Describing Language and Skills
50%of exam
Background to Language Learning
19%of exam
Background to Language Teaching
31%of exam
Quick Facts
- Exam
- TKT Module 1
- Body
- Cambridge Assessment English
- Questions
- 80 objective items
- Time
- 1 hour 20 minutes
- Structure
- 3 parts, 13 tasks
- Format
- Matching + multiple choice
- Delivery
- Paper or digital
- Result
- Bands 1-4, no pass
- Entry
- None; B1 recommended
- Handbook
- Oct 2019 (current)
Mark Split by Part
40 language, 15 learning, 25 teaching
Part 1: 40 marksPart 2: 15 marksPart 3: 25 marks80 marks, 80 minutes
Accuracy vs Fluency
Accuracy
- Correct forms
- Grammar and pronunciation
- Controlled practice focus
Fluency
- Smooth and natural
- Meaning over form
- Freer practice focus
Correct vs flowing
Reading Subskill Picker
- Get the main idea→Skimming(Fast, whole text)
- Find one specific fact→Scanning(Ignore the rest)
- Study every detail→Reading for detail(Intensive)
- Meet an unknown word→Deducing meaning(Use the context)
- Message is only implied→Inferring(Read between lines)
- Guess before reading→Predicting(Activates knowledge)
- Long reading for pleasure→Extensive reading(Builds fluency)
Parts of Speech
- Noun
- Person, place, thing, idea
- Verb
- Action or state
- Adjective
- Describes a noun
- Adverb
- Modifies verb or adjective
- Pronoun
- Stands for a noun
- Preposition
- Shows place, time, direction
- Determiner
- Comes before the nouna, the, some
- Conjunction
- Joins words or clauses
- Auxiliary verb
- Helps the main verbbe, do, have
- Modal verb
- Adds possibility or obligationcan, must
Receptive and Productive
Read and listen in; speak and write out
Reading: receptiveListening: receptiveSpeaking: productiveWriting: productive
Function vs Exponent
Function
- The purpose
- Named with -ing
- Inviting, advising, refusing
Exponent
- The actual wording
- Would you like to ...?
- Many per function
Purpose vs wording
Grammar Terms
- Form
- How the structure is built
- Use
- Why speakers choose it
- Tense
- Time marked on verb
- Aspect
- Continuous or perfect view
- Transitive
- Takes an object
- Intransitive
- Takes no object
- Clause
- Has subject and verb
- Phrase
- Word group, no verb
- Compound sentence
- Two main clauses joined
- Complex sentence
- Main plus subordinate clause
- Countable
- Has a plural form
- Uncountable
- No plural, no article
Analyse Any Language Item
Form, meaning, use, pronunciation
Form: how builtMeaning: what it saysUse: when chosenPronunciation: how it sounds
Skimming vs Scanning
Skimming
- Overall gist
- Whole text quickly
- What is it about?
Scanning
- One specific detail
- Ignore everything else
- Find the departure time
Gist vs specific
Lexis Terms
- Prefix
- Added before the rootunhappy
- Suffix
- Added after the rootcareless
- Compound
- Two words joined togetherbookshop
- Collocation
- Words that usually pairheavy rain
- Lexical set
- Words on one topic
- Synonym
- Similar meaning word
- Antonym
- Opposite meaning word
- Homophone
- Same sound, different spellingsee, sea
- Idiom
- Non-literal fixed expression
- Phrasal verb
- Verb plus particleput up with
- False friend
- Looks alike, means differently
- Connotation
- Feeling a word carries
Cohesion vs Coherence
Cohesion
- Linkers and pronouns
- Surface language links
- However, it, therefore
Coherence
- Ideas make sense
- Logical overall organisation
- Argument holds together
Links vs logic
Phonology Terms
- Phoneme
- Smallest meaning-changing sound unit
- IPA
- Phonemic transcription alphabet
- Minimal pair
- Differ by one phonemeship, sheep
- Syllable
- Sound unit around vowel
- Word stress
- Strongest syllable in word
- Sentence stress
- Strongest words in utterance
- Schwa
- Weak unstressed vowel sound
- Intonation
- Pitch rising and falling
- Connected speech
- Sounds change when joined
- Elision
- A sound is dropped
- Assimilation
- Sound changes near neighbour
- Linking
- Sounds joined across words
- Contraction
- Shortened formdon't
Word vs Sentence Stress
Word stress
- Inside one word
- phoTOGraphy
- Moves with word form
Sentence stress
- Across an utterance
- Content words stressed
- Carries the message
Syllable vs utterance
Functions and Register
- Function
- Purpose of the utterance
- Exponent
- Actual words expressing function
- Register
- Formality level of language
- Formal
- Distant, careful, polite
- Informal
- Relaxed, friendly, everyday
- Neutral
- Neither formal nor informal
- Appropriacy
- Suits context and listener
- Context
- Situation around the language
Functions and Exponents
- Suggesting
- Why don't we ...?
- Advising
- You should ...
- Requesting
- Could you please ...?
- Offering
- Shall I help?
- Inviting
- Would you like to ...?
- Apologising
- I'm terribly sorry
- Agreeing
- You're absolutely right
- Refusing
- I'd rather not
- Asking permission
- May I leave early?
- Warning
- Mind the step!
Reading + Listening Subskills
- Receptive skills
- Reading and listening
- Skimming
- Read fast for gist
- Scanning
- Hunt one specific detail
- Reading for detail
- Intensive, careful reading
- Extensive reading
- Long texts for pleasure
- Deducing meaning
- Guess word from context
- Inferring
- Understand implied meaning
- Predicting
- Anticipate content before reading
- Listening for gist
- Overall message only
- Listening for detail
- Specific facts and words
Speaking + Writing Subskills
- Productive skills
- Speaking and writing
- Accuracy
- Correct form and pronunciation
- Fluency
- Smooth, natural, unhesitating
- Turn-taking
- Sharing speaking turns
- Paraphrasing
- Saying it another way
- Drafting
- Writing an early version
- Editing
- Improving and correcting text
- Cohesion
- Linkers and reference words
- Coherence
- Ideas flow logically
- Layout
- How text is arranged
- Authenticity
- Real, unsimplified text
Error Ladder
Slip, then error, then fossilisation
Slip: self-correctsError: systematic gapFossilisation: stuck permanently
Error vs Slip
Error
- Cannot self-correct
- Systematic and repeated
- Shows a real gap
Slip
- Can self-correct
- One-off lapse
- Knowledge already there
Gap vs lapse
Learner Error Picker
- Learner self-corrects instantly→Slip(Knowledge is there)
- Repeats, cannot self-correct→Error(Systematic gap)
- Mirrors the first language→Interference(L1 transfer)
- Same in every L1→Developmental error(Normal stage)
- Rule stretched too far→Overgeneralisation(goed, childs)
- Mistake never goes away→Fossilisation(Set permanently)
- Whole learner-built system→Interlanguage(Between L1, L2)
Language Learning Process
- Acquisition
- Picking language up naturally
- Learning
- Conscious study of rules
- Exposure
- Language learners hear, read
- Input
- Language learners receive
- Focus on form
- Attention to language structure
- Silent period
- Listening before speaking starts
- Interaction
- Using language with others
- Motivation
- Drive to keep learning
- Intrinsic motivation
- Comes from within learner
- Extrinsic motivation
- Comes from outside rewards
Interference vs Developmental
Interference
- Caused by L1
- Varies by first language
- I have 20 years
Developmental
- Normal learning stage
- Happens in any L1
- She goed home
L1 cause vs stage
Learner Error Terms
- Error
- Learner cannot self-correct
- Slip
- One-off; learner self-corrects
- Attempt
- Tries not-yet-learned language
- Interference
- L1 habits cause mistakeL1 transfer
- Developmental error
- Normal learning-stage mistake
- Overgeneralisation
- Rule applied too widelygoed
- Interlanguage
- Learner's own evolving system
- Fossilisation
- Errors become permanent
- Correction
- Guiding learner to accuracy
- Feedback
- Information about learner performance
Acquisition vs Learning
Acquisition
- Unconscious and natural
- Driven by exposure
- How children pick up
Learning
- Conscious rule study
- Focus on form
- Classroom explanation
Absorb vs study
Learner Characteristics
- Learning style
- Preferred way of learning
- Learning strategy
- Conscious technique to learn
- Learning preference
- Activity the learner likes
- Visual
- Learns by seeing
- Auditory
- Learns by listening
- Kinaesthetic
- Learns by doing, moving
- Maturity
- Age and cognitive development
- Aptitude
- Natural ability for languages
- Learner autonomy
- Taking charge of learning
- Past experience
- Earlier language-learning history
- Learner needs
- Personal, learning, professional goals
PPP Stages
Present, then practise, then produce
Present: teacher modelsPractise: controlled drillsProduce: freer use
Warmer vs Lead-in
Warmer
- Wakes the class up
- Topic can be unrelated
- Builds energy
Lead-in
- Introduces lesson topic
- Sets the context
- Activates prior knowledge
Energy vs topic
Method and Framework Picker
- Introduce one new structure→PPP(Present, practise, produce)
- Real task drives lesson→TBL(Language focus last)
- Beginners, no speaking pressure→TPR(Listen and do)
- Check what they know→Test-teach-test(Teach the gaps)
- Learners spot the rule→Guided discovery(Inductive)
- Chunks and collocations first→Lexical Approach(Language as chunks)
- Translate and learn rules→Grammar-Translation(Traditional method)
- Fluent communication is goal→CLT(Meaning first)
Teaching Technique Terms
- Warmer
- Short activity starting lesson
- Lead-in
- Introduces the lesson topic
- Eliciting
- Drawing answers from learners
- Prompting
- Giving a helpful clue
- Drilling
- Repetition for form practice
- Modelling
- Teacher gives correct example
- CCQ
- Checks meaning is understood
- ICQ
- Checks instructions are understood
- Monitoring
- Watching learners during activity
- Scaffolding
- Temporary support while learning
- Realia
- Real objects in class
- TTT
- Teacher talking time
Assessment Timeline
Placement, diagnostic, progress, achievement, proficiency
Placement: before courseDiagnostic: before teachingProgress: during courseAchievement: course endProficiency: any time
PPP vs TBL
PPP
- Language taught first
- Teacher picks target
- Ends in production
TBL
- Task comes first
- Learners choose language
- Language focus last
Language first vs task first
Assessment Type Picker
- Sort new students into classes→Placement test
- Find gaps before teaching→Diagnostic test
- Check this unit's learning→Progress test
- Test the whole course→Achievement test
- Level without any syllabus→Proficiency test(IELTS style)
- Shape teaching while ongoing→Formative assessment
- Judge at course end→Summative assessment
- Learners judge own work→Self-assessment
- Collect work over time→Portfolio
Activity and Task Types
- Information gap
- Learners exchange missing information
- Jigsaw
- Groups share different parts
- Role play
- Learners act out roles
- Survey
- Learners question many classmates
- Mingle
- Learners move and talk
- Brainstorming
- Generating ideas quickly together
- Gap-fill
- Complete the missing words
- Matching
- Pair items that belong
- Substitution drill
- Swap one element repeatedly
- Ranking
- Order items by criteria
- Running dictation
- Read, remember, run, dictate
- Project work
- Extended collaborative outcome task
Deductive vs Inductive
Deductive
- Rule stated first
- Then examples, practice
- Teacher explains
Inductive
- Examples come first
- Learners work rule out
- Guided discovery
Rule first vs last
Methods and Approaches
- PPP
- Present, practise, produce
- TBL
- Task first, language after
- TPR
- Listen and physically respond
- CLT
- Communication is the goal
- Lexical Approach
- Chunks are core language
- Grammar-Translation
- Rules plus translating sentences
- Audiolingual
- Habit-forming pattern drills
- Test-teach-test
- Diagnose, teach gaps, recheck
- Guided discovery
- Learners work the rule out
- Deductive
- Rule given before examples
- Inductive
- Examples before the rule
- CLIL
- Subject taught through English
Placement vs Diagnostic
Placement
- Which class, what level
- Before the course
- Sorts the intake
Diagnostic
- Strengths and weaknesses
- Before teaching a point
- Shapes what to teach
Which class vs what gaps
Assessment Types
- Diagnostic
- Finds strengths and weaknesses
- Placement
- Puts learners in classes
- Progress
- Checks recent course learning
- Achievement
- Tests what was taught
- Proficiency
- Overall level, no syllabus
- Formative
- Ongoing; shapes future teaching
- Summative
- Final judgement of learning
- Self-assessment
- Learners judge own work
- Peer assessment
- Classmates judge each other
- Portfolio
- Collected work over time
- Informal assessment
- Observation, no formal test
- Formal assessment
- Planned test, exam conditions
- Objective test
- One clear correct answer
- Subjective test
- Needs examiner judgement
Common Traps
Accuracy vs fluency
Accuracy is correctness ≠ Fluency is smoothness
Function vs exponent
Function is the purpose ≠ Exponent is the wording
Skimming vs scanning
Skimming gets the gist ≠ Scanning finds one fact
Error vs slip
Error: cannot self-correct ≠ Slip: learner self-corrects
Interference vs developmental
Interference comes from L1 ≠ Developmental happens to all
Word vs sentence stress
Word stress: one syllable ≠ Sentence stress: key words
Cohesion vs coherence
Cohesion links the words ≠ Coherence orders the ideas
Deductive vs inductive
Deductive gives rule first ≠ Inductive gives examples first
Placement vs diagnostic
Placement chooses the class ≠ Diagnostic finds the gaps
Style vs strategy
Style is a preference ≠ Strategy is a technique
Band vs pass mark
TKT reports Bands 1-4 ≠ TKT has no pass
Last Minute
- 1.80 questions, 80 minutes, 13 tasks
- 2.Language part is 40 marks
- 3.Learning part is 15 marks
- 4.Teaching part is 25 marks
- 5.Bands 1-4; there is no pass
- 6.Function is purpose; exponent is wording
- 7.Accuracy is correct; fluency is smooth
- 8.Skimming gets gist; scanning finds facts
- 9.Errors are systematic; slips are one-off
- 10.Interference is L1; developmental is universal
- 11.Phoneme is smallest meaning-changing sound
- 12.Minimal pairs differ by one phoneme
- 13.PPP presents first; TBL tasks first
- 14.Guided discovery is inductive, not deductive
- 15.Placement sorts classes; diagnostic finds gaps
- 16.Proficiency tests ignore any course syllabus
- 17.Warmers energise; lead-ins set topic
- 18.Cohesion links words; coherence orders ideas
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