Pre Entry

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Contents

About ESB

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Message from our Chief Executive

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The Pre-Entry Suite of Graded Examinations in Speech

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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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Setting up the assessment

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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 effectively.

 The practice of engaging your listeners with eye contact.

 Listening and asking questions to demonstrate your engagement with the subject or to secure your 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 is 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 Pre-Entry Suite

Our Pre-Entry suite of Graded Examinations in Speech is designed to promote Oracy by building learners’ confidence and helping them find their voice. The suite contains the following three qualifications:  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 Examinations in Speech is aimed at learners between Reception and Year 2.

Our Early Steps qualifications help pupils to reach early learning goals in the areas of Communication and Language, and Personal, Social and Emotional Development, as stated in the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage for England. In addition, our Pre-Entry Level Award in Speech is mapped to National Curriculum requirements in Spoken Language at Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 in England and it supports the teaching of national curricula in English and Literacy in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland .

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The qualification 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. 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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This guide is intended to help teachers prepare their learners for these qualifications and it is divided into two main sections. The first section provides guidance about how to run our Early Steps qualifications, while the second section offers advice in relation to the Pre-Entry Level Award in Speech.

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Guidance for Early Steps 1 and 2

Our Early Steps qualifications are teacher-led participation awards, which focus on building learners’ confidence in speaking. Early Steps 1 contains three group activities 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 activities. Here, there are two group activities and two individual activities. Group activities are joining in a rhyme, song or game led by a teacher, and taking part in a discussion. Individual activities are speaking a poem for 1 minute and talking about something special for 1 minute.

For further information, please see the qualification specifications .

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Below are tips 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.

After Early Steps 1, all groups receive a report and a certificate, and each pupil is given this badge:

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For Early Steps 2 only :

 The ‘Joining In’ group activity comes first to build pupils’ confidence by working with their teacher on something they have practised together.  Both Section 2 (Circle Time – Speaking by Heart) and Section 3 (Circle Time – Talking about Something Special) are individual activities.

 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.  Conversations and interaction can happen at any time during the assessment, but particularly after the talk about something special.

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 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’ .

After Early Steps 2, each pupil receives a certificate 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 qualification is comprised of four assessment activities, which are graded by an ESB assessor. These activities 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 questions and make comments based on the work of others.

For further information about each of the assessment requirements, please check the qualification specification.

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Here are top tips 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 practise 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.

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Here are top tips for the Speaking by Heart:

 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 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.  Practice makes perfect! Encourage pupils to practise their poem often, 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 section for a list of recommended poems.

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Below are top tips 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 exciting part of the book where something interesting is happening.  As with the talk and poem, we recommend working in small groups or pairs. Practising their chosen book in class will build confidence.  Help pupils to vary the pitch, pace and volume of their readings to make the delivery interesting. Pauses will also give listeners time to take in information.  When practising in class, pupils should also be guided about introducing the book. They should give the title of their chosen book and the author’s name.

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

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Below are tips for Speaking and Listening :

 It is important that pupils support each other and act respectfully at all times.

 Ensure that pupils don’t rush to respond to questions. It is always worth making sure that they understand a question before answering it.  Pupils should be asking questions because they did not understand something or because they want to know more.

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

“ Why did you …?”



“ What happens if you …?”

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“ How do you …?”

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“Can you tell us about …?”

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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. 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 practise: Heads, Shoulders, Knees and Toes; If You’re Happy and You Know It; I’m a Little Teapot; Incy Wincy Spider; Old MacDonald had a Farm; The Wheels on the Bus; and This Little Piggy Went to Market.

Examples of stories to read and join-in:

Mr Brown Can Moo! Can You?; Not Now, Bernard; Peace at Last; The Very Hungry Caterpillar; and We’re Going on a Bear Hunt.

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Early Steps 2

Examples of joining‐in games to practise: Five Fat Peas; Heads, Shoulders, Knees and Toes; If You’re Happy and You Know It; I’m a Little Teapot; Incy Wincy Spider; Old MacDonald had a Farm; One Potato, Two Potato; Ten Little Fingers; The Wheels on the Bus; and This Little Piggy Went to Market.

Examples of rhymes for Speaking by Heart:

Billy is Blowing His Trumpet; Cats Sleep Anywhere; Ferry me Across the Water; Hickory Dickory Dock; Humpty Dumpty; Jack and Jill; Porridge is Bubbling, Bubbling Hot; Outdoor Song; and Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.

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ESB Pre-Entry Level Award in Speech

Poets and Authors for Speaking by Heart and Reading Aloud: Charles Causley (Early in the Morning); Judith Kerr (The Tiger Who Came to Tea); Theresa Heine (The Lonely Dragon); Hiawyn Oram (Angry Arthur); Dick King Smith ( The Hodgeheg); and Robert Louis Stevenson (Where go the Boats).

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Setting up the assessment For Early Steps 1 and 2 , the format for the assessment should be as relaxed as possible, perhaps with pupils sitting 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 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.

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Please see the diagram below for an example:

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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 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

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Pass

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Good Pass

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Merit

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Merit Plus Distinction

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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.

Activity 1 (40% of assessment): Talk

Pass

Some evidence of structure.

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Talk is reliant on notes.

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Contains general explanations. Shows visual aid to the group.

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Merit

 Well-structured with a clear beginning, middle and ending.

Natural delivery in places.



Mostly clear detail.

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 Refers to, and shows chosen object.

Distinction 

Well-thought-out structure with originality in beginning and ending.

Spontaneous delivery.

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 Detail linked to own experience.  Confident and competent use of visual aids.

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Activity 2 (20%): Speaking by Heart

Pass

Gives title.

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 Poem remembered with occasional prompting from the assessor.  Delivered with an audible voice.  Interpreted with a focus on rhythm and structure.  Poem remembered but with some hesitation.  Delivered with a clear and audible voice.  Mostly caught the mood of the piece. Gives title and poet with additional detail.  Delivered with vitality in voice and facial expression.  Poem is shared with vitality and enthusiasm.  Gives title and poet.  Words are totally secure.

Merit

Distinction 

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Activity 3 (20%): Reading Aloud

Pass

Gives title.



Book is read with some hesitation. Read in an audible voice.



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Shows some awareness of the audience.

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Merit

Gives title and author.

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 Lively reading at an appropriate pace.  Read in a clear and audible voice.

Eye contact with the audience from time to time. Gives title and author with additional details.

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Distinction

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Lively reading. Voice has vitality.

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 Regular eye contact with content shared enthusiastically.

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Activity 4 (20%): Speaking and Listening

Pass

Brief responses to questions.

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 Asks one or two basic questions.

Brief contributions when reminded.

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Merit

 Provides full answers to questions.

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

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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 early learning. We know first-hand that many pupils learn, build their confidence, and have a great time during the assessment.

Our final tips for preparing learners for the assessment are keep it simple and make it fun!

For further information, please contact English Speaking Board (International) Ltd. at: teacherquestions@esbuk.org.uk

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