Skip to main content

View related sites

  • Recognition
  • Agents
  • Consultancy
  • Research
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • LinkedIn
  • Instagram
Change Language

Cambridge Assessment English

Main navigation

  • Home
  • Why choose us?

    Why choose us?

    • Learners

    • Who accepts our exams?
    • Visas and immigration
    • Study abroad
    • Cambridge English journeys
    • Organisations

    • Start accepting our exams
    • Working with us
    • Producing exams
  • Exams and tests

    Exams and tests

    • Cambridge English Qualifications Cambridge English Qualifications
    • Schools
    • General and higher education
    • Business
    • Pre A1 Starters (YLE Starters)
    • A1 Movers (YLE Movers)
    • A2 Flyers (YLE Flyers)
    • A2 Key for Schools (KET)
    • B1 Preliminary for Schools (PET)
    • B2 First for Schools (FCE)
    • A2 Key (KET)
    • B1 Preliminary (PET)
    • B2 First (FCE)
    • C1 Advanced (CAE)
    • C2 Proficiency (CPE)
    • B1 Business Preliminary (BEC Preliminary)
    • B2 Business Vantage (BEC Vantage)
    • C1 Business Higher (BEC Higher)
    • Linguaskill Linguaskill
    • IELTS IELTS
    • OET OET
    • Useful links

    • Test your English
    • Cambridge English Placement Test
    • How to register
    • Find an exam centre
    • What to expect on exam day
    • Study English in the UK
    • See exam results online
    • Cambridge English Scale
    • International language standards explained
    • Information for preparation centres
  • Learning English

    Learning English

    • Free activities
    • Exam preparation
    • Test your English
    • Parents and children
    • Games and social media
    • More resources
  • Teaching English

    Teaching English

    • Qualifications for individuals
    • CELTA
    • DELTA
    • TKT (Teaching Knowledge Test)
    • Qualifications for schools and ministries
    • CELT-P
    • CELT-S
    • Language for Teaching
    • Certificate in EMI Skills
    • Train the Trainer
    • Professional development
    • Cambridge English Teaching Framework
    • Cambridge English Trainer Framework
    • Become a Cambridge English Assessment Specialist
    • Your new English classroom
    • Resources for teachers
    • Webinars for teachers
    • Information for preparation centres
  • Blog
  • News
  • Events
  • Help

    Help

    • Lost certificates
    • Enquiries and appeals
    • Special requirements
    • Special considerations
    • Malpractice
    • Complaints
    • Corporate social responsibility
  • Test your English
  • Find an exam centre
  • Who accepts our exams?
Back to Blog page

You are here:

  1. Cambridge English
  2. Blog
  3. Revising A2 Key and B1 Preliminary Listening tests

Revising A2 Key and B1 Preliminary Listening tests

Share

Categories

  • Assessment
  • Cambridge English Qualifications
  • Teaching
  • Technology
  • Young learners

View all categories

Revising A2 Key and B1 Preliminary Listening tests

by Cambridge English, 11/02/2020
Assessment , Cambridge English Qualifications
Key and Preliminary 2020 updates - Revisions to the listening test

As part of our series of Research Notes relevant for teachers preparing learners for Cambridge exams, we look at recent revisions to Key and Preliminary Listening.

A vital aspect of the revisions to the A2 Key and B1 Preliminary Listening exam was reviewing the constructs with reference to the Cambridge English Cognitive Model of Listening Comprehension and the CEFR. Lanes, Séguis and Elliott explain how these frameworks helped the creation of listening exams enhanced for student, teacher and stakeholder purposes.

The use of these frameworks demonstrated that students at A2 and B1 need to focus on local levels of processing meaning but also require the skills to infer general meaning. For this reason the new exams placed greater emphasis on listening for gist.

The main revision for A2 Key was the change of Part 4 from a gap-fill task to a multiple-choice format expanded to include listening for gist. Part 3 was also expanded to include a wider range of listening skills, including the ability to identify feelings and opinions.

Meanwhile, B1 Preliminary now features a three-option multiple-choice task with text options, which allows students to show their understanding without the burden of extra working memory demands that may not be fully developed at this level.

The new tasks were trialled with learners of a range a nationalities and reviewed by a panel of experts. Read Revising the A2 Key and B1 Preliminary Listening exam to find out more about how we on we analyse cognitive difficulty in listening and develop tasks to elicit the right level of processing.

Related Articles

Five tips to help you get your students ready for exam day

by Cambridge English, 30/03/2021
female

In this post we’re sharing five top tips and resources that you can use to help your learners feel confident as exam day approaches.

Teaching , Classroom , Assessment

Read more

The seven Cs of effective communication

by Cambridge English, 18/03/2021
teacher

Explaining to parents about their child’s progress is essential. Our top tips to talk to parents are great for teachers of A2 Key for Schools, B1 Preliminary for Schools and B2 First for Schools.

Schools , Teaching

Read more

Five top tips to help young learner teachers talk to parents

by Cambridge English, 18/03/2021
young

Get our top 5 tips to help you talk to parents of younger learners about their child’s progress. Read our blog for teachers preparing learners for Pre A1 Starters, A1 Movers and A2 Flyers.

Teaching , Young learners

Read more

Five exam preparation tips to help build student confidence

by Cambridge English, 21/01/2021
young

How to motivate your students and ensure they feel fully prepared as they approach exam day.

Teaching , Schools , Assessment

Read more

On this site

  • Home
  • Why Cambridge English?
  • Exams and tests
  • Learning English
  • Teaching English
  • News
  • Events
  • Help
  • About us
  • Who accepts our exams?
  • Agents
  • Consultancy
  • Research
  • Contact us
  • ALTE logo
  • English Profile logo
  • Cambridge University Press
  • Cambridge Assessment logo
  • BSI Logo

View Related Sites

  • Cambridge English main site
  • Cambridge English helpdesk
  • Cambridge English Penfriends
  • Cambridge English Schools
  • Cambridge English Online
  • Cambridge English for Centres
  • Preparation Centres Online
  • Results Verification Service
  • Occupational English Test
  • Cambridge University Press
  • ALTE
  • English Profile
  • Cambridge Assessment
  • Cambridge Assessment Admissions Testing
  • Michigan Language Assessment
  • Cambridge Assessment Japan Foundation


Copyright ©  UCLES

  • Terms & conditions
  • Data protection
  • Accessibility statement
  • Statement on modern slavery
  • Safeguarding policy
  • Sitemap
Back to top
We use cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving your consent for us to set cookies Dismiss