Celi 3 Exams

Part II

WRITING COMPOSITIONS FOR THE CELI 3 EXAMINATIONS

 Tips for successfully writing a composition for the CELI 3 examination

PART II

In order to improve written production, it is useful to occasionally provide outlines of compositions already or partially completed, and it is essential as well to discuss each student’s errors together with the entire group. It is very important for the teacher to keep an up-to-date record of all the errors of the class so as to understand where to act and which grammatical topic to re-explain.

As regards the second CELI written production test, i.e. a letter, or an email, usually to a friend, it would be very useful to rehearse it in class, trying to write it together on the blackboard, paying attention to the students’ ideas, but mainly steering the communicative skills required towards the right direction. Very helpful in this respect is to provide the pupils with some diagrams and templates, e.g. the introductory one.

EXAMPLES

Caro amico, ho appena ricevuto la tua email e…

1. sono molto contento
2. …mi dispiace molto
3. comprendo bene il tuo problema, a seconda appunto del tipo di situazione che ci viene presentata.

It is important to emphasise how to appropriately make use of linking words

EXAMPLES

prima di tutto, inoltre, infine ecc.

A final piece of advice which may be given to students prior to the examination would be to always re-read carefully what they have written in an attempt to amend any possible mistakes, as well as not to write excessively long compositions, but rather to stick closer to the minimum word requirement.

I would like to conclude with one last remark on the importance of writing. Bringing students to a high level of written production is a greater guarantee for success in exams.

If our students achieve e.g. an 8 or a 9 out of 10, they can also be more relaxed in the event of a particularly difficult examination as regards its other components, e.g. the listening part and/or the written text comprehension test.

It only remains for me to wish all teachers and students the best of luck!