These criteria have become a basic approach in further working on Universal criteria of complex assessment of language proficiency.

PREFACE

The present Linguistic complex is a modern, complex method of language learning at non-linguistic institute of higher education and it was developed in accordance with the tendency of reforms in the system of higher education, aimed at high level of training of competitive graduates. Taking into account the integration of higher schools of Kazakhstan into the world educational space and in order to implement acquired knowledge skills and abilities in industrial activity by graduates without any language limitations, great attention in our Universities is paid to the state, Russian and English languages.

The proposed Linguistic complex, which is based on great experience gained in the development of methodology of determining language proficiency level with its assessment scale, handouts and materials for practical classes, is the third edition.

The first edition – ‘Universal criteria of complex assessment of language proficiency’ (using as an example Kazakh, Russian and English), under the general editorship of Professor A.A. Kussainov, was published in 2003.

It was the first experience of theoretical understanding existing international and national methods for determining learners’ communicative competencies in the development of own technology of complex assessment of languages proficiency. ‘Universal criteria of complex assessment of language proficiency’ consisted of two parts: Part I was a manual containing methodical recommendations and materials for teachers. Part II was designed for students and it contained tests and professionally-oriented tasks. Linguo-didactic principles were taken as a basis: 1) related training in all kinds of speech activity; 2) cross-cultural orientation of training materials; 3) sequential deployment (development) of language skills; 4) level approach to the process of language acquisition and others.

Criteria of absolute and relative assessment were defined; five levels of language proficiency were developed and proved:

The 1^st level ‘Beginner’ (0-20%);

The 2^nd level ‘Pre intermediate’ (21-40%);

The 3^rd level ‘Intermediate’ (41-60%);

The 4^th level ‘Upper Intermediate’ (61-80%);

The 5^th level ‘Advanced’ (81-100%).

These criteria have become a basic approach in further working on Universal criteria of complex assessment of language proficiency.

In connection with changes of vital realities and new tendencies in language education (an issue of state program of trinity of languages, etc.) the second edition of “Universal criteria of complex assessment of language proficiency” (Kazakh, Russian and English) was published in 2008. In this edition methodical materials and guidance were divided: Part I- methodical manual for teachers and Part II, which unlike the first edition, was defined as a training manual for students, which had included lexical and grammatical tests and tasks for all types of speech activity (TSA). The aim of this work was the further improvement of methods of identification language proficiency levels. In this regard, the scale of complex assessment of language proficiency was defined more precisely and the formula of final assessment consisting of an absolute (theoretical) assessment, expressed in letter grade (A, B, C, D, F) according to accepted international practice and relative (practical) one, expressed in percentage (0% - 100%) was given. The content of materials were updated, new types of practical tasks for identification language skills were implemented. Conditions for students’ beginner languagelearning, transfer from course to course with obligatory increased levels of language learning or relearning were defined.

For 8 years this manual was the main methodical guidance for teachers on language disciplines in KazGASA and KAU and it was actively used in educational process and at examinations.

However, under the guidance of Professor A.A. Kussainov the work on the improvement of ‘Universal criteria of complex assessment of language proficiency’has been continued and it was necessary to find new approaches in the solution of number of actual tasks connected with language preparation of learners in new conditions. Nowadays for the high educational institutions in the Republic of Kazakhstan cognitive technology of level language education, which conforms to European standards was worked out and it was based on competence approach. According to these technology in languages learning there are 6 levels: A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, C2. Initial level for Bachelor degree is B1, final level is C1. The level C2 is for Master degree.

Taking into account the experience of native and foreign theory and practice of teaching languages at non-linguistic institute of higher education and own experience of level methodology of learning Kazakh, Russian and English and on the basis of the author's technology complex assessment of language proficiency, above mentioned 6 levels were meaningfully adapted and brought to conformity with level education, which was accepted in KazGASA and KAU:

The 1^st level ‘Beginner’ – corresponds to A1 and A2 (0 – 20 %);

The 2^nd level ‘Pre-Intermediate’ - B1 (21 – 40%);

The 3^rd level ‘Intermediate’ - B1 (41 – 60%);

The 4^th level ‘Upper- Intermediate’ - B2 – C1 (61 – 80%);

The 5^th level ‘Advanced’ - C1 – C2 (81 – 100%).

The result of these and other scientific and methodical researches has become this edition, which is fundamentally different from earlier editions not only according to the content, but also to the structure. In the proposed linguistic complex there are five levels consisting of four parts:

Part I – ‘Universal criteria of complex assessment of language proficiency’. This part covers the assessment methods of theoretical knowledge and skills of learners in speech practice: listening, speaking, reading and writing. Considerable changes were made in content of criteria and method of language proficiency assessment: new norms of time were given, types of tasks and training material were updated, samples of test tasks (20 closed tests) and exam cards were given.

Part II – ‘Collection of handouts’ consists of 30 handouts on each level. The handouts are the materials for practical training which include tasks for all types of speech activity in various spheres of social, educational and professional communication. Each handout material is designed in accordance with criteria of complex assessment of English proficiency and it has lexical and grammatical theme. The lexical material includes general themes of complex in all volumes and it has a consecutive character.

Part III – ‘Collection of materials for combined examination’ consists of two blocks. Lexical and grammatical tests containing 120 test questions for assessment of theoretical knowledge are given in the first block. Tests are taken from handouts; this part of exam is carried out in a form of computer testing and reveals leaner’s level from one of 5 levels. The second block consists of 30 exam cards with tasks on TSA on definite level and seeks to identify the level of formation of practical skills. Keys for listening texts are given.

Part IV – ‘Materials for LIW’ consists of materials for LIW (learner’s independent work) and Office hours (learner’s independent work with a teacher). The task for LIW provides reading and retelling texts, expressive reading or learning the poems by heart, doing creative tasks, preparing reports, making video presentations and other types of works. The task for office hours provides consultation on challenging issues, writing essays, informal or formal letters, etc. In order to create the opportunities of improving the learner’s speech competence in everyday life, extensive material on Kazakh customs and traditions, congratulations, wishes, condolences, proverbs, sayings, quotations, samples of personal and informal letters are included in the complex.

The implementation of trilingualism program in Kazakhstan and teaching three languages (Kazakh, Russian and English) to pupils and students in KAU and KazGASA requires from TS (teaching staff) and personnel to know languages. Extra payment for usage of languages is given to applicants in accordance with their results in exam: Kazakh – 0-20%, English – 0-100%. ‘Methods of assessment of language proficiency for TS and personnel’ and instructional table ‘Norms of time and assessment criteria for taking of unified linguistic test (ULT) for the teaching staff and personnel’ were worked out for the objective assessment. Examination materials are taken from the linguistic complex. One exam card is given as a sample.

Thus, present complex is a unified linguistic complex of educational, methodical and didactic character, parts of which are interconnected and integrated by common linguistic and methodological idea. The complex covers all aspects of linguistic training (phonetic, grammar, lexical), lingua cultural, cross-cultural communication (features of linguistic and non-linguistic interaction).

The linguistic complex was compiled by the teachers on language disciplines of KazGASA and KAU. We would like to thank all those people whose suggestions and comments have helped with this book, especially G.M.Kasymova, U.B. Adilbayeva, A.Zh. Minayeva, G.A. Gaiipova, G.A. Adilova, A.A. Tasyrova, S.S. Pak, T.E. Bozhbanova, M.Z. Isabayeva, D.K.Zhakipbekova, N.S. Nusipaliev and M.A. Ibrasheva, director of ‘Architecture and Consrtuction’ Print House.

Our special thanks to the President of KazGASA and KAU, Doctor of Technical Sciences, Professor A.A.Kussainov for productive work, innovative ideas and editing.

Symbols:

	listening		proverbs and sayings
	speaking (monologue)		phraseological units
	speaking (dialogue)		quotations, aphorisms
	speaking (discussion)		page of poetry
	reading		read for fun
	writing		answer the questions
	lexical training		remember
	grammar comment		check yourself

Abbreviations:

LIW	learner’s independent work
Office hours	learner’s independent work with a teacher
T	tapescripts
TSA	types of speech activity
TS	teaching staff
ULT	unified linguistic test
LGT	lexical grammar test

CONTENTS

PREFACE
PART I. UNIVERSAL CRITERIA OF COMPLEX ASSESSMENT OF ENGLISH PROFICIENCY
Methods of assessment of language proficiency of learners
Methods of assessment of language proficiency of teaching staff and personnel
PART II. COLLECTION OF HAND OUTS
Unit	№	Lexical theme	Grammatical theme
PEOPLE		Food and restaurants	Present Simple and Continuous
	Sport	Past simple, past continuous and past perfect tenses
	Health	Time and sequences
	Family and personality	Future forms; like/look like
	Money matters	Present perfect
	Changing your life	Present Perfect Continuous
EVERY MAN TO HIS TASTE		Transport and travelling	Comparative and superlative of adjectives
	National identity	Must, have to, should (obligation)
	People and their appearances	Must, may, might, can’t (deduction)
	Books and literature	Can, could, be able to (ability and possibility)
	Education	First conditionals, time clause
	My ideal house	Second conditional
WAY OF LIFE		Relationships	Usually and used to
	Lifestyle	Quantifiers
	A man thing or a woman thing	Articles
	The right job for you	Gerund and infinitive
THE WOR around us		Telling tales	Reported speech
	The natural world	Passives
	Heroes and icons of our time	Relative clauses: defining, non-defining
	` Superstitions	Third conditional
		Customs connected with birth, wedding and funeral	Question tag
	How well do you know our world	Expressing a wish or a regret
MASS MEDIA		Leisure and entertainment	Direct and indirect questions
	Clothes	Adjectives
	Inspiration: Wonders of the world	Phrasal verbs
	Habits	Future in the past
	Mass media	Verb Patterns
TIME FLIES		Tomorrow’s world	Future perfect
	Science and scientists	Compound noun
	The call of the ancestors	General revising
	Part III. MATERIALS FOR COMBINED EXAM
	The first block– Theory	Lexical - grammar test
	The second block - Practice	Exam cards
	Tapescripts
	Keys for listening test
	PART IV. MaterialS FOR LEARNER’S INDEPENDENT WORK (LIW) and Office HOURS
	Tasks for LIW and office hours
	Kazakh customs and traditions
	Samples of congratulations, wishes and condolences
	Proverbs and sayings
	Quotations
	Phrasal verbs
	Samples of business letters
	British English -American English guide
	Glossary
	REFERENCES

PART I

UNIVERSAL CRITERIA