GCSE Japanese Speaking Examiner

When the candidate and the examiner enter the room, the Role-play and Picture-based Tasks sheets will be handed to the candidate, with a piece of paper to take notes. The examiner will receive the question sheets/booklets. Then 12 minutes will be given to prepare for these tasks. 

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The task sheets will be set up on that day, following the instructions for the examiner issued by Pearson Edexcel. The candidate or the examiner will not know the themes for each task until the test day.

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• Changes are NOT permitted

With Role-play and Picture-based Tasks, the examiner must read out their scripts exactly as they are. No changes or improvisations are permitted. Questions can be repeated twice at maximum, which means three times in total. If the candidate still cannot answer the question, they should just move on.

 

• Candidate's notes

They are allowed to see the notes that they have written down during the preparation time. The notes should be just for reference; the candidate should not read out whole prepared sentences.

 

I have seen candidates who focus on their notes and place the Role-play task sheet underneath their notes. However, they should leave it on the table as the task sheet contains clues. When they don't understand a Japanese word in the examiner's question, the English equivalent is often provided on their task sheet.​

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After the Role-play and Picture-based Tasks, the examiner will collect the candidate’s task sheets and notes.

The Conversation Task is divided into two parts, dealing with two different GCSE themes. Candidates are not allowed to see any notes during this task.

 

• Conversation Task Part 1

The first part of the conversation is based on a theme chosen by the candidate from the Five GCSE Themes. The candidates may speak for up to one minute to give a confident start, and this part is optional. On the exam day, the examiner should check with the candidate how they wish to start, with or without their speech.

 

The examiner may start this task by saying, "You have chosen Theme 3, School. Would you like to talk about it?" If the candidate gives a speech, the examiner follows up with questions on the same theme. If the candidate has not prepared a speech, the examiner begins the task by asking questions aligned with the chosen theme.​

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• Speech

I have heard of cases where examiners did not allow candidates to give their speech even when the candidate explained they had prepared for it. Such situations could lead to complaints. This misunderstanding might happen because different exam boards have different rules. For example, in AQA (many MFL GCSEs), candidates do not give a short speech at the beginning of the Conversation Task, but in Pearson Edexcel (Japanese GCSE), they can.​​

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• How should the candidate submit their theme?

According to the specification, candidates need to let school know about their theme for the Conversation Part 1 two weeks before the Speaking Test. Schools would normally ask candidates about it. However, in some schools, it seems that if a student hasn't come forward, the school may pick a theme for them, typically Theme 1. While this sounds efficient, it can lead to confusion if the school has not explained this to the candidate. 

 

• Miscommunication

I encountered candidates whose schools had picked the Conversation Part 1 theme for them, were ready to give a speech on their chosen theme without notifying the school. It is tricky to discover such confusion at the beginning of Task 3. It would be much easier to address the situation if they mentioned it before their 12-minute preparation time.

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It must be difficult for schools to explain every detail to each candidate, especially those supporting a large number of community and heritage language exams. There is also too much information for the candidates to fully understand. 

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• Simple error

On one occasion, I noticed that the Role-play and Picture-based Task sheets the school had prepared were wrong; the candidate had told me a different theme in earlier communications. It was awkward asking the school to check because the exams officer was so confident, and I didn't want to make the candidate anxious. I initially thought the candidate might have changed their mind at the last minute, but it turned out to be a mix-up in the paperwork. Luckily, the error was discovered before the 12-minute preparation, so it was fine!

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• Conversation Task Part 2

After approximately 2.5 minutes, the second part of the conversation begins, covering a different theme. The theme for this part is specified in the examiner's instructions. 

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• Should candidates ask questions to the examiner as part of conversation?

For the Japanese Speaking Test, it is not necessary. When included, they are marked in the same way as other responses. Other MFLs using the AQA, candidates are encouraged to ask questions such as "Do you like travelling, teacher?".

• ​Foundation Tier

Role play  Task        : 1-1.5mins

Picture-based Task : 2.5-3 mins

Conversation Task   : 3.5-4.5 mins

 

• Higher Tier​

Role play  Task        : 2-2.5 mins

Picture-based Task : 3-3.5 mins

Conversation Task   : 5-6 mins

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The examiner is responsible for timekeeping. I use my mobile phone.

The following items should be provided by the school. 

• Task sheets for the candidate

• Question sheets or booklets for the teacher/examiner 

• Instructions for the examiner (A booklet, optional)

• Speaking assessment record form (CS2)

• Candidate notes form (CN2)

• A recorder

The examiner is responsible for recording the entire speaking test. At the start, the examiner records the following information. 

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• GCSE Japanese Summer [ex. 2023]

• Foundation or Higher Tier

• Teacher-examiner [your name]

• Candidate [name]

• Candidate number [ex. 1234]

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Then the speaking exam begins with a phrase such as​ below.

• Task 1, Role-play. You are in a shop in Japan... (Read out the instructions on the teacher's sheet in English) "Irasshaimase, nani o kaimasuka?"  (Ask the first question in Japanese)

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Schools provide a recorder, but occasionally, I was asked to use my own recorder as the school had many exams going on at the same time. In that case, I use my mobile phone (Voice Memos on iPhone) and send the audio file to the school's exam officer right after the test.