ESOL Skills for Life
Reading tasks
Reading test tasks
Task types
Entry 1
Processing operations may include (among others):
- understanding the overall message (gist) of a text
- critical response
- locating specific information in a text
- factual understanding
- following instructions
- identifying the type of text involved (advertisement, article, etc.)
- identifying the purpose and/or intended audience of a text
- deciding on an appropriate course of action on the basis of information in a text.
The candidate is expected to respond to a variety of item types, including:
- open-ended questions requiring short responses
- note-taking
- true/false questions
- correction tasks
- 3 option multiple-choice questions
- matching
- simple alphabetical ordering.
Entry 2 & 3
As at Entry 1, plus:
- inferential understanding
- use of a simplified dictionary.
Text types
Entry 1 & 2
Candidates may be asked to engage with a range of text types, for example:
- advertisements
- public signs and notices
- lists
- timetables
- forms
- records
- diagrams
- letters
- notes
- leaflets
- sets of instructions
- simple narratives
- simplified newspaper or magazine articles.
Entry 3
As at Entry 1 & 2, plus:
- emails
- newspaper or magazine articles
- short reports.
