Friday, 29 November 2019

Cambridge eSource - user guide

To access eSource, go to the webpage esource.cambridge.org and, if you already have an
account, enter your e-mail address and password and press Sign In. If this is your first time
using eSource, then press Create account and follow the next step below.

In order to create an account, you will be required to enter your name, date of birth, country
a valid e-mail address and a password of your choice. You will also need to tick the box
confirming that you agree to the Terms and Conditions of use.

On logging in to eSource you will be taken to your Resource Library. This is where you will
be able to choose and access the various products you have added to your account. To
begin with this will be empty.

To add a new product to your library, simply add the
code for that product in the box on the right and press
Add product.

The product will now appear in your library and will always be available every time you visit
eSource. To view the product, press Open.

This will take you to the Product Page where you will be able to view or download the
various resources.

Some resources such as audio, video and PDF files can be viewed on the page itself by
pressing the Preview button. However files such as the DMG, ZIP and EXE files types used
with Presentation Plus need to be downloaded to your computer first in order to run. Press
Download file in order to do this.

Some products contain hundreds of individual files. To filter
the number of resources you are viewing, use the Refine
results table on the left and tick one or more boxes to only
see the relevant results.

Wednesday, 27 November 2019

Quickly find the relevant Handbook for Teachers for the exam you're preparing


A good way to ensure success in any exam is to know the Rubrics - i.e. how a candidate is evaluated. This is particularly relevant for the productive skills, Writing and Speaking.

For the new "2020" A2 & B1 qualifications. Click on the link then scroll down below the video and click on "Free resources": New A2 & B1 "2020" exam resources.

For all other qualifications, it's best to use the "Resource Finder" (use the filters to select what you want; click "Search" and then scroll down to find the resources you are looking for.

Monday, 4 February 2019

A2 Key and B1 Preliminary (also for schools) webpage

From 01/01/2020 the A2 Key (+ for schools) and B1 Preliminary (+ for schools) Qualifications will have been revised. On this dedicated webpage you can find useful information, videos, handbooks, sample papers and suggested materials to help guide you through the changes and get ready for 2020 candidates.

keyandpreliminary.cambridgeenglish.org

Thursday, 24 January 2019

PowToon (templates to create simple videos with basic text)

This is a free service for creating little videos which can then be easily published on your YouTube channel. There are several templates available for free and can be edited without too much difficulty.
Registration: provide name & email then follow link via email to activate registration
Presentation: there are some videos to show how it works
Time: it took me about 20 minutes from start to finish to publish the first little video. I'm guessing once you know the system then a video can be made in under 5 minutes.
N.B. it takes about 10/15 minutes for the publishing to execute, so be patient..

Video made especially for Teachers attending a workshop at Hamilton House

Thanks to Sara Carlesimo for introducing me to PowToon

Online free (approximative) placement tests

There are tests for different types of learner - Adult, Business, Schools and Young Learners. To be done online with instant results.
http://www.cambridgeenglish.org/test-your-english/

Cambridge English resource finder (for teachers) Boosted

Find resources using filters by level, exam, type..
http://www.cambridgeenglish.org/teaching-english/resources-for-teachers/
Cambridge English TV is a YouTube channel set up with lots to watch
https://www.youtube.com/user/cambridgeenglishtv
Be aware - in particular - that Speaking Exams with examiner notes are available. These are a great way to help students get familiar with the format and the type of information they can prepare in advance:
https://www.youtube.com/user/cambridgeenglishtv/videos?sort=p&view=0&shelf_id=2

For Young Learners, there's our own World of Fun website

World of Fun

...and specifically for Kid's Box

Kid's Box resources (many will require registration as a teacher)

Kid's Box excellent website created by our Spanish colleagues

Kid's Box (Spain)

Also for Prepare!

Prepare! resources (most will require teacher registration on the website) 

And for Compact Advanced 

Compact Advanced resources (most will need teacher registration) 

Cambridge English resources for learners

OK so there is a huge amount of resources on the Cambridge English Language Assessment website.

There are activities for children (and their parents) to access and do:

http://www.cambridgeenglish.org/learning-english/parents-and-children/activities-for-children/pre-a1-level/

There are games to play. Some of them you play directly on the website and others can be downloaded as apps for phones or tablets:

http://www.cambridgeenglish.org/learning-english/games-social/