Using and supplementing Cambridge YLE Tests as regular classroom materials

This post and set of downloads/links is a bit of a "from the Raven's Vault" type of thing.

Way back in 2005, the subject of tests for young learners was being debated and explored on the IATEFL YL-SIG discussion list, and I mentioned that I had actually found the Cambridge YLE Test booklets (or more accurately: past test papers) really useful as regular classroom materials. So useful, in fact, that I had even expanded the test papers and built supplementary study kits to go with them.

A very nice lady from Cambridge ESOL contacted me pretty quickly expressing tons of enthusiasm and asking for all sorts of information about how we were using the tests in class and how we were supplementing them.

   

I sent this nice lady the following files:

-> Syllabus YLE skills kits starters movers flyers

-> Starters Skill Kit 2

-> Movers Skill Kit 2

-> Flyers Skill Kit 2

 

Plus the following explanation to provide some context on how they were applied:

 

This is basically what we did in spring for three of our levels aged 7-12 (around 200 learners total, more at Movers and Flyers levels):

- We used the published test papers from Cambridge as one of our main 'textbooks' (Cambridge Starters/Movers/Flyers 2) - all students purchased this.

- We used the very first test from the books as a pre-test, delivered by classroom teachers over a week (3 sittings, one for the listening, the reading and the speaking respectively). We retained their test books for this week to guard against them pre-studying parts of the pre-test.

- Test paper 2 in the test books was then organised into sections to become classroom activities across a ten week syllabus.

- The test books were supplemented with my own special workbooks that sought to extend parts of the tests into new kinds of activities, some of which were designed to apply the language in different ways, or to highlight some sort of strategy for understanding how to take that part of the test. The workbooks also featured vocabulary building using the YLE wordlists.

- Test 3 in the test books was used as a sort of revision/practice test toward the end of the term.

- We used the first test from Starters/Movers/Flyers 3 as a post test. This was perfect in that students couldn't possibly have seen the materials ahead of time, but some of the test parts have been updated and personally I think the reading sections at Movers and Flyers levels were somewhat more challenging than the 2nd series of test papers.

   

I've attached the workbooks we used in this term. They're a first run, often linked directly to pages in Starters/Movers/Flyers 2 test books. To be quite honest I whipped up all three of them in about a week (we have precious little time to prepare materials here in Korea, where students attend classes for 50 weeks of the year...) and they do not have detailed teacher's guides to accompany them yet. However, I'd be interested in your impressions and thoughts.

Unfortunately, I never heard from the nice Cambridge ESOL lady again, though I did note with interest that about one year later Cambridge launched some impressive "fun" YLE test prep books with a range of supplementary activities.

[Aside: this sort of thing can happen a lot when you start to deal with major ELT publishers - they love to have you tell them how to improve what they do and provide samples of your work from actual classroom settings almost as much as they love never replying to your emails or giving you any credit! Get used to it but, erm, try not to take it personally, okay?]

   

Anyway, I do apologise if the downloads there don't make a lot of sense at first glance (you sort of need to see them alongside the actual test papers, and I think there are now second editions available which may not match up precisely with the supplementary kits I made for the first editions), but some downloadable tests at the following links might help with matching the supplementary activities to the original formats in the test booklets:

-> YLE Starters Sample Test

-> YLE Movers Sample Test

-> YLE Flyers Sample Test

 

Even without the exact context or teacher's notes, you might find the kit downloads I provided above interesting to look at for potential material/activity design for YLs, and in particular, how we can supplement and work around formal test formats (or, for that matter, just preset coursebook materials) to create more learner involvement and learning strategies/skills.

There are all sorts of supplements and extensions in those kits, everything from word finds and vocabulary grids to story expansions or re-writing, supplementing one skill (like listening) with others (like more speaking and writing), and lots more.

   

Hope they give you some ideas. Enjoy!

 

:-)