Mercredi 7 novembre 2012

Listening and Reading exam techniques

Obj: Learn ways to improve your grades

ALL: Learn general exam techniques

CHALLENGE: Use context to help you

SUPER CHALLENGE: Use clues in the language to help you.

Discuss with your partner:

What do we mean by exam techniques?

In groups of 4 brainstorm as many different exam techniques as you can. Consider:

- General exam techniques: e.g. how to use time, clues given by questions and answers

-Contexte.g. pictures, what you know about the culture of French speaking countries

- Languagee.g. cognates, grammar

Let’s see how many of these you got…

General exam techniques:

1) Read the questions carefully and highlight any key points to ensure you answer it correctly

2) Look at the number of points for each answer and ensure you have an answer for each point

3) For the listening exam:

Listen carefully to the examples to ensure you understand how to answer each question

4) For the reading exam:

Read the text through first to get the gist and to help you know where to look for the answers (remember these are always in order)

5) Ignore words which you don’t need to answer the question

6) If you get stuck move on don’t spend too long on one question you can always come back to it!

7) In the listening exam use the time between the questions to continue to check your answers and read ahead

8) Narrow down your options as far as you can and then make a calculated guess if necessary. DO NOT LEAVE ANY BLANKS!!

9) Ensure that the answer matches the format requested e.g. if it asks for a letter don’t write a number!

Context:

10) For the listening exam use your reading time wisely:

- identify the pictures- translate any French words - translate any English words - write down any language you think you might hear

11) For the reading exam use the visual and verbal clues:

- layout- length- type face- pictures- title

12) Make use of the social/cultural context:

- think about what you know about French speaking countries and society in general

to predict answers.

13) Use your common sense!

What answer do you expect to the question:

What floor is the flat on?

Language:

14) Use cognates and near cognates:

e.g. innocent, muscle, littérature, hygiène

15) Using prefixes:

im/in = not e.g. impossible/inconnupara = against e.g parachute/parapluiere = again e.g. retourner/refairedé = dis e.g. décourager/désespoir

16) Using Suffixes:ée = ful e.g. cuilleréeette = little e.g. tartifletteaine = about e.g. centainement = ly e.g. lentementeur = or e.g employeurable = able e.g. lavableté = y/ness e.g. beauté, bonté ier = person e.g. policier, fermierant = ing e.g. commençant, faisanttion/sion e.g. réparation, explosion

More Suffixes:(These are often but not always true)oire = ory e.g. histoire, laboratoireique = c/(al) e.g. logique, attaqueif = ive e.g. actife/é = y e.g. beauté, mystère, arméei/ie = y e.g. économie, tragédieaire = ar(y) e.g. grammaire,militaireel = al e.g. individuel, officieler = ate e.g. assassiner, cultiverknock (e)r off inf. e.g. admirer, confirmerou = o/u e.g. gouvernement, mouvemente = a e.g. drame, propagandee(r) = er e.g. ordre, interprètee(ux) = ous e.g. énorme, précieux

17) Using Common patterns between French and English:

take away -e e.g. signe, vaste, liquideadd -e e.g. futur, masculin, puradd a -d e.g. aventure, jugeé/es = s e.g. espace, épongecircumflex = add –s e.g. forêt, intérêt, îleon = oun e.g. annoncer, prononcero = u e.g. fonction, prononciation

18) Watch out for false friends:

e.g. actuellement, addition, cave, caméra, car, conducteur, couvert, librarie, pièce

19) Watch out for similar sounding words:

e.g. magasin/magazine, près/prêt, vert/verre, une pêche/aller à la pêche, une montre/montrer

20) Make use of your grammar knowledge:

- plurals

Q) Does Marie have any brothers and sisters?

Marie a deux frères

What other clue do we have here?

- Number: deux

21) Make use of your grammar knowledge:

- negatives

Q) Does Marie have any brothers and sisters?

Marie n’a pas des frères ou des soeurs.

N.B. Careful about the negative form how could this trick you out?

Marie n’a qu’une soeur

22) Make use of your grammar knowledge:

- adjectives

Q) Which room is small?

La cuisine est grande mais le salon est petit.

23) Make use of your grammar knowledge:

- pronouns

Q) What is Sylvain’s sister called?

Je m’appell Helène et j’ai une soeur qui s’appelle Nicole mais il a une soeur qui s’appelle Nadine.

24) Make use of your grammar knowledge:

- prepositions

Q) On which floor is the flat?

L’appartement est au septième étage.

25) Make use of your grammar knowledge:

- verb tense

Q) What sport does Christine normally play at the weekend?

Christine a joué au tennis ce weekend normalement elle joue au volley.

What other clue do we have here?

- Time phrase: normalement

Tense clues:

- e/es/e/ons/ez/ent = - s/s/-/ons/ez/ent =- is/is/it/issons/issez/issent = - 3 parts incl. avoir/ être and pp =- nous form +ais/ais/ait/ions/iez/aient = - form of aller and infinitive = - infinitive +ai/as/a/ons/ez/ont = - infinitive +ais/ais/ait/ions/iez/aient =

past tenseimperfect

future tense

conditional

N.B. Watch out for irregular present tense forms.

après + infinitive = after having done something

present tense (re)present tense (er)

present tense (ir)

future tense

Time phrases:

- normalement/ le matin/ =- hier/ l’année dernière= - le weekend prochain =

present tensePast/imperfect tenseFuture/conditional tense

N.B. Present tense can be used for the immediate future indicated by a time phrase.

- depuis + present tense + time = to have been doing something since a certain time

Can you brainstorm some more??

Listening and Reading exam techniques

Obj: Learn ways to improve your grades

ALL: Learn general exam techniques

CHALLENGE: Use context to help you

SUPER CHALLENGE: Use clues in the language to help you.

How many did you get?

What else can you add?

Listening and Reading exam techniques

Obj: Learn ways to improve your grades

ALL: Learn general exam techniques

CHALLENGE: Use context to help you

SUPER CHALLENGE: Use clues in the language to help you.

What 5 exam techniques have you taken away from today’s lesson?