Job Discussion Forums

[reddevil79]

Has anyone undertaken training to become a Cambridge oral examiner in the UK, or know anything about the process? I�m finding the Cambridge website quite difficult to navigate, and can only find one centre in Cambridge, and even then there isn�t much information.

Is Cambridge the only centre? And does anyone know how long the training lasts?

[Teacher in Rome]

I can't tell you about the UK, but I can tell you about the process / training elsewhere.

I was invited to do the training by an examining centre here. It was a few hours with the team-leader, and we concentrated on two levels (PET and KET levels) with a seminar-type training session, then did a marking test (standardisation) on the computer. The face-to-face part is called co-ordination, and you do it every year. The first time it's more complete; in subsequent years (when you're an examiner for more levels) you concentrate on just one or two levels. If you pass the first co-ordination and marking session, Cambridge send you your examiner number.

Each year you need to pass the marking ("standardisation") test - you watch a mock test on the Cambridge site, then mark the candidates to differing criteria. One test you might mark all criteria, other tests you might mark only one part and only two criteria, for example. To go online, you'll need your examiner number.

How it works in practice: This year, for example, I attended one co-ordination session where we looked at FCE in more detail, then did both FCE and KET standardisation together. Then within a time period of two weeks, I had to do the standardisation at home for my other levels (PET and CAE in my case).

In terms of time commitments, that's about an afternoon at a Cambridge centre a year, for co-ordination and standardisation of one / two levels. Then another further afternoon or so to do the other standardisation (of other levels) online.

[reddevil79]

Thanks for that.

I�ve known people who have done it in Japan, and I�d know how to go about it in Mexico where I worked, but getting info for the UK is proving tricky!

Might have to resort to a good old fashioned phone call�
Did you feel it was worth becoming an examiner Teacher in Rome?

[Teacher in Rome]

Yes, definitely worth it.

- I do a fair amount of exam prep, so knowing what the examiners are looking for really helps the students. (Helps too in that schools continue to ask for me to do this work, as I know how the exam works, what the examiners want to hear.)

- I get to know more teachers / examiners and make contacts. Good for me, because even though I don't do loads of teaching, it can get a bit isolating working in a rural area. You examine in pairs, which means you get to know other teachers. We pass on offers of work, bits of info...

- It's an extra source of income. Some centres pay better than others, other centres give you more work than others... As a freelancer you can work for more than one centre, which is obviously helpful. It's not a huge amount of income, but I'll be making �1000 or thereabouts for about three days work total this month.

- it's an extra string to my bow. Something else I can put on my CV - another selling point for when I pitch for work. Which is never, but it's useful to be able to say that I'm also an examiner.

- I like the work. Different from being in a classroom, nice to feel part of students' confidence with English. I get to hear some interesting things from the candidates... I can think of far worse things to do with my time!

[naturegirl321]

I can tell you about it in Peru and korea. I applied for about three years straight in Peru only to be told that they were full. I finally got in when my ex boss recommended me. They were FAR from full.

It's ok. I did PET, FCE, CAE in Peru and BULATS in Korea. I only did mock exams and real exams about twice a year for each. It's extra money, but due to the fact that they weren't more often, it wasn't a lot of money. I know that in places like China, you can do exams every weekend and double your income, that simply hasn't been my case.

If you get the chance, I'd do it as it looks great on your CV.

[Sashadroogie]

Cambridge exams every weekend in China? I thought they were run only 2 to 3 times a year everywhere in the world. Are you sure you didn't mean IELTS?

[naturegirl321]

[Sashadroogie]

Aha! That's OK. A relief that I have not missed countless Cambridge sessions, after all...