English – Grade 5 CSC

English Grade 5 - May 2023 / Paper 1 & Paper 2

QUESTION RECOMMENDATIONS
READING & WRITING
Much more practice needed in answering this question. It is
PART 1 recommended that teachers pay more attention to drive
students’ attention towards more practice on holistic items.
PART 2 The question was clear and no problems were detected.
PART 3 It’s recommended that students pay more attention towards
spelling.
Students are advisable to stick to :
 e-mail layout.
 neat handwriting.
 word limit.
PART 4  A2 LEVEL Vocabulary.
 Correct punctuation, grammar & spelling.
-Through coursework, teachers are advised to follow
e-mail writing rubic
Listening
PART 1 The question was clear and no problems were detected.
PART 2 The question was clear and no problems were detected.

General comments :

Question 1: Reading comprehension:

-the passage is a bit hard considering some of The text is a bit hard considering the amount of B2 / C1 words
used. Beside the amount of compound and complex sentences is way too much.
-Item (5) must be holistic question which wasn’t the case in the exam.
Question 2: Multiple choice:
-Items no (7&10) are testing the same grammatical point which is not correct when writing the question.
Question 3: Open cloze:
-Item no (15) is incorrect as the sentence is missing so which changed the meaning of the sentence and made
the key written in the mark scheme applicable (THAT).Otherwise, that as an answer won’t be correct.

E-mail:

- Although the content elements were clear, there were a lot of compound sentences used.

Listening:
- Part 1:

- We recommend not having words which may cause stress to the examinee in the exam , like item 1: the key
was (BLOOD).
English – Grade 5 CSC

Performance Analysis: Strengths & Weaknesses:

Key messages

Question 1 (Reading Comprehension with MCQs):

Most candidates gave correct answers by citing the relevant sections of the text. However, a significant number of
candidates had trouble understanding the given text and choosing the right answers. Encouraging candidates to
read different types of texts and practice answering comprehension questions will aid in enhancing their reading
abilities.

Question 2 (Choosing the correct word to fill the gaps):

Many candidates faced difficulties in selecting the suitable words to complete the provided sentences. Consistent
practice in acquiring vocabulary and using words appropriately will help candidates improve in this aspect.

Question 3 (Writing - Fill in the blanks with one word):

Many candidates encountered difficulties in selecting appropriate words to fill in the blanks. This indicates a
requirement for more emphasis on grammar and vocabulary enhancement. Including more exercises and
practice sessions in the curriculum can aid candidates in enhancing this aspect of their writing skills.
Question 4 (Writing an Email):
The overall performance of candidates in writing emails was not satisfactory. It is suggested to offer extra training
and guidance. Assigning more email writing assignments with explicit instructions and samples can assist
candidates in improving their ability to compose emails.
Listening Part 1: Most of the candidates were able to successfully complete the sentences by filling in the missing
words, but some learners struggled to identify the necessary words while listening to the audio. The difficulty of
the task matched the students' level.
Listening Part 2: Question 2 posed a challenge for numerous candidates as they had to listen to an interview and
choose the correct answers. The difficulties faced could be attributed to issues in comprehending the context,
identifying pertinent information, and distinguishing between similar choices. To improve performance in this
question type, it is beneficial to concentrate on enhancing listening comprehension through a variety of listening
materials and focused practice.
Speaking:
Question 1:
Overall, the candidates demonstrated adequate skills in responding to personal questions and providing relevant
information. However, there is room for improvement as some candidates could be encouraged to give more
comprehensive answers through the use of follow-up questions.
Question 2:
Some candidates were successful in participating in a collaborative discussion and offering ideas based on the
pictures, while others had difficulty and did not contribute much. The candidates who struggled in this area would
benefit from additional guidance on how to effectively engage in collaborative discussions and increase their
active participation.

What to do to achieve better marks (Teacher’s role):

Comments on specific questions

English – Grade 5 CSC

Reading:

Part 1 focuses on reading comprehension. It requires learners to read a passage then choose one of four
multiple-choice options to answer five questions relating to the text.

The students had to carefully read each paragraph in order to select the correct answer to the question.
Students should understand that each of the options in the question is 'rooted' in the relevant section of the text.
That is, each option is plausible because it is directly related to information in the corresponding paragraph.

How to answer comprehension questions – Step-by-step

To teach you how to answer comprehension questions, we will first walk you through the process and then we’ll
work through an example with srudents.
The process we’ll look at is:
 Step 1: Read the questions
 Step 2: Unpack the questions
 Step 3: Read the text
 Step 4: Read for relevant information and techniques
 Step 5: Answer the questions – By :
 Identify and restate the keywords in the question
 Present your answer
 Incorporate your evidence
 Explain your example
 Conclude your response

Multiple choice:

Part 2: is a test of reading skills as well as lexical and grammatical knowledge. It focuses on text cohesion, or
how sentences and ideas within sentences are linked so that the entire text flows naturally. Learners must read a
passage and select one word from a list of four options to fill a gap. There are five gaps in the text, which are
evenly spaced.
The process we’ll look at is:
Multiple choice questions can be more difficult than they first appear as often two of the options are quite similar.
These tips will help you to do well in multiple choice questions.

 Step 1: Read all the options carefully. If possible, use what you know already to work out any options that
are not possible.
 Step 2: Eliminate options you are certain are wrong.
 Step 3: Find the part of the text with the information. Find key words in the text that tell you which option is
correct.
 Step 4: Look out for words such as always, never, might, may or could. They can help you decide if an
option is correct or not.
English – Grade 5 CSC

Open cloze:

Part 3 is testing reading skills as well as grammatical knowledge. It emphasizes text cohesion once more. It
requires students to read a short paragraph and fill in each of the five gaps with one word.
Learners need to remember: How to answer this question – Step-by-step
 to read the passage first to get a good understanding and process all the information carefully
 to be careful to look widely around gap and not just to look at the words immediate before and after the
gap. This might be the whole sentence, if the gap is in the middle, or even the sentences either side of this
 to complete the gap with one word only
 to re-read the passage once all gaps are filled to confirm that the completed sentence is coherent as well
as grammatically correct.

E-mail:

Part 4 is a writing task. Learners are asked to read a short email and then write a reply responding to the three
specific points made in the short email. Typically, the three points are presented as questions within the email.

Learners need to remember: How to answer this question – Step-by-step

Target reader would be fully informed. Message is communicated effectively at Grade 5 level with minimal errors.

Content
 The text includes everything asked for in the task. It includes all the important information.
 Is the email to and from the right person?
 Does it address all three notes mentioned in the task? (At least 3 notes with suitable expansion)
 Does the email include all relevant information in about 40-50 words?

Communicative Achievement
 The style of writing is appropriate for the task, and uses an appropriate style and relevant functions such
as agreeing or giving opinions.
 Is the text in the format of an email? ( Dear, ………………. Yours,)(lack of the appropriate
 Is it written in a style and tone appropriate (giving opinion when required, responding with relevant
info…..etc.)?

 Does the text use appropriate language and phrases to respond to the three notes?

Organisation
 The writing is well organised, logical and ordered. The ideas are connected using linking words and
cohesive devices.
 Does the text use paragraphs appropriately to organise ideas?
 Does the text use other organisational features of an email (for example, openings, closings, using linking
words and cohesive devices where needed)?
 Are the ideas balanced appropriately, with suitable attention and expansion given to each one?

Language
 The text uses a range of everyday vocabulary appropriately and simple grammatical forms accurately. If
there are mistakes, the reader can still understand the text.
 Does the text use a range of vocabulary appropriate for G5 students?
English – Grade 5 CSC

 Does the text use a range of simple grammar accurately (such as past tense to speak about past actions
and simple clauses)?
 Is the spelling accurate enough for the meaning to be clear?
 Is punctuation used correctly?

LISTENING AND SPEAKING:

Learners should be trained on listening and Speaking skills. It was clear that students needed to practice in those
areas by working on their Language constantly.

Formative assessment

The key characteristic of formative assessment is that learning will take place before and after the
assessment. The assessment is designed to help students:

1. Stay on track
2. Pivot if they are off track
3. Deepen their knowledge based on an assessment of what they currently know
4. Receive feedback on their progress

Similarly, it helps teachers:

1. Change their teaching strategies based on student needs

2. Assess students’ current knowledge to inform future instruction
3. Reflect on their own teaching practice for continual improvement

Examples For very effective formative assessment: ACCORDING TO THE SKILL:

1. 1-Minute Check In – Check in with every student in the class for one minute throughout the day to see how
they are feeling about their tasks. Use the class roll to keep track.

2. 1-Minute Paper – Students get one minute to write a rapid-fire paper on the topic to try to show their depth of
knowledge as fast as possible.

3. 3 Things – Students are asked to quickly list 3 things they want to know more about in regards to their topic, or
3 things they don’t currently understand.

4. 3-2-1 Reflection (aka Exit Slip) – Have students write down 3 big ideas from what they learned, 2 insights
(reflective comments), and 1 question they still have.

5. 3x Summarization – Have students summarize the topic in three ways: in 10-15 words, 30-50 words, and 75-
100 words. As they step up in word count, they will need to add some more depth and detail to demonstrate
deeper knowledge.

Checking Quizzes & Block exams:

** Both educators and learners acknowledge the crucial role teachers play in enhancing a student's writing skills.

 The students appreciate the feedback provided by their teachers.

 The students desire their instructors to clarify their errors.
 The students expressed a preference for receiving both written and verbal feedback.
English – Grade 5 CSC

How to make a constructive feedback:

 Try to use some action words

 Try to be specific while giving feedbacks
 Use more positive sentences
 Directed towards the future
 Reflection time: after rectifying their mistakes