THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION

NATIONAL CERTIFICATE OF SECONDARY EDUCATION

2009

(Level 1)

ENGLISH
LANGUAGE ARTS
PAPER I
Oral

TEACHER’S GUIDELINES
 ADMINISTRATION OF THE ORAL EXAMINATIONS

1. The oral examination should take place within a period of two weeks before the start of the
written examinations.

2. Topics and questions for the interview are provided within this paper.

3. Materials relevant to the examination must at all times be treated with the strictest
confidentiality.

4. Schools should ensure that all candidates are aware of the form the examination will take
and the time at which they will be examined. Each student will be examined for 5-10
minutes.

5. Schools should ensure that the arrangements for the conduct of the examinations are
satisfactory. The examination room should be as quiet as possible and should contain
adequate accommodation for teacher (a table and chair) and student (chair).

6. Candidates preparing for the examination are to be provided with the topics 10-15 minutes
before the examination. This must only be done under the supervision of an examiner. The
topics should be collected at the end of the interview.

7. All copies of the final mark sheets must be submitted to the Division of Educational
Research and Evaluation through the Examination Section, Ministry of Education
immediately on completion of the examination of all students.

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 DURING THE INTERVIEW

1. Ensure that each student is comfortable.

2. The teacher (interviewer) should greet the student, confirm the topic selected by the student,
and allow the student to speak briefly about himself/ herself during the preamble/icebreaker.
The questions provided for the preamble/ icebreaker may be used as a general guide.

3. Inform the student that he/she will be asked a few questions based on the topic selected, and
remind of the criteria for performance provided within the Student’s Copy for this paper.

4. Advise the student that he/she may request that question(s) be repeated.

5. Use the questions provided on the selected topics to guide the interview. The order of the
questions may be changed to facilitate the smooth flow of the interview.

6. Ask additional follow-up questions for clarification when necessary.

7. Remember to speak audibly in Standard English and in a manner to ensure that students
hear and understand the questions.

8. Use the scoring guide and mark sheets provided to record students’ scores.

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 NATIONAL CERTIFICATE OF SECONDARY EDUCATION
(NCSE) LEVEL 1 EXAMINATION
2009

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS

PAPER 1

ORAL / INTERVIEW

INSTRUCTIONS:

Each student will select one of the FIVE (5) topics provided and study it carefully before
being asked the set questions based on that topic. Some of the questions are general while
others are specific to the topic.

During the interview, attention should be paid to the student’s:

understanding of the questions

clear expression of ideas
use of Standard English
use of vocabulary
fluency and tone in speech
(Please refer to the Scoring Guide, p. 9)

The interview should last between 5-10 minutes.

TOPICS:

1. My Community

2. Festivals

3. Flooding

4. Fashion: Clothing

5. Personal Savings

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 QUESTIONS FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS
ORAL EXAMINATION

TOPIC ONE: My Community

Introduction

Preamble/Ice breaker (Students are not to be marked)

 Good Morning/ Afternoon

 How are you?
 What is your name?
 How old are you?
 Tell me something/s about yourself.

Interview

1. Where do you live? Describe the place where you live.

2. Are the people in your neighbourhood friendly? Explain.

3. How do you feel about living in your community? Give at least one reason
for your answer.

4. Relate a memorable experience that took place in your community?

5. What types of activities for the youth, do you think, should be

encouraged in your community?

6. What can be done to improve the physical environment where you live?

7. What would you do to encourage someone to visit your community?

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TOPIC TWO: Festivals

Introduction

Preamble/Ice breaker (Students are not to be marked)

 Good Morning/ Afternoon

 How are you?
 What is your name?
 How old are you?
 Tell me something/s about yourself.

Interview

1. Name some festivals that you know.

2. Which is your favourite festival? Why?

3. To what extent are you involved in this festival?

4. What do you think this festival means to the people who celebrate it?

5. In what ways can this festival positively affect your country?

6. What can be done to make the people more aware of the importance of this
festival?

7. Has a public holiday been given for this festival?

Responds “yes” to above Should it remain as a public holiday? Give reasons.

Responds “no” to above Should it be given as a public holiday? Give reasons.

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TOPIC THREE: Flooding

Introduction

Preamble/Ice breaker (Students are not to be marked)

 Good Morning/ Afternoon

 How are you?
 What is your name?
 How old are you?
 Tell me something/s about yourself.

Interview

1. What do you understand by the term flooding?

2. Explain one way in which flooding can occur.

3. How would you prepare for a flood?

4. What should you do after a flood to safeguard yourself?

5. What practices can help to reduce flooding?

6. How does flooding affect communities in your country?

7. In what ways can people who are affected by flooding be helped?

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TOPIC FOUR: Fashion: Clothing

Introduction

Preamble/Ice breaker (Students are not to be marked)

 Good Morning/ Afternoon

 How are you?
 What is your name?
 How old are you?
 Tell me something/s about yourself.

Interview

1. Describe some of the clothing preferences of young people today.

2. Where can an individual get information on the latest trends?

3. Does a person need to be wealthy in order to be fashionable? Explain.

4. Do you think a person’s clothing is a reflection of himself/herself?

Give reasons.

5. How can fashion improve someone’s image?

6. How can fashion trends have a positive effect on young people?

7. Why would some adults not appreciate what young people wear today?

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TOPIC FIVE: Personal Saving

Introduction

Preamble/Ice breaker (Students are not to be marked)

 Good Morning/ Afternoon

 How are you?
 What is your name?
 How old are you?
 Tell me something/s about yourself.

Interview

1. Why do you think saving money is important?

2. What are two ways in which you can save money?

3. Why can it sometimes be difficult for you to save money?

4. What are some positive ways in which you can earn money to increase your
saving?

5. What would you say to young persons who earn money through illegal
means?

6. How would you encourage your friend to save money?

7. In what ways can saving help to prepare you for the future?

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 NCSE LANGUAGE ARTS ORALS 2008
SCORING GUIDE

SCORING UNDERSTANDING SPEECH: USE OF ARTICULATION: LEXICON:

CRITERIA OF TOPIC PACE STANDARD ENUNCIATION, USE OF
AND ENGLISH EXPRESSION VOCABULARY
VOLUME
Speech is Uses Expressions are A wide range of
14-15 Understands and natural and Standard appropriate. vocabulary is
Excellent interprets all continuous English Excellent used
questions. effectively articulation and
Answers enunciation
appropriately

Some
10-13 Understands and hesitation Uses Expressions are Adequate use of
Very Good interprets most in speech, Standard coherent. Very good essential
questions. but English articulation and vocabulary
Answers most generally appropriately enunciation
questions completes
appropriately responses
Frequent
9 Understands some hesitation Uses Expressions are
Satisfactory questions, requires in speech Standard fairly coherent. Fairly adequate
some repetition. and a few English Satisfactory use of vocabulary
Answers some responses satisfactorily articulation and
questions may be enunciation
appropriately incomplete

Answers
5-8 Understands a few few Standard Expressions are Limited use of
In progress questions, requires questions, English has fragmented or vocabulary
considerable speech is structural incomplete but
repetition. Answers unnatural inaccuracies comprehensible.
few questions with great Weak articulation
appropriately hesitation and enunciation

Conversation is
0-4 Understands very Speech is Little or no virtually impossible Little or no use of
Minimal little, little or no halting and use of and expressions, vocabulary
attempt to answer fragmented Standard almost
questions English incomprehensible
Poor articulation
and enunciation

END OF PAPER