ECPE SPEAKING

These videos will help you to have a full picture of what the ECPE speaking interview is
about:

Video ECPE Speaking Test Number 1 (David and Stefanos)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FIY4ZoODfeg&feature=youtu.be

Please find attached the SE prompts, test takers prompts and commentary on test takers
performance.

Video ECPE Speaking Test Number 2

https://youtu.be/X8do0ilvYNs (Stages 1, 2 and 3)

https://youtu.be/zEHqonZ6ZB4 (Stages 4 and 5)

Description of the 5 parts of the ECPE Speaking Test:

The ECPE Speaking interview lasts about 25-30 minutes and consists of 5 short stages, each
lasting about 5 minutes. The format is 2 examiners and 2 or 3 test takers.

Stage One: in this part Examiner 1 and Test Takers spend some time getting to know one
another, personal questions are asked and examiner 1 and test takers talk briefly about who
they are and what they do. Test takers are expected to demonstrate their ability to ask and
answer questions.

Stage Two: each test taker is given a prompt with two options on a given situation, for
example, descriptions of two people eligible for a certain job. Test takers are asked to read the
information carefully and then they are expected to orally explain the two options they have
been given, they can glance at their prompts but they are expected to paraphrase what is
written there. It’s like a mini-oral presentation. Once test taker 1 has talked, test taker 2 will
have to recommend one of the two options that have been presented by test taker 1. Test
Taker one will talk first and then test taker two will do it.

Stage Three: in this part of the test, both test takers will talk together in order to decide on
one option which they will present to Examiner 2 in stage four. They will have to negotiate
their choice, evaluate advantages and disadvantages and reach consensus. Throughout this
part they will talk together, but they will not address Examiner 1, who will just listen to their
conversation and assess their performance. Examiner 1 is passive in stage 3.

Stage Four: in this stage both test takers will present to Examiner 2 the option they have
chosen, before speaking they will be given some time to organize their ideas and decide which
arguments each test taker will talk about. For example, if they have four arguments in favor of
choosing one particular person for a job, each test taker will explain two. Examiner 2 will be
performing the role of someone in a position of authority, like the Head of a Committee or a
school Principal.

Stage 5: Examiner 2 will ask some challenging questions to both test takers at this stage. Test
takers will have to justify their position and present their ideas solidly in order to convince
Examiner 2 that they have well-founded arguments to support their choice.

Ideas for generating Topics for stage 2:

- Selecting a location for a class trip at the end of primary school

- Choosing a present for a 60-year-old teacher retiring from school
- Choosing a school student to represent the school at a Debate Competition
- Selecting a location for a trip for a couple on their 25th wedding anniversary
- Selecting a location for a secondary school graduation party
- Choosing a place to open a new mega supermarket

Task: Ask students to think of four options for each situation given above, for example:

“Selecting a location for a class trip at the end of primary school”

- Córdoba
- Iguazú Falls
- Mar del Plata
- Colonia, Uruguay

Once they have come up with the 4 options, they should produce a list with details on
each option.

They may take this prompt as an example:

Selecting a Location for a Class Trip

New York City, New York

The following list provides some relevant information about New York:
• 2 hours by train • 20°C • tours of art museums • discounted Broadway show tickets
• shopping at specialty stores • visit to Statue of Liberty • accommodations will be
expensive

Aspen, Colorado
The following list provides some relevant information about Aspen:
• 4-hour flight and 1-hour bus ride • 16°C • bicycles available for rent • camping in
mountains • well-marked hiking trails • optional river rafting • students may suffer
from altitude sickness

Note that the last item is always a negative aspect of the choice.
The aim of this task is to get students to generate their own prompts for the oral interview, as
if they were exam writers. Then these prompts can be distributed by the teacher to different
groups in the class so that they may practice for the ECPE speaking component.