SEW2

Introduction

Candidate profile
A candidate who has successfully passed SEW 2 can:
• express personal opinions on familiar work-related subjects of personal interest or related to everyday life and their field of interest
• demonstrate a sufficient range of language to give reasons and explanations for opinions
• understand more complex and relatively long utterances when discussing subjects
• develop conversations on a wide range of general subjects related to their field of interest using some complex sentence forms spontaneously
• initiate, maintain and end discourse using turn-taking techniques.
This profile is based on the level Independent User, B2.1 of the Council of Europe’s Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, teaching, assessment (2001)..

Format
The SEW 2 examination consists of the following:
• Telephone task - Guidance
• Interactive task - Guidance
• Introductions
• Candidate-led discussion of a prepared topic - Guidance
• Discussion of one subject area - Guidance
• End of examination and leave-taking.

Procedure
The examination begins with the Telephone task. The candidate is shown to the telephone room by the supervisor where they are given a written prompt. The candidate has a short time in which to read the prompt and, if they wish, make notes. The candidate then telephones the examiner, who is in another room. It is the responsibility of the candidate to initiate the conversation in order to resolve the issue and bring it to a successful close. This task lasts no more than three minutes.
When this phase is over the candidate and examiner stay on the phone for the Interactive task. The examiner remains in the same role as in the Telephone task and gives the candidate an oral prompt to which the candidate has to respond by questioning the examiner to find out more information and by making comments. Once the examiner has set up the situation the candidate takes responsibility for maintaining the interaction. This phase lasts no more than four minutes. If the candidate fails to initiate or to maintain the interaction the phase will not extend to the full four minutes.
Once this phase is over the candidate will go to the examination room and meet the examiner. The examiner introduces themselves and spends a few moments setting the candidate at ease. The examiner also asks the candidate for their ID and the examination proceeds to the next phase.
The candidate is invited to introduce the topic and initiate the Topic discussion by presenting information on the chosen topic. The discussion is led by the candidate who provides most of the input. This is in the form of more sustained long turns than at SEW 1. The candidate is responsible for engaging the examiner in discussion of the topic and must be prepared to ask and answer questions, or handle interruptions or requests for clarification throughout the discussion. This phase lasts no more than seven minutes.
After this, the examiner moves on to the Discussion. The examiner selects one of the listed subject areas and engages the candidate in conversation. During the discussion the candidate gives information, makes statements and responds as appropriate. This phase lasts no more than five minutes.
The examiner brings the phase and the examination to an end.

Assessment
The examiner assesses the candidate’s performance by selecting one of four levels of performance and awards a letter grade A, B, C or D for Task fulfilment for the Telephone task, Interactive task, Topic discussion and Discussion phases. These levels can be classified as follows:
A — Distinction
B — Merit
C — Pass
D — Fail
The combination of the four letter grades, i.e. the ones awarded for the Telephone task, Interactive task, Topic discussion and Discussion provides the overall level of achievement. The examiner gives a provisional indication on the Report form as to whether the candidate has passed or failed. Examiners indicate key areas which are in need of improvement by using the appropriate tick boxes provided on the Report form.

Format
Total examination time: 20 minutes
(including 1 minute for room change after the Telephone task)
The examination consists of four assessed phases:
• Telephone task (up to 3 minutes)
• Interactive task (up to 4 minutes)
• Candidate-led discussion of a topic prepared by the candidate (up to 7 minutes)
• Discussion on one subject area selected by the examiner (up to 5 minutes)

Candidate performance
In performing the required tasks, the candidate is expected to demonstrate the following communicative skills and use the language items listed overleaf.

Communicative skills

In the Telephone task
• Initiate and maintain the discourse
• Use appropriate register and conventions as required by the task
• Seek clarification of the written prompt if necessary
• Help the discussion along by inviting comment from the examiner
• Take and give up turns when appropriate to do so
• Bring the task to a satisfactory conclusion
• Where appropriate to the individual task, make use of the functions listed below

In the Interactive task
• Initiate the discourse
• Show understanding of the examiner by responding appropriately to verbal prompts
• Maintain the discourse by asking for and giving information as appropriate
• Take and give up turns when appropriate to do so
• Where appropriate to the individual task, make use of the functions listed below

In the Topic discussion
• Engage the examiner in discussion of the topic
• Show understanding by responding appropriately to the examiner
• Communicate a variety of facts, ideas and opinions, and account for these, about a chosen topic linked across a
series of extended turns
• Be prepared to ask and answer questions about the content of the topic
• Handle interruptions or requests for clarification throughout the discussion of the topic

In the Discussion
• Show understanding of the examiner by responding appropriately
• Share the responsibility for the maintenance of the interaction with the examiner
• In case of a breakdown in communication, show awareness and take basic steps to remedy it

One subject area for discussion will be selected by the examiner from the list below:
• Finding employment
• National industry and local produce
• Rules and regulations at work
• The changing workplace
• Training for work

Functions
• Expressing and requesting opinions and impressions
• Expressing obligation, intention and necessity
• Expressing possibility, certainty and uncertainty
• Giving advice and highlighting advantages and disadvantages
• Making suggestions
• Describing past habits
• Eliciting further information and expansion of ideas and opinions
• Expressing agreement and disagreement

Language production
The candidate is expected to demonstrate the ability to use the items listed below, in addition to the items listed for the previous level.

Grammar
• Present continuous for future use
• Open, first and second conditionals
• Past continuous tense
• Infinitive of purpose
• Simple passive
• Used to
• Relative clauses
• Modals and phrases used to express obligation and necessity, e.g. must, have to, need to
• Modals and phrases used to give advice and make suggestions, e.g. should, ought to, could
• Modals and phrases used to express possibility and uncertainty, e.g. may, might, I’m not sure
• Discourse connectors because of, due to

Lexis
• Vocabulary specific to the topic category and subject areas
• Further expressions relating to future time, e.g. the day after tomorrow
• Expressions of agreement and disagreement
• Appropriate words and expressions to indicate interest and show awareness of the speaker, e.g. Really? What good news! How unfortunate
• Simple fillers to give time for thought, e.g. Well … Um…

Phonology
• The correct pronunciation of vocabulary specific to the topic category and subject areas
• Sentence stress to clarify meaning
• Basic intonation and features of connected speech at sentence level and beyond
• Intonation patterns of more complex question forms
• Rising intonation to indicate interest and surprise as appropriate
• Falling intonation to indicate the end of a turn