Skills for Life Teaching Resources

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• Reading Entry 1-3
• Writing Entry 1-3
• Writing Levels 1 and 2
• Speaking and Listening Entry 1-3
  1. About the Paper
  2. Classroom Activities
  3. Skills Development
  4. Other Information
• Speaking and Listening Levels 1 and 2

Skills for Life Speaking & Listening Entry 1-3 – Phase 1a

 

Task Description

How long does Phase 1a last?
4-5 minutes at all three Entry levels.

 

What is the purpose of Phase 1a?
To put candidates at ease and to enable them to show their ability to answer simple personal questions designed to elicit factual information.

 

At Entry 2 questions also elicit factual information, personal experience, wishes and opinions.

 

At Entry 3 candidates demonstrate their ability to ask each other questions on a familiar topic, prompted as necessary.

 

What skills are being assessed?
Candidates are assessed according to the Listen and Respond and Speak to Communicate strands of the Adult ESOL Core Curriculum, and the Engage in Discussion Strand at Entry 3. A breakdown of the assessment criteria can be found in Focus on Assessment.

 

What do candidates have to do?
Candidates are asked for their name, how to spell their name and where they come from. At Entry 2 they are also asked when they came to Britain and at Entry 3 they are asked how long they have lived here. The remainder of the Phase is different at each level:

Entry 1
Candidates then answer questions in turn to give personal information appropriate to the level on one or more topics, e.g. work, where they live etc.

 

Entry 2
The format is the same as at Entry 1 but the questions are of a more challenging nature,

 

Entry 3
After the introductory questions, candidates ask each other questions about a familiar topic, e.g. the things they enjoy doing in their free time, with the interlocutor prompting the candidates only if the interaction breaks down or if the language remains below Entry 3 level.

Understanding the Task

To understand better how candidates need to approach this task, it may help you to look at and analyse some tasks.

 

Look at the sample Phase 1a tasks from Skills for Life Speaking & Listening Entry 1, 2 and 3 sample papers, and think about what candidates have to do.

 

Sample Task Phase 1a Entry 1

 

Sample Task Phase 1a Entry 2

 

Sample Task Phase 1a Entry 3

 

Things to consider

Now look at these questions about the nature of the task and consider your answers.

1. Do candidates have to talk together?
   
2. At Entry 3, are candidates given time to prepare some questions to ask their partner and to make notes?
   
3. How is the interlocutor’s role in this Phase different at Entry 3?