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Below are top Ɵps for Reading Aloud: 

 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 exciƟng  part of the book where something interesƟng is happening.   As with the talk and poem, we recommend working in small groups or  pairs. PracƟsing their chosen book in class will build confidence.   Help pupils to vary the pitch, pace and volume of their readings to  make the delivery interesƟng. Pauses will also give listeners Ɵme to  take in informaƟon.    When pracƟsing in class, pupils should also be guided about   introducing the book. They should give the Ɵtle of their chosen book  and the author’s name. For example, they could say something along  the lines of: “I am reading an extract from The Tiger Who Came to Tea by Judith Kerr, which is about a Ɵger who had tea with a girl called   Sophie’’.    Please see the Suggested Choices  secƟon for a list of recommended  books.  

Below are Ɵps for Speaking and Listening : 

 It is important that pupils support each other and act respecƞully at all  Ɵmes.   Ensure that pupils don’t rush to respond to quesƟons. It is always  worth making sure that they understand a quesƟon before answering  it.    Pupils should be asking quesƟons because they did not understand  something or because they want to know more. Encourage pupils to  ask open‐ended quesƟons from genuine interest, such as:  

“ Why did you …?”  



“ What happens if you …?”  

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“ How do you …?”  



“Can you tell us about …?”



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Suggested choices  ESB aims to encourage and realise the potenƟal of all learners and we   recognise the individuality of each learner. You are free to pick and choose  any games, rhymes, poems and books that your pupils enjoy. However, if  you are looking for level appropriate choices for them, we recommend the  following: 

Early Steps 1

Examples of joining‐in games to pracƟse If You’re Happy and You Know it Old MacDonald Had a Farm

Examples of stories to read and join  in

We’re Going on a Bear Hunt The Very Hungry Caterpillar Mr Brown Can Moo! Can You?

I’m a LiƩle Teapot

Heads, Shoulders, Knees and Toes

Not Now, Bernard

The Wheels on the Bus

Peace at Last

Incy Wincy Spider This LiƩle Piggy Went to Market

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Early Steps 2

Examples of joining‐in games to   pracƟse If You’re Happy and You Know it  One Potato, Two Potato  Old MacDonald Had a Farm 

Examples of rhymes for Speaking  by Heart 

Twinkle Twinkle LiƩle Star  Cats (by Eleanor Farjeon) 

Hickory Dickory Dock 

I’m a LiƩle Teapot 

Humpty Dumpty 

Ten Fingers 

Ferry me Across the Water (by  ChrisƟna Rosseƫ) 

The Wheels on the Bus 

Jack and Jill 

Incy Wincy Spider 

Billy is Blowing His   Trumpet 

Five Fat Peas 

Porridge is Bubbling, Bubbling Hot 

This LiƩle Piggy Went to Market  The Grand Old Duke of York 

Outdoor Song (by AA Milne) 

ESB Pre‐Entry Award in Speech

 Poets for    Speaking by Heart

Book Examples for Reading Aloud

Charles Causley ( Early in the Morning)

Judith Kerr ( The Tiger Who Came to Tea ) 

Theresa Heine  (The Lonely Dragon)

Dick King Smith ( The Hodgeheg

Robert Louis Stevenson  (Where go the Boats)

Hiawym Oram (Angry Arthur)

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Seƫng up the assessment   For Early Steps 1 and 2, the format for the assessment should be as relaxed as  possible, perhaps with pupils siƫng on cushions in a circle or semi‐circle with  their teacher. The assessor will need to write, so it is suggested they sit at a   table at one side to see the pupils.  For the ESB Pre‐Entry Level Award in Speech, each learner should present to a  minimum group of 5. This permits full interacƟon 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 presentaƟon soŌware 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  tesƟng 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 the assessment for the ESB Pre‐Entry Level Award in Speech, an ESB   assessor will review a learner’s performance in each of the four acƟviƟes. In the  process, an assessor will mark a learner against a set of grading criteria for each  acƟvity. The set of criteria for each acƟvity is mapped to the qualificaƟon   learning outcomes and assessment criteria.  For a specific acƟvity, an ESB assessor will review a learner’s performance in   relaƟon to each criterion (for example, Visual Aids in the Talk) and allocate a  grade of either: 

Unsuccessful 



Pass  



Good Pass 



Merit  



Merit Plus  DisƟncƟon 





Each criterion in an acƟvity is reviewed by the assessor in order to determine a  learner’s overall performance. Our assessments aim to promote clear, effecƟve  and confident oral communicaƟon 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 secƟon of the guide show the broad requirements of a ‘Pass’,  ‘Merit’ and ‘DisƟncƟon’ grade for each of the four assessments.

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AcƟvity 1 (40% of assessment): Talk  

AcƟvity 2 (20%): Speaking by Heart

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AcƟvity 3 (20%): Reading Aloud  

AcƟvity 4 (20%): Speaking and Listening

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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 potenƟal of all learners and  we fully recognise the importance of developing Oracy skills as part of early  learning.  

We know first‐hand that many pupils learn, build their confidence, and have a  great Ɵme during the assessment. Our final Ɵps are:  

Keep it simple 



Make it fun 

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For further informaƟon, please contact English Speaking Board (InternaƟonal)  Ltd. at  teacherquesƟons@esbuk.org.uk

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English Speaking Board (InternaƟonal) Ltd.®  

9 HaƩersley Court, Ormskirk  Lancashire L39 2AY  Tel: (+44) 01695 573439  Fax: (+44) 01695 228003  Web: www.esbuk.org  Email: admin@esbuk.org

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