ONLINE IGCSE ENGLISH AS SECOND LANGUAGE

Upon successful completion of the exam (as administered by Cambridge), you will have achieved an internationally recognised Cambridge IGCSE ESL (0993 or 0991) qualification.

• better communicative ability in English
• improved ability to understand English in a range of everyday situations and in a variety of social registers and styles
• greater awareness of the nature of language and language-learning skills
• wider international perspective.

This course is divided into 4 unit:

Unit 1: Reading

Unit 2: Writing

Unit 3: Listening

Unit 4: Speaking

Unit 1: Reading

Core

• understand factual information and ideas from a range of texts, e.g. leaflets, articles, blogs and webpages
• identify relevant information and select correct details from a range of texts
• identify ideas, opinions and attitudes from a range of texts and understand the connections between them
• show some awareness of what is implied but not directly stated, e.g. gist, purpose and intention

Extended

• understand factual information, abstract ideas and arguments from a range of texts, e.g. leaflets, articles, blogs and webpages
• identify relevant information and select correct details from a wide range of texts
• identify ideas, opinions and attitudes from a wide range of texts and understand the connections between them
• understand what is implied but not directly stated, e.g. gist, purpose and intention

Unit 2: Writing

Core

• communicate factual information and ideas with appropriate expansion
• select and organise relevant information and ideas into paragraphs and use appropriate linking devices
• respond to a written stimulus and show awareness of appropriate register and style/format for the given purpose and audience, e.g. a summary, an informal email, an article, a report and a review
• produce written texts with an adequate range of language structures (i.e. grammatical and lexical)
• produce written texts that show good control of punctuation and spelling

Extended

• communicate factual information, abstract ideas and arguments with good expansion
• select and organise relevant information and ideas into coherent paragraphs and use a range of appropriate linking devices
• respond to a written stimulus and use appropriate register and style/format for the given purpose and audience, e.g. a summary, an informal email, an article, a report and a review
• produce written texts with a wide range of language structures (i.e. grammatical and lexical)
• produce written texts that show very good control of punctuation and spelling

Unit 3: Listening

Core

• understand factual information and ideas from a range of sources, e.g. recorded phone messages, announcements, dialogues, interviews and formal talks. A variety of voices and accents will be heard in recordings to reflect the various contexts presented.
• identify relevant information and select correct details from a range of sources
• identify ideas, opinions and attitudes from a range of sources and understand the connections between them
• show some awareness of what is implied but not directly stated, e.g. gist, purpose and intention

Extended

• understand factual information, abstract ideas and arguments from a wide range of sources, e.g. recorded phone messages, announcements, dialogues, informal conversations, interviews and formal talks. A variety of voices and accents will be heard in recordings to reflect the various contexts presented.
• identify relevant information and select correct details from a wide range of sources
• identify ideas, opinions and attitudes from a wide range of sources and understand the connections between them understand what is implied but not directly stated, e.g. gist, purpose and intention

Unit 4: Speaking

Core

• communicate factual information and ideas with some expansion
• organise and link ideas with appropriate linking devices
• engage in a conversation on a range of topics familiar to the candidate’s experience, e.g. the world around us and past experience
• produce responses with an adequate range of language structures (i.e. grammatical and lexical)
• produce responses that show sufficient control of pronunciation and intonation

Extended

• communicate factual information, abstract ideas and arguments with good expansion
• organise and link ideas with a range of appropriate linking devices
• engage in a conversation on a wide range of topics, e.g. natural environment, arts, science and global issues
• produce responses with a wide range of language structures (i.e. grammatical and lexical)
• produce responses that show good control of pronunciation and intonation

Syllabus code 0993 (Speaking Endorsement)

Core candidates take
Paper 1 – 1 hour 30 minutes
Reading and writing 70% 60 marks
Six exercises testing a range of reading and writing skills
Externally assessed

Paper 3 Approximately 40 minutes
Listening 30% 30 marks
Candidates listen to several short extracts and longer texts, and complete a range of task types, including short answer questions, gap filling, matching, multiple choice and note taking.
Externally assessed

Extended Candidates take:
Paper 2 – 2 hours
Reading and writing 70% 80 marks
Six exercises testing a range of reading and writing skills

Externally assessed
Paper 4 Approximately 50 minutes

Listening 30% 40 marks
Candidates listen to several short extracts and longer texts, and complete a range of task types, including short answer questions, gap filling, matching, multiple choice and note taking.
Externally assessed
Speaking endorsementIn syllabus 0993
marks for the Speaking component do not contribute to the overall grade candidates
receive for the written components. Instead, where candidates perform to an appropriate standard,
certificates record separately the achievements of candidates, with grades pass, merit or distinction for Speaking.
Component 5 Approximately 10–15 minutes
Speaking Separately endorsed 30 marks
Following a 2–3 minute warm-up conversation, candidates engage in a 6–9 minute discussion with the examiner on a given topic.
Internally assessed/externally moderated

Syllabus code 0991 (Count-in Speaking)

Core Candidates take:
Paper 1 – 1 hour 30 minutes
Reading and writing 60% 60 marks
Six exercises testing a range of reading and writing skills
Externally assessed
Paper 3 Approximately 40 minutes
Listening 20% 30 marks
Candidates listen to several short extracts and longer texts, and complete a range of task types, including short answer questions, gap filling, matching, multiple choice and note taking.
Externally assessed
Extended Candidates Take:
Paper 2 – 2 hours
Reading and writing 60% 80 marks
Six exercises testing a range of reading and writing skills
Externally assessed
Paper 4 Approximately 50 minutes
Listening 20% 40 marks
Candidates listen to several short extracts and longer texts, and complete a range of task types, including shortanswer questions, gap filling, matching, multiple choice and note taking.
Externally assessed
Both core and extended candidates also take:
Component 5 Approximately 10–15 minutes
Speaking 20% 30 marks
Following a 2–3 minute warm-up conversation, candidates engage in a 6–9 minute discussion with the examiner on a given topic.
Internally assessed/externally moderated

Online

The course is primarily an online course using a Learning Management System (LMS).

The online course has many features that cannot be printed such as embedded videos, forums and interactive tests.

The course includes Tutor Marked Assessments which you access and submit through the online system.

Our IGCSE courses come with tutor feedback and support by email for 12 months. They will mark your TMAs and provide valuable guidance through any trickier parts of the course whenever you need it. You will also receive a study guide to help you with all aspects of studying, essay writing and general student skills.