ESOL Skills for Life
Speaking test assessment focus
Speaking test assessment focus
Entry 1
Assessment focus:
- listen and respond to spoken language, including simple narratives, statements, questions and single-step instructions
- speak to communicate basic information, feelings and opinions on familiar topics
- engage in discussion with another person in a familiar situation about familiar topics.
Functions may include (among others):
- describing
- giving opinions
- giving personal information
- stating (dis)likes and preferences
- commenting
- asking for information or descriptions
- (dis)agreeing
- explaining/giving reasons/justifying
- exchanging opinions
- deciding
- suggesting
- selecting.
Entry 2
Assessment focus:
- listen and respond to spoken language, including straightforward information, short narratives, explanations and instructions
- speak to communicate information, feelings and opinions on familiar topics
- engage in discussion with one or more people in a familiar situation, to establish shared understanding about familiar topics.
In addition to those at Entry 1, functions may include (among others):
- comparing
- prioritising
- planning
- persuading.
Entry 3
Assessment focus:
- listen and respond to spoken language, including straightforward information and narratives, and follow straightforward explanations and instructions, both face-to-face and on the telephone
- speak to communicate information, feelings and opinions on familiar topics, using appropriate formality, both face-to-face and on the telephone
- engage in discussion with one or more people in a familiar situation, making relevant points and responding to what others say to reach a shared understanding about familiar topics.
In addition to those at Entry 1, functions may include (among others):
- comparing/making comparative questions
- showing contrast/cause/reason/purpose
- prioritising
- planning
- persuading
- narrating
- asking about past or future events
- expressing future certainty/possibility.
Level 1
Assessment focus:
- listen and respond to spoken language, including information and narratives, and follow explanations and instructions of varying lengths, adapting response to speaker, medium and context
- speak to communicate information, ideas and opinions, adapting speech and content to take account of the listener(s) and medium
- engage in discussion with one or more people in familiar and unfamiliar situations, making clear and relevant contributions that respond to what others say and produce a shared understanding about different topics.
In Phase 1, functions may include (among others):
- describing both things and processes
- giving personal information
- stating (dis)likes and preferences
- exchanging views and opinions
- expressing agreement/disagreement
- explaining/giving reasons/justifying
- comparing/asking for comparison/making comparative questions
- showing contrast/cause/reason/purpose
- commenting
- asking for information, descriptions and definitions
- narrating
- asking about past or future events
- expressing future certainty/possibility
- interrupting politely
- asking for/giving confirmation, clarification and repetition
- asking for/giving advice.
In Phase 2, functions may include (in addition to those listed for Phase 1):
- persuading
- suggesting
- prioritising
- deciding/planning
- selecting
- making requests
- asking for/giving advice
- warning.
Level 2
Assessment focus:
- listen and respond to spoken language, including extended information and narratives, and follow detailed explanations and multi-step instructions of varying length, adapting response to speaker, medium and context
- speak to communicate straightforward and detailed information, ideas and opinions clearly, adapting speech and content to take account of the listener(s), medium, purpose and situation
- engage in discussion with one or more people in a variety of different situations, making clear and effective contributions that produce outcomes appropriate to purpose and topic.
In addition to those at Level 1, functions may include (among others):
- expressing tentative agreement/disagreement
- speculating and deducing hypothetic processes
- giving personal information.
