Adrian Doff: Cambridge English Empower – Lunch Session

Cambridge English

Language Assessment

Cambridge University

Press

A2 A1

square park river

building metro street

apartment centre restaurant

bridge café

station

Unit 5A: vocabulary

Empower key features

• Manageable learning

- graded language (EVP)

- graded tasks

- logical sequencing

Empower unit structure

Getting started: introduction to the unit topic

and spoken fluency practice

A and B spreads: reading, listening,

vocabulary, grammar and a lot of speaking

C spread: video-based focus on developing

speaking skills

D spread: integrated skills approach to

developing writing skills

Empower key features

• Learner engagement

- striking, unusual visuals

- texts with a ‘hook’, ‘googleability’

- personal response

Empower unit structure

Getting started: introduction to the unit topic

and spoken fluency practice

A and B spreads: reading, listening,

vocabulary, grammar and a lot of speaking

C spread: video-based focus on developing

speaking skills

D spread: integrated skills approach to

developing writing skills

Empower key features

• Develops productive skills

- Speaking: functional language, speaking sub-skills,

pronunciation

- Writing: based on models, writing sub-skills

Empower unit structure

Getting started: introduction to the unit topic

and spoken fluency practice

A and B spreads: reading, listening,

vocabulary, grammar and a lot of speaking

C spread: video-based focus on developing

speaking skills

D spread: integrated skills approach to

developing writing skills

Key features of Empower

• Learner engagement visuals, texts, personalisation of language

• Comprehensive approach to productive skills clear contexts, explicit focus on sub skills

• Manageable learning graded language (English Profile and Corpus), graded tasks, logical sequencing

• Integrated assessment package written and validated by Cambridge English, reliable, tracks learner progress

Learning Oriented

Assessment

Follow the Personalised learning path

(online practice)

Class lesson D:

consolidation of core language via integrated skills,

plus a writing focus

Retake the

Unit Progress Test

Mid-course and end-course

competency assessment

Class lessons A + B:

Grammar and vocabulary

Class lesson C: Everyday English

Take the

Unit Progress Test

online

CEFR Report

Follow the Personalised learning path

(online practice)

Class lesson D:

consolidation of core language via integrated skills,

plus a writing focus

Retake the

Unit Progress Test

Mid-course and end-course

competency assessment

Class lessons A + B:

Grammar and vocabulary

Class lesson C: Everyday English

Take the

Unit Progress Test

online

CEFR Report

Follow the Personalised learning path

(online practice)

Class lesson D:

consolidation of core language via integrated skills,

plus a writing focus

Retake the

Unit Progress Test

Mid-course and end-course

competency assessment

Class lessons A + B:

Grammar and vocabulary

Class lesson C: Everyday English

Take the

Unit Progress Test

online

CEFR Report

Language Presentation

Practice 1

Practice 2

T1 0 to 3

T2

4 to 5

6 to 7

8

Extension

(Reading and

Listening)

Follow the Personalised learning path

(online practice)

Class lesson D:

consolidation of core language via integrated skills,

plus a writing focus

Retake the

Unit Progress Test

Mid-course and end-course

competency assessment

Class lessons A + B:

Grammar and vocabulary

Class lesson C: Everyday English

Take the

Unit Progress Test

online

CEFR Report

Follow the Personalised learning path

(online practice)

Class lesson D:

consolidation of core language via integrated skills,

plus a writing focus

Retake the

Unit Progress Test

Mid-course and end-course

competency assessment

Class lessons A + B:

Grammar and vocabulary

Class lesson C: Everyday English

Take the

Unit Progress Test

online

CEFR Report

Follow the Personalised learning path

(online practice)

Class lesson D:

consolidation of core language via integrated skills,

plus a writing focus

Retake the

Unit Progress Test

Mid-course and end-course

competency assessment

Class lessons A + B:

Grammar and vocabulary

Class lesson C: Everyday English

Take the

Unit Progress Test

online

CEFR Report

Follow the Personalised learning path

(online practice)

Class lesson D:

consolidation of core language via integrated skills,

plus a writing focus

Retake the

Unit Progress Test

Mid-course and end-course

competency assessment

Class lessons A + B:

Grammar and vocabulary

Class lesson C: Everyday English

Take the

Unit Progress Test

online

CEFR Report

Three types of assessment

Unit Progress tests

Competency tests

PLUS - unit speaking tests

One Unit Progress Test for each unit of the course

Cover five language areas from the unit:

• Grammar (x2)

• Vocabulary (x2)

• Everyday English

Low stakes (but the teacher is in control)

PROGRESS TESTS

Two per level:

Mid-course

End-of-course

Skills based:

Listening

Reading

Writing

Speaking (scored by the teacher)

COMPETENCY TESTS

Automated unit speaking tests

Five task types

Automatically marked

Responses are recorded and stored

Students can listen to and re-record

responses

SPEAKING TESTS

How many candidates do you think took part

in pre-testing?

A. 0 to 5,000

B. 5,000 to 10,000

C. 10,000 to 15,000

D. 15,000 to 20,000

16,287

How many different L1s

participated in pre-testing?

A. 10 to 20

B. 20 to 30

C. 30 to 40

D. 40 to 50

What’s in the online

package?

CLASS TOOLS

GRADEBOOK

Student View learner profile

Student View learner profile

STUDENT VIEW

Empower Assessment Package

• Progress test every unit

• Mid and end of course competency tests

• CEFR reports generated

• Tests available online

• Tests written and validated by Cambridge

Assessment

• Personalised learning plan on the basis of unit test

results

• Progress easily monitored by teachers and learners