The Cambridge Proficiency Examination was originally offered in 1913. Numerous updates, most recently in 2002, have allowed the examination to keep pace with changes in language teaching and testing.
The purpose of the revision project
The purpose of the project was to revise CPE in order to ensure that it continues to meet the needs of candidates, teachers, centres and other users in terms of content and length. The aims were to ensure the updated examination:
• is suitable for use for higher education study purposes
• is suitable for use for career enhancement purposes
• feels fresh and modern and retains appropriate and specific testing focuses for each paper
• is thoroughly validated and reflects the most up-to-date methodological approach to communicative language testing
• is more user-friendly in terms of its length
• continues to set the standard for C2 level exams.
The outcome is as follows, and is the result of extensive research, consultation with users, and trialling of exam material.
The process of the project
The project has included the following main stages:
1. Data collection, e.g. market information including survey questionnaires sent to teachers and Centre Exams Managers; information on candidates collected on Candidate Information Sheets.
2. The development of examination specifications, including the development of the test construct, test content and the definition of the test focuses; the development, production, editing and trialling of draft task types and materials; and research into the validity and reliability of the material and assessment procedures.
3. The production of examination support materials, including public specifications, and training materials for writers of examination materials and examiners.
Throughout the project, Cambridge ESOL has gathered feedback on its proposals for the examination by holding consultation meetings with stakeholders. During trialling, teachers and students were asked to complete questionnaires on trial materials.
Key changes
These are the key changes to the CPE examination that will be introduced in May 2013.
• CPE will have four papers instead of five. Many of the current Use of English tasks have been retained in modified formats in the Reading paper.
• The new CPE will be shorter than the previous examination by approximately 2 hours. However, careful exam design means that CPE still assesses at exactly the same high level, retains all of the language and skills coverage as the current exam, and introduces new tasks and testing focuses in each of the written papers.
• From 2013 candidates will be able to choose to take CPE as either a paper-based or computer-based exam. This will offer candidates more choice about how they take their exam and introduce more exam dates.
Each of the four papers carries 25% of the total marks. The overall focus of each paper is as follows.
Reading: 1 hour 30 minutes
Candidates need to be able to understand texts from publications such as fiction and non-fiction books, journals, newspapers and magazines.
Writing: 1 hour 30 minutes
Candidates have to show that they can produce two different pieces of writing: a compulsory one in Part 1, and one from a choice of five in Part 2.
Listening: 40 minutes
Candidates need to show they can understand the meaning of a range of spoken material, including conversations, lectures, seminars, broadcasts and talks.
Speaking: 16 minutes
Candidates take the Speaking test with another candidate or in a group of three, and are tested on their ability to take part in different types of interaction: with the examiner, with the other candidate and by themselves.
Each of these four test components provides a unique contribution to a profile of overall communicative language ability that defines what a candidate can do at this level.
International English
English is used in a wide range of international contexts. To reflect this, candidates’ responses to tasks in Cambridge English exams are acceptable in all varieties and accents of English, provided they do not interfere with communication. Materials used feature a range of accents and texts sourced from English-speaking countries, including the UK, North America and Australia. US and other versions of spelling are accepted if used consistently.
source:eltnews
The purpose of the revision project
The purpose of the project was to revise CPE in order to ensure that it continues to meet the needs of candidates, teachers, centres and other users in terms of content and length. The aims were to ensure the updated examination:
• is suitable for use for higher education study purposes
• is suitable for use for career enhancement purposes
• feels fresh and modern and retains appropriate and specific testing focuses for each paper
• is thoroughly validated and reflects the most up-to-date methodological approach to communicative language testing
• is more user-friendly in terms of its length
• continues to set the standard for C2 level exams.
The outcome is as follows, and is the result of extensive research, consultation with users, and trialling of exam material.
The process of the project
The project has included the following main stages:
1. Data collection, e.g. market information including survey questionnaires sent to teachers and Centre Exams Managers; information on candidates collected on Candidate Information Sheets.
2. The development of examination specifications, including the development of the test construct, test content and the definition of the test focuses; the development, production, editing and trialling of draft task types and materials; and research into the validity and reliability of the material and assessment procedures.
3. The production of examination support materials, including public specifications, and training materials for writers of examination materials and examiners.
Throughout the project, Cambridge ESOL has gathered feedback on its proposals for the examination by holding consultation meetings with stakeholders. During trialling, teachers and students were asked to complete questionnaires on trial materials.
Key changes
These are the key changes to the CPE examination that will be introduced in May 2013.
• CPE will have four papers instead of five. Many of the current Use of English tasks have been retained in modified formats in the Reading paper.
• The new CPE will be shorter than the previous examination by approximately 2 hours. However, careful exam design means that CPE still assesses at exactly the same high level, retains all of the language and skills coverage as the current exam, and introduces new tasks and testing focuses in each of the written papers.
• From 2013 candidates will be able to choose to take CPE as either a paper-based or computer-based exam. This will offer candidates more choice about how they take their exam and introduce more exam dates.
Each of the four papers carries 25% of the total marks. The overall focus of each paper is as follows.
Reading: 1 hour 30 minutes
Candidates need to be able to understand texts from publications such as fiction and non-fiction books, journals, newspapers and magazines.
Writing: 1 hour 30 minutes
Candidates have to show that they can produce two different pieces of writing: a compulsory one in Part 1, and one from a choice of five in Part 2.
Listening: 40 minutes
Candidates need to show they can understand the meaning of a range of spoken material, including conversations, lectures, seminars, broadcasts and talks.
Speaking: 16 minutes
Candidates take the Speaking test with another candidate or in a group of three, and are tested on their ability to take part in different types of interaction: with the examiner, with the other candidate and by themselves.
Each of these four test components provides a unique contribution to a profile of overall communicative language ability that defines what a candidate can do at this level.
International English
English is used in a wide range of international contexts. To reflect this, candidates’ responses to tasks in Cambridge English exams are acceptable in all varieties and accents of English, provided they do not interfere with communication. Materials used feature a range of accents and texts sourced from English-speaking countries, including the UK, North America and Australia. US and other versions of spelling are accepted if used consistently.
source:eltnews
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