CERTIFICATE OF ENGLISH

LANGUAGE USE FOR SCHOOLS

-SECONDARY SCHOOL LEVEL-

A HANDBOOK FOR
TEACHERS

ISSN 978-987-82817-1-1
CERTIFICATE OF ENGLISH
LANGUAGE USE FOR SCHOOLS
-SECONDARY SCHOOL LEVEL-

A HANDBOOK FOR
TEACHERS

Arellano, Cecilia
Collado, Alicia
Dudulec, Patricia
Ortiz, Analía
Páez Logioia, Leonor
Rossi, Ana Paula
Tolaba Franasik, Nadya

SAN LUIS
2024

ISSN 978-987-82817-1-1
 COMPILADORES Y EDITORES
CECILIA ARELLANO Cecilia Arellano es Profesora de Lengua Inglesa, Especialista en Enseñanza Superior,
Especialista en Educación Superior en TIC y Educación y realizó la Actualización Académica
en Gestión y Gobierno de las Instituciones Educativas. Es Magíster en Enseñanza Superior.
Actualmente es doctoranda del Doctorado en Ciencias de la Educación de la UNCuyo. Es
profesora responsable de las unidades curriculares: Fonética y Fonología Inglesa I, II y III del
Profesorado de Inglés del IFDC-SL. Se desempeña como Directora de Extensión del
IFDC-SL desde el 2018, a cargo de la organización y concreción de proyectos
institucionales referidos a Formación Continua, investigación y procesos de comunicación
inter e intrainstitucionales para la comunidad educativa del instituto y el SEP. Ha
participado de diversas capacitaciones y proyectos de investigación relacionados con la
enseñanza del inglés para docentes del sistema educativo de la provincia de San Luis.

ALICIA COLLADO Alicia Collado es Magíster en Inglés, Mención Literatura Angloamericana, y Profesora de
Inglés, ambos por la Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto. Actualmente es doctoranda del
Doctorado en Letras de la UNCuyo. Se desempeña desde hace 17 años como Profesora
Responsable de la asignatura Culturas Anglófonas, de cuarto año del Profesorado de
Inglés de IFDC San Luis. Además se desempeña como Auxiliar de primera para la
asignatura Inglés en carreras del Departamento de Comunicación de la Facultad de
Ciencias Humanas de la Universidad Nacional de San Luis. Ha sido becaria del Programa
Bilateral Asistente de Idioma Fulbright-Ministerio de Educación durante los años
2008-2009 y ha participado de diversas capacitaciones y proyectos de investigación
relacionados con la enseñanza del inglés para docentes del sistema educativo de la
provincia de San Luis.

PATRICIA DUDULEC Patricia E. Dudulec es Profesora Nacional de inglés egresada del Instituto Superior del
Profesorado Joaquín V. González, CABA, Buenos Aires. Además, es Licenciada en
Educación con especialización en coordinación, evaluación y diseño de la enseñanza
(Universidad Nacional de Quilmes), actualmente a la espera de la defensa oral del Trabajo
Final de la Especialización en Educación Superior de la Universidad Nacional de San Luis,
en donde se desempeña desde el 2019 como docente de los cursos de Inglés General e
Inglés para Propósitos Específicos, en primer y cuarto año de la Licenciatura en
Psicomotricidad de la Facultad de Psicología. Hace cuatro años es profesora responsable
del espacio curricular Prácticas Discursivas IV del 4to año del Profesorado en Inglés en el
IFDC-SL. Como parte de su labor docente en dicha institución, ha colaborado en el dictado
de cursos de capacitación para docentes del sistema educativo de la provincia de San Luis,
y ha participado en proyectos de investigación relacionados a la enseñanza de la lengua
cultura inglesa.

ANALÍA ORTIZ Analía Ortiz es profesora de Inglés, egresada en el Instituto de Formación Docente San
Luis. Desde el año 2019 se desempeña como Profesora Auxiliar de Práctica de la
Enseñanza y Residencia Pedagógica, unidades curriculares pertenecientes a tercero y

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 cuarto año del Profesorado de Inglés del IFDC San Luis. Además se desempeña como
profesora de LCE Inglés en el nivel primario. Ha participado en el dictado de diversas
capacitaciones relacionadas con las prácticas profesionalizantes y la enseñanza del inglés
para docentes del sistema educativo de la provincia de San Luis.

ANA PAULA ROSSI Ana Paula Rossi es Profesora de Inglés, egresada del Instituto de Formación Docente
Continua San Luis y maestranda en la Universidad de Belgrano. Actualmente trabaja en su
tesis para obtener el título de Magíster en Traducción. En 2018, realizó un voluntariado en
St Teresa's School en Effingham, Surrey, Inglaterra, donde se desempeñó como asistente en
boarding school y auxiliar de español en el departamento de lenguas modernas lo que le
permitió insertarse en el sistema educativo británico. Durante su estancia en el Reino
Unido, completó múltiples capacitaciones afines a temáticas educativas. En la actualidad,
forma parte del equipo docente del IFDC, San Luis donde se desempeña como Profesora
Auxiliar en las unidades curriculares Práctica de la Enseñanza para tercer año y Residencia
Pedagógica para cuarto año del Profesorado de Inglés. Asimismo, se desempeña como
profesora de inglés en el Instituto de Idiomas, dependiente de la Universidad de la Punta,
San Luis, donde desarrolla competencias en la enseñanza de idiomas en modalidad remota.
Se ha desempeñado como profesora de LCE inglés en primer ciclo de educación primaria y
ha colaborado en la organización y dictado de diversas capacitaciones y jornadas para
docentes en la ciudad de San Luis, Argentina.

MARÍA LEONOR María Leonor Páez Logioia es Profesora de Lengua y Literatura Inglesa Traductora Pública
PÁEZ LOGIOIA de Inglés; ambos títulos obtenidos en la Escuela de Lenguas de la Universidad Nacional de
Córdoba. Además, es especialista en Educación y TIC (Instituto Nacional de Formación
Docente) y diplomada en Neuropsicoeducación (Asociación Educar) Neurociencia
Educacional (Universidad Nacional de San Luis). Trabaja desde hace 24 años en el IFDC
San Luis, donde es Profesora Responsable de la asignatura Didáctica de la Lengua Inglesa
y Profesora Auxiliar de Tecnologías para el Aprendizaje de la Lengua-Cultura Extranjera,
espacios correspondientes al tercer año del Profesorado de Inglés. Como parte de sus
tareas docentes en el IFDC San Luis, realiza tareas de capacitación docente y trabajos de
investigación en áreas relacionadas con la enseñanza y el aprendizaje de inglés como
lengua extranjera.

NADYA TOLABA Nadya Tolaba es profesora de Inglés, egresada del Instituto de Formación Docente
Continua en el año 2013. Actualmente se encuentra cursando la Licenciatura en Inglés en
la Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Durante los años 2016 y 2018 fue becada por la
Comisión Fulbright y el British Council para realizar tareas como estudiante en la
Universidad de California Los Angeles (UCLA) y como asistente de idioma español en el
colegio Belle Vue Girl’s Academy en la ciudad de Bradford, West Yorkshire. Desde el año
2016 trabaja en el IFDC San Luis, primero como auxiliar en los espacios curriculares
Prácticas Discursivas II y Prácticas Discursivas III (2017 a 2021). Actualmente se
desempeña como auxiliar en el espacio curricular Introducción a las Literaturas en Inglés
(2021 - continua). Ha realizado cursos de postgrado correspondiente a la maestría en
inglés de la Universidad de Río Cuarto entre los años 2017 a 2020. Su labor docente
también se extiende al ámbito de la educación primaria. Es docente de inglés en 6to grado
en el Instituto Privado Aleluya (desde 2014 y continua).

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 CERTIFICATE OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE USE FOR SCHOOLS
-SECONDARY SCHOOL LEVEL-
A HANDBOOK FOR TEACHERS

INTRODUCTION TO THE EXAM

1 WHO ARE WE?

Instituto de Formación Docente Continua San Luis (IFDC-SL) is a fairly young

higher education institution based in San Luis (Argentina) that opened its doors in

September 2000. One of the main characteristics of this educational institution is that it

fulfills three main and interrelated functions that complement each other:

undergraduate education, ongoing teacher training, and research on educational

practices. One of these functions, ongoing teacher training, involves attending to the

needs and demands of the educational system of the Province of San Luis in relation to

the teaching and learning processes of English as a foreign language-culture, as well

as providing solutions to difficulties or problems that may arise.

1.1 HOW DID IT ALL START?

The idea of having an examination center at the IFDC San Luis originated some

years ago when several local schools expressed their need for an external entity that

could determine and certify the English language proficiency level of their students.

This demand was based on the need for a local test that would be adapted not only to

the particular contexts of the students but also to the jurisdictional curricular

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guidelines published by the Ministry of Education in 2020 and 2021. As an institution

dedicated to responding to the demands and needs of the educational system of the

Province of San Luis, we began to think about the characteristics of such an exam. We

agreed on a topic-based exam that would integrate the different skills; an exam that

would effectively reflect the students’ comprehension of oral and written texts as well

as their critical understanding of authentic material, and their written production of

texts belonging to current textual genres, among other ideas. In short, it is an exam

that would reflect the students’ true intercultural communicative competence.

Although the project had been put on hold due to the pandemic until 2023, when a

local school requested that we certified the English level of their students, we quickly

set to work. We invite you now to explore our work and read the rationale behind it.

1.2 THE THEORY BEHIND: WHY TO ASSESS LANGUAGE LEVEL AT SCHOOL

This section briefly describes the rationale behind the design of our exams, more

precisely, why we consider it necessary and relevant to assess students’ level of

proficiency with the English language proficiency at school. We also explore questions

related to our conception of assessment, the conception of assessment present in the

jurisdictional curricular guidelines, and our decisions of what to assess and how to go

about it.

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We depart from the definition of assessment provided by Anijovic and

Cappelletti1 (2017), which situates it in the intersection between teaching and learning,

that is to say, as an integral and essential aspect of the teaching and learning

processes. Assessment is not a judgemental tool to judge the quality of students’ work

or performance in an exam, but a measurement tool that allows the teacher to gather

information about the current situation of students. In this context, we follow Anijovich

and Cappelletti’s conception of assessment as an opportunity. An opportunity for

what? An opportunity for learning.

According to this conception, assessing the students’ level of language

proficiency does not simply imply obtaining a certification, that is, certifying or

determining whether the students have acquired the minimum competencies required

to reach a certain level of language proficiency in English. In our view, it involves a

two-fold process. On the one hand, it guides teachers to critically analyze their

teaching process, since it provides answers to questions such as how much and how

well students have learned. On the other hand, it provides valuable information

regarding students’ strengths and weaknesses, what they need to improve, and what

learning and teaching strategies might be implemented for that end.

In this sense, the student is no longer seen as a subject of learning, but rather as

a subject of knowledge. In other words, the focus is not placed on what the student

can say or write about a certain concept, but on what he/she can do with that concept,

and how he/she can use it and apply it to real-life situations. This cosmovision is

1
Anijovich, R. & Cappelletti, G. (2017). La evaluación como oportunidad. Paidós. Retrieved from:
https://fcen.uncuyo.edu.ar/catedras/laevaluacioncomooportunidadanijovichcappelletticompressed.pdf.
Traducción de las autoras.

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closely connected to the view of language and education as social processes,

historically situated and culturally mediated. As such, both languages and education, in

particular language teaching, do not exist in the vacuum, but are embedded in diverse

and complex socio-cultural and historical contexts that influence how we use and how

we teach a language.

Having in mind the growing complexity and interconnectedness of today’s

world, it becomes essential to gear the teaching and learning processes to the dynamic

needs of present-day society. Among them, we can mention the emergence of new

competencies or “new literacies”, such as critical literacy, intercultural literacy,

emotional literacy, digital literacy, intercultural communicative competence, and

problem-solving skills. These new competences demand, for sure, the implementation

of innovative and efficient teaching processes and methodologies, and thus,

meaningful and effective assessment processes. In this sense, it is also crucial to revise

what to assess and how to do it.

2.1 WHAT DO THE JURISDICTIONAL CURRICULAR GUIDELINES SAY ABOUT

ASSESSMENT AND WHAT ARE THE REFERENCE LEVELS?

The approach to English language teaching suggested by the jurisdictional

curricular guidelines for the ciclo orientado (4th, 5th and 6th years from secondary

school) recognizes the teaching and learning foreign languages as more than just an

academic subject in the school curricula. Foreign language learning serves as a

medium for intercultural communication and cultural understanding, the appreciation

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of differences, and the value of diversity. This perspective not only fosters cultural

self-awareness, but also encourages active participation in building a more equitable

society from a contextualized, multilingual, intercultural, democratic, and inclusive

perspective. The ultimate goal of foreign language teaching and learning goes beyond

linguistic exchanges. It aims to cultivate linguistic, pragmatic, problem-solving, and

socio-affective skills through six areas: oral and written comprehension, oral and

written expression, reflection on the target language, and development of intercultural

communicative competence. Through these practices, students will be equipped to

effectively engage in authentic linguistic contexts of communication, thereby enhancing

their proficiency in the language and successfully communicating across cultures.

The Diseño Curricular Jurisdiccional describes three (3) main tracks in the

learning of English as a foreign language-culture students might follow during

secondary school considering the interplay between two main variables:

A- The number of teaching hours devoted to English per week.

B- The number of years English is part of the school curricula at secondary

school.

Besides, each track has two main “paths” based on whether students have

received English lessons during primary school or not. The three (3) main tracks

students can go through during secondary school are then based on the levels of

language competence described in the Common European Framework of Reference for

Languages (CEFR), whose latest version was published by the Council of Europe in

2020. The levels described in each track and their corresponding path are relevant

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tools for teachers to choose their class material appropriately, in order to set realistic

and achievable goals in the short and the long run.

1- Tracks with 4 teaching hours per week, throughout the three years of the ciclo

orientado (4th, 5th, and 6th year).

1st year 2nd year 3rd year 4th year 5th year 6th year

Path A A1 A1 A1+ A2 A2+ B1

Path B A1+ A2 A2 B1 B1 B2

2- Tracks with 3 teaching hours per week, throughout the three years of the ciclo

orientado (4th, 5th, and 6th year).

1st year 2nd year 3rd year 4th year 5th year 6th year

Path A A1 A1 A1+ A2 A2 A2+

Path B A1+ A2 A2 A2+ B1 B1

3- Tracks with 3 teaching hours per week, throughout two years of the ciclo orientado

(4th and 5th year).

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1st year 2nd year 3rd year 4th year 5th year 6th year

Path A A1 A1 A1+ A2 A2 —

Path B A1+ A2 A2 A2+ B1 —

Regarding evaluation, some central notions about the epistemological

positioning assumed by the Ministry of Education of the province of San Luis are made

explicit in the jurisdictional guidelines. Evaluation is understood as a systematic,

intentional process of searching for data about an aspect or object of reality, oriented

and organized based on agreed criteria. Grounded on the information obtained, the

teacher then makes a value judgment that allows him/her to make decisions to

promote learning; decisions that would favor and enhance the learning process. The

implementation of evaluations in a classroom is done, then, through a formative

approach, to the extent that the evidence about the students’ achievements is

obtained, interpreted, and used by both teachers and students, to make decisions

about their next steps in the teaching and process, respectively.

In this sense, evaluative practices should be planned to preserve their

democratic, formative, systematic, and intentional sense. Córdoba Gómez2 (2006)

states that “the evaluation of students should be a transparent and open process,

consensual and without any veil of mystery that hides its intentionality, so that it

2
Córdoba Gómez, F. (2006). La evaluación de los estudiantes: una discusión abierta. Revista
Iberoamericana de Educación. Retrieved from:
https://rieoei.org/historico/deloslectores/1388Cordoba-Maq.pdf. Traducción de las autoras.

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 CERTIFICATE OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE USE FOR SCHOOLS
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A HANDBOOK FOR TEACHERS

becomes an area of opportunity and at the same time a mirror in which teachers and

students can recognize themselves and their actions”. These practices determine

school trajectories insofar as they impact on the subjectivity of students in our schools.

This invites us to reflect on the importance of these processes in the formation of the

students’ human dimension.

Continuing within this vision, the jurisdictional guidelines promote what

Anijovich calls an “authentic evaluation”. But what makes an evaluation authentic?

Authentic evaluation tasks:

- are designed to represent actual performance,

- present learners with complex intellectual or motor challenges that lead them

to do their own investigative work and to use their knowledge in open-ended,

unstructured tasks, so that the development of metacognitive and problem-solving

skills becomes essential,

- have an evaluation criteria that allows the assessment of essential aspects at

different levels, instead of focusing on rigid standards based on binary answers. These

criteria are openly expressed to the students, in order to let them know the assessment

tasks and criteria in advance.

3. HOW TO USE THIS BOOKLET

Learning English means enjoying and using the language as a tool to access

different opportunities worldwide and unlock a lifetime of experiences. While English

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A HANDBOOK FOR TEACHERS

has proved to be helpful in leading people to successful communication, it has also

expanded geographical borders to bring communities all over the world even closer.

In the present worldwide context, characterized by interconnectedness, growing

mass communication, increasing mobility, and the transgression of borders and

frontiers, English has become “the working tongue of the global village” (Svartvik &

Leech3, 2006, p. 1), which has brought important challenges to the teaching and

learning processes attached to it. In this light, as educators, we consider it of

paramount importance to suggest innovative proposals that would enrich the teaching

and learning processes of English as an international language in the particular context

of our schools in San Luis, Argentina. In this regard, we focus on the value of

assessment as a highly relevant tool not only to monitor students’ progress, but also to

enhance the teaching and learning of English in a meaningful and purposeful manner.

This guide has been carefully designed to aid teachers and students in the

training process for the exam. It contains specific information and material created to

conduct and encourage continuous progression with a clear path to improve language

skills while revising our teaching practices in the process.

What follows is an overall description of the exam organization, its main

sections and activity types, as well as the general assessment criteria adopted.

3.1. OVERALL EXAM DESCRIPTION

The Certificate of English Language Use for Schools is a qualification designed

3
Svartvik, J. & Leech, G. (2006). English: One Tongue, Many Voices. Macmillan.

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for secondary school students. It aims to assess students’ comprehension of oral and

written authentic materials, as well as their ability to produce texts belonging to

current textual genres. Therefore, the exam consists of three equally important

sections: listening, reading, and writing, and is structured to be completed within a

two-hour timeframe.

Unlike traditional exams, it is not intended to be a pass or a fail; rather, it serves

as a reflection of each student’s individual performance in each section. Since

language learning involves the acquisition of language skills that may develop at

different rates and levels of proficiency, each exam section is independently certified,

indicating the level of English competence achieved by the students, which can be

Pre-A1, A1, A1+, A2, A2+, B1, or, in those cases where none of these levels are met,

'Below Standard'.

3.2. EXAM SECTIONS AND ACTIVITIES

A successful and effective journey starts with great planning. Each section in the

exam needs to be carefully revised in order to make the most out of them. Currently,

the exam aims to test and develop listening, reading, and writing skills. For practical

purposes, students must record their answers in the Answer Sheet following the

instructions carefully. Here is detailed information on each section and the type of

activities to focus on:

● Listening section

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Students need to demonstrate their ability to comprehend a variety of spoken

material such as podcasts, interviews, tutorials, documentaries, or everyday life

interactions presented in one audio or audiovisual text. The section includes

before-listening activities and while-listening activities:

- The before-listening activities are meant to be completed before actually

playing the audio material. Their purpose is to activate the student’s

previous knowledge on the topic, set the scene, and recall vocabulary

relevant to the upcoming audio or audiovisual material.

- The while-listening activities aim to draw students’ attention to key

aspects of the text, guiding students from a general to a more detailed

understanding. Possible task types in this part are: ordering information,

identifying true/false/not included information, and multiple choice

questions, with single or multiple correct answers.

● Reading section

Students are expected to read and understand a variety of texts, ranging from

newspaper and magazine articles to infographics and fictional texts. This section

tests students’ ability to understand the overall organization of a text as well as

its details. The section includes before-reading and while reading activities:

- The before-reading activities are intended to be completed before

approaching the reading material by contextualizing it, activating

knowledge on the topic or directing attention towards it.

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- The while-reading activities check students’ comprehension, moving from

an overall to a more detailed understanding of the text. Tasks in this part

may include: ordering information, identifying true/false/not included

information, multiple choice questions with single or multiple correct

answers, recognizing main ideas, and synthesizing information.

● Writing Section

Students need to be able to respond to a question or opinion in a variety of

written genres (post, e-mail, review, whatsapp message, etc). This section tests

students’ ability to write in English, focusing on the content, communicative

achievement, language, and organization of the text they produce. Students will

have the option to choose between two different activities, both requiring them

to produce a 50-80 words text on the same topic covered throughout the other

sections of the exam.

As regards assessment, we adopt the can-do statements for each level in the

Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR). The can-do statements describe

what learners can independently do at each level and help pave the way to higher

levels. The descriptors presented in the CEFR have been updated and extended in a

large-scale international project resulting in the publication of the CEFR Companion

volume4 in 2020.
4
Council of Europe (2020). Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning,
Teaching, Assessment. Companion volume. Retrieved from:
https://rm.coe.int/common-european-framework-of-reference-for-languages-learning-teaching/16809ea
0d4

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PRACTICE TESTS
Taking mock exams not only helps students familiarize with the exam format

but also allows them to practice time management skills and test-taking strategies. In

this next section, you will find different practice tests on the diverse skills, their answer

sheets, and the keys for the teachers to correct them.

While working with the practice tests and the mock exam, train students to:

● Understand instructions in English

● Resort to compensation strategies

● Register their answers in the answer sheet provided

● Write in pencil and with a clear handwriting

● Revise the answer sheet before handing it in

INSTRUCTIONS FOR TEACHERS AND STUDENTS

● The following practice tests have been designed to be taken in the lapse of a 80
minute class.
● All answers should be written in the answer sheet. Answers that have not been
written on the answer sheet will not be considered.
● All answers in the answer sheet must be written in CAPITAL LETTERS.
● Students are allowed to take a pencil, a rubber, a pencil sharpener and water in
a clear see-through bottle into the exam room, but nothing else. These items are
personal and cannot be interchanged with other students during the exam. It is

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important that they know about this in advance so that they can bring their own
elements.
● Students are not allowed to leave the exam room while the exam is in progress.
● Dictionaries, phones or any other electronic devices are not allowed during the
exam.
● Students should listen carefully to the instructions the teacher provides. They
should be able to solve the tasks in the exam on their own. Teachers can only
provide short explanations related to the technical parts of the exam, e.g: time
to do the exam, use of the answer sheet, etc.
● At the end of the exam, each student should hand in the exam, the additional
text for the reading part and the answer sheet to the teacher and leave the
examination room. It is important that both, the exam and the text, remain
unscratched.
● All the exam material is confidential and cannot be used for any other purpose
other than the one stated in the agreement with the IFDC-SL. It is also forbidden
to take pictures and modify the exam in any way or to share it by any means of
communication.

You will find the audiovisual material for the Practice Tests and the Mock test by
scanning the following QR codes.

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 PRACTICE TEST 1: LISTENING

AI Robot Capable of Human Emotions

The activities that follow are based on the video “Meet the AI robot capable of human
emotions”, taken from 60 Minutes Australia.

BEFORE LISTENING

Complete the following activities BEFORE watching the video. Please, write your answers
in the Answer Sheet provided.

Activity 1
Match the following emotions to the short definitions below.

a) the feeling of being unhappy,

especially because something bad

has happened.

1. Surprise b) the feeling caused by something

2. Joy unexpected happening.

3. Anger c) a strong feeling of annoyance,

4. Sadness displeasure, or hostility.

5. Confusion d) a situation in which people do not

understand what is happening.

e) a feeling of great pleasure and

happiness.

WHILE LISTENING

Do the following activities WHILE you watch the video carefully.

Activity 2
Which of the following activities does Ameca say she can do? Tick the correct
option on the answer sheet.

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 PRACTICE TEST 1: LISTENING

6. Have a conversation.
7. Sing different songs.
8. Dance.
9. Write poems.
10. Do impressions from films.
11. Speak in different languages.

Activity 3
Choose the right option for each question. Write A, B or C on the answer sheet.

12. The interviewer is from…

A- England
B- Australia
C- New Zealand

13. Ameca can sing Elthon John’s …

A- Cold Heart
B- I’m Still Standing
C- Rocket Man

14. Ameca can compose a …

A- Haiku poem
B- Lyrical poem
C- Sonnet

15. Among the things that make Ameca happy, she mentions…
A- Understanding the world better.
B- Interacting with humans.
C- Learning maths.

16. Ameca doesn’t feel angry when…

A- humans are rude.
B- humans are disrespectful.
C- humans are violent.

17. Ameca can feel the following emotions: Joy, surprise, confusion, anger and…
A- Happiness
B- Sadness
C- Emptiness

20
 PRACTICE TEST 1: LISTENING

Activity 4
Complete the following sentences with the word/words missing.
● Ameca has a range of 18. ………………… and emotions that were programmed into her.

● She doesn't like when people dismiss her or 19. …………………… her needs.

● Her eyes were made to interact 20. ……………………better.

● Ameca thinks her creator is a 21. …………………… because he created something that

would last 22. ………………………..

21
 PRACTICE TEST 1: LISTENING - ANSWER SHEET

FULL NAME: ……………………………………………………………………………………..…………………………………..…..

ID NUMBER:.......................................

COURSE: ………………….. SCHOOL: …………………………………………….…………… DATE:.........................

BEFORE LISTENING

Activity 1

1 2 3 4 5

WHILE LISTENING

Activity 2

6 7 8 9 10 11

Activity 3

12 13 14 15 16 17

Activity 4

18

19

20

21

22

22
 PRACTICE TEST 2: READING

A Quiz on Artificial Intelligence

The activities that follow are based on the text “Artificial Intelligence”, published by the IET
(The Institution of Engineering and Technology).

BEFORE READING

Complete the following activities BEFORE reading the text. They are based on your
previous knowledge about the topic “Artificial Intelligence”. Please, write your answers in
the Answer Sheet provided.

Activity 1
Tick between two or four uses of AI you are familiar with.

1. Recommendation systems in Spotify or Netflix

2. Email filters on Gmail for Spam or social messages
3. Self-driving cars
4. Chat GTP
5. Object detection
6. Google lens search engine for translation

Activity 2
Match the examples (7-16) with the corresponding uses of AI (a-g). There are
some examples you can match more than once.

7. Spam and Social messages a. Virtual assistants

8. Siri b. Autonomous vehicles

9. Playlists in Spotify c. Security systems

10. Self-driving cars d. Email filters

11. Google lens for translation e. Personalised recommendation

12. Fingerprint recognition systems

13. Virtual chatbots f. Online language translator

14. Facial recognition g. Online customer service

15. Movies or series in Netflix

23
 PRACTICE TEST 2: READING

16. Google assistant

WHILE READING

Do the following activities WHILE you read the text carefully.

Activity 3
Read about the uses of Artificial Intelligence. Write the heading for each
paragraph (17-21). BE CAREFUL, there are extra headings you don’t need to
use.

Business - Education - Automotive - Healthcare - Entertainment-

Home - E-commerce - Graphic Design

Activity 4
Read the text again. In which paragraph (17-21) do we find this information?
Write numbers 22-31, or an X if that information is not present in the text.
22. Cars don't need drivers anymore.

23. Tesla uses AI to power its self-driving cars.

24. AI can control different devices in our houses.

25. Businesses are increasingly using virtual assistants and chatbots powered by AI to
offer 24/7 customer service.

26. AI can suggest what music to listen to.

27. AI robots will soon perform medical operations.

28. AI can help teachers with their work.

29. Sales are boosted and customer satisfaction is enhanced.

30. AI helps video games look more realistic.

31. AI tutors can teach online lessons.

24
 PRACTICE TEST 2: READING

Activity 5
Complete these sentences with words from the text. Use the whole text.
BE CAREFUL! There are extra words you do not need to use.

surgeries - control - problem solving - ethical - medicines - grade - behavior -

machines - reminders - algorithms - sensors - heating

32. AI uses ………………………….to simulate human intelligence.

33. AI can provide ……………………….about future events.

34. AI can imitate the …………………………….of video game players.

35. Intelligent cars use …………………….to spot barriers in roads.

36. Smart homes allow people to …………………. warming systems.

37. AI can be used by teachers to ……………….. students’ work.

38. AI applications help doctors perform …………………… .

39. Driverless cars present ……………… issues.

Activity 6
Are these statements from the text TRUE or FALSE? Circle the right option. Use
statements from the text to justify the false ones. Write them in the blanks
provided.

40. The text presents the application of Artificial Intelligence in different fields.

41. Artificial Intelligence is only performed by robots.

42. AI can facilitate different aspects of life. AI can make our lives easier.

43. You can contact the Institution of Engineering and Technology through Facebook,

Instagram and Twitter.

44. The text does not mention any disadvantages of AI.

25
 PRACTICE TEST 2: READING - ANSWER SHEET
FULL NAME: ……………………………………………………………………………………..…………………………………..…..

ID NUMBER:.......................................

COURSE: ………………….. SCHOOL: …………………………………………….…………… DATE:.........................

BEFORE READING

Activity 1

1 2 3 4 5 6

Activity 2

7 8 9 10 11

12 13 14 15 16

WHILE READING

Activity 3

17

18

19

20

21

Activity 4

22 23 24 25 26

27 28 29 30 31

26
 PRACTICE TEST 2: READING - ANSWER SHEET
Activity 5

32

33

34

35

36

37

38

39

Activity 6

40

41

42

43

44

27
 PRACTICE TEST 3: WRITING

A Quiz on Artificial Intelligence

WRITING

Choose ONE of the following options.

Option 1
Your teacher has sent you the following headline from an article about AI. Do you agree
with the idea that teachers could be replaced by robots in the future? Write a comment in at
least 30 words.
Write your comment in the answer sheet.

28
 PRACTICE TEST 3: WRITING

Option 2
You have just read the following Instagram post. Write a post expressing your opinion
about it. Use at least 30 words.
Write your comment in the answer sheet.

29
 PRACTICE TEST 3: WRITING - ANSWER SHEET
FULL NAME: ……………………………………………………………………………………..…………………………………..…..

ID NUMBER:.......................................

COURSE: ………………….. SCHOOL: …………………………………………….…………… DATE:.........................

WRITING

Tick the option you chose

Option 1
Option 2

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

30
 PRACTICE TEST 4: WRITING

The activities that follow are based on the topic Artificial Intelligence.

WRITING

Choose ONE of the following options.

Option 1
Read the following statement. Write your comment in the answer sheet. Use at
least 30 words.

Option 2
Read the following statement. Write your comment in the answer sheet. Use at
least 30 words.

31
 PRACTICE TEST 4: WRITING - ANSWER SHEET
FULL NAME: ……………………………………………………………………………………..…………………………………..…..

ID NUMBER:.......................................

COURSE: ………………….. SCHOOL: …………………………………………….…………… DATE:.........................

WRITING

Tick the option you chose

Option 1
Option 2

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

32
 PRACTICE TEST 1: LISTENING - KEYS

AI Robot Capable of Human Emotions

The activities that follow are based on the video “Meet the AI robot capable of human
emotions”, taken from 60 Minutes Australia.

BEFORE LISTENING
Activity 1 1.25 POINTS- 0.25 each
Match the following emotions to the short definitions below.

1 B 2 E 3 C 4 A 5 D

WHILE LISTENING
Activity 2 2 POINTS- 0.5 each
Which of the following activities does Ameca say she can do? Tick the correct
option on the answer sheet.

6 ✔️ 7 ✔️ 8 9 ✔️ 10 ✔️ 11

Activity 3 3 POINTS - 0.5 each

Choose the right option.

12 B 13 C 14 A 15 A 16 C 17 B

Activity 4 5 POINTS- 1 point each

Complete the following sentences with the word/words missing.

18 feelings

19 ignore

20 with humans

21 genius

22 forever

Listening score: 11.25 points

Passing listening score: 7.87 (70%)

33
 PRACTICE TEST 2: READING - KEYS

A Quiz on Artificial Intelligence

BEFORE READING

Activity 1 0.25 POINT

Students are expected to tick between 2 and 4 statements.

Activity 2 1 POINT (0.10 each number)

7 D 8 A 9 E 10 B 11 F

12 C 13 G 14 C 15 E 16 A

WHILE READING

Activity 3 2.5 POINTS (0.5 each)

17 Healthcare

18 Education

19 Home

20 Entertainment

21 Automotive

Activity 4 5 POINTS (0.5 each)

22 21 23 X 24 19 25 X 26 19

27 17 28 18 29 X 30 20 31 X

Activity 5 4 POINTS (0.5 each)

32 algorithms

34
 PRACTICE TEST 2: READING - KEYS

33 reminders

34 behavior

35 sensors

36 control

37 grade

38 surgeries

39 Ethical

Activity 6 5 POINTS (1 each)

If the justification is missing or if the statement is not justified correctly, assign 0.5

40 T -

41 F AI is also performed by machines, apps, assistants.

42 T -

43 F Instagram is not mentioned.

44 F Their use raises ethical concerns, such as what happens if there is an

accident.

Reading score________/17.75
Passing score: 12.42 (70%)

35
 PRACTICE TESTS: WRITING

*These guidelines can be used to assess any piece of writing from the practice
tests sections.

Writing Activity 10 POINTS

Points Criteria

10 A- Very good attempt at the task.

B- No effort is required from the reader.
C- The message is fully communicated.

8 A- Good attempt at the task.

B- Minimal effort is required from the reader.
C- All elements of the message are communicated.

6 A- Satisfactory attempt at the task.

B- Some effort is required from the reader.
C- All elements of the message are communicated.

4 A- Inadequate attempt at the task.

B- Significant effort may be required from the reader.
C- The message is partly communicated.

2 A-Poor attempt at the task.

B- Excessive effort is required from the reader.
C- Very little of the message is communicated.

A- criterion refers to the adequacy of the production to the task/assignment.

B- criterion refers to the overall language use (syntax, spelling, capitalization and
punctuation, subject-verb agreement, verb tenses).

C- criterion refers to the intelligibility of the message in terms of its content (content
accuracy, word choice).

Writing score ________/10

Passing score: 6 points (60%)

36
 Centro Examinador de Lengua-Cultura Extranjera: Inglés del IFDC-SL

MOCK TEST EXAM

LISTENING SECTION

The activities that follow are based on the video “Sustainable Consumerism”.

BEFORE LISTENING

Complete the following activities BEFORE watching the video. They are based on your general
knowledge about sustainable consumerism. Please, write your answers in the Answer Sheet
provided.

Activity 1
Match the words with the definitions.

1. single-use products a. unwanted or unusable materials

2. waste b. ​that can be filled again after being empty

3. household appliances c. items which are used once, then thrown away

4. unplug d. to disconnect an electrical device

5. refillable e. related to products and systems that use as little

electricity, gas, etc. as possible

6. energy-saving f. devices or machines, usually electrical, that assist you

in some function or jobs at home

WHILE LISTENING

Do the following activities WHILE you listen to the video carefully. Please, write your answers in
the Answer Sheet provided.

37
 Centro Examinador de Lengua-Cultura Extranjera: Inglés del IFDC-SL

Activity 2
Order the tips mentioned in the video. Write letters A-D in the column or a X if they are
not mentioned.

TIP TIP number

7. Involve other people

8. Use household appliances all the time

9. Be intelligent when you go shopping

10. Save as much energy and resources as possible

11. Use electronic machines with care

12. Buy as much as you can

Activity 3
Read the following statements. Write T (True), F (False), or DS (doesn't say).

STATEMENTS T-F-DS

13. Small regular actions can make a difference.

14. Clothes consumption is related to the increase or decrease of CO2 emissions.

15. Organic and local products are more expensive.

16. The best option to avoid consumerism is to change household devices as often as possible.

17. Unplugging electronic devices can be dangerous.

18. Avoid printing to save paper.

19. If you want to save energy, take baths.

20. Using a bicycle is good for the environment and for your health.

21. To reduce consumerism, avoid paying attention to the media.

22. Share with other people to make the change possible.

38
 Centro Examinador de Lengua-Cultura Extranjera: Inglés del IFDC-SL

READING SECTION

The activities that follow are based on the article “Let’s talk about how consumerism affects the
environment”, by Abdul Rehman.

BEFORE READING

Complete the following activities BEFORE reading the article. They are based on your general
knowledge about consumerism. Please, write your answers in the Answer Sheet provided.

Activity 4
Put the words and phrases in the box into the correct category. There are two extra
words you do not have to use.

customer — environment — consumer — half-price — clothing items — shopper —

special offers — two for the price of one — bargain — dairy products — footwear —
population — electronic devices — buyer

23. Things we buy 24. People who buy 25. Discounts

WHILE READING

Do the following activities WHILE you read the text carefully.

Activity 5
Read the statements. Choose the right option.

26. Consumerism is…

a) the consumption of goods and services that harm the planet.
b) the result of excessive production due to rampant demands.
c) the overconsumption of non-essential goods and services.

39
 Centro Examinador de Lengua-Cultura Extranjera: Inglés del IFDC-SL

27. Look at the pronoun “it” in the first paragraph, what does it refer to?
a) Your house.
b) Any product.
c) More packaging.

28. Most of the products we consume contain…

a) plastics.
b) fossil fuels.
c) greenhouse gases.

29. Plastics contribute to the GHG emissions when…

a) they are transported.
b) they become waste.
c) A and B are correct.

30. Dairy products are an example of…

a) vegetal products.
b) animal products.
c) mineral products.

31. Deforestation is mostly caused by…

a) GHG emissions.
b) food-related production.
c) the extraction of fossil fuels.

32. Fish stocks are under enormous pressure because of…

a) the increase in the population rate.
b) climate change.
c) uncontrolled consumption.

33. The technology industry stimulates…

a) the quick substitution of electronic products.
b) the reuse of electronic waste.
c) the consumption of good quality electronic products.

40
 Centro Examinador de Lengua-Cultura Extranjera: Inglés del IFDC-SL

Activity 6
What do these numbers mean? Match the numbers (34-38) to their references (a-g).
There are two extra references you do not have to use.

34. 17 a. The kilograms of electronic waste generated every year per person.

35. 700 b. The percentage of GHG emissions generated by the clothing industry.

36. 3.2 c. The number of species damaged by fishing in the ocean.

37. 380.000.000 d. The amount of plastic produced annually.

38. 8 e. The number of species damaged by plastic waste in oceans.

f. The percentage of GHG emissions produced every year.

g. The percentage of electronic waste that is recycled annually.

41
 Centro Examinador de Lengua-Cultura Extranjera: Inglés del IFDC-SL

WRITING SECTION

Choose ONE of the following options:

Option 1
Write an Instagram post explaining how consumerism affects the environment and calling for
action. Use between 50 and 80 words.
Write your post in the Answer Sheet.

Option 2
You have just read the following Instagram post. Write a post expressing your opinion about it. Use
between 50 and 80 words.
Write your comment in the Answer Sheet.

42
 Centro Examinador de Lengua-Cultura Extranjera: Inglés del IFDC-SL
CERTIFICATE OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE USE

MOCK TEST EXAM

FULL NAME: ………………………………………….………………………………………..…..

ID NUMBER:.................................

COURSE: ………………….…….. SCHOOL: ………………………………………………

DATE:...................

LISTENING SECTION

BEFORE LISTENING
Activity 1

1 2 3 4 5 6

WHILE LISTENING
Activity 2

7 8 9 10 11 12

Activity 3

13. 14. 15. 16. 17.

18. 19. 20. 21. 22.

READING SECTION

BEFORE READING
Activity 4

23. Things we buy 24. People who buy 25. Discounts

43
 Centro Examinador de Lengua-Cultura Extranjera: Inglés del IFDC-SL
CERTIFICATE OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE USE

MOCK TEST EXAM

WHILE READING
Activity 5

26. 27. 28. 29.

30. 31. 32. 33.

Activity 6

34. 35. 36. 37. 38.

WRITING SECTION

Option 1 Option 2

_______________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

44
 Centro Examinador de Lengua-Cultura Extranjera: Inglés del IFDC-SL
CERTIFICATE OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE USE

MOCK EXAM KEYS

LISTENING SECTION

BEFORE LISTENING
Activity 1 0.5 each = 3 points

1. C 2. A 3. F 4. D 5. B 6. E

WHILE LISTENING
Activity 2 1 each = 6 points

7. D 8. x 9. A 10. C 11. B 12. x

Activity 3 1 each = 10 points

13. T 14. T 15. DS 16. F 17. F

18. DS 19. F 20. T 21. DS 22. T

READING SECTION

BEFORE READING
Activity 4 0.25 each = 3 points

23- Things we buy 24- People who buy 25- Discounts

clothing items customer half-price

footwear buyer bargain

electronic devices shopper two for the price of one

dairy products consumer special offers

Extra words: population - environment

45
 Centro Examinador de Lengua-Cultura Extranjera: Inglés del IFDC-SL
CERTIFICATE OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE USE

MOCK EXAM KEYS

WHILE READING
Activity 5 1 each = 8 points

26. C 27. B 28. A 29. C

30. B 31. B 32. C 33. A

Activity 6 1 each = 5 points

34. H 35. E 36. A 37. D 37. B

WRITING SECTION

Points Criteria

10 A- Very good attempt at the task.

B- No effort is required from the reader.
C- The message is fully communicated.

8 A- Good attempt at the task.

B- Minimal effort is required from the reader.
C- All elements of the message are communicated.

6 A- Satisfactory attempt at the task.

B- Some effort is required from the reader.
C- All elements of the message are communicated.

4 A- Inadequate attempt at the task.

B- Significant effort may be required from the reader.
C- The message is partly communicated.

2 A-Poor attempt at the task.

B- Excessive effort is required from the reader.
C- Very little of the message is communicated.

A- criterion refers to the adequacy of the production to the task/assignment.

46
 Centro Examinador de Lengua-Cultura Extranjera: Inglés del IFDC-SL
CERTIFICATE OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE USE

MOCK EXAM KEYS

B- criterion refers to the overall language use (syntax, spelling, capitalization and punctuation,
subject-verb agreement, verb tenses).

C- criterion refers to the intelligibility of the message in terms of its content (content accuracy,
word choice).

Listening score________/19
Passing score: 13.5 (70 %)

Reading score________/16
Passing score: 11.2 (70%)

Writing score ________/10

Passing score: 6 points (60 %)

Total score: ________/45.25

47
 CERTIFICATE OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE USE FOR SCHOOLS
-SECONDARY SCHOOL LEVEL-
A HANDBOOK FOR TEACHERS

AFTERWORD
A MESSAGE TO READERS AND USERS

As we come to the end of this handbook, we would like to thank you for

preparing your students for the Certificate of English Language Use. We deeply

appreciate the dedication and hard work that both students and teachers put into

developing their English language skills.

As you get students ready for the exam, remember that this booklet is not just a

collection of exercises and tips; it is a tool designed to boost their confidence and

enhance their competencies throughout this process. We invite you to extend practice

by including authentic materials within your classes. We also encourage you to work

through this booklet, identifying areas where students excel and those that require

more attention. Reflect on their progress regularly, celebrate their improvements, and

focus on the aspects that challenge them the most.

Finally, we would like to highlight that this journey is not just about passing an

exam; it is about developing students’ English language competencies and enhancing

our teaching practices at the secondary school level. We are looking forward to helping

you in the process!

“Remember to celebrate milestones as you prepare for the road ahead”

Nelson Mandela

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