Guide For Teachers - IsE III

Integrated Skills in English (ISE)
Guide for Teachers ISE III (C1)

Reading & Writing | Speaking & Listening
Trinity College London

www.trinitycollege.com
Charity number 1014792
Patron HRH The Duke of Kent KG
Copyright 2015 Trinity College London
Published by Trinity College London
Second edition, September 2015
Contents
Contents
ISE III Reading & Writing exam
Overview of the ISE Reading & Writing exam
Who is ISE Reading & Writing for?

Introduction to ISE Reading & Writing tasks at ISE III
Glossary of reading skills for ISE III
Glossary of writing aims for ISE III
Candidate profile
6
7
8
9
10
Task specifications for ISE III Reading & Writing
11
Task 1 Long reading

Task 2 Multi-text reading
Task 3 Reading into writing
Task 4 Extended writing
11
12
13
13
Preparation activities for ISE III Reading & Writing
14
Task 1 Long reading: Birth order

Task 2 Multi-text reading: Interesting facts about butterflies
Task 4 Extended writing: Writing about changes in popular entertainment
14
19
24
ISE III Speaking & Listening exam

Overview of the ISE Speaking & Listening exam
32
Who is ISE Speaking & Listening for?

Introduction to ISE Speaking & Listening tasks
Glossary of speaking aims for ISE III
Glossary of listening skills for ISE III
Candidate profile
32
33
35
35
36
Task specifications for ISE III Speaking & Listening
37
Topic task
Collaborative task
Conversation task
Independent listening task
37
38
39
39
Preparation activities for ISE III Speaking & Listening
40
40
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50
54
Topic task: ISE III topic presentation structure

Collaborative task: The internet A waste of time?
Conversation task: Yes, but is it art?
Independent listening task: How to write a summary using note-taking skills
Appendices
Appendix 1 Sample Reading & Writing exam paper
Appendix 2 Information on the Speaking & Listening exam
Appendix 3 Language functions for ISE III
Appendix 4 ISE III Task 3 Reading into writing rating scale
Appendix 5 ISE III Task 4 Extended writing rating scale
Appendix 6 ISE III Speaking and listening rating scale
Appendix 7 ISE III Independent listening rating scale
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Foreword
Trinitys Integrated Skills in English (ISE) exam assesses all four language skills reading, writing,
speaking and listening. In the ISE exam, all four skills are tested in an integrated way, reflecting how
skills are used together in real-life situations.
This guide:
gives you a brief overview of the two modules of the ISE III exam Reading & Writing and
Speaking & Listening
offers some practical advice for preparing students for each task in the exam
provides some example activities that you can use in the classroom and adapt for your students.
For more classroom activities to help prepare your students for ISE III, as well as the exam specifications,
see www.trinitycollege.com/ISEIII
Please note that ISE IV has a different format see www.trinitycollege.com/ISEIV for details.
ISE III Reading

& Writing exam

Trinitys ISE Reading & Writing exam tests reading and writing skills through an integrated approach.
The integrated skills approach mirrors how we use reading and writing skills both together and
separately in our studies and work. The reading texts reflect the range of subjects a student may
encounter in an educational or academic setting and the way that he or she needs to find, select and
report relevant and appropriate information. The writing tasks reflect the kind of activities a student
does in a school or college context, such as essay writing.
The purpose of the exam is to assess a candidates skills in reading and writing in the English language
through tasks which correspond to his or her real world activity and reason for learning English.
The ISE Reading & Writing exam is currently offered at four levels of the Common European Framework
of Reference (CEFR) from A2 to C1.
Who is ISE Reading & Writing for?

The intended candidate is a young person or adult, typically at secondary school or college, who is
using English as a second or foreign language as part of their studies in order to develop their skills
and improve their knowledge of a range of subject areas. The typical ISE candidate is aged between
11 and 19, but may be older.
A candidate at the lower levels of the exam (ISE Foundation and ISE I), is generally a young person or
adult in school or college who is taking ISE as evidence to progress to a higher level of English study
within their mainstream or English language school. At the higher levels of the exam (ISE II and ISE
III), a candidate is typically a young person or adult preparing for further or higher education who is
required to prove their English language proficiency levels within an educational context.
Introduction to ISE Reading & Writing tasks at ISE III

The Reading & Writing exam consists of four tasks.
Task 1 is the Long reading task, where the candidate reads a single text and answers 15 questions.
The aims of this task are to understand:
the main idea of a paragraph or text
specific information at sentence, phrase and word levels.
Task 2 is the Multi-text reading task, where the candidate first reads four texts and then answers
15 questions. The aims of this task are to:
understand the main idea of a paragraph or text
understand specific information at sentence, phrase and word levels
find specific information in different texts in order to create a text summary.
Task 3 is the Reading into writing task, where the candidate produces a piece of writing based on
the four texts in task 2.
Task 4 is the Extended writing task, where the candidate produces a piece of writing in response to
a prompt.
Overview of ISE Reading & Writing at all levels

ISE Foundation
ISE I
ISE II
ISE III
CEFR level
A2
B1
B2
C1
Time
2 hours
2 hours
2 hours
2 hours
Task 1
Long reading
300 words
15 questions
Long reading
400 words
15 questions
Long reading
500 words
15 questions
Long reading
700 words
15 questions
Task 2
Multi-text reading
3 texts
300 words
15 questions
Multi-text reading
4 texts
400 words
15 questions
Multi-text reading
4 texts
500 words
15 questions
Multi-text reading
4 texts
700 words
15 questions
Task 3
Reading into writing Reading into writing Reading into writing Reading into writing
70100 words
100130 words
150180 words
200230 words
Task 4
Extended writing
70100 words
Extended writing
100130 words
Extended writing
150180 words
Extended writing
200230 words
Please see page 8 for a glossary of reading skills and writing aims for ISE III.
Glossary of reading skills for ISE III
Reading
for general
comprehension
Reading a wide range of complex texts or infographics likely to be

encountered in social, professional or academic life, containing ideas,
opinions and implied writers attitude
Skimming
Reading to understand the general meaning of a paragraph, text or

infographic (graphic with writing)
Reading for gist
Reading to understand the main idea of a paragraph, text or infographic

Reading to identify the content and relevance of news items, articles and
reports on a wide range of professional topics quickly
Deciding if closer study is worthwhile
Scanning
Reading longer and more complex texts or infographics to find relevant details
Identifying relevant information and common themes and links across
multiple texts, including the finer points of detail, eg implied attitudes
Careful reading to
understand specific
facts, information
and significant
points
Reading to understand specific, factual information at the word, phrase

or sentence level
Reading to understand important points in a text
Looking for main points and clues from context
Identifying which information is factual, which is opinion
Comparing and evaluating information at sentence, phrase and word level
Identifying finer points of detail including attitudes and implied as well as
stated opinions
Guessing the meaning of unknown words and sentences in their context
Understanding cohesion by focusing on wordgrammar patterns and
words which go together (collocations)
Adapting style and speed of reading to different texts and purposes
Deducing meaning
Using contextual, grammatical and lexical cues to infer attitude, mood

and intentions, and anticipate what will come next
Guessing the meaning of sentences, phrases and words from their context
Using wordgrammar patterns or collocation to understand cohesion
Understand a
range of texts
Reading to understand in detail a wide range of texts likely to be

encountered in social, professional or academic life
Reading texts that are outside his or her field of interest
Reading articles and reports concerned with contemporary issues, in
which the writers adopt particular positions or points of view
Summarising
Reading to identify the main conclusions in clearly structured and

signposted argumentative texts
Synthesising and evaluating information and arguments from a number
of different types of texts
Commenting on and discussing contrasting points of view and the
main themes
Glossary of writing aims for ISE III

Reading for writing
Showing understanding of reading texts

Identifying common themes in reading texts
Summarising or paraphrasing ideas from reading texts
Task fulfilment
Responding to the prompt fully

Using the correct number of words to respond to the prompt
Showing awareness of the reader and the purpose for writing
Organisation and structure
Presenting ideas and arguments clearly

Using the best format to fulfil the task and text type
Structuring the writing appropriately, eg using beginnings,
endings and paragraphs
Language control
Using a range of language functions, grammar and vocabulary

Using language functions, grammar and vocabulary accurately
Using spelling and punctuation accurately
Candidate profile
Reading (tasks 1 and 2)
A candidate who passes ISE III Reading can:
understand in detail lengthy, complex texts, whether or not they relate to his or her own area of
speciality, provided he or she can reread difficult sections
understand in detail a wide range of complex texts likely to be encountered in social, professional or
academic life, identifying finer points of detail including attitudes, and implied as well as stated opinions
use contextual, grammatical and lexical cues to infer attitude, mood and intentions and anticipate
what will come next
summarise long, demanding texts.
In tasks 1 and 2, the candidate is assessed on his or her ability to read across several texts and demonstrate
a range of reading skills including skimming, scanning, reading for gist, reading for detail, inferring,
summarising and evaluation.
Reading into writing (task 3)

A candidate who passes ISE III Task 3 Reading into writing can:
identify connections and themes between four texts in task 2
identify information from task 2 that is relevant to task 3
synthesise the information in task 2 to produce elaborated responses with clarity and precision
in task 3.
Writing (tasks 3 and 4)

A candidate who passes ISE III Writing can:
express himself or herself with clarity and precision, relating to the addressee flexibly and effectively
write clear, detailed and well-structured descriptions and imaginative texts on complex subjects,
underlining the relevant issues, in an assured style appropriate to the reader in mind
expand and support points of view at some length with subsidiary points, reasons and relevant
examples, and rounding off with an appropriate conclusion.
This profile is based on the level C1, Proficient User, of the Council of Europes Common European
Framework of Reference (CEFR).
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Task 1 Long reading
Task
One reading text followed by 15 questions
Text
The text is complex with detailed information, ideas and opinions, and an implied
writers attitude. It is the type of text that the candidate is familiar with from his
or her own educational setting.
Subject areas for ISE III:
Independence
Roles in the family
Ambitions
Communication
Stereotypes
The school curriculum
Role models
Youth behaviour
Competitiveness
Use of the internet
Young peoples rights
Designer goods
The media
International events
Advertising
Equal opportunities
Lifestyles
Social issues
The arts
The future of the planet
The rights of the individual
Scientific developments
Economic issues
Stress management
Text length
700 words (approximately)
Number of
questions
15 questions
Question
types
Title matching (Questions 15)

These require the candidate to choose the most appropriate title for each paragraph
of the text. The text has five paragraphs and there are six titles to choose from. Some
useful reading subskills to practise for this section are:
skimming
scanning
reading for gist
reading for main ideas
understanding the main idea of each paragraph.
Selecting the true statements (Questions 610)
These require the candidate to select five true statements from a list of eight
statements. Five statements are true according to the text. Three are false or are not
stated in the text.
Some useful reading subskills to practise for this section are:
careful reading for detail
understanding specific, factual information at the sentence level
distinguishing principal statement from supporting examples or details,
distinguishing fact from opinion
comparing, evaluating and inferring.
Completing sentences (Questions 1115)
These require the candidate to complete sentences with a word or phrase taken
from the text (up to three words).
careful reading for comprehension
cohesion via wordgrammar or collocation
understanding specific, factual information at the word and/or phrase level
inferring and understanding across paragraphs (eg writers attitude, line of
argument, etc)
Timing
The candidate is advised to spend 20 minutes on this part of the exam
Assessment
The task is scored against an answer key

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Task
Four reading texts read as a group followed by 15 questions
Text
The four texts are complex with information, ideas and/or opinions at detail level,
and implied writers attitude. One text is an infographic (eg a diagram, drawing, map
or table). The texts are of the kind that would be familiar to a candidate from his or
her educational setting.
Subject areas:
Independence
Ambitions
Stereotypes
Role models
Competitiveness
The media
Advertising
Lifestyles
The arts
Economic issues
Roles in the family

Communication
Youth behaviour
Use of the internet
Designer goods
Equal opportunities
Social issues
Stress management
All four texts are on the same topic and are thematically linked.
Text length
700 words (approximately) across the four texts

One text is an infographic
Number of
questions
15 questions
Question
types
Multiple matching (Questions 1620)

These require the candidate to choose the most appropriate sentence to describe
each text.
skimming
scanning
reading for gist
reading for purpose or main ideas.
Selecting the true statements (Questions 2125)
In this section, the candidate selects five true statements from a list of eight
statements. Five statements are true according to the texts. Three are false or are
not stated in the texts.
Some useful subskills to practise for this section are:
scanning
inferring and comparing
understanding specific, factual information at the sentence level.
Completing summary notes (Questions 2630)
These require the candidate to complete sentences with a word or phrase taken
from the text (up to three words).
careful reading for comprehension
understanding specific, factual information at the word and/or phrase level across texts
comparing and evaluating
inferring
summarising the texts and using this to create a response.
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Timing
Assessment
The task is scored against an answer key

Task
A writing task in which the four texts from task 2 are used to respond to a prompt.
The response should only take information from the texts in task 2. There is space for
planning. The candidate should check his or her response when he or she has finished.
Task focus
This section assesses the ability to:

identify information that is relevant to the writing prompt
identify common themes across multiple texts and the finer points of detail,
eg implied attitudes
paraphrase and summarise complex and demanding texts
synthesise such information to produce elaborated responses with clarity
and precision.
Output length 200230 words

Output genre
Descriptive essay
Discursive essay
Argument essay
Report
Proposal
Article (magazine or online).
Timing
Assessment
The task is assessed using the Reading into writing rating scale on pages 7879

Task
A writing task in which the candidate responds to a prompt. There is space for
planning. The candidate should check his or her writing when he or she has finished.
Task focus
This section assesses the ability to produce a discursive, well-developed response to

a prompt. For the target ISE III language functions see page 77.
Output length 200230 words

Output genre
Descriptive essay
Discursive essay
Argument essay
Article (magazine or online)
Subject area
The writing prompt relates to one of the subject areas for ISE III:
Independence
Roles in the family
Ambitions
Communication
Stereotypes
Role models
Youth behaviour
Competitiveness
Use of the internet
Designer goods
The media
Advertising
Equal opportunities
Lifestyles
Social issues
The arts
Economic issues
Stress management.
Timing
Assessment
The task is assessed using the Extended writing rating scale on page 80
Informal email or letter

Formal email or letter
Review
Report
For a sample ISE Reading & Writing paper, please see appendix 1.
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Task 1 Long reading: Birth order
Level: ISE III
Focus: Task 1 Long reading
Aims: To develop reading strategies by reading a short article about the impact of birth order on a
childs development and answering three sets of questions
Objectives: To scan an article for gist, to skim an article and answer True/False questions and to
skim an article to complete sentences with information from the text
Skill: Skimming and scanning
Subject area: Roles in the family Birth order
Language functions: Developing and justifying an argument, evaluating options, and summarising
Lexis: Lexis related to roles in the family
Materials needed: One student worksheet per student and dictionaries
Timing: 1 hour
Preparation
Print or copy one worksheet per student.
In class
1. Explain to the class that they will be doing a reading activity and that this will help them to prepare
for task 1 of the ISE III Reading & Writing exam.
2. Write the following three questions on the board and ask students to discuss them in pairs. When
they have finished, carry out group feedback.
Do you have any siblings?
How would people typically describe the eldest child, the middle child and the youngest child
of a family?
Do you believe that birth order plays an important role in a childs development?
3. Give each student one worksheet and ask them to carry out task A. Tell them that the eight words or
phrases in the box are in a text on birth order. Tell the students to write the correct word or phrase
next to the definition. Ask them to work alone first and tell them they can use a dictionary. Then
tell them to compare their answers with their partner. Carry out feedback as a group and write the
answers on the board. Ask one or more concept-check questions to check if students have understood
the words. (Some examples concept-check questions: Can you give an example of a household
chore?, If there are subtle differences between two things, is it easy or difficult to see them?)
4. Tell the class they are going to read about the impact of birth order on a childs development. Ask the
students to complete task B. Tell them to read the text quickly and choose the best summary from
the descriptions provided. Ask students to compare their answers in pairs and then give feedback as
a group.
5. Write reading for gist and skimming on the board. Tell the students that task B asked them to read
the text for gist or general understanding without the need to concentrate on all the details. Tell the
students that this reading skill is also called skimming.
6. Ask students to read the texts again and complete task C. Ask the students to decide whether each
statement is true or false. Ask students to compare answers in pairs and then give feedback as a group.
7. Write reading for detail and scanning on the board. Elicit from the students the difference between
this reading task and task B.
8. Ask the students to carry out task D. Tell them to complete the sentences with information from the
text. Ask them to compare answers with a partner. Carry out feedback as a group.
9. Tell the students that task D tested their understanding of specific information at word and sentence
level. Elicit that this requires scanning the text, not skimming.
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Extension activity
1. Write the following two sentence starters on the whiteboard:
What surprised me most was
I dont really think this is true because
Ask students, in pairs, to discuss their opinion about what they have read and tell them to start the
discussion with one of the sentence starters. Carry out feedback as a group.
2. Students who finish the tasks early can write new questions about the text. Then they ask another
student the questions.
Further support activity

1. Tell the students finding the task difficult that they can use a dictionary and look up unknown words
while reading the text.
2. Ask the students finding the task difficult to work with another student when comparing answers
after each reading task.
Homework
Ask the students to interview someone about whether they think birth order matters. Ask the students
to report back in the next class.
15
Student worksheet: Birth order

Task A Vocabulary
Choose a word or phrase from the box and write it next to the correct definition below.
distort (verb) prone to error notorious (adjective)
subtle (adjective)
rebel against (verb + preposition)
chores (noun, plural)
syndrome (noun) manipulate (verb)
1. Famous but for a negative reason

2. To give a false meaning to
3. To influence someone skilfully often to get something
done for your own benefit
4. Difficult to understand because of fine differences
5. Likely to be wrong
6. The everyday work around the house
7. Resist something or someone
8. A pattern of behaviour
Task B
Read the text below quickly. Choose the best summary of the text from the descriptions below.
1. Middle child syndrome.
2. Birth order has a significant impact on a childs development.
3. Birth order plays only a minor part in the development of a child.
Reading text

JUST LET YOUR CHILDREN BE THEMSELVES
A recent study on the impact of birth order suggests that firstborns have a higher IQ. The problem is
that studies such as this distort the bigger picture by confirming birth order stereotypes.
The study was conducted in Norway and showed that the eldest children had a slightly higher IQ on
average than their younger siblings. Nobody can explain the results of the study. It has been suggested
that the eldest children benefit from more attention before the arrival of their siblings. Another theory
is that the eldest children have more responsibility which helps them to develop their brain.
It is a good idea though to look at the study in more detail before blindly applying its results to your
own family. The subjects of the study were all male, the area was limited to Norway and IQ test results
are notoriously prone to error. Important to note is that the averages for both older and younger
children were well within the normal range so it is probably not necessary to start worrying.
It is not advisable to pay too much attention to the rather subtle impact birth order has on the
development of your child. There are simply too many contributing factors from genes to life in
the womb.
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Firstborns
The eldest children are often said to possess leadership skills such as organising and logical thinking, and
to be better at dealing with adults. They often have to take more responsibility but it is not ideal to put
more pressure on them by expecting them to behave as a parent to their younger siblings. For parents it
is probably better not to pay too much attention to this theory as it may lead to unrealistic expectations.
Middle children
Popular wisdom also has it that middle children are very diplomatic and sociable. In order to stand out they
may rebel against their parents. This is often referred to as middle child syndrome. What parents could do
to prevent this is to give the middle child the responsibility that normally would be given to the eldest child.
Last children
It is commonly claimed that last-borns are spoiled and good at manipulating others to get things done for
them. The youngest may appear cute compared to their older siblings but they obviously need to be shown
limitations. Parents should give them their share of chores.
Task C
Read the text again. Are the statements true or false?
1. A Norwegian study suggests that the eldest children in a family have a higher IQ.
2. Results of IQ tests are normally highly reliable.
3. The difference in IQ between the oldest and youngest children is significant.
4. The author suggests giving the eldest child a taste of what it is to have the responsibility of an adult.

5. When middle children feel left out, they may seek attention through defiant behaviour.
6. The youngest children often know naturally what the limits of acceptable behaviour are.
Task D
Complete the sentences with one or two words from the text.
1. It is important to look at the context in which a study took place because it is easy to

the results and draw the wrong conclusions.

may help develop the mind.
2. Having more
of the parents in their
3. Birth order theories may result in

firstborn children.
4. Middle children are always caught in the middle which means they may have developed the skill to be
more
5. Youngest children are often labelled as
.
.
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Answers: Birth order

Task A
1. notorious
2. distort
3. manipulate
4. subtle
5. prone to error
6. chores
7. rebel against
8. syndrome
Task B
3. Birth order plays only a minor part in the development of a child.
Task C
1. True
2. False
3. False
4. False
5. True
6. False
Task D
1. Distort
2. Responsibility
3. Unrealistic expectations
4. Diplomatic
5. Spoiled/cute
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Task 2 Multi-text reading: Interesting facts about butterflies

Level: ISE III
Focus: Task 2 Multi-text reading
Aims: To read for gist and specific information and to deduce meaning from context
Objectives: To talk about butterflies, to read four different texts, to understand the main meaning
of texts, to find specific information in texts, to use context to deduce meaning and to focus on the
language of scientific descriptions
Skills: Skimming, scanning and contextual deduction
Topic: The natural world
Language functions: Summarising
Lexis: Insects and habitat
Materials needed: Student worksheets and pictures of butterflies
Timing: 50 minutes
Preparation
1. Print one student worksheet per student.
2. Prepare three pictures of different butterflies.
In class
1. Tell the class that they are going to practise reading some short texts to find specific information.
This will help them prepare for Task 2 Multi-text reading of the ISE III Reading & Writing exam.
Tell students that in the exam, they will have 20 minutes to complete three questions, and that one
of the texts will be an infographic (eg a diagram or table). In this practice activity there are four texts
and no infographic.
2. Inform the students that the topic of the lesson is butterflies. Show the class the three pictures of
the butterflies (prepared before the class). Ask them to individually think of four or five things they
know about butterflies. Give them one minute to do this. Then tell them to work in pairs and share
their information with their partner. Together they should think of six things that they know about
butterflies. Give them three minutes to share the information. Then have some open-class feedback
about what they know. You could put some key facts on the board, for example: they have wings,
they are multi-coloured, they have patterns, and they grow from an egg.
3. Tell the students they are going to read four short texts about butterflies to find the main information.
4. Hand out the worksheets. Ask the students to read the five statements in question 1. Then tell them
to read the four texts and decide which statement fits which text. Give the students five minutes.
Get the class to check their answers in pairs. In open-class, ask for the answers and ask the class
why they chose the answers. Write the correct answers on the board.
5. Now tell the class to look at question 2. Explain that only five of the sentences in AH are true
according to the texts. Tell them to read the sentences again and put T for true next to the
sentences they think are true. Give the students five minutes to do this. Then tell the students to
check their answers in pairs.
6. In open-class, ask for the true sentences and ask the class why they are true. Put the correct answers on
the board. Ask the class why the other sentences are not true or whether there is no information given.
7. Now tell the class that they are going to read the texts and find some small details to complete the
notes on butterflies in question 3. They need to look back at the texts in order to complete the notes.
Tell the students that this is an exam-type question and that they can use one to three words to
complete the notes.
8. Ask the class to read the notes in question 3. Write the first part of note 1 on the board and ask
the class to look for the word or phrase to complete the sentences. In open-class, get the answer
(proboscis) and complete the sentence on the board. Give the class five minutes to find the rest of
the words and phrases for these notes.
9. Get the class to check their answers in pairs and then check in open-class.
19

10. Now ask the class to read question 4, which is a language focus question and will not be in the exam
but will help them understand similar texts. Make sure they read the tip. Get the students to work in
pairs to find one example of the language in the texts, for example are covered in. Give the class five
minutes to find the language and then, in open-class, put the language on the board.
Extension activity
You could ask students who finish early to look up five new words from the texts in their dictionaries.

Tell students finding the task difficult that they can complete the answers for question 2 and question 3
in any order and do the ones they find easiest first.
Homework
Students can find out five pieces of information about moths and make sentences using the language
of description/processes to make five sentences about moths.
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Student worksheet: Butterflies

Question 1
Read the texts below and decide which text each statement refers to A, B, C or D. Which text:
1. details information on the physical process by which butterflies feed?
2. records amusing facts for younger readers?
3. provides a useful overview of all the species of butterfly?
4. gives a reason for butterflies appearance?
5. suggests other reading for those who want to create an appropriate space for butterflies to visit?
Text A
Elegant and beautiful, butterflies and moths never fail to impress. Their bodies are covered in tiny
sensory hairs and their wings are made up of tiny delicate scales. It is these scales that give the
wings their extraordinary variety of colours, patterns and sometimes iridescence. All butterflies and
moths go through a four-stage life cycle: egg, caterpillar, pupa and adult. A complete metamorphosis
takes place when a pupa emerges as a winged adult. Antarctica is the only continent where these
insects are not to be found. Otherwise they are widely distributed with the majority of the 175,000
species living in the warm, moist tropics.
Text B
Butterflies live on an all-liquid diet. Adult butterflies can only feed on liquids, usually nectar.
Their mouth parts are modified to enable them to drink, but they cant chew solids. A butterfly has a
proboscis which functions as a drinking straw and stays curled up under its chin until it finds a source
of nectar or other liquid nutrition. It then unfurls the long, tubular structure and sips up a meal.
Text C
www.butterflies.com
Butterfly Lovers - use these links to find out more about the order Lepidoptera
Moth or Butterfly - whats the difference?
The famous Monarch
Scientific Monarch Watch - observe the Monarchs behaviour by volunteering
The diet of the Monarch
More general facts about butterflies
Learn about the families and how you can recognise them
Anatomy of a butterfly: Learn the parts
Further useful texts to consult if youre interested in butterflies
Swallowtails and their attraction to the butterfly weed plant
The best environment: Top tips for attracting butterflies to your backyard. This includes help in
designing the garden.
Out of the sun: How to make the best use of shady parts of your garden to attract butterflies
Text D
1. Butterflies fix their eggs onto leaves with a particular kind of glue. The eggs hatch into caterpillars.
2. Most caterpillars dont eat meat, so they are called herbivores.
3. When a caterpillar has grown completely, it fixes its body to a tiny branch or leaf before it sheds some
of its skin. Underneath, it has a hard chrysalis.
4. The fully grown butterfly gradually emerges from the chrysalis. However, it needs to wait for some time
before it can fly while blood enters and pumps up its wings.
5. Depending on the type of butterfly, adults are known to survive from any period between a week
and a year!
6. Extensive and lengthy migration is what Monarch butterflies are well-known for. Each year the Monarch
flies huge distances of up to and perhaps more than 4,000km. Then the female produces new eggs and
the next generation of Monarchs completes the cycle by migrating back again.
21

Question 2
Look at the following statements (AH). There are five true statements. Write T next to those
statements which are true, according to the information given in the texts above.
A. Adult butterflies live for different lengths of time.
B. The patterns and colours on a butterflys wings are caused by tiny hairs.
C. The butterfly can fold its proboscis.
D. The majority of species of butterfly live in humid climates.
E. Butterflies are able to eat small insects.
F. Its possible for someone to assist scientists in their observations of a particular type of butterfly.

G. Butterflies and moths belong to the same group of insects.
H. A caterpillar emerges from a chrysalis.
Question 3
Look at the following notes. Complete the notes with information from the texts. Find a suitable word
or phrase in the texts above to complete the missing information in the gaps. Write your answers in the
spaces. Use between one and three words. Dont use more than three words.
Notes
1. Butterflies sip nectar with a kind of straw called a
2. This drinking straw is located
.
.
.
3. A pupas final transformation into a butterfly is called

4. Iridescence is caused by
5. One plant that attracts butterflies is a
on the wings.
.
6. A butterflys wings need to fill with blood and dry before
Question 4
Find the language in the text that describes the features and development of butterflies and that
you could use to describe the features and development of other insects or animals. Tip: This is often
passive and there are two useful phrasal verbs.
22
Answers: Butterflies
Question 1
1. B
2. D
3. A
4. A
5. C
Question 2
A. T
C. T
D. T
F. T
G. T
Question 3
1. proboscis
2. under its chin
3. metamorphosis
4. scales
5. butterfly weed plant
6. it can fly
Question 4
Are covered / are made up of / it is these scales that give / go through / take place / are (not) to be
found / are distributed / are modified / are known for
23
Task 4 Extended writing: Writing about changes in

popular entertainment
Level: ISE III
Focus: Task 4 Extended writing
Aims: To read for specific information and to write approximately 200 words on a topic
Objectives: To read a short text and talk about entertainment in the past and entertainment now,
to focus on expressions useful for the writing task, to write approximately 200 words and to
proofread for errors
Skill: Skimming and scanning, expressing opinions and evaluating
Subject area: The arts Popular entertainment
Language functions: Developing and justifying an argument
Lexis: Entertainment
Materials needed: One worksheet per student, one picture of Shakespeare and one picture of
Shakespeares Globe Theatre
Timing: 1 hour
Preparation
1. Print one student worksheet per student.
2. Print one or two pictures of Shakespeare and Shakespeares Globe Theatre.
In class
1. Tell the class that in the lesson they are going to read two short texts, talk about the texts they have
read and then write a short essay. This is to practise the writing part of the ISE III exam. In the exam,
they will have 40 minutes to write one essay.
2. Tell students that in todays lesson they are going to be talking about popular entertainment.
Introduce the topic by pointing to the picture of Shakespeare and asking if anyone knows who he is.
Elicit or tell the class that it is Shakespeare, who wrote many great plays, for example Romeo and
Juliet. Point to the picture of the Globe Theatre and elicit/tell the class that this was the theatre
where Shakespeares plays were performed in the early 1600s in England.
3. Write the words buildings, advertising, the cost of seats and men and women who perform
in the theatre or cinema on the board. Ask the class to think about how going to the Globe was
different from going to the theatre or cinema today. Ask students to brainstorm their answers and
put some ideas on the board. Then put the students in pairs and label each student either A or B.
Give out the student worksheet.
4. Tell the A students to read text A and tell the B students to read text B. Tell them they need to read
their texts to find out about public entertainment in the 1600s and if the ideas on the board are
right. Give the class two minutes to read their texts and five minutes to discuss in pairs how popular
entertainment today is different to going to the theatre in England/Britain in Shakespeares time.
5. Ask for some more open-class feedback on the differences in entertainment, for example, usually
buildings have roofs and everyone who pays generally has a seat, there is not an area for poor
people, there are fire regulations for buildings and props, advertising for entertainment is usually
in the newspaper or online, both men and women take equal part in entertainment, governments
do not usually close down theatres.
6. Ask each pair to make a list of other kinds of public entertainment that they have in their country
now, for example, football matches, sports events, Formula 1 racing, music festivals. Get feedback in
open-class and write some different kinds of entertainment on the board. Make the point that there
was little choice of popular entertainment in the 1600s.
7. Tell the class they are going to write an essay: Popular entertainment nowadays is very different
to going to the theatre 100s of years ago. Do you agree? Write the title on the board.
24

8. Ask the students working in pairs to look at the Language focus boxes on the worksheet. Ask them
to talk together about which phrases have similar meanings and when they could use the phrases.
Make sure everyone knows the meaning of all the phrases. Give some of your own examples of how
to use the phrases in the context. For example, In my view, we are lucky to have so much choice
in entertainment nowadays, Entertainment today is more varied, Going to the theatre was less
comfortable for some people, Years ago men dressed as women on stage, whereas now both men
and women act, sing and perform on stage. Ask the class which other words from the boxes they
could use in your examples.
9. Ask the class to give you some examples of their own about entertainment using the phrases in
the box. Write some of the examples on the board.
10. Tell the students they have five minutes to plan, in pairs, how many paragraphs they think the
200230 word essay should have and what each paragraph should include. Get feedback in
open-class and put suggestions on the board.
For example:
Introduction (40 words approximately) which explains if the student agrees or not
Main body paragraph 1 (50 words approximately) about entertainment in the past and how it
was different from now
Main body paragraph 2 (100 words approximately) about types of entertainment today and how
it is different from the past
Conclusion (40 words approximately) which summarises what the student has written and
answers the essay question
11. Give the students 20 minutes to plan and write their essay. After 20 minutes, ask the students to
stop writing and check their work. When they check their work they should look out for the following
(write up on the board):
Subjectverb agreements
Correct tense
Spelling mistakes
Correct expressions
Three items from the Language focus boxes
12. Give the students five minutes to speak to their partner about their essays and to see if their
partner can help them correct any language/grammatical problems.
Extension activity
The students who are more advanced can complete all of their essay in class. (There is a further essay,
number 4 on the student worksheet, which students could also complete at home.)

Make sure that all the ideas and examples using the phrases are clearly written on the board, so that
the learners who are finding the task difficult can use these prompts in their essays. These learners
can start their essays with the introductory paragraph, number 3 on the student worksheet. That way
they only need to write three paragraphs for their essay.
Homework
Tell the class to write the answer to a new essay title: Communication between people is easier today
than it was 100 years ago. Do you agree? (See number 4 on the student worksheet).
25
Student worksheet: Writing about changes in popular entertainment

1. Reading
Work in pairs. One student reads text A and one student reads text B. After you have read the
texts, tell your partner how entertainment at the theatre in Shakespeares time was different to
entertainment in your country now. Talk about the buildings, advertising, price/type of seats, women
and men in the world of entertainment, and what different kinds of entertainment there is in your
country now.
Text A
What became William Shakespeares famous Globe Theatre, the most famous theatre in England, was
built in 1599 alongside the River Thames, which runs through London. The Globe was built of recycled
wood from another theatre and as a large, round mainly open-air theatre, with just a small roof that
only covered the area where people sat. There were three storeys of seating and the theatre could
hold up to 3,000 people in the audience. By the bottom of the stage there was an area called the pit
and this is where poor people paid just a penny to stand and watch a performance of a play, sometimes
in the rain. Some of the stage extended out between these people in the pit so they were surrounded
by the actors.
The first Globe Theatre burnt down in 1613 when one of the props being used in a play set fire to the
theatres thatched roof. The whole theatre took less than two hours to burn down completely.
Text B
One very unusual fact about theatres at this time in England was that the theatre used to put different
coloured flags outside the theatre each time there was a performance. That way the public knew what
kind of play was going to be shown that day. There was a red flag for a history play, a white flag for a
comedy and black for a tragedy. Also, at the entrance to the Globe there was an inscription in Latin
which said The whole world is a playhouse. And apart from the flags advertising different kinds of
plays, another different feature of a theatre at this time in history was the fact that there were no
actresses at the Globe Theatre, or in fact at any other theatre in the country. The female roles in the
plays were all taken by young boys because theatres at that time were not considered appropriate
places for women to work.
In 1642 all the theatres in England were closed down by Parliament and no plays were allowed to be
put on. This meant that people had almost no popular entertainment, as there were few alternatives
to the theatre.
26
2. Language focus
Look at the following phrases. Work with your partner and decide which phrases you want to use in
your essay.
Giving opinions
In my opinion
In my view
As far as Im concerned
From my point of view
I think that
Evaluating
Its less/more likely/probable that
It is much more effective/costly/varied/comfortable than
Today has been improved in terms of
Comparing
Whereas
On the other hand
On the contrary
3. Possible introductory paragraph:

Hundreds of years ago there was not much entertainment for people. Now we have many things that
we can do in the evenings and at weekends. I agree it is very different. I will explain my reasons.
27
4. Extra essay title:

Communication between people is much easier today than it was 100 years ago. Do you agree?
Write an essay of 200230 words about the topic.
Plan the paragraphs here:

Planning:
Now write your essay on the lines below:
28
29
30
ISE III Speaking

& Listening exam
31

Trinitys ISE Speaking & Listening exam tests speaking and listening skills through an integrated
approach. The integrated skills approach reflects how we use listening and speaking skills both together
and separately in our studies and work, mirroring the way the two skills interact in the real world. The
integrated speaking and listening tasks reflect the kind of activities a student does in a school
or college setting. Additionally, the Independent listening task reflects the way that a student finds,
selects and reports relevant and appropriate information in an educational or academic setting.
The purpose of the exam is to assess a candidates English language skills in speaking and listening
through tasks which correspond to their real world activities and their purpose for learning English.
The ISE Speaking & Listening exam is currently offered at four levels of the Common European
Framework of Reference (CEFR) from A2 to C1.
Who is ISE Speaking & Listening for?

The intended candidate is a young person or adult, typically at secondary school or college who is
using English as a second or foreign language as part of their studies in order to develop their skills
and improve their knowledge of a range of subject areas. The typical ISE candidate is aged between
11 and 19, but may be older.
A candidate at the lower levels of the exam (ISE Foundation and ISE I), is generally a young person or
adult in school or college who is taking ISE as evidence to progress to a higher level of English study
within their mainstream or English language school. At the higher levels of the exam (ISE II and ISE III),
a candidate is typically a young person or adult preparing for further or higher education who is
required to prove their English language proficiency levels within an educational context.
32
Introduction to ISE Speaking & Listening tasks

The Speaking & Listening exam consists of several tasks and increases in length as the level increases.
The table below shows the progression across the levels.
ISE Foundation ISE I
ISE II
ISE III
CEFR level
A2
B1
B2
C1
Time
13 minutes
14 minutes
20 minutes
25 minutes
Topic task
4 minutes
4 minutes
4 minutes
8 minutes
Collaborative task
4 minutes
4 minutes
Conversation task
2 minutes
2 minutes
2 minutes
3 minutes
6 minutes
7 minutes
8 minutes
8 minutes
1 minute
2 minutes
2 minutes
Examiner administration time 1 minute
The Topic task

What is the formal topic presentation?
Before the exam, the candidate prepares a topic of his or her own choice to formally present to the
examiner. The Topic task provides the candidate with the opportunity to talk about a topic which is of
personal interest or relevance to him or her and which he or she feels confident about. This task gives the
candidate a degree of autonomy and control over the content of the presentation and discussion.
What language skills can the candidate demonstrate in the topic presentation?
The presentation provides the candidate with the opportunity to:
show he or she can present a discursive topic with different points of view and sub-themes
show he or she can construct, present and develop an argument, and expand and support points of
view at some length
show he or she can use the language functions of ISE III (see page 77).
What is the formal topic discussion?
After the presentation the candidate asks the examiner if they have any questions or comments about the
ideas discussed in the presentation. The examiner and candidate then have a discussion.
What language skills can the candidate demonstrate in the topic discussion?
The candidate can:
initiate and maintain the discussion, not just respond to the examiners questions and observations
engage in a one-to-one, unscripted discussion with an expert speaker of English
use the language functions of the ISE III (see page 77).
Can the candidate bring notes with them?
In the ISE III exam the candidate must prepare a formal handout to go with their formal topic
presentation. The candidate gives the handout to the examiner. The candidate can prepare brief notes
for themselves to use in their presentation. However, written scripts are not permitted.
Level
Support
ISE Foundation
Topic form with four points
ISE I
Topic form with four points
ISE II
Candidate may use notes or a mind map
ISE III
Formal handout must accompany presentation
33
The Collaborative task (ISE II and ISE III only)

What happens in the Collaborative task?
The examiner reads the candidate a prompt. The candidate responds to the prompt by starting,
leading and maintaining the interaction. For example, the candidate can ask questions to find out more
information, respond to information and comments from the examiner, demonstrate skills in turn-taking
in a conversation, etc. It is essential for the candidate to initiate, interact and collaborate with the examiner.
The candidate should not wait for the examiner to lead the conversation, and monologues from the
candidate will receive a low mark.
What is the examiners prompt?
The prompt presents a dilemma, a situation or an opinion. The candidate then needs to take the
initiative to find out more about the background of the examiners circumstances or position and
engage the examiner in a sustained discussion about his or her circumstances or views. All of the
examiners prompts are prepared in advance by Trinity. By asking the examiner for further information,
in the Collaborative task, the candidate finds out more about the background to the dilemma, situation
or opinion.
What language skills can the candidate demonstrate in the Collaborative task?
The task provides the opportunity for the candidate to demonstrate his or her ability to take control
through the use of questioning techniques and language functions such as requesting information
and clarification. This task allows the candidate to show that they can initiate turns and control the
direction of the interaction. The Collaborative task produces an authentic exchange of information
and opinions, with the language functions listed at ISE III arising naturally from the interaction. The
language functions for ISE III are on page 77.
The Conversation task

What is the Conversation task?
The Conversation task is a meaningful and authentic exchange of information, ideas and opinions. It
is not a formal question and answer interview. In this task, the examiner selects one subject area for
discussion with the candidate.
What are the possible subjects for discussion?
The subject areas have been carefully selected to offer a progression from the concrete subjects at
ISE Foundation to the abstract at ISE III. For the subject areas for the Conversation task at ISE III,
please see page 39.
What does the interaction in the Conversation task involve?
The examiner asks a question or makes a comment to start the conversation but the candidate is
expected to take responsibility for initiating and maintaining the conversation. At ISE III, the candidate
is expected to lead the conversation to explore the issue with the examiner.
The Independent listening task

What is the Independent listening task?
Listening skills are tested in an integrated way together with speaking skills in the Topic task,
Collaborative task and Conversation task. In the Independent listening task the candidate has the
opportunity to demonstrate the kind of listening skills that are required in lessons and lectures. In the
ISE III Independent listening task, the candidate listens to a recording and talks about the content of
the recording.
What is the procedure for the Independent listening task?
The examiner plays an audio recording. The candidate listens once and the examiner asks the
candidate to say in a few words what the recording was about. As the candidate listens for a second
time, they can take notes. However, the notes are not assessed as part of the exam. The candidate then
has one minute to talk about the content of the recording.
34
Glossary of speaking aims for ISE III

Communicative
effectiveness
Responding appropriately to interaction

Initiating and maintaining conversation
Interactive listening
Showing understanding of other speakers or the examiner

Following the speech of other speakers or the examiner
Language control
Using a range of language functions, grammar and vocabulary

Using language functions, grammar and vocabulary accurately
Avoiding errors which affect the understanding of the listener
Delivery
Using clear and understandable pronunciation

Using stress and intonation as appropriate
Glossary of listening skills for ISE III

Intensive listening in
detail to gather as
much information
as possible
Understanding specific, factual information at the word and/or phrase level

Listening for explicitly stated ideas and information
Listening for ideas and information which are not explicitly stated
Intensive listening
for detailed
understanding
Listening to understand all or most of the information the recording

provides
Identifying finer points of detail including attitudes and implied as well
as stated opinions
Extensive listening
for gist, for main
ideas and for global
understanding
Listening to understand the topic and main ideas of the recording
Deducing meaning
Guessing the meaning of utterances, phrases and words from their context
Inferring attitude,
intentions,
viewpoints and
implications
Identifying which information is factual and which information is opinion

Inferring meaning, eg the speakers attitude, line of argument, mood
and intentions
Identifying the
difference between
main and subsidiary
points, supporting
examples or details;
Identifying the
difference between
facts and opinions
Identifying which information is key information, and which information

is a supporting example or detail
Identifying which information is the main point and which information is
an example or details
35
Candidate profile
Speaking
A candidate who passes ISE III Speaking can:
express himself or herself fluently and spontaneously, almost effortlessly only a conceptually
difficult subject hinders a natural, smooth flow of language
readily overcome gaps with circumlocutions there is little obvious searching for expressions or
avoidance strategies and only a conceptually difficult subject hinders a natural, smooth flow of language
use language flexibly and effectively for social purposes, including emotional, allusive and joking usage
argue a formal position convincingly, responding to questions and comments and answering complex
lines of counter argument fluently, spontaneously and appropriately
give clear, detailed descriptions on complex subjects, integrating sub-themes, developing particular
points and rounding off with an appropriate conclusion
give clear, detailed descriptions of complex subjects
give elaborate descriptions and narratives, integrating sub-themes, developing particular points and
rounding off with an appropriate conclusion
give a clear, well-structured presentation of a complex subject, expanding and supporting points of
view at some length with subsidiary points, reasons and relevant examples
select a suitable phrase from a readily available range of discourse functions to preface his or her
remarks appropriately in order to get the floor, or to gain time and keep the floor while thinking
produce clear, smoothly flowing, well-structured speech, showing controlled use of organisational
patterns, connectors and cohesive devices
qualify opinions and statements precisely in relation to degrees of, for example, certainty/uncertainty,
belief/doubt, likelihood, etc.
Listening
A candidate who passes ISE III Listening can:
understand enough to follow extended speech on abstract and complex topics beyond his or her own
field, though he or she may need to confirm occasional details, especially if the accent is unfamiliar
recognise a wide range of idiomatic expressions and colloquialisms, appreciating register shifts
follow most lectures, discussions and debates with relative ease
understand a wide range of recorded and broadcast audio material, including some non-standard
usage, and identify finer points of detail including implicit attitudes and relationships between speakers
understand in detail speech on abstract and complex topics of a specialist nature beyond his or her own
field, though he or she may need to confirm occasional details, especially if the accent is unfamiliar
use contextual, grammatical and lexical cues to infer attitude, mood and intentions and anticipate
what will come next.
This profile is based on the level C1, Proficient User, of the Council of Europes Common European
Framework of Reference (CEFR).
36

Topic task
Task type and format
The Topic task is an integrated speaking and listening task. The candidate
prepares a topic and delivers a formal presentation, giving a handout to the
examiner. Other visual aids are optional.
After the presentation, the candidate and the examiner engage in a
discussion about issues and points arising from the presentation.
Timing
4 minutes for presentation

4 minutes for discussion
Language functions
Initiating and maintaining the conversation

Developing and justifying an argument
Evaluating options, past actions/course of events and different statements
Speculating
Hypothesising
Staging (ie a logical signposted structure)
Summarising
Indicating understanding of points made by the examiner
Establishing common ground
Examiner role
The examiner makes notes during the presentation of ideas, points or

issues to discuss after the presentation is finished.
During the discussion, the examiner asks questions and makes comments
to elicit the language functions of the level.
Assessment
The Topic task, Collaborative task and Conversation task are given one
score using four criteria:
Communicative effectiveness
Language control
Delivery
37
Collaborative task
Task type and
format
The Collaborative task is an integrated speaking and listening task. The examiner
reads a prompt. The prompt may express a dilemma, situation or opinion. The
candidate needs to ask the examiner questions and make comments to find out
more information and keep the conversation going.
Timing
4 minutes
Language
functions

Speculating
Hypothesising
Summarising
Examiner role
The examiner reads a prompt containing a dilemma, situation or opinion. The

examiner responds naturally to the candidates questioning. The examiner does not
give away too much information in one turn, or unnaturally restrict information.
Assessment
The Collaborative task, Topic task and Conversation task are given one score
using four criteria:
Language control
Delivery
38
Conversation task
Task type and format
Timing
Language functions
The Conversation task is an integrated speaking and listening task.

The examiner selects a conversation topic from the ISE III list given
below and asks the candidate a question or makes a comment to start
the conversation.
3 minutes
Evaluating options, past actions/course of events and
different statements
Speculating
Hypothesising
Summarising
Examiner role
The examiner uses the list of subject areas to ask questions, make
plans and elicit the target language functions of the level
Subject areas for the

conversation
Independence
Ambitions
Stereotypes
Role models
Competitiveness
Assessment
The Conversation task, Collaborative task and Topic task are given one
score using four criteria:
Language control
Delivery
The media
Advertising
Lifestyles
The arts
Economic issues

Task type and
format
The Independent listening task is an audio recording. The candidate listens to the
recording and responds verbally.
The candidate listens twice to a recording. After the first listening he or she
reports the gist of what they have heard. After the second listening he or she
reports details. During the second listening only, he or she may take notes.
The recording is approximately 2 minutes and 45 seconds long.
Total task time
8 minutes
Task focus
The candidate shows that he or she is able to place information in a wider context
Clearly distinguishing main and subordinate points, recognising the speakers
line of argument
Inferring information and links between points of information that are not
expressed explicitly
Interpreting speakers attitude
Inferring meaning of unfamiliar words
Examiner role
The examiner plays the recording and reads the instructions including a gist
question and a more detailed question
Assessment
This task is scored using the ISE III Independent listening rating scale on page 82
For text of a sample ISE Speaking & Listening exam, please see appendix 2. There are also sample videos
and audio files of ISE III exams at www.trinitycollege.com/ISEIII
39

Topic task: ISE III topic presentation structure
Level: ISE III
Focus: Topic presentation and discussion
Aims: To ensure students choose a discursive topic for the ISE III speaking exam and to familiarise
students with the structure of a formal presentation
Objectives: Students consider the topic they would like to develop in the topic presentation and
give an outline of the structure and content
Topic: Students own choice
Language functions: Developing and justifying an argument, evaluating options, past actions/course
of events and different statements, summarising, and expressing and expanding ideas and opinions
Lexis: Vocabulary related to topics chosen and signposting expressions
Materials needed: Student worksheets
Timing: 90 minutes
Preparation
1. Print or copy a student worksheet for each student.
2. Consider whether the topics in step 2 below are culturally appropriate for your students, and
substitute them with others where necessary.
3. If possible, write the topics in step 2 on the board before the start of the lesson.
In class
1. Tell students that the first part of the ISE III Speaking & Listening exam is a four minute formal topic
presentation. Explain that the presentation must be discursive in nature; that is to say it must include
reasoning and argument, and not be purely factual.
2. Write the following potential topics on the board (substitute any that are not culturally appropriate
with topics of your choice):
1A. Recent developments in medical research
1B. The use of animals in medical research
2A. Christmas traditions
2B. The true meaning of Christmas
3A. My favourite TV show
3B. The effect of TV talent shows on the music business
4A. The history of rap music
4B. Misogyny in rap music
5A. My favourite film
5B. Violence in films
3. Ask students to discuss in pairs which one in each pair is more appropriate and why.
Answer: The B versions are more appropriate in each case as they have the potential to be
discursive whereas the A versions are likely to be purely factual.
4. Tell students they are going to plan a presentation on the first topic, The use of animals in medical
research in pairs. Give each student a worksheet. Give them 15 minutes to carry out task 1 in pairs.
5. Elicit answers from the class and write on the board as below. A suggested model answer is on page 45.
6. Tell students they are going to think about what linking expressions they could use to introduce each
section. This corresponds to the staging language function listed for ISE III. Direct them to task 2
on the worksheet and check they understand the instructions. Give them five minutes to carry out
task 2 in pairs. Then go over the answers as a class (see suggested model answer on page 45).
40

7. Tell the students that they are going to plan a presentation individually. Each student chooses one of
the other B topics or another discursive topic that interests them. Explain that they will need to find
supporting evidence for each point. Ask them to complete task 2, and allow them to use the internet
to research the topic further if possible. Set a 40 minute time limit. Monitor and provide help where
necessary.
8. In pairs, students review each others notes and give feedback. Then give feedback to the whole
class on how the task went and any common issues.
Extension activity
Students who finish their plans more quickly can continue with task 2 on the worksheet by adding
more cohesive devices to each section. Students could also practise their presentations in front of a
partner. After the presentation, the partner can ask questions as the examiner will in the real exam.

Students finding the task difficult can be allowed to research their chosen topic further at home.
41
Student worksheet: ISE III topic presentation structure

Task 1 Planning
Below is a suggested structure for a discursive topic presentation. Make brief notes on what you might
include in each section.
Introduction
Topic: The use of animals in medical research
Provide a clear indication of your position

Against experiments on animals
Present your first argument
Present your second argument
Present your third argument
Indicate that there is another side to this argument, with some idea of the points likely to be
made for the view(s) which are opposite to your own
Reiterate your position and conclude
42
Task 2 Discourse markers

Match the discourse markers to the section you would be most likely to use them in. Some may be
suitable for more than one section.
In addition
Thirdly
Furthermore
Ill begin by talking about
Secondly
On the other hand
To sum up
Ive chosen to talk about
In my opinion
In conclusion
Nonetheless
Firstly
In this presentation Im going to talk about
Personally, I believe that
Introduction

43
Task 3 Planning your own topic

Choose another topic from the list on the board and make notes on what you would include in each section.
Introduction
Present your first argument, with supporting evidence
Present your second argument, with supporting evidence
Present your third argument, with supporting evidence
44
Answers: Topic task ISE III topic presentation structure

Task 1 Planning model answer
Introduction
Topic: The use of animals in medical research
Against experiments on animals
Causes pain and suffering to animals
Animals and humans may respond to tests differently
Tests can be done using modern technology instead of animals
Indicate that there is another side to this argument, with some idea of the points likely to be made
for the view(s) which are opposite to your own
Drugs have been successfully tested on animals in the past
It is worth causing some pain to animals to save human lives
Animal testing necessary in past, but now other methods need to be developed
Task 2 Discourse markers model answer

Introduction
In this presentation Im going to talk about
Ive chosen to talk about
In my opinion
Personally, I believe that
Firstly
Ill begin by talking about
Secondly
Furthermore/In addition
Thirdly
Furthermore/In addition
Indicate that there is another side to this argument, with some idea of the points likely to be made
for the view(s) which are opposite to your own
On the other hand
Nonetheless
In conclusion
To sum up
45
Collaborative task: The internet A waste of time?

Level: ISE III
Focus: Collaborative task
Aims: To understand the Collaborative task requirements at ISE lll, to practise particular
language functions such as defending/justifying an argument, challenging arguments and
opinions, expressing beliefs, and summarising/paraphrasing information
Objectives: To make students aware of what is required in the Collaborative task and for students
to role play the collaborative task at least twice
Topic: The use of the internet
Language functions: Developing and justifying an argument, evaluating options, and summarising
other ISE III language functions may also be used (see page 77)
Lexis: Language related to the above functions and lexis connected to the use of the internet
Materials needed: One student worksheet per student
Timing: 90 minutes (could be divided into 2 x 45 minute lessons)
Preparation
Print or copy one student worksheet per student.
In class
1. Go into class and say the following controversial statement: I think the internet is a total waste of
time and let students react, mentally noting what they say in response, receiving a response from
everyone if possible (depending on the size of the class). This could take up to five minutes.
2. Now tell the students that in todays lesson they will be focusing on the Collaborative task in the
Speaking & Listening exam at ISE III level.
3. Ask students, in pairs or in groups of three, to ask each other if they know what they do in the
Collaborative task, and what the language functions and requirements of ISE III are. Give the
students two to five minutes depending on their prior knowledge.
4. Ask students to report back, and then see how their answers compare with the task requirements.
Give out one worksheet per student and direct the students to look at the ISE III language functions.
Alternatively, they could be put up on the board. It might be a good idea to point out that giving
advice is NOT a requirement at this level (it is for ISE II).
5. Now write the following functions as headings on the board with space for students to write under
each heading:
a) Developing and justifying an argument
b) Expressing beliefs
c) Summarising ideas and arguments
6. Depending on the size of the class, assign one of these headings to each group of students (could
be in pairs, or groups of three or four), and ask the students to think of expressions that fulfil the
function they have been given. Give the students five minutes to do this. Monitor and answer any
questions. Please note that some expressions could fit different functions.
7. Ask one student from each group or pair to write their expressions on the board under the
appropriate heading. When they have all done this, invite students to comment on whether the
expressions fit the appropriate function or if they could apply to other functions too.
8. At this point, ask the students to look at the points for and against the internet on the student
worksheet. Ask the students to discuss in pairs. While the students are completing this task, monitor
and answer any queries students may have. Then ask students to add to the handout any additional
phrases that they think are useful that they have previously written on the board.
46

9. Model the pronunciation stress and intonation of a number of the key expressions.
10. The above activities will take approximately 45 minutes.
11. Now dictate the following prompt: Many people have stated that the internet has been enormously
beneficial for society. I often wonder if that really is the case.
12. After students have checked what they have written down is correct, divide the class into two.
One half of the class makes a list of the benefits of the internet, the other half makes a list of the
problems connected with it (some ideas can be found on the student worksheet). Ask one student
from each group to write their ideas on the board. Do not invite comments on these ideas as this will
overlap into the next activity.
13. Now divide the class into groups of three and tell them one will be the examiner (E), one will be the
candidate (C), and one will be an observer (O). E will start by reading the prompt that was dictated in
stage 10, and C will respond. The objective of C will be to use some of the expressions that were on
the student worksheet and also the ones that were added by the students in stage 8.
O should do three things while E and C are speaking:
time the interaction for five minutes
count how many questions C asks
count how many expressions that were looked at earlier that both E and C use.
When they have finished, O gives C and E feedback. While the students are completing this stage,
monitor them, noting points for feedback later.
14. Ask the students to swap their groups. This time ask the students to complete the same activity but
with different roles (eg if they were an O previously they can be either E or C). Repeat the activity.
15. Students could swap around again, so that everyone has had a chance to be an E, C and O. This can
be skipped if time is running short.
16. Give the students some feedback on how well the students completed this activity. Ask the
observers for their observations. Did C ask enough questions? Did C use enough of the required
functions? Did C use the expressions examined earlier in an appropriate way? Did C challenge E
enough, or did C just tend to agree with everything E said? How do you think C could improve his
or her performance?
Extension activity
Students can write more expressions and phrases that map to the functions listed on the student
worksheet. This could be continued for homework.
If time, students can consider the following prompt: Some people have stated that climate change has
been totally exaggerated. I think I tend to agree with this point of view. They then think of arguments
for and against this viewpoint.

Ask students finding the task difficult to concentrate on just a few of the most useful phrases and
pieces of functional language that they have seen in the student worksheets, and which they think they
will use in future. Students compare the functional language they have chosen with each other. The
students can practise the intonation and stress of these pieces of language with each other.
Homework
Students could look at the Trinity website on ISE pages for the ISE III Collaborative task examples. They
can make a note of useful expressions or strategies used by the candidate or examiner to share with
the class before they next practise the Collaborative task.
47
Student worksheet: The internet A waste of time?

Below are the language functions required at ISE III.
Speculating
Hypothesising
Summarising
Some useful functional language at ISE III

Defending/Justifying an argument
What I am trying to explain is
I see your point, but
Dont you think it might be ?
I probably agree with what youre saying, but in reality
I think you might be making a few assumptions there
I might be wrong but dont you think it might be ?
Expressing beliefs
I strongly believe
I am a firm believer in
What are your thoughts regarding
What are your beliefs on
You seem very definite on that point
Summarising/paraphrasing information
So in other words, what you are saying/I am saying is ?
Are you saying/suggesting that ?
Could you explain that in another way? Can you expand on that?
Essentially what are the main points to bear in mind ?
Basically, my main point is
In just a few words can you summarise that for me?
48
Sample points for and against the internet
Arguments for the internet
Arguments against the internet
Can find out information at the touch of a

few buttons
People have become too lazy to research

things in depth
Resource for research for homework/other

projects
Websites such as online dictionaries are often

wrong as anyone can edit them
No need to go to the library
Searches often bring up student essays and

opinions which are not authoritative (like books)
Social networks helping us to keep in touch

with old friends, or people far away
Helps reduce the amount of paper consumed
Anyone can use it as it is so simple
It has created many jobs in the IT world
It has divided the world into haves and have

nots (the rich world is further removed from
places which have poor internet connection)
It excludes the elderly who may be scared to
use it
It is killing libraries (and jobs)
49
Conversation task: Yes, but is it art?

Level: ISE III
Focus: Conversation task
Aims: To develop students active vocabulary for discussing different art forms and to expand
their knowledge of useful phrases to use in conversation
Objectives: To justify an argument by stating what makes something art and to agree or disagree
with someones opinion on the topic of art forms
Subject area: The arts
Language functions: Developing and justifying an argument, and evaluating options, past actions/
course of events and different statements other ISE III language functions may also be used
(see page 77)
Lexis: Art forms and phrases used to express opinions
Materials needed: One worksheet per student
Timing: 1 hour
Preparation
1. Print or copy one worksheet per student.
2. Find images online or in a book of different pieces of art and print them out. Ensure you have one
set of pictures for every two students.
In class
1. Explain to the class that they will be doing an activity today in class that will help them to practise
for the Conversation task of the ISE III exam.
2. Tell the students that the topic of todays lesson is art. Write the following three questions on the
board and tell students to discuss the questions in pairs:
What makes something art?
Do you like art?
What are the most popular art forms in your country?
Monitor and assist if necessary. Carry out feedback as a group.
3. Write the following 10 art forms on the board: photography, computer games, painting, dance,
comic books, architecture, web design, music, literature, fashion design. Ask students to
discuss the meaning of the words in pairs. Carry out feedback as a group.
4. Give each student a copy of the worksheet and ask them to complete task A. Tell the students to
rank the art forms from 1 to 10 with 1 meaning the art form is really art and 10 meaning this is not
art at all. When students have finished, ask them to compare their top 10 in pairs and discuss the
differences. Carry out group feedback and elicit why something may/may not be a form of art.
5. Put students in pairs and tell each pair to choose one art form. Tell them to carry out task B. Ask the
students to write down the art form on a piece of paper and then three arguments as to why the
art form is art and three arguments as to why it is not art. They could put these under the headings
Arguments for and Arguments against. Monitor and correct errors.
6. Tell students to pass their paper to the pair sitting on their right and ask them to add one argument
for or against. Repeat this until each pair has added a comment on at least two different art forms.
Ask the students to return the papers back to the correct students.
7. Elicit from the students phrases to express opinions, and phrases to express agreement and
disagreement and write them on the board. Ask students to look at the sentence starters in the
table under task C and tell them to add three more from the ones they have discussed. Drill the
sentence starters chorally and individually.
50

8. Ask students to carry out task C. Tell them they should have a discussion based on the arguments
on their new piece of paper. One student should play the role of the examiner and should start the
discussion with Lets talk about art. Do you think is/are a real form of art? The other student
should reply with one of the sentence starters on the worksheet. After three to four minutes, collect
the papers and redistribute them. Ask the students to repeat the task but now they should swap the
roles. Monitor and write the errors you hear on the board for later group error correction.
9. Have a whole-class discussion on at least two of the art forms. Encourage students to use the
sentence starters.
10. Now draw the students attention to the errors that you have written up on the board. Ask the
students to discuss in pairs what is wrong with the sentences or phrases and to correct them.
Correct the errors as a group. Elicit the correct answer and the reason.
11. Tell the students that in the Conversation task of the ISE III exam they need to be able to develop
and justify an argument. They need to take initiative and they should use a range of phrases as
introduced in this lesson to manage the conversation. They can prepare for this by practising with
another student and alternating the examiner role. Tell them that they should repeat the task until
a wide range of phrases are used naturally.
Extension activity
Find images online or in a book of different pieces of art covering a wide range of genres. Suggestions:
Mona Lisa (L Da Vinci), The Persistence of Memory (S Dali), traditional Chinese painting, cave painting,
Fountain (M Duchamp), Guernica (P Picasso), The Night Watch (Rembrandt), Number 31 (J Pollock),
Campbells Soup Can (A Warhol), etc. Give each pair a set of pictures. Ask students to discuss, in pairs,
whether these are pieces of art or not.

Allow students to talk about the same art form when they change partners. This way they will repeat
their ideas.
Homework
Ask students to find a famous piece of art online or in a book and bring a printout or photocopy of
it to class. Ask the students to report back in the next class whether the piece of art they found is,
according to them, art or not.
51
Student worksheet: Yes, but is it art?

Task A
Rank the art forms from 1 to 10.
1 = This art form is really art.
10 = This is not art at all.
Art forms
Rank number
photography
computer games
painting
dance
comic books
architecture
web design
music
literature
fashion design
Task B
Work with a partner. Choose one art form. On a piece of paper, write down the art form. Then
under the headings Arguments for write three reasons why the art form can be considered art
and under the heading Arguments against three reasons why it is not art.
Task C
Work with a partner. Student A plays the role of the examiner, student B is the candidate. Use the
question and the sentence starters below in your discussion.
Student A: Examiner
Lets talk about art. Do you think is/are a real form of art?
52
Student B: Candidate
I dont think
The way I see it is that
In my opinion,
I would say that
Yes, to a degree. Having

said that,
From my point of view,
To be honest, I dont think
Well, its not that clear-cut

because
Generally, I think is
considered art but in my
honest opinion
53
Independent listening task: How to write a summary

using note-taking skills
Level: ISE III
Focus: Independent listening task
Aims: Listening for gist and listening for detailed information
Objectives: To identify the main ideas in a listening task, to develop summarising and
note-taking skills
Topic: Listening skills
Language functions: Summarising
Lexis: Language related to listening skills, signposting words and expressions (eg firstly, to conclude
Materials needed: One worksheet per student and the audio script for, or an online connection to
play, a news item or the 5 ways to listen better TED talk (see pages 5960)
Timing: 4560 minutes
Preparation
1. Print or copy one worksheet per student.
2. Find a news report in English of two to three minutes or listen to the TED talk 5 ways to listen
better. Prepare to read out the audio script in class (see pages 5960 for the TED talk) or to
play the audio during the class. Alternatively, you could make a recording to play in class.
In class
1. Tell the students they are going to spend this lesson developing their summarising and note-taking
skills in preparation for the ISE III Independent listening task. This task involves students listening to
spoken English in the form of, for example, lectures, complex discussions, debates, podcasts, radio
programmes or documentaries. After the first listening they report the gist in a few words. During
the second listening they can take notes. After the second listening they have one minute to give an
answer to the examiners summary question using their notes.
2. Ask the students what is meant by the term gist. Write some of their ideas on the board. For
example, explain that gist is the main focus of the discussion, the main idea.
3. Ask the students what they understand by a summary. Write some of their ideas on the board.
Explain that a summary is selecting the main points from all the information given, and then putting
them all together in a logical order.
4. Explain to the students that for the ISE III Independent listening task, they will be given a blank piece
of paper to make notes on. However, for this task they will use a worksheet, which will help them to
make notes during the Independent listening task in the exam. Inform the students that in todays
lesson, they will also practise this part of the test. Write What is a summary? in large letters on the
board. Ask the following questions in open-class (the correct answers are in brackets):
Does a summary include background to the issue? (no)
Does a summary include small details? (no)
Does a summary include the students own views? (no)
Does a summary include data (eg 23% of homeowners) (no)
Does a summary involve detailed explanations? (no)
Does a summary involve direct quotes? (no)
5. Warm-up discussion: Write the following on the board in large letters Summarise the talk in five
sentences. Explain that they will practise the skill of summarising today. Put the students into pairs
and give out one worksheet per student, asking them to discuss all of the questions in task 1. Give
the students approximately five to eight minutes to complete this task.
6. Go through the answers to task 1 in open-class. Write up the answers, if necessary.
54

7. Explain to the students that they are now going to listen to some audio. The first time they are only
listening for gist. Play or read the recording.
8. Now ask the students to discuss with their partner what the gist of the talk was. If you are using the
TED talk, possible answers include: we are not listening anymore, we are not listening properly,
our listening skills are becoming worse, and listening skills need to be taught in schools.
9. Now explain to the students that they are going to listen for a second time, but this time they will be
making notes to enable them to give a summary of the talk. Ask them to make notes as they listen in
the boxes in task 2 on the student worksheet.
10. Play or read the recording for a second time.
11. Go through the notes the students have made in open-class, encouraging feedback from each group.
Decide as a class which of the main points should be included in a summary.
12. In pairs, tell students they are going to work together to build a summary (task 3 on their worksheet).
If you are using the TED talk, you could write the following on the board to help the students focus on
the main information:
Current situation
Some key techniques for listening
How to improve our listening
Why we need to improve our listening
13. Listen to some pairs giving their summaries orally (the number will depend on class sizes etc but
shouldnt last more than 15 minutes). Give feedback and encourage other students to also give
feedback by asking them to score each pair from 110 as they hear it. Ask the students why the
summary with the highest mark scored so highly.
Extension activity
The more advanced students can practise retelling the talk which should involve giving as much
information about the talk as possible.

Students finding the task difficult can be asked to listen to the first part of the talk and the last part,
this will give them two main points, or they can be asked to listen to the middle part to get the gist.
Homework
Ask students to find another talk about something related to their homework that week and do the
same exercise.
55
Student worksheet: How to write a summary using

note-taking skills
Task 1 Summarising
Discuss the following questions in pairs
1.
What makes a good summary?
2.
Which of the following might be included in a summary? Circle YES or NO next to each point:

Essential information YES / NO

Minor information YES / NO

Background information YES / NO
The main idea and why it is relevant
YES / NO

Long explanations YES / NO

Data YES / NO

Direct quotes YES / NO

A conclusion YES / NO

Your own views YES / NO
The views of people in the dialogue
3.
56
How should you decide what to include in the summary?
YES / NO
Task 2 Listening
1. Listen to the recording for the first time and answer the following question:
What is the gist of what the speaker is talking about?
2. Now listen to the recording a second time and make notes on the key points.
Task 3
Make a summary of the key points made during the talk.
57
Answers: How to write a summary using note-taking skills

1. What makes a good summary?
Selecting the main points from the information given, and then putting it all together logically. Use these
keywords to explain: general, essential, concise, connected, logical.
2. Which of the following might be included in a summary?

Essential information, the main idea and why its relevant, a conclusion.
3. How should you decide what to include in the summary?

Which points are mentioned, and then developed, with possible examples given. Also, sequencing words
and cohesive devices (signposting words) are a good indicator for when a main point is being mentioned.
4. The gist of what the speaker is talking about (for TED talk 5 ways to listen better)
The importance of listening skills, why they are in decline, and why they need to be improved so we can
all live in peace and harmony.
Task 3 Model answer of summary (for TED talk 5 ways to listen better)
We need to improve our listening skills as they are getting worse. We are able to distinguish sounds from
one another, for example, when our name is called in a crowded place. If we focus on listening to something
we have better results. The skill to listen is being lost in part, because of advanced recording technology so,
we can hear things again and again. In addition to this, the world is noisy so its tiring to listen.
We are also very busy therefore were becoming impatient and were becoming desensitised as all sorts of
media is thrown at us. Its vitally important that we listen to each other as listening creates understanding.
In order to improve our listening skills, the lecturer recommends: three minutes of silence per day, focusing
on hearing the different streams of sound wherever you are, focusing on everyday sounds and making
them special, for example, the sound of your tumble dryer. Finally, by practising all of these techniques, you
can improve your listening skills. He also suggests that you could ensure you appreciate who is talking to
you by making little noises like hmm, oh etc and asking your interlocutor questions.
We need to listen to each other to stay connected. We need to teach it in schools so that everyone knows
how to do it. It is possible to do this to create a world of connection, understanding and peace.
58
Audio script of TED talk 5 ways to listen better

Read out this tape script as naturally as you can (normal speed delivery, or record it and play it
back in class).
We are losing our listening. We spend roughly 60 per cent of our communication time listening, but
were not very good at it. We retain just 25 per cent of what we hear. Now not you, not this talk, but
that is generally true. Lets define listening as making meaning from sound. Its a mental process, and
its a process of extraction.
We use some pretty cool techniques to do this. One of them is pattern recognition. So in a cocktail
party like this, if I say, David, Sara, pay attention Some of you just sat up. We recognise patterns to
distinguish noise from signal, and especially our name. Differencing is another technique we use. If I
left this pink noise on for more than a couple of minutes, you would literally cease to hear it. We listen
to differences, we discount sounds that remain the same.
And then there is a whole range of filters. These filters take us from all sound down to what we pay
attention to. Most people are entirely unconscious of these filters. But they actually create our reality
in a way, because they tell us what were paying attention to right now. Ill give you one example of that:
intention is very important in sound, in listening. When I married my wife, I promised her that I would
listen to her every day as if for the first time. Now thats something I fall short of on a daily basis. But
its a great intention to have in a relationship.
But thats not all. Sound places us in space and in time. If you close your eyes right now in this room,
youre aware of the size of the room from the reverberation and the bouncing of the sound off the
surfaces. And youre aware of how many people are around you because of the micro-noises youre
receiving. And sound places us in time as well, because sound always has time embedded in it. In fact,
I would suggest that our listening is the main way that we experience the flow of time from past to
future. So, Sonority is time and meaning a great quote.
I said at the beginning, were losing our listening. Why did I say that? Well there are a lot of reasons for this.
First of all, we invented ways of recording first writing, then audio recording and now video recording as
well. The premium on accurate and careful listening has simply disappeared. Secondly, the world is now so
noisy, with this cacophony going on visually and auditorily, its just hard to listen; its tiring to listen. Many
people take refuge in headphones, but they turn big, public spaces like this, shared soundscapes, into
millions of tiny, little personal sound bubbles. In this scenario, nobodys listening to anybody.
Were becoming impatient. We dont want oratory anymore, we want sound bites. And the art of
conversation is being replaced dangerously, I think by personal broadcasting. I don't know how much
listening there is in this conversation, which is sadly very common, especially in the UK. Were becoming
desensitised. Our media have to scream at us with these kinds of headlines in order to get our attention.
And that means its harder for us to pay attention to the quiet, the subtle, the understated.
This is a serious problem that were losing our listening. This is not trivial. Because listening is our
access to understanding. Conscious listening always creates understanding. And only without conscious
listening can these things happen a world where we dont listen to each other at all, is a very scary
place indeed. So Id like to share with you five simple exercises, tools you can take away with you, to
improve your own conscious listening. Would you like that?
Good.
The first one is silence. Just three minutes a day of silence is a wonderful exercise to reset your ears
and to recalibrate so that you can hear the quiet again. If you cant get absolute silence, go for quiet,
thats absolutely fine.
Second, I call this the mixer. So even if youre in a noisy environment like this and we all spend a lot
of time in places like this listen in the coffee bar to how many channels of sound can I hear? How
many individual channels in that mix am I listening to? You can do it in a beautiful place as well, like in a
lake. How many birds am I hearing? Where are they? Where are those ripples? Its a great exercise for
improving the quality of your listening.
59
59

Third, this exercise I call savouring, and this is a beautiful exercise. Its about enjoying mundane sounds.
This, for example, is my tumble dryer. Its a waltz One, two, three, One, two, three, One, two, three. I
love it. Or just try this one on for size (the sound of a coffee grinder). Wow! So mundane sounds can be
really interesting if you pay attention. I call that the hidden choir. Its around us all the time.
The next exercise is probably the most important of all of these, if you just take one thing away. This
is listening positions the idea that you can move your listening position to whats appropriate to
what youre listening to. This is playing with those filters. You remember, I gave you those filters at
the beginning. Its starting to play with them as levers, to get conscious about them and to move to
different places. These are just some of the listening positions, or scales of listening positions, that you
can use. There are many. Have fun with that. Its very exciting.
And finally, an acronym. You can use this in listening, in communication. If youre in any one of those
roles and I think that probably is everybody whos listening to this talk the acronym is RASA, which
is the Sanskrit word for juice or essence. And RASA stands for Receive, which means pay attention to
the person; Appreciate, making little noises like hmm, oh, okay; Summarise, the word so is very
important in communication; and Ask, ask questions afterwards.
Now sound is my passion, its my life. I wrote a whole book about it. So I live to listen. Thats too much
to ask for most people. But I believe that every human being needs to listen consciously in order to live
fully connected in space and in time to the physical world around us, connected in understanding to
each other, not to mention spiritually connected, because every spiritual path I know of has listening
and contemplation at its heart.
Thats why we need to teach listening in our schools as a skill. Why is it not taught? Its crazy. And if we
can teach listening in our schools, we can take our listening off that slippery slope to that dangerous,
scary world that I talked about and move it to a place where everybody is consciously listening all the
time or at least capable of doing that.
Now I don't know how to do that, but this is TED, and I think the TED community is capable of anything.
So I invite you to connect with me, connect with each other, take this mission out and lets get listening
taught in schools, and transform the world in one generation to a conscious listening world a world of
connection, a world of understanding and a world of peace.
Thank you for listening to me today.
Source: www.ted.com/talks/julian_treasure_5_ways_to_listen_better
60
Appendices

ISE III
Integrated Skills in English III

Time allowed: 2 hours
This exam paper has four tasks. Complete all tasks.
Task 1 Long reading

Read the following text about languages and answer the 15 questions on page 3.
Paragraph 1
The writer and Professor of Linguistics David Crystal relates the experience of a fellow linguist called
Bruce Connell, who was doing some research in West Africa in the 1990s when he discovered a
language that had never been studied before. The problem was that there was only one man left who
spoke it. Connell was too busy to investigate further, so resolved to return the following year. By the
time he got back, the man had died, and of course the language along with him. One day it existed, the
next day it was extinct.
Paragraph 2
In itself, this story is not all that surprising: languages have been dying out (and new ones emerging) for
as long as humans have been on the earth. More alarming is the current rate of language extinction.
Professor Crystal, who has written a book called Language Death as part of his campaign to raise
awareness of the problem, estimates that of approximately 6,000 languages in the world, around half
will disappear over the next 100 years. This means thats one language less every couple of weeks. As
for endangered languages, it has been estimated that there are nearly 500 with only one speaker left,
and over 3,000 with 10,000 speakers or fewer.
Paragraph 3
Does this matter? I confess that until I looked into it, I thought of this situation (if I thought about it
at all) as just natural evolution. Languages come and go according to whether they meet the needs
of the speakers, and of all the worlds problems, this is nowhere near the most pressing. Professor
Crystal, though, offers a number of reasons why we should care. Languages, he says, are interesting in
themselves and teach us about language and communication in general. They contain the culture and
history of those who speak them, and are a vital part of group identity. A further and more abstract
argument is that diversity is necessary for evolution, or even survival, just as much in cultural terms as
in biology. Speaking personally, I must say these arguments havent converted me into a campaigner
for endangered languages, but at least Im grateful that there are people like David Crystal doing their
best to keep the issue alive.
Paragraph 4
There are various reasons why languages die, including the obvious one of populations disappearing
as a result of natural disasters or war, but the most common one is a gradual cultural assimilation.
When one culture dominates another, there is pressure on people to adopt the dominant language.
What usually happens is that, after some time, most people begin to speak both languages. This phase,
however, tends to lead to a gradual decline in the dominated language as younger generations stop
speaking it. From then on, basic population changes take over as its surviving speakers become fewer
and fewer. Later generations may look back with regret and realise that something valuable has been
lost, but by then of course its too late.
Paragraph 5
So, if we accept that disappearing languages is an important problem, can anything be done?
Unsurprisingly, David Crystal is convinced that steps can be taken (and furthermore have been
successful in various places). He cites examples from around the world, including the revival of Welsh,
which was the result of deliberate policy decisions. Favourable conditions, however, must be in place,
not least of which is the desire and willingness of the community to save their language. In cases
where this doesnt exist, any efforts that are made will be doomed to failure. Beyond that, a threatened
language needs to have prestige, which requires that it should be given a place in the education system
and, in most cases, an agreed grammar and preferably a written form (if it doesnt already have one).
None of this is cheap. One estimate is that there would be an annual cost of 40,000 per language. But
when you compare that to the amount spent in other areas, perhaps its not so much after all.
page 2
62
Appendix 1 Sample Reading & Writing exam paper (contd)
SE III
asks.
ISE III
Questions 15
The text on page 2 has five paragraphs (15). Choose the best title for each paragraph from AF
below and write the letter (AF) on the lines below. There is one more title than you need.
1.
Paragraph 1
A Why disappearing languages is a big issue
2. Paragraph 2
B How a language becomes dominant
3. Paragraph 3
C How languages can be rescued

D A story of a lost language
4. Paragraph 4
E Rate of language extinction
5. Paragraph 5
F Typical process of language extinction
Questions 610
Choose the five statements from AH below that are TRUE according to the information given in
the text on page 2. Write the letters of the TRUE statements on the lines below (in any order).
6.
A The decline in world languages will slow down in the future.
7.
B The writer is now convinced that he should help to make people aware
of the issue.
8.
C People tend to give a language more respect if it is taught in schools.
9.
D Languages are always dying out and new ones are born.
10.
E Some languages are lost along with the people because of natural disasters.
F A researcher who returned to study a new language found there were
no speakers left.
G The writer used to think that language death was not a problem.
H Its thought that 3,000 languages will disappear in a century.
Questions 1115
Complete sentences 1115 with a word, phrase or number from the text (maximum three words).
Write the word, phrase or number on the lines below.
11. The writers view was that the survival of a language depends on if they
of people.
12. According to Professor Crystal, the
necessary for evolution and survival.
of languages is
13. Typically, after a period of bilingualism, one language will suffer

.
14. Attempts to save a language are
from the people who speak it.
15. A language will be easier to save if it can be
Turn over page
without commitment
down.
page 3
63
ISE III

In this section there are four short texts for you to read and some questions for you to answer.
Questions 1620
Read questions 1620 first and then read texts A, B, C and D below the questions.
As you read each text, decide which text each question refers to. Choose one letter A, B, C or D
and write it on the lines below. You can use any letter more than once.
Which text would be most useful for someone who:
16. is thinking of getting involved in beekeeping?
17. has never seen inside a beehive before?
18. wants to understand the reasons why bees are in danger?
19. wants to learn more about the organisation of social insects?
20. is interested in myths and legends about bees?
Text A
The single queen lays up to
2,000 eggs a day.
Most of the bees in a
colony are workers.
They are females
who collect
nectar and pollen
from flowers, and
maintain and defend
the hive.
The role of the drone

is to mate with the
queen. They cant
sting, and when
winter comes,
they are driven out
by workers to starve
to death.
We rely on
pollination by
honeybees and other
species of bee for around
one third of the food we grow.
The waggledance
communicates the distance and
location of nectar to other bees.
Text B
The Great Bee Mystery

Beekeeper Jack Walsh opens the first hive and I look
inside. You can see the workers have gone, but the
queen and the honey are still there other bees would
normally steal that, but wont touch it in a CCD hive.
CCD, or Colony Collapse Disorder, has wiped
out over a third of the UKs hives, and some believe
up to 70% could be threatened. The phenomenon
involves the sudden abandonment of a hive, and is yet
to be explained, although, as Dr Karen Marsh at the
University of London told me, various theories are
being examined:
page 4
64
The chief suspect is the varroa mite, a tiny parasite

which sucks the bees blood and carries a number of
diseases. However, to stay healthy, bees also need a
varied diet, but nowadays many farms grow just one
crop. Plus, some pesticides may interfere with the bees
navigation system. The only consensus is that a number
of factors play a role.
Jack Walsh blames modern methods: We need to get
back to basics, so no more antibiotics, or transporting
bees hundreds of miles for pollination.
SE III
asks.
ISE III
Text C
Bees in folklore What traditions have you heard?

Joe: My granddad told me bees can recognise their beekeeper!
Alex: Here they say that if someone in the family gets married, you have to tell the bees and leave them
some wedding cake, or theyll get annoyed.
Luis: Because honey was the main sweet food in the old days, quite a few cultures say bees originated with
the gods.
Helen: @Alex Yes, but the same goes for bad news they like to feel part of the family!
Rashid: Ive heard they dont sting at night. Is it true?
Silvio: @Joe Tell him its not just an old wives tale theres research that says they might be able to tell
faces apart.
Silvio: @Rashid No, theyll sting you any time if theyre threatened.
Benjamin: @Alex I read that theyve always been seen as a model for a good family the way they all play
their part and work hard and all that. So I suppose the belief is that if you include them in your family, thatll
be harmonious too.
Text D
The Newbie Beekeepers blog

December 10, 2014
Starting out
After studying a few books, I bought my first hive a new one (its best to avoid second-hand ones
because of risk of disease) and a small colony of workers with a queen. I found a second-hand veil and
jacket, and a cheap smoker for calming down the bees before opening the hive the smoke makes them
think they need to evacuate the hive, so they quickly eat as much honey as they can, which makes them
sleepy and slow. A local farmer was happy to have the hive on his land as long as it was away from his
horses, as for some reason bees dont like them.
I got stung a lot more than I expected at first, until an experienced beekeeper watched me open the hive,
and advised me to keep my movements much more calm and gentle. Oh, and to zip up my veil all the way
I learned that lesson the hard way!
Questions 2125
Choose the five statements from AH below that are TRUE according to the information given
in the texts above. Write the letters of the TRUE statements on the lines below (in any order).
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
A There is an old tradition that you should share news of the family with the bees.
B Research studies have shown that bees only sting people during the daytime.
C A certain proportion of the beehive colony will not survive from one year
to another.
D The spread of CCD risks causing a major problem for the UKs farm and
food production.
E The smell that the bee colony produces is determined by the specific
flowers which they visit.
F More research is needed to confirm whether the varroa mite is the main
cause of CCD.
G Anecdotal and scientific evidence suggest bees can recognise human
facial features.
H CCD means that beehives now have to be moved around the country
for pollination.
Turn over page
page 5
65
ISE III
Questions 2630
The summary notes below contain information from the texts on pages 4 and 5. Find a word or
phrase from texts AD to complete the missing information in gaps 2630.
Write your answers on the lines below.
Summary notes
How to keep bees
Essential equipment needed:
a beehive, ideally a: (26.)
one
a bee colony, including (27.)

suitable protective clothing, ie (28.)
an instrument for calming the bees, ie a smoker
Choice of location:
on a piece of land near nectar-bearing plants, eg flowers, crops
at a safe distance from other animals, eg (29.)
Other considerations:
keeping the hive healthy, ie ensuring a varied diet and avoiding (30.)
getting advice from experienced beekeepers keeping up-to-date with the latest research
page 6
66
SE III
asks.
ISE III

Use the information from the four texts you read in Task 2 (pages 46) to write an article
(200230 words) for a general interest science magazine. The topic of your article is the
relationship between honeybees and humans.
You should plan your article before you start writing. Think about what you want to say and
make some notes to help you in this box:
Planning notes
(No marks are given for these planning notes)
Now write your article of 200230 words on the lines below. Try to use your own words as far as
possible dont just copy sentences from the reading texts.
Turn over page
page 7
67
ISE III
page 8
68
SE III
asks.
ISE III
When you have finished your article, spend 23 minutes reading through what you have written.
Make sure you have answered the task completely. Remember to check how you made use of the
reading texts, as well as the language and organisation of your writing.
Turn over page
page 9
69
ISE III

Write an essay (200230 words) giving your opinions on the topic:
When studying the past, its more important to know about ordinary people than famous people.
Do you agree?
You should plan your essay before you start writing. Think about what you want to say and make
some notes to help you in this box:
Planning notes
(No marks are given for these planning notes)
Now write your essay of 200230 words on the lines below.
page 10
70
SE III
asks.
ISE III
Turn over page
page 11
71
ISE III
When you have finished your essay, spend 23 minutes reading through what you have written.
Make sure you have answered the task completely and remember to check the language and
organisation of your writing.
End of exam
Copyright 2015 Trinity College London
72
ISE III Sample paper 2

Answers
Task 1 Long reading
1. D
2. E
3. A
4. F
5. C
610 can appear in any order
6. C
7. D
8. E
9. F
10. H
11. meet the needs
12. diversity
13. (language) extinction
14. doomed to failure
15. written

16. D
17. A
18. B
19. A
20. C
2125 can appear in any order
21. A
22. C
23. D
24. F
25. G
26. new
27. workers (and) queen (in either order)
28. veil and jacket (both required in either order)
29. horses
30. pesticides OR antibiotics/use of antibiotics
73

Videos of sample Speaking & Listening exams may be viewed at www.trinitycollege.com/ISE
There is a note-taking sheet on page 76 which may be photocopied and used in the classroom to help
students practise note-taking.
Sample Independent listening task

Examiner rubric:
Youre going to hear part of a radio programme about routine. You will hear the talk twice. The first
time, just listen. Then Ill ask you to tell me generally what the speaker is talking about. Are you ready?
Now listen to the talk again. This time make some notes as you listen, if you want to. Then Ill ask you
to tell me the different ways the speaker evaluates the need for routine in our lives and whether you
think he comes to a conclusion. Are you ready?
Audio script for Independent listening task

In my recent book, I discuss the subject of routine and the effects it has on our lives. Actually, my
original idea was to look at the working methods of successful creative people like writers and artists
to see if there were any helpful lessons to be drawn. The more people I examined, the clearer it became
that there was one thing the vast majority of them had in common: they had a regular working routine
and stuck to it strictly, even obsessively. Their habits and routines often ended up being more like
rituals. To take one example, the composer Beethoven apparently used to start each day with a cup of
strong coffee made with exactly sixty coffee beans, which he insisted on counting out personally. And
thats by no means the oddest ritual I discovered.
Obviously we dont all have to behave like that, but it does appear that routine is something most of
us need. Most humans function better when they have some kind of structure to their lives. In fact,
without routines for day-to-day activities, nothing much would get done. Transport wouldnt run on
time, schools and workplaces would be in a permanent state of chaos, and so on.
So, society as a whole seems to favour, or even require, people with regular lifestyles. But theres a
growing body of research suggesting that too much routine is bad for personal well-being, and its this
aspect that much of the book is concerned with. Breaking up your routine and doing something new, it
appears, increases your happiness. Its not just a case of getting bored: routine also increases our sense
of time passing by too quickly. When nothing new is happening, were not so conscious of events and
simply dont notice the days and weeks slipping away.
Theres also an interesting connection between time and memory, or more exactly two kinds of
connection. Firstly, a lot of what people accept as naturally increasing forgetfulness as they get older
is actually more to do with their lives becoming predictable. Its not so much that they forget things
that have happened but that they didnt really notice them in the first place because theyd become
so automatic. The other thing that strikes a chord with me as I get older is the explanation for why
childhood memories seem so vivid. When youre young, everything is new and your brain is working
overtime to take everything in, so your impressions of events are much more memorable. What we
need to do is to try and recapture that sense of newness by disrupting routines and actively seeking
out new experiences.
74
Appendix 2 Information on the Speaking & Listening exam (contd)

Answers
Gist: Routine is beneficial to some extent. But it is important to break routine and try new things for
happiness and memory (any broadly similar formulation acceptable).
Successful people known to have routine, for example, Beethoven
Not always healthy though can become like a ritual
Some routine is vital transport, schools, etc
Also, people seem to need some routine to give structure to lives
Society needs people to have routine
BUT doing new things is important for happiness/well-being it means time doesnt seem to pass
so quickly
Also, newness important for forming and maintaining memory memory loss in older age can be
due to predictability
Conclusion? Speaker appears to conclude that a degree of routine is important for individuals and
society as a whole but that it is very important to avoid becoming too predictable
75
Appendix 2 Information on the Speaking & Listening exam (contd)
Note-taking sheet for practising

Notes
w
Extra notes
76

Speculating
Hypothesising
Summarising
Please note that the language functions are cumulative through the ISE levels.
There are no suggested grammar structures for ISE III. Candidates are expected to use a broad range
of complex structures to express thoughts clearly.
77

Score
Reading and writing
Task fulfilment
Understanding of source materials

Selection of relevant content from source texts
Ability to identify common themes and links within and
across the multiple texts
Adaptation of content to suit the purpose for writing
Use of paraphrasing/summarising
Overall achievement of communicative aim

Awareness of the writer-reader relationship (style and register)
Adequacy of topic coverage
Full and accurate understanding of all source material in

detail demonstrated
A wholly appropriate and accurate selection of relevant
content from the source texts
Excellent ability to identify common themes and links within
and across the multiple texts and finer points of details
An excellent adaptation of content to suit the purpose
for writing
Excellent paraphrasing/summarising skills of long and
demanding texts demonstrated
Excellent achievement of the communicative aim with clarity

and precision
Excellent awareness of the writer-reader relationship
All requirements (ie genre, topic, reader, purpose and number
of words) of the instruction completely met
Full and accurate understanding of most source materials

in detail demonstrated
An appropriate and accurate selection of relevant content
from the source texts (ie most relevant ideas are selected
and most ideas selected are relevant)
Good ability to identify common themes and links within
and across the multiple texts and finer points of details,
eg attitudes implied
A good adaptation of content to suit the purpose
for writing (eg apply the content of the source texts
appropriately to offer solutions, offer some evaluation of
the ideas based on the purpose for writing)
Good paraphrasing/summarising skills of long and
demanding texts demonstrated (with very limited lifting
and a few disconnected ideas)
Good achievement of the communicative aim with clarity

and precision
Good awareness of the writer-reader relationship (ie appropriate
and helpful use of style and register throughout the text)
Most requirements (ie genre, topic, reader, purpose and number
of words) of the instruction appropriately met
Acceptable achievement of the communicative aim with clarity

Full and accurate understanding of more than half of the
and precision
source materials in detail demonstrated
An acceptable selection of relevant content from the source Some awareness of the writer-reader relationship (ie appropriate
and helpful use of style and register in general)
texts (the content selected must come from multiple texts)
Acceptable ability to identify common themes and links
of words) of the instruction acceptably met
within and across the multiple texts and finer points of
details, eg attitudes implied
Acceptable adaptation of content to suit the purpose
for writing
Acceptable paraphrasing/summarising skills of long and
demanding texts demonstrated
Inaccurate and limited understanding of most source

materials demonstrated
Inadequate and inaccurate selection of relevant content
from the source texts (ie fewer than half of the relevant
ideas are selected and most of the selected ideas
are irrelevant)
Poor ability to identify common themes and links within
and across the multiple texts and finer points of details,
eg attitudes implied (ie misunderstanding of the common
themes and links is evident)
Poor adaptation of content to suit the purpose for writing
(ie does not use the source texts content to address the
purpose for writing)
Poor paraphrasing/summarising skills of long and
demanding texts demonstrated (with heavy lifting and
many disconnected ideas)
Task not attempted

Paper void
No performance to evaluate
78
Poor achievement of the communicative aim (ie difficult to follow

and unconvincing for reader)
Poor awareness of the writer-reader relationship
of words) of the instruction are NOT met
Appendix 4 ISE III Task 3 Reading into writing rating scale (contd)
Score
Language control
Text organisation, including use of paragraphing,

beginnings/endings
Presentation of ideas and arguments, including clarity and
coherence of their development
Consistent use of format to suit the task
Use of signposting
Range and accuracy of grammar

Range and accuracy of lexis
Effect of linguistic errors on understanding
Control of punctuation and spelling
Effective organisation of text

Very clear presentation and logical development of all
ideas and arguments, underpinning the salient issues with
expanding and supporting details at some length
Appropriate and helpful format throughout the text
Effective signposting
Wide range of grammatical items relating to the task with high

level of accuracy
Wide range of lexical items relating to the task with high level of
accuracy
Any errors do not impede understanding
Excellent spelling and punctuation of complex sentences
Good organisation of text (ie a clear and well-structured

text of complex subjects)
Clear presentation and logical development of most ideas
and arguments, underpinning the salient issues with
expanding and supporting details at some length
Appropriate and helpful format in most of the text
Good signposting (eg appropriate and flexible use of
cohesive devices and topic sentences)
Appropriate range of grammatical items relating to the task with

good level of accuracy
Appropriate range of lexical items relating to the task with good
level of accuracy (with little evidence of avoidance strategies and
good command of colloquialisms)
Errors do not impede understanding
Good spelling and punctuation of complex sentences, apart from
occasional slips
Acceptable organisation of text (showed awareness of

the need for structure, but may only be partially achieved
with limited use of introductions/conclusions and topic
sentences, however paragraphs are used throughout)
Presentation and development of most ideas and
arguments are acceptably clear and logical, underpinning
the salient issues with expanding and supporting details
at some length (but arguments may not follow in a
predictable order)
Appropriate and helpful format in general
Acceptable signposting (some signposting used but may
be inconsistent; some use of cohesive devices but may be
inconsistent)
Acceptable range of grammatical items relating to the task with

acceptable level of accuracy
Acceptable range of lexical items relating to the task with
acceptable level of accuracy
Errors sometimes impede understanding (sometimes require the
reader to reread and/or reflect)
Acceptable spelling and punctuation of complex sentences
Very limited or poor text organisation (the writing appears

to lack structure with limited use of introductions/
conclusions and topic sentences. Paragraphing may be
absent/inappropriate)
Most ideas and arguments lack coherence and do not
progress logically, ideas are arranged in an entirely
unpredictable order)
Inappropriate format throughout the text
Poor signposting
Inadequate evidence of grammatical range and accuracy (may

have control over the language below the level)
Inadequate evidence of lexical range and accuracy (may have
control over the language below the level)
Errors frequently impede understanding
Poor spelling and punctuation throughout
Task not attempted

Paper void
79

Score
Task fulfilment
Overall achievement of communicative aim Text organisation, including use of

paragraphing, beginnings/endings
Awareness of the writer-reader
relationship (style and register)
Presentation of ideas and arguments,
including clarity and coherence of their
Adequacy of topic coverage
development
Consistent use of format to suit the task
Use of signposting
Language control
Range and accuracy of grammar
Range and accuracy of lexis
Effect of linguistic errors on
understanding
Control of punctuation and spelling
Excellent achievement of the

communicative aim with clarity
and precision
Excellent awareness of the writerreader relationship
All requirements (ie genre, topic,
reader, purpose and number of words)
of the instruction completely met
Effective organisation of text

Very clear presentation and logical
development of all ideas and
arguments, underpinning the salient
issues with expanding and supporting
details at some length
Appropriate and helpful format
throughout the text
Effective signposting
Wide range of grammatical items

relating to the task with high level of
accuracy
Wide range of lexical items relating to
the task with high level of accuracy
Any errors do not impede
understanding
Excellent spelling and punctuation of
complex sentences
Good achievement of the

communicative aim with clarity
and precision
Good awareness of the writer-reader
relationship (ie appropriate and helpful
use of style and register throughout
the text)
Most requirements (ie genre, topic,
of the instruction appropriately met
Good organisation of text (ie a clear

and well-structured text of complex
subjects)
Clear presentation and logical
development of most ideas and
arguments, underpinning the salient
issues with expanding and supporting
details at some length
Appropriate and helpful format in most
of the text
Good signposting (eg appropriate and
flexible use of cohesive devices and
topic sentences
Appropriate range of grammatical

items relating to the task with good
level of accuracy
Appropriate range of lexical items
relating to the task with good level
of accuracy (with little evidence
of avoidance strategies and good
command of colloquialisms)
Errors do not impede understanding
Good spelling and punctuation of
complex sentences, apart from
occasional slips
Acceptable achievement of the

communicative aim with clarity and
precision
Some awareness of the writer-reader
relationship (ie appropriate and helpful
use of style and register in general)
of the instruction acceptably met
Acceptable organisation of text (showed

awareness of the need for structure,
but may only be partially achieved with
limited use of introductions/conclusions
and topic sentences, however
paragraphs are used throughout)
Presentation and development of most
ideas and arguments are acceptably
clear and logical, , underpinning the
salient issues with expanding and
supporting details at some length
(but arguments may not follow in a
predictable order)
Appropriate and helpful format in general
Acceptable signposting (some
signposting used but may be
inconsistent; some use of cohesive
devices but may be inconsistent)
Acceptable range of grammatical items

relating to the task with acceptable
level of accuracy
Acceptable range of lexical items
relating to the task with acceptable
level of accuracy
Errors sometimes impede
understanding (sometimes require the
reader to reread and/or reflect)
Acceptable spelling and punctuation of
complex sentences
Poor achievement of the

communicative aim (ie difficult to
follow and unconvincing for reader)
Poor awareness of the writer-reader
relationship
of the instruction are NOT met
Very limited or poor text organisation

(the writing appears to lack structure
with limited use of introductions/
conclusions and topic sentences.
Paragraphing may be absent/
inappropriate)
Most ideas and arguments lack
coherence and do not progress logically,
ideas are arranged in an entirely
unpredictable order)
Inappropriate format throughout the text
Poor signposting
Inadequate evidence of grammatical

range and accuracy (may have control
over the language below the level)
Inadequate evidence of lexical range
and accuracy (may have control over
the language below the level)
Errors frequently impede understanding
Poor spelling and punctuation
throughout
Task not attempted

Paper void
80

Score
Communicative
effectiveness
Language control
Delivery
Range
Accuracy/precision
Effects of inaccuracies
Intelligibility
Lexical stress/intonation
Fluency
Effects on the listener
Fulfils the task very well

Initiates and responds with
effective turn-taking
Contributes to effective
topic maintenance
and development by
fully incorporating the
examiners utterances into
their own contributions
Solves communication
problems naturally, if any
Understands interventions
including those that are
complex in grammar
or ideas
Interprets examiner aims
and attitude accurately,
following the line of
argument
Responses are immediate
and always to the point
Uses a wide range of

grammatical structures/
lexis flexibly to deal with
topics at this level
Consistently maintains a
high level of grammatical
accuracy and lexical
precision effortlessly,
even when using complex
language
Occasional minor slips may
occur but difficult to spot
Clearly intelligible
Uses focal stress and
intonation very effectively
Effortlessly speaks very
promptly and fluently
Requires no careful listening
Fulfils the task appropriately Understands all examiner

interventions on a first
hearing
Contributes to effective
and attitude accurately,
topic maintenance and
following the line of
development by linking
argument
contributions to those of
the examiner (eg
Immediate and relevant
summarising, indicating
responses to interventions
understanding of points
made by the examiner,
establishing common
ground in the interaction)
Uses an appropriate range

of grammatical structures/
lexis to deal with topics at
this level
precision
Occasional minor slips occur
intonation effectively
Speaks promptly and
fluently
Fulfils the task acceptably

Maintains and develops the
interaction appropriately,
while indicating
understanding of what
the examiner has said
Understands most
interventions on a first
hearing
and attitude by making links
with earlier information
Prompt responses to the
examiner showing relatively
quick understanding
Uses an acceptable range

of grammatical structures/
lexis to deal with topics at
this level
precision
Occasional minor slips occur
intonation appropriately
Generally speaks promptly
and fluently
Does not fulfil the task

Initiates and responds
adequately
Maintains and develops
the interaction acceptably,
but does not usually link
contributions to those of
the examiner
problems appropriately
or acceptably, if any
Appears to understand
interventions but does
not always respond
appropriately
Occasionally digresses
from the examiners aims
Occasional hesitation in
order to make sense of
examiner input
Uses a range of
grammatical structures/
lexis that is not always
adequate to deal with
topics at this level
Does not show an adequate
level of grammatical
precision at this level
Some or many errors
may occur
May not always be clearly

intelligible
Does not always use focal
stress and intonation
appropriately
Does not always speak
promptly and fluently
May require some careful
listening
No performance to assess (candidate does not speak, or does not speak in English). Also use if no topic is prepared.
Comprehension and
relevant response
Task fulfilment
Appropriacy of contributions Level of understanding
/turn-taking
Speech rate of examiner
interventions
Repair strategies
Speed and accuracy
of response
81
82
Identifies and reports all important points and supporting details rapidly and accurately
with confidence
Shows complete understanding of main points, including relevance to message as a whole
Identifies speakers attitude and line of argument
Evaluates speakers arguments in a sophisticated way
Identifies main points and reports them briefly but accurately

Shows good understanding of information in recording, but not always their relevance
to message as a whole
Does not always grasp speakers attitude or line of argument
Does not always evaluate speakers arguments
Identifies main points but incompletely or in a rather general way

Shows some understanding of information in recording, but does not differentiate
between major and minor points
Does not recognise speakers attitude or line of argument
Does not evaluate speakers arguments
No performance to assess (eg candidate does not speak)
Identifies and reports most main points and supporting details rapidly and accurately
Shows good understanding of main points, including relevance to message as a whole
Recognises speakers attitude and line of argument
Evaluates speakers arguments

Guide For Teachers - IsE III

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Guide For Teachers - IsE III

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Integrated Skills in English (ISE)

Guide for Teachers ISE III (C1)

Trinity College London

Who is ISE Reading & Writing for?

Task specifications for ISE III Reading & Writing

Task 1 Long reading

Preparation activities for ISE III Reading & Writing

Task 1 Long reading: Birth order

ISE III Speaking & Listening exam

Who is ISE Speaking & Listening for?

Task specifications for ISE III Speaking & Listening

Preparation activities for ISE III Speaking & Listening

Topic task: ISE III topic presentation structure

ISE III Reading

Overview of the ISE Reading & Writing exam

Overview of the ISE Reading & Writing exam

Who is ISE Reading & Writing for?

Overview of the ISE Reading & Writing exam

Introduction to ISE Reading & Writing tasks at ISE III

Overview of ISE Reading & Writing at all levels

Overview of the ISE Reading & Writing exam

Glossary of reading skills for ISE III

Reading a wide range of complex texts or infographics likely to be

Reading to understand the general meaning of a paragraph, text or

Reading for gist

Reading to understand the main idea of a paragraph, text or infographic

Reading to understand specific, factual information at the word, phrase

Using contextual, grammatical and lexical cues to infer attitude, mood

Reading to understand in detail a wide range of texts likely to be

Reading to identify the main conclusions in clearly structured and

Overview of the ISE Reading & Writing exam

Glossary of writing aims for ISE III

Showing understanding of reading texts

Responding to the prompt fully

Organisation and structure

Presenting ideas and arguments clearly

Using a range of language functions, grammar and vocabulary

Overview of the ISE Reading & Writing exam

Reading into writing (task 3)

Writing (tasks 3 and 4)

Task specifications for ISE III Reading & Writing

Task specifications for ISE III Reading & Writing

One reading text followed by 15 questions

700 words (approximately)

Title matching (Questions 15)

The candidate is advised to spend 20 minutes on this part of the exam

The task is scored against an answer key

Task specifications for ISE III Reading & Writing

Task 2 Multi-text reading

Four reading texts read as a group followed by 15 questions

Roles in the family

700 words (approximately) across the four texts

Multiple matching (Questions 1620)

The candidate is advised to spend 20 minutes on this part of the exam

The task is scored against an answer key

Task specifications for ISE III Reading & Writing

Task 3 Reading into writing

This section assesses the ability to:

Output length 200230 words

The candidate is advised to spend 40 minutes on this part of the exam

Task 4 Extended writing

This section assesses the ability to produce a discursive, well-developed response to

Output length 200230 words

Who is ISE Reading & Writing for?

Task specifications for ISE III Reading & Writing

Task 1 Long reading

Preparation activities for ISE III Reading & Writing

Task 1 Long reading: Birth order

Who is ISE Speaking & Listening for?

Task specifications for ISE III Speaking & Listening

Preparation activities for ISE III Speaking & Listening

Topic task: ISE III topic presentation structure