So, when I teach the Eiken students, I usually go over the format of the interview, Practice reading, practice the pictures, and questions.
Yesterday, a coworker came up to me and said that I was teaching them wrongly because I was teaching them to directly quote the card in front of them because the question will always be from that card. The teacher said “no, thats wrong. you need to teach them to paraphrase by using “by”.
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Example: Student volunteers read stories to children, and by doing so they help them to beome more intrested in books.
Q: According to the passage, how do student voulnteers help children become more intrested in books?
My answer: Student volunteers read stories to children, and by doing so they help them to beome more intrested in books.
Coworkers answer: By reading stories to children.
Question is: Will student A lose points because they are directly quoting the card for the answer?
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Edit: I didn’t even know there were help textbooks, so Im gonna start there and revise this. I think im more frustrated at the fact that a teacher told me to do this, and didn’t give me direction. T\_T. Its par for the course I guess. But now that I know there are resources out there, it makes it way easier! Thank you everyone for your help!
9 comments
Yes, or more accurately, not get points.
The reading question tests comprehension, but also your ability to pull out only the requested information and not superfluous information, and use pronouns (your answer repeated student volunteers rather than use ‘they’)
Do you have the standard interview textbook? They show examples exactly like this, with full and partial point answers.
Your coworker is correct. The way you’re having them answer is unnatural.
Your school library very likely has MANY textbooks full of interview practice questions and sample answers. Ask them for one.
Alternatively, you can find examples online if you Google.
As others said, they will not get maximum points. It is key to show they can not only find the phrases, but show comprehension.
How, must they say “by reading stories to children” exactly? Nope. Student could say “They read stories to the kids,” or “By reading stories aloud to the kids” or other paraphrased versions of the information. Direct quotation of the sentence is not the best choice.
source: serve as native English examiner for EIKEN
Eiken has a virtual test on their website that you should do yourself. Then, look at the former tests. Bookstores carry them if your school doesn’t have any.
Not the answer to your question but as a former examiner one piece of advice for your test prep is to do test practice where you give absolutely zero hints. I had so many students freeze up and crumble when they (seemingly) expected a little hint or encouragement and got nothing. I suspect this was because during practice their teacher had been giving them hints or somehow helping them along. Try to separate the teaching and the test practice.
Eiken is out of 5 points for a question.
If the pronoun isn’t changed (student volunteers = they or using by) then it’s minus 1 point.
If there is too much information then it’s also minus 1 point.
If the answer is incorrect then they get 2 points.
In other words, your answer would give them 3 points. Your coworker’s answer would given them the full 5 points.
Just buy one of the past interview tests. Your teacher is right you need to change the pronoun to get full marks.
It depends on the level. Up to 2 you can just say “The girl said “I want…'” Whereas from Eiken pre-1 you need to switch the pronouns.
Referring to the official Eiken book (for sale everywhere) you can check the sample answers in the answer book.
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