Under the guidance of John Robinson and with the great support of his two colleagues at the Talent-Campus Bodensee, Fabienne Meier and Susan Wallace, the students passed very challenging C1 Cambridge Advanced Exam (CAE), the B2 First for Schools (FCE S), the B1 Preliminary for Schools (PET S) and the A2 KET for Schools (KET S) exams by Cambridge with flying colours. This remarkable achievement was celebrated at the end-of-year awards ceremony held in June, and we couldn't be prouder of their impressive results.
Now is the perfect time to reflect and share some tips on how to achieve this success. We asked John Robinson a few questions about how he prepared his students and why he believes that Cambridge English exams are so important.
Interview
What motivates you to prepare students for Cambridge English exams?
John: I am motivated by knowing that Cambridge English exams are synonymous with quality. Students gain an extremely valuable, internationally recognised qualification. Preparing students for these exams provides them with a true sense of purpose.
My motivation comes from the knowledge that Cambridge English exams encourage students to improve their language skills in personally meaningful ways. They are rewarded for their diligence at their respective levels of proficiency. Students must show determination and become more resilient by overcoming a challenge, which leads to a tangible goal.
By embarking on this journey, students not only improve their English skills but also develop transferable skills such ascommunication, collaboration, and critical thinking, which will ultimately help them in their future.
Additonally, from ateacher's perspective, Cambridge English exams make every classroom activity purposeful. It is incredibly satisfying to see how happy students are when they get their results!
What sets Cambridge English exams apart from others?
John: For me, it's clearly a matter of high quality and reliability. Additionally, Cambridge English exams offer sustainable and bespoke solutions to learners in a constantly changing educational environment. Their innovative exams, such as Linguaskill, and the flexibility and availability of computer-based exams make them particularly adaptable and relevant.
What advice would you give to teachers preparing students for Cambridge exams?
John: Each teacher is a trained professional and has their own way of approaching things, so any advice is neither prescriptive nor exhaustive.
It goes without saying that good teachers know that passion is the key. They should always find ways to tap into students' passions, making the content personally meaningful and the tasks enjoyable, without losing sight of the destination (i.e. exam success). The road to success has many twists and turns. The coursebook should not only be a roadmap, but also a catalyst and source of inspiration. Teachers need to explore different routes with their students along the way.
Based on my experience, my best advice is to figure out what works best given your specific circumstances and constraints. These may include the timetable, size of the class, diverse range of languages in the group, behavioural issues, learner types, and availability and accessibility of resources. Tailoring your approach to these factors will help you effectively prepare your students for the exams.
Here is a list of 11 simple pieces of advice:
- Get the head of school and parents on board!
- Get Swiss Exams to provide support to help promote your mission.
- Conduct a thorough students' needs assessment.
- Conduct a placement test to establish the range of language levels within the class/school.
- Decide which students need which content and define their short and long-term exam aims.
- Use a reliable LMS to deliver level-based content and provide a forum for communication and feedback.
- Deliver level-based content.
- Use a range of analogue and digital resources.
- Provide plenty of opportunities for collaboration, plenary inputs, one-to-one input, and peer-peer assessment.
- Get students to create e-portfolios.
- Encourage and enable students to become as autonomous as possible and try to reduce dependency on the teacher.
These are the key resources I use, which will assist you in preparing your students:
- Exams and tests | Cambridge English
- Cambridge coursebooks such as Compact, Think, Prepare etc.
- The Teacher's Handbooks for each level (cambridgeenglish.org), especially the essay examples with examiners' feedback (do this with the students pretending to be examiners!)
- Cambridge One
- EnglishRevealed - Cambridge English exam preparation
- Cambridge English exam preparation: PET, FCE, CAE, CPE, IELTS at Flo-Joe
- Write & Improve
- Cambridge English
How do you integrate Cambridge English exam preparation into your regular curriculum?
John: The coursebook I use (Compact A2, B1, B2, C1) is an ideal resource forintegrating Cambridge English exam preparation into regular classes. Each unit contains specific exam tasks that replicate those in the actual exams,providing scaffolding to help students develop the necessary skills.
However, virtually any class activity can prepare students for Cambridge English exams if you make the tasks relevant to specific parts of a specific exam, explicitly making this connection clear to the students. There must be a direct link between classroom activities and the exam requirements, and it is crucial to make students aware of this relevance.
For example, a class discussion or project about school uniforms, pop music, films, or famous people can help develop the language skills needed for an FCE Speaking Part 3 discussion or an FCE Part 1 Writing essay. By aligning classroom activities with exam tasks, students can see the practical application of their learning and understand how it prepares them for the exams.
How do you keep your students motivated throughout the exam preparation process?
John: I often emphasise the relevance and importance of the exams and try to be as passionate and enthusiastic as possible. This enthusiasm is hopefully infectious, and students tend to buy into it. Additionally, students seem to appreciate the inherent prestige of being associated with something as renowned as Cambridge University. They enjoy having a common goal and often feel a sense of pride when they start seeing positive results.
Good grades are a significant motivator for students, and aligning these grades with CEFR levels helps nurture and sustain their motivation. It is crucial to award grades based on students' respective CEFR levels, and the tests need to reflect this. This approach ensures that every student has a fair chance of achieving a respectable grade at their level. I rely on and use the level-based Cambridge assessment scales to justify the grades to students and parents, which further fuels motivation.
Ultimately, keeping students motivated is also about staying motivated as a teacher. I achieve this by sharing ideas and experiences, staying up to date with innovations and trends (such as how to exploit AI), and engaging in continual professional development through resources like Swiss Exams webinars.