Europalso Oral Assessors Handbook 2019 1

Issued by: Debbie Bassett, Communications/HR Officer Issued: 12/03/2019
Authorised by: Tina Renshaw, Chief Executive Version: 1 1

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Contents
Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 4
Oral Assessors ......................................................................................................................................... 5
Oral Assessors’ Guidelines ...................................................................................................................... 6
The Examination Room ........................................................................................................................... 8
Special Situations .................................................................................................................................... 9
Completing the Optical Mark Sheet - Speaking Test ............................................................................ 10
Oral Assessor Scripts for Marks Completion Check .............................................................................. 11
Test Format – Entry Level 3 (B1) ........................................................................................................... 13
Test Format – Level 1 (B2) .................................................................................................................... 17
Test Format – Level 2 (C1) .................................................................................................................... 22
Test Format – Level 3 (C2) .................................................................................................................... 27

Introduction
English Speaking Board (International) Ltd. (ESB International) offers high quality Speech and
Language qualifications in the UK and internationally. It aims to promote clear communication at all
levels and recognises the potential of all.
The Panhellenic Association of Greek Language School Owners, Europalso, began working with ESB in
2015 as its centre in Greece to carry out its ESOL International qualifications in more than 80 venues
across Greece. The assessments are marked and administered externally by ESB International. ESB
International also provides training to teachers and assessment staff, and its team carry out
inspections of assessments and oral exams in a variety of venues.
ESB International’s ESOL International qualifications are mapped to the Common European
Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) and are designed to encourage progression.
This handbook must be followed in order to ensure that ESB International is fulfilling its General
Conditions of Recognition.

Oral Assessments
In order to ensure and maintain the highest standards of professionalism and consistency throughout
the delivery of the ESB Oral Assessments, the following guidelines have been prepared:
All Oral Assessors must:

• familiarise themselves with the Handbook before the examinations
• adhere to the requirements and guidelines
• not be known to any of the candidates they examine
• not be a teacher of any of the candidates they examine
• act in a professional manner
• present an appropriately professional demeanor
• upon arrival at the examination venue, report to the official responsible for the examination
and register their attendance
• fill in an incident report if anything happens during the course of the examination which
compromises procedure. This must state the candidates’ numbers, brief details of the
incident, the action taken by the Oral Assessors and the outcome.

Oral Assessors’ Guidelines
There must always be two examiners present for all levels of the ESB Oral Assessments. One examiner
acts as the Interlocutor and the other examiner acts as the Assessor. These roles are interchangeable
and it is expected that examiners will swap roles during the course of an Oral Assessment session.
Candidates must be examined in pairs and in the case of an odd number, examined in a threesome.
There should only be one group of three candidates per session and they should be examined at the
end of each session. In very exceptional circumstances, and only with the expressed permission of
the Examination Coordinator, a single candidate can be examined as long as a suitable ‘dummy’
candidate is provided to act as a partner.
Oral Assessors must:

• annually attend the standardisation meeting before the examination session
• be punctual
• be familiar with the procedures laid down for conducting the examination and follow them
accordingly
• be familiar with the marking criteria
• be vigilant in protecting the security of the test. No examination material is to be left
unattended in the examination room
• not discuss the test materials with any unauthorised persons, i.e. those not officially
sanctioned by ESB International
• not discuss candidates’ marks with anyone else
• present an appropriately professional demeanour in manner and dress
• bring the necessary equipment for examining with them: pencil, pencil sharpener, eraser. A
timer will be provided by the venue
• ensure that their mobile phones are switched off and handed to venue coordinator
before the start of the examination
• be monitored and moderated [by being recorded in the role of the Interlocutor and Assessor]
once a year
The Interlocutor:
• creates a positive and non-threatening atmosphere so that candidates feel as relaxed as
possible
• treats candidates fairly and does not favour one candidate over another
• makes sure that timing is adhered to
• keeps to the prescribed framework and follows the Interlocutor’s script precisely without
deviating from the text
• reads the framework at an appropriate speed and volume and in a natural, clear voice

• makes sure that the candidates are being tested for the level for which they have been
entered
• makes sure that candidates do not remove test materials, either deliberately or inadvertently,
from the examination room
• does not give candidates any indication of how they have done in the examination; remarks
such as ‘good’, ‘well done’, should be avoided
• provides a global mark to the Oral Assessor at the end of the test once the candidates have
left the room
• does not enter into a discussion about marks with the Oral Assessor
• does not smoke, eat or chew during the examination.
The Oral Assessor:

• sits to one side of the Interlocutor and the candidates at a slight distance away, but near
enough to hear the candidates clearly and see their faces
• does not engage in discussion with the candidates apart from a greeting and farewell, ensures
that the mark sheets are the correct ones for the candidates being assessed.

The Examination Room
It is the responsibility of the venue to ensure that the accommodation is appropriate but if examiners
feel that the size of the room, furniture, ventilation, heating, air conditioning and ambient noise levels
are unacceptable, they should ask the venue to provide an alternative room. The venue should also
remove any posters or written materials which may assist the candidates from the examination room
walls.
The examination room should be set out by the two examiners before the start of the
examination. The Oral Assessor sits at a separate table slightly apart from the Interlocutor but in a
position to be able to see and hear the candidates clearly.
The table at which the Interlocutor and the candidates sit should be large enough for the candidates
to be seated in comfort and to see the examination materials easily. Examiners should ensure that
candidates are not sitting with a light shining directly in their eyes.
Suggested Examination Room Layout
Candidate A Candidate B
Oral Assessor Interlocutor

Special Situations
Candidates with Special Needs

The Examination Coordinator must be informed in writing as to the nature of the special needs
requirements of individual candidates at least ONE MONTH prior to the date of the speaking test. This
allows time for necessary arrangements to be made to accommodate the candidate.
It is not the responsibility of the Oral Assessor to initiate these arrangements. The venue should
inform Oral Assessors if they will be examining a candidate with special needs and make available
any specially modified materials, e.g. prompts in Braille.
Adverse Conditions
Any adverse conditions, such as excessive disruption from external noise, should be reported to the
examination officers.
Candidates known to the examiners

Examiners must not conduct speaking tests with candidates who are known to them. If there is no
possibility of swapping with another Oral Assessor in the examination venue, the examiner who
knows the candidate must instead take the role of the Interlocutor.

Completing the Optical Mark Sheet - Speaking Test
All required sections of the optical mark sheet must be completed by the Oral Assessor
• Complete the mark sheets in pencil so that errors can be easily erased
• The pencil mark should be dark, heavy and completely fill the lozenge
Enter the candidate number and venue number and fill in the corresponding lozenges in the columns
below. If this has been done so already by the venue, check that it is correct
• Write in the date and time
• Fill in the numbers of the topics used
• Write in the surname and initial of the Oral Assessor and Interlocutor clearly in capitals in
English, enter the examiner ID and fill in the corresponding lozenges
• Complete the mark sheets by the end of the test in a manner which does not distract the
candidates
• Ensure that each section; Grammar, Vocabulary, Interactive Ability and Discourse
Management has been completed for each candidate with ONE mark per section
• Ask the interlocutor for their global mark once the candidates have left the room. Do not to
discuss the marks
• Before handing the papers to the Examination Coordinator, check again that all the required
sections of the mark sheet have been completed
• At the end of the examination, all mark sheets are handed to the Examination Coordinator to
be recounted
• Once recounted, the mark sheets are sealed in the manila envelope and both the examiners
sign across the seal, before leaving the examination venue
In order to ensure all mark sheets have been correctly completed all examiners will now be expected
to follow the procedure detailed below:
After the candidates have left the room and prior to the next set of candidates entering the room,
both examiners must enter into the scripted dialogue to ensure the OMRs have been completed for
both candidates.
It is essential the script is adhered to. Examiners must not discuss any other aspect of the
assessment. When being recorded or moderated the correct delivery of this procedure will also be
monitored.

Oral Assessor Scripts for Marks Completion Check
The Oral Assessor
The Oral Assessor asks the Interlocutor : Response

Can I have your global mark for candidate (A)? Interlocutor provides their global mark to
the Oral Assessor
Can I have your global mark for candidate (B)? Interlocutor provides their global mark to
The Oral Assessor
Can I have your global mark for candidate (C)? Interlocutor provides their global mark to
the Oral Assessor
The Interlocutor
This script must be repeated for each candidate in turn
The Interlocutor asks the Oral Assessor Response

Have you filled in both topic numbers for Yes
candidates A/B?
Have you given candidate A/ B one mark for:
Grammar? Yes
Vocabulary? Yes
Interactive Ability? Yes
Discourse Management? Yes
Pronunciation? Yes

Test Format – Entry Level 3 (B1)
B1 Test Format
Section Description Aim Timing for 2 Timing for 3
Candidates Candidates
Part 1 Introduction. Eliciting of personal 3 minutes 3 minutes
Interlocutor elicits personal information, short
information from candidates questions and
individually. answers.
Part 2 Interactive Discussion. Discursive section to 4 minutes 6 minutes
Interlocutor gives candidates engage candidates in a
written prompts on a topic to range of effective
discuss together. Interlocutor communication
does not take part in the strategies. Accurate
discussion. production of a range
of language.
Part 3 Responding to Questions. Presenting opinions 4 minutes 6 minutes
Interlocutor engages and arguments,
candidates in a question and responding to
answer session based on a questions.
new topic.
Total: 11 Total: 15
minutes minutes
Analytical Scales for B1

Two sets of marks are awarded to each candidate, the analytical marks provided by the Oral Assessor
and the global mark provided by the Interlocutor.
Candidates are assessed against the criteria and NOT against each other. Rehearsed utterances are
to be politely interrupted by the interlocutor.
1. The Oral Assessor’s role is to listen intently to each candidate’s contributions in order to
award marks in the five categories tested in the Oral Assessment.
2. The Interlocutor provides a global mark which reflects the candidate’s achievement from
the Interlocutor’s perspective across all parts of the test.
3. At the end of the test, the Oral Assessor must check all required sections on the mark
sheet have been completed.
4. All mark sheets are given to the Examination Coordinator for collation.
There is no discrimination between varieties of English; all are acceptable as long as they are used
consistently.

Grammar
This scale refers to the range and accuracy of grammatical forms used at this level.
Vocabulary
Candidates should demonstrate, when dealing with familiar, everyday situations, an appropriate range
of vocabulary. They should have sufficient lexical resources to deliver their meaning with reasonable
clarity.
Interactive ability
This scale refers to the candidate’s ability to use language to engage in meaningful communication.
This includes sensitivity to turn-taking, initiating, responding accordingly and asking questions to repair
miscommunication.
Discourse management
This refers to the extent, coherence and relevance of the candidate’s contributions. The focus is on
the candidate’s ability to maintain a flow of language at a sentence level and to achieve the allocated
tasks.
Pronunciation
The Oral Assessor should put him/herself into the shoes of a sympathetic native speaker in order to
assess the degree of strain required to understand the contributions. Individual sounds, rhythm,
stress, intonation should all be taken into consideration.

Mark
Grammar Vocabulary Interactive Ability Discourse Management Pronunciation
B1
5 Structures mostly accurate Consistently demonstrates Sustained interaction in both Consistently makes extensive, Use of stress and intonation puts very little
for the level with only appropriate and extensive initiating and responding which coherent and relevant strain on listener and individual sounds are
occasional minor slips. range of lexis for this level. facilitates fluent contributions to the articulated clearly. Utterances are consistently
communication. Very sensitive to achievement of the task. understandable.
turn-taking.
4.5 More features of band 4 than band 5.
4 Generally structurally Meaningful communication is Contributions are generally Stress and intonation patterns may cause
accurate for the level but Evidence of an extensive largely achieved through relevant, coherent and of an occasional strain on listener. Individual sounds
some non-impeding errors and appropriate range of initiating and responding appropriate length. are generally articulated clearly.
present. lexis with occasional effectively. Hesitation is
lapses. minimal and the norms of turn-
taking are generally applied.
3 Reasonable level of Sufficient and appropriate Contributions are normally Use of stress and intonation is sufficiently
structural accuracy but Lexis is mostly effective initiation and response relevant, coherent and of an adequate for most utterances to be
some impeding errors are and appropriate although generally maintained appropriate length but there comprehensible. Some intrusive L1 sounds may
acceptable. range and accuracy are throughout the discourse may be occasional irrelevancies cause difficulties for the listener.
restricted at times. although there may be some and lack of coherence.
undue hesitation. Turn-taking
norms may not always be
observed.
2 Frequent basic errors and a Contributions limited and the Discourse is not developed Inadequacies in all areas of pronunciation put
Lexis is limited in terms of
limited command of patience of the listener may be adequately and may be considerable strain on the listener.
range and accuracy and
structure leading to strained by frequent incoherent and irrelevant at
may be inappropriate for
misunderstandings. hesitations. The norms of turn- times.
the task.
taking are rarely observed.
1 Serious structural Fails to initiate and/or respond. Monosyllabic responses. Limited competence in all areas of
inaccuracy and lack of Insufficient or
The interaction breaks down as a Performance lacks relevance and pronunciation severely impedes
control which obscure inappropriate lexis to deal
result of persistent hesitation. The coherence throughout. comprehension.
intended meaning. with the task adequately.
norms of turn-taking are
not observed.
0.5 More features of band 1 than 0.
0 Too little speech to assess Too little speech to assess Too little speech to assess Too little speech to assess effectively.
effectively. Too little speech to assess
effectively. effectively.
effectively.

Mark B1 Global Scale
5 Demonstrated levels of linguistic competence and interactive skills indicate that tasks have been completed thoroughly and the message fully conveyed to the listener.
4 Some characteristics of band 5 and band 3 in equal proportion.
3 Demonstrated levels of linguistic competence and interactive skills indicate that tasks have been completed adequately and the message has been satisfactorily conveyed to
the listener.
1 Demonstrated levels of linguistic competence and interactive skills were insufficient to complete the task and the message was confused and very difficult for the listener to
grasp.
The Oral Assessor The Interlocutor

Can I have your global mark for candidate (A)? Interlocutor provides their global mark to
the Oral Assessor
Have you filled in both topic numbers for
Can I have your global mark for candidate (B)? Interlocutor provides their global mark to
candidates A/B?
the Oral Assessor
Can I have your global mark for candidate (C)? Interlocutor provides their global mark to
Have you given candidate A /B one mark for:
the Oral Assessor
Grammar? Yes
Vocabulary? Yes
Pronunciation? Yes

Test Format – Level 1 (B2)
B2 Test Format
Section Description Aim Timing for Timing for
2 3
Part 1 Introduction. Interlocutor Eliciting of personal 3 minutes 3 minutes
elicits personal information information, short / longer
from candidates individually. questions and answers on
familiar topics.
discuss together. Interlocutor communication strategies.
does not take part in the Accurate production of a
discussion. range of language.
Part 3 Responding to Questions. Presenting opinions and 4 minutes 6 minutes
Interlocutor engages arguments, responding to
candidates in a question and questions.
answer session based on a new Total: 11 Total: 15
topic. minutes minutes

Analytical Scales for B2
to be interrupted by the Interlocutor.
award marks in the five categories tested in the oral examination.
3. At the end of the test, the Oral Assessor must check all the required sections on the mark
sheet have been completed.
consistently.

Grammar
This scale refers to the range of grammatical forms used and the extent to which they are accurate.
Candidates should be able to use structures naturally and spontaneously with minimal amount of time
spent in marshalling thoughts.
Vocabulary
Candidates should demonstrate an appropriate range of vocabulary to achieve the task. They should
have sufficient lexical resources to deliver their meaning clearly and effectively.
Interactive ability
This scale refers to the candidate’s ability to use language to engage in flowing, meaningful
communication without undue hesitation. It includes sensitivity to turn-taking, initiating, responding
appropriately and asking questions to seek clarification or repair miscommunication.
the candidate’s ability to maintain a flow of coherent language at a sentence or longer turn level and
to achieve the allocated tasks.
Pronunciation
The assessor should put him/ herself into the shoes of a sympathetic native speaker in order to assess
the degree of strain required to understand the contributions. Individual sounds, rhythm, stress,
intonation and some awareness of strong and weak syllables should all be taken into consideration.

Mark Grammar Vocabulary Interactive Ability Discourse Management Pronunciation
B2
5 Structures mostly accurate Consistently demonstrates Sustained interaction in both Consistently makes extensive, Use of stress and intonation puts very
for the level with only appropriate and extensive initiating and responding which coherent and relevant contributions little strain on listener and
occasional minor slips. range of lexis for this level. facilitates fluent communication. to the achievement of the task. individual sounds are articulated
Very sensitive to turn-taking. clearly. Utterances are consistently
understandable.

4 Generally structurally Meaningful communication is Contributions are generally relevant, Stress and intonation patterns may
Evidence of an extensive and
accurate for the level but largely achieved through initiating coherent and of an appropriate length. cause occasional strain on listener.
appropriate range of lexis
some non-impeding errors and responding effectively. Individual sounds are generally
with occasional lapses.
present. Hesitation is minimal and the articulated clearly.
norms of turn-taking are generally
applied.
3 Contributions are normally
Reasonable level of Lexis is mostly effective andSufficient and appropriate Use of stress and intonation is
structural accuracy but appropriate although range and initiation and response generally relevant, coherent and of an sufficiently adequate for most
some impeding errors are accuracy are restricted at maintained throughout the appropriate length but there may utterances to be comprehensible.
acceptable. times. discourse although there may be be occasional irrelevancies and lack of Some intrusive L1 sounds may
some undue hesitation. Turn- coherence. cause difficulties for the listener.
taking norms may not always be
observed.
2 Frequent basic errors and a Contributions limited and the Discourse is not developed Inadequacies in all areas of
Lexis is limited in terms of
limited command of patience of the listener may be adequately and may be incoherent pronunciation put considerable strain
range and accuracy and may be
structure leading to strained by frequent hesitations. and irrelevant at times. on the listener.
inappropriate for the task.
misunderstandings. The norms of turn-taking are rarely
observed.
1 Serious structural Fails to initiate and/or respond. Monosyllabic responses. Limited competence in all areas of
Insufficient or inappropriate
inaccuracy and lack of The interaction breaks down as a Performance lacks relevance and pronunciation severely impedes
lexis to deal with the task
control which obscure result of persistent hesitation. The coherence throughout. comprehension.
adequately.
intended meaning. norms of turn-taking are not
observed.
0 Too little speech to assess Too little speech to assess Too little speech to assess effectively. Too little speech to assess effectively. Too little speech to assess effectively.
effectively. effectively.

Mark Global Scale
B2
3 Demonstrated levels of linguistic competence and interactive skills indicate that tasks have been completed adequately and the message has been satisfactorily conveyed to the
listener.
grasp.

Can I have your global mark for candidate (A)? Interlocutor provides their global mark to The Interlocutor asks the Oral Assessor Response
the Oral Assessor Have you filled in both topic numbers for Yes
Can I have your global mark for candidate (B)? Interlocutor provides their global mark to candidates A/B?
the Oral Assessor
Can I have your global mark for candidate (C)? Interlocutor provides their global mark to Have you given candidate A /B one mark for:
the Oral Assessor
Grammar? Yes
Vocabulary? Yes
Pronunciation? Yes

Test Format – Level 2 (C1)
C1 Test Format
candidates candidates
Part 1 Introduction. Interlocutor Eliciting personal 3 minutes 4 minutes
asks candidates individual information.
questions.
Interlocutor gives engage candidates in a
candidates written range of effective
prompts on a topic to communication
discuss together. strategies. Accurate
Interlocutor does not take production of a range of
part in the discussion. language.
candidates in a question questions.
and answer session based
on a new topic. Total: 13 Total: 18 minutes
minutes

Analytical Scales for C1
3. At the end of the test, the assessor must check all required sections on the mark sheet.
consistently.

Grammar
This refers to the range and accuracy of structures used. At C1 level, the candidate should have an
effective command of the structures of the language and be able to demonstrate a wide range of
suitable and appropriate forms and have the flexibility to achieve a variety of effects and functions
without undue difficulty.
Vocabulary
This refers to the range of lexis employed and to the extent of its appropriate usage. At C1 level, the
candidate should be able to draw on an extensive bank of lexical items to deal with both familiar and
unfamiliar topics.
Interactive ability
This scale refers to the candidate’s ability to use language to engage in flowing, meaningful
communication. This includes sensitivity to turn-taking, initiating, responding accordingly and asking
questions to seek clarification or repair miscommunication.
the candidate’s ability to maintain a flow of coherent language on a sentence or longer turn level and
to achieve the allocated tasks.
Pronunciation
The Oral Assessor should put him/herself into the shoes of a sympathetic native speaker in order to
assess the degree of strain required to understand the contributions. Individual sounds, rhythm,
stress and an awareness of strong and weak syllables should all be taken into consideration.

Mark C1 Grammar Vocabulary Interactive Ability Discourse Management Pronunciation
5 Comprehensive range of Consistently demonstrates a Sustained interaction in both initiating Consistently makes extensive, Use of stress and intonation puts no
structures used accurately, very extensive and and responding which facilitates natural, coherent and relevant strain on listener and individual
appropriately and fluently. comprehensive range of fluent communication. Very sensitive to contributions to facilitate the sounds are articulated clearly.
More or less error-free. lexical competence. turn-taking. achievement of the task. Utterances are consistently
understandable.
4.5 More features of band 4 than ban d 5.
4 Wide range of structures used Evidence of an extensive Meaningful communication is largely Contributions are generally Stress and intonation patterns may
accurately, appropriately and and appropriate range of achieved through initiating and relevant, coherent and of an cause minimal strain on listener.
fluently but minor non- lexis with only occasional responding effectively. Hesitation is appropriate length. The task is Individual sounds are generally
impeding errors present. lapses. minimal and the norms of turn-taking are dealt with effectively. articulated clearly.
generally applied.
3 Reasonable range of structures Lexis is mostly effective and Sufficient and appropriate initiation and Contributions are normally Use of stress and intonation is
used with generally consistent appropriate although range response generally maintained relevant, coherent and of an sufficiently adequate for most
accuracy and fluency but some and accuracy are throughout the discourse although there appropriate length but there utterances to be comprehensible.
non- impeding errors are restricted at times. may be some undue hesitation. Turn- may be occasional Some intrusive L1 sounds may
evident. taking norms may not always be irrelevancies and cause difficulties for the listener.
observed. incoherence. The task is dealt
with satisfactorily.
2 A rather limited range of Lexis is limited in terms of Contributions limited and the patience Discourse is not developed Inadequacies in all areas of
structures. Consistent errors range and accuracy and of the listener may be strained by adequately and may be pronunciation put considerable strain
especially when attempting lacking in precision. frequent hesitations. The norms of turn- incoherent and irrelevant at on the listener.
more ambitious grammatical taking are rarely observed. times. Task achievement is only
forms. partially realised.
1 Very limited range with serious Insufficient and Fails to initiate and/or respond. The Monosyllabic responses. Limited competence in all areas of
structural inaccuracy and lack inappropriate range of lexis interaction breaks down as a result of Performance lacks relevance pronunciation severely impedes
of flexibility. to deal with the task persistent hesitation. The norms of turn- and coherence throughout. comprehension.
adequately. taking are not observed. Task achievement is very
limited.
0 Too little speech to assess Too little speech to assess Too little speech to assess effectively. Too little speech to assess Too little speech to assess effectively.
effectively. effectively. effectively.

Mark Global Scale
C1

3.5 More features for band 4 than band 3.
listener.
1.5 More features for band 2 than 1.
grasp.

The Oral Assessor asks the Interlocutor : Response Have you filled in both topic numbers for Yes
Can I have your global mark for candidate Interlocutor provides their global mark to candidates A/B?
(A)? the Oral Assessor
Can I have your global mark for candidate Interlocutor provides their global mark to Have you given candidate A /B one mark for:
(B)? the Oral Assessor Grammar? Yes
Can I have your global mark for candidate Interlocutor provides their global mark to
(C)? the Oral Assessor Vocabulary? Yes
Pronunciation? Yes

Test Format – Level 3 (C2)
C2 Test Format
Part 1 Introduction. Eliciting personal 3 minutes 5 minutes
Interlocutor asks candidates information.
individual questions.
discuss together. Interlocutor communication
does not take part in the strategies. Accurate
discussion. production of a range of
language.
candidates in a question and questions. Total: Total: 23
answer session based on a 15 minutes minutes
new topic.

Analytical Scales for C2
and the global mark provided by the Invigilator.
2. The Interlocutor provides global mark which reflects the candidate’s achievement from the
Interlocutor’s perspective across all parts of the test.
3. At the end of the test, the Oral Assessor must check all required sections on the mark sheet
have been completed.
consistently.

Grammar
This refers to the range and accuracy of structures used. At C2 level, the candidate should be
approaching mastery of the structures of the language and be able to demonstrate a very wide range
of effective and appropriate forms and have the flexibility to achieve a wide variety of effects and
functions without difficulty.
Lexis
This refers to the range of lexis employed and to the extent of its appropriate usage. At C2 level, the
candidate should be able to draw on an extensive bank of lexical items to deal with both familiar and
unfamiliar topics. Candidates should have sufficient lexical resources to convey abstract concepts and
to move easily from one situation to another.
Interactive ability
This refers to the candidate’s ability to use language effectively to engage in flowing, meaningful
communication. This includes sensitivity to turn-taking, initiating, responding appropriately and
repairing miscommunication.
the candidate’s ability to maintain a flow of coherent language and manage and develop the discourse
in order to achieve the task. Contributions should be of an appropriate length and relevant to the task.
Hesitation will be only minimal and will not impede the development of the discourse.
Pronunciation
The assessor should put him/ herself into the shoes of a sympathetic native speaker in order to assess
the degree of strain required to understand the contributions. The scale includes individual sounds,
rhythm, stress and intonation. At C2 level, a candidate should demonstrate an ability to manipulate
weak and strong sounds and to use pitch and range effectively at word and sentence level to
heighten meaning and to convey attitudes. The prosodic features and individual sounds of the first
language are obviously present but they are sufficiently modulated so as to cause no undue strain
upon the listener.

Mark Grammar Vocabulary Interactive Ability Discourse Management Pronunciation
C2
5 Comprehensive range of Consistently demonstrates a Sustained interaction in both initiating and Consistently makes extensive, Use of stress and intonation puts
structures used accurately, very extensive and responding which facilitates natural, coherent and relevant no strain on listener and
appropriately and fluently. comprehensive range of fluent communication. Very sensitive to contributions to facilitate the individual sounds are
More or less error-free. lexical competence. turn-taking. achievement of the task. articulated clearly. Utterances are
consistently
understandable.
4 Wide range of structures used Evidence of an extensive Meaningful communication is largely Contributions are generally Stress and intonation patterns may
accurately, appropriately and and appropriate range of achieved through initiating and relevant, coherent and of an cause minimal strain on listener.
fluently but minor non- lexis with only occasional responding effectively. Hesitation is appropriate length. The task is Individual sounds are generally
impeding errors present. lapses. minimal and the norms of turn-taking are dealt with effectively. articulated clearly.
generally applied.
3 Reasonable range of structures Sufficient and appropriate initiation and Contributions are normally Use of stress and intonation is
Lexis is mostly effective and
used with generally consistent response generally maintained relevant, coherent and of an sufficiently adequate for most
appropriate although range
accuracy and fluency but some appropriate length but there utterances to be
and accuracy are restricted atthroughout the discourse although there
non-impeding errors are may be some undue hesitation. Turn- may be occasional irrelevancies comprehensible. Some intrusive L1
times.
evident. taking norms may not always be observed. and incoherence. The task is sounds may cause difficulties for
dealt with satisfactorily. the listener.
2 A rather limited range of Contributions limited and the patience of the Discourse is not developed Inadequacies in all areas of
structures. Consistent errors Lexis is limited in terms of
listener may be strained by frequent adequately and may be pronunciation put considerable
especially when attempting range and accuracy and
hesitations. The norms of turn-taking are incoherent and irrelevant at strain on the listener.
more ambitious grammatical lacking in precision.
rarely observed. times. Task achievement is only
forms. partially realised.
1 Very limited range with serious Insufficient and Fails to initiate and/or respond. The Monosyllabic responses. Limited competence in all areas of
structural inaccuracy and lack inappropriate range of lexis interaction breaks down as a result of Performance lacks relevance and pronunciation severely
of flexibility. to deal with the task persistent hesitation. The norms of turn- coherence throughout. Task impedes comprehension.
adequately. taking are not observed. achievement is very
limited.
0 Too little speech to assess Too little speech to assess Too little speech to assess effectively. Too little speech to assess Too little speech to assess
effectively. effectively. effectively. effectively.

Mark Global Scale
C2
listener.
2.5 More features of band 3 than band 2

grasp.


The Oral Assessor asks the Interlocutor : Response Have you filled in both topic numbers for Yes
Can I have your global mark for candidate (A)? Interlocutor provides their global mark to candidates A/B?
the Oral Assessor
Can I have your global mark for candidate (B)? Interlocutor provides their global mark to Have you given candidate A/B one mark for:
the Oral Assessor
Can I have your global mark for candidate (C)? Interlocutor provides their global mark to Grammar? Yes
the Oral Assessor
Vocabulary? Yes
Pronunciation? Yes

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Europalso Oral Assessors Handbook 2019 1

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Europalso Oral Assessors Handbook 2019 1

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Issued by: Debbie Bassett, Communications/HR Officer Issued: 12/03/2019

Authorised by: Tina Renshaw, Chief Executive Version: 1 1

Issued by: Debbie Bassett, Communications/HR Officer Issued: 12/03/2019

Issued by: Debbie Bassett, Communications/HR Officer Issued: 12/03/2019

Issued by: Debbie Bassett, Communications/HR Officer Issued: 12/03/2019

All Oral Assessors must:

Issued by: Debbie Bassett, Communications/HR Officer Issued: 12/03/2019

Oral Assessors must:

Issued by: Debbie Bassett, Communications/HR Officer Issued: 12/03/2019

The Oral Assessor:

Issued by: Debbie Bassett, Communications/HR Officer Issued: 12/03/2019

Suggested Examination Room Layout

Oral Assessor Interlocutor

Issued by: Debbie Bassett, Communications/HR Officer Issued: 12/03/2019

Candidates with Special Needs

Candidates known to the examiners

Issued by: Debbie Bassett, Communications/HR Officer Issued: 12/03/2019

Issued by: Debbie Bassett, Communications/HR Officer Issued: 12/03/2019

The Oral Assessor

The Oral Assessor asks the Interlocutor : Response

This script must be repeated for each candidate in turn

The Interlocutor asks the Oral Assessor Response

Have you given candidate A/ B one mark for:

Interactive Ability? Yes

Discourse Management? Yes

Issued by: Debbie Bassett, Communications/HR Officer Issued: 12/03/2019

Analytical Scales for B1

Issued by: Debbie Bassett, Communications/HR Officer Issued: 12/03/2019

Issued by: Debbie Bassett, Communications/HR Officer Issued: 12/03/2019

Issued by: Debbie Bassett, Communications/HR Officer Issued: 12/03/2019

4 Some characteristics of band 5 and band 3 in equal proportion.

3.5 More features of band 4 than band 3.

2 Some characteristics of band 3 and band 1 in equal proportion.

1.5 More features of band 2 than 1.

Oral Assessor Scripts for Marks Completion Check

The Oral Assessor The Interlocutor

Interactive Ability? Yes

Discourse Management? Yes

Issued by: Debbie Bassett, Communications/HR Officer Issued: 12/03/2019

Issued by: Debbie Bassett, Communications/HR Officer Issued: 12/03/2019

Issued by: Debbie Bassett, Communications/HR Officer Issued: 12/03/2019

Issued by: Debbie Bassett, Communications/HR Officer Issued: 12/03/2019

4.5 More features of band 4 than band 5.

Issued by: Debbie Bassett, Communications/HR Officer Issued: 12/03/2019

4 Some characteristics of band 5 and band 3 in equal proportion.

3.5 More features of band 4 than band 3.

2 Some characteristics of band 3 and band 1 in equal proportion.

1.5 More features of band 2 than 1.

Oral Assessor Scripts for Marks Completion Check

The Oral Assessor The Interlocutor

Interactive Ability? Yes

Discourse Management? Yes

Issued by: Debbie Bassett, Communications/HR Officer Issued: 12/03/2019

Issued by: Debbie Bassett, Communications/HR Officer Issued: 12/03/2019

Issued by: Debbie Bassett, Communications/HR Officer Issued: 12/03/2019

Issued by: Debbie Bassett, Communications/HR Officer Issued: 12/03/2019

Issued by: Debbie Bassett, Communications/HR Officer Issued: 12/03/2019

4.5 More features of band 4 than band 5.

4 Some characteristics of band 5 and band 3 in equal proportion.

2.5 More features of band 3 than band 2.

2 Some characteristics of band 3 and band 1 in equal proportion.

1.5 More features for band 2 than 1.

Oral Assessor Scripts for Marks Completion Check

Interactive Ability? Yes